Softwr

Telecommunications · head to head

OneSignal vs Twilio

OneSignal logo

OneSignal

Telecommunications

Customer engagement and messaging, without the complexity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Twilio logo

Twilio

Telecommunications

Cloud communications platform for SMS, voice, and video

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OneSignal free plan email sends cap at 10,000 per month and web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send, per onesignal.com/pricing (Aug 2026); Twilio pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OneSignal and Twilio actually diverge.

Attributes where OneSignal and Twilio differ
AttributeOneSignalTwilio
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Telecommunications).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in OneSignal

Nothing recorded that Twilio does not also cover.

Only in Twilio

  • SMS messaging
  • Voice calls
  • Video conferencing
  • Programmable communication
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

OneSignal

  • Sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders shipnot Twilio
  • Triggering email confirmations based on form submission eventsnot Twilio
  • Creating multi-step SMS and email journeys for onboarding usersnot Twilio
  • Sending in-app messages to users abandoning checkout flowsnot Twilio

Twilio

  • Customer engagementnot OneSignal
  • Lead generationnot OneSignal
  • Customer supportnot OneSignal
  • Sales automationnot OneSignal

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

OneSignal

  • Free plan email sends cap at 10,000 per month and web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send, per onesignal.com/pricing (Aug 2026)
  • Professional and Enterprise plans require custom annual contracts with no published rate, per onesignal.com; SMS/RCS messaging and dedicated IPs are gated behind the Professional tier

Twilio

  • Pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • Phone number rentals are required for every number used, with carrier fees varying by region and billed separately
  • Dashboard is not optimized for mobile use and logs are difficult to access

Pricing, plan by plan

OneSignal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10,000 free email sends/month
    • Unlimited mobile push
    • Basic analytics and automation
  • Growth$19/month
    • Base platform fee plus usage costs
    • Mobile push: $0.012 per monthly active user
    • Web push: $0.004 per subscriber
  • Professional$undefined/mo
    • Custom annual pricing
    • All Growth features plus SMS/RCS messaging
    • 24/7 prioritized support
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom annual pricing
    • Unlimited personalization
    • Dedicated success manager

Twilio

Free
  • Pay-as-You-Go$undefined/mo
    • Usage-based pricing
    • No monthly minimum
    • SMS, voice, video, messaging

Which should you pick?

Choose OneSignal if

  • You want to start without paying.
OneSignal review

Choose Twilio if

  • You need sms messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
  • You also want voice calls.
Twilio review

Questions people ask

Is OneSignal or Twilio better?
Neither clearly leads. OneSignal starts at Free and Twilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OneSignal or Twilio?
OneSignal starts at Free and Twilio at Free.
Does OneSignal or Twilio run on more platforms?
OneSignal runs on Web. Twilio runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
Can I use OneSignal for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is OneSignal best used for?
OneSignal is most often used for sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders ship, triggering email confirmations based on form submission events, creating multi-step sms and email journeys for onboarding users, sending in-app messages to users abandoning checkout flows. Of those, sending push notifications to mobile app users when orders ship and triggering email confirmations based on form submission events are not what Twilio is typically brought in for.
What can OneSignal do that Twilio cannot?
Twilio covers SMS messaging, Voice calls, Video conferencing, Programmable communication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OneSignal: How much does OneSignal cost?

OneSignal offers a free tier with 10,000 free email sends/month and unlimited mobile push. Growth plan starts at $19/month plus usage-based charges for mobile push ($0.012 per monthly active user) and web push ($0.004 per subscriber).

Source
Twilio: What is Twilio's pricing model?

Twilio uses pay-as-you-go usage-based pricing with no monthly minimums or contracts. SMS costs $0.0083 per US message, voice calls cost $0.014 per minute, phone numbers cost $1.15 per month.

Source
OneSignal: Does OneSignal offer a free version?

Yes, OneSignal's free plan includes 10,000 free email sends per month, unlimited mobile push, basic analytics and automation, with up to 1 active journey and 2 message steps.

Source
Twilio: Does Twilio offer a free tier?

Yes, Twilio offers a free trial indefinitely with no credit card required for limited usage, plus a 7-14 day free trial period on paid plans.

Source
OneSignal: What are OneSignal's email costs beyond the free tier?

After the 20,000 free email sends/month included in the Growth plan, OneSignal charges $1.50 per 1,000 additional emails.

Source
Twilio: What communication channels does Twilio support?

Twilio supports SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, MMS for messaging; Voice API and SIP Trunking for voice; Email via Twilio SendGrid; Video API; and Chat via Conversations API.

Source
OneSignal: What is included in the Professional plan?

OneSignal's Professional plan includes custom annual pricing, all Growth features plus SMS/RCS messaging, 24/7 prioritized support, and optional dedicated IP for email.

Source
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