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Marketing · head to head

Postscript vs Twilio

Postscript logo

Postscript

Marketing

SMS marketing built for Shopify merchants, with carrier fees billed on top of message rates

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Twilio logo

Twilio

Telecommunications

Cloud communications platform for SMS, voice, and video

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Twilio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Postscript carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.; Twilio pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • They diverge on capability: Postscript covers Shopify segmentation, Twilio covers SMS messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Postscript and Twilio actually diverge.

Attributes where Postscript and Twilio differ
AttributePostscriptTwilio
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelPer month plus per message sentUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOSWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#
CategoryMarketingTelecommunications
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Postscript

  • Shopify segmentation
  • Automated flows
  • Subscriber acquisition
  • Two-way conversations
  • MMS campaigns
  • Revenue attribution
  • Headless SDK
  • Usage-based tiers

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.

Postscript

  • A Shopify direct-to-consumer brand that wants abandoned cart recovery by text rather than another email in an ignored inboxnot Twilio
  • A brand running a product drop where a timed broadcast to an opted-in list is the whole launch mechanismnot Twilio
  • A merchant segmenting by past purchase and variant to send replenishment reminders at the right intervalnot Twilio
  • A store on headless Shopify or a custom stack that still wants SMS built on order data through the SDKnot Twilio

Twilio

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

Where each one falls short

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

Postscript

  • Carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.
  • The cheapest per-message rates require the $500 a month plan, so a small sender pays more than double the headline low rate per text.
  • The $0 Starter plan carries a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it is not a free tier and quiet months still generate a bill.
  • US SMS marketing carries real legal exposure under consent, quiet hours and carrier registration rules, and the compliance obligation sits with the merchant, not the platform.
  • It is SMS and MMS only, so email, push and on-site messaging live in a separate tool and audience suppression between the two has to be managed across systems.

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

Postscript

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • $0 base fee but a $49 minimum monthly spend
    • SMS at $0.015 and MMS at $0.045 per message
    • Campaigns, automations, acquisition tools and analytics
  • Growth$100/month
    • Lower per-message rates than Starter
    • Full campaign and automation feature set
    • No contract required
  • Professional$500/month
    • Rates falling towards $0.007 SMS and $0.024 MMS
    • Suited to high-volume senders
    • Upgrade or downgrade at any time
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing on a contract
    • Negotiated message rates and support terms

Twilio

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Postscript if

  • You need shopify segmentation.
  • You work on Web, iOS.
  • You also want automated flows.

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.

Questions people ask

Is Postscript or Twilio better?
Neither clearly leads. Postscript starts at $49/month and Twilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Postscript or Twilio?
Twilio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Postscript and Free for Twilio.
Does Postscript or Twilio run on more platforms?
Postscript runs on Web, iOS. Twilio runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
Can I use Twilio for free?
Yes. Twilio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Postscript starts at $49/month.
What is Postscript best used for?
Postscript is most often used for a shopify direct-to-consumer brand that wants abandoned cart recovery by text rather than another email in an ignored inbox, a brand running a product drop where a timed broadcast to an opted-in list is the whole launch mechanism, a merchant segmenting by past purchase and variant to send replenishment reminders at the right interval, a store on headless shopify or a custom stack that still wants sms built on order data through the sdk. Of those, a shopify direct-to-consumer brand that wants abandoned cart recovery by text rather than another email in an ignored inbox and a brand running a product drop where a timed broadcast to an opted-in list is the whole launch mechanism are not what Twilio is typically brought in for.
What can Postscript do that Twilio cannot?
Postscript covers Shopify segmentation, Automated flows, Subscriber acquisition, Two-way conversations. Twilio covers SMS messaging, Voice calls, Video conferencing, Programmable communication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Postscript: Is Postscript only for Shopify?

It is built for Shopify and that is where its segmentation advantage lies, but headless and non-Shopify stores are supported through an SDK with more setup work.

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
Postscript: What is the real cost per text?

The plan rate plus carrier fees. On Starter that is about $0.015 plus roughly $0.00418 in US carrier fees per SMS, so budget close to two cents a message before discounts.

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
Postscript: Is the Starter plan free?

No. The base fee is $0 but there is a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it functions as a $49 floor.

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
Postscript: Do I need a contract?

No. Contracts are offered but not required, and plans can be moved up or down at any time under usage-based billing.

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