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Communication · head to head

Novu vs Textline

Novu logo

Novu

Communication

Open-source notification infrastructure for multi-channel messaging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Textline logo

Textline

Communication

Business texting for teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Novu free plan activity feed retention is limited to 24 hours, restricting how far back teams can debug delivery issues.; Textline enterprise plan requires custom quote and demo booking
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Novu and Textline actually diverge.

Attributes where Novu and Textline differ
AttributeNovuTextline
Platformsweb, apiWeb

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

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 Novu

  • Multi-channel workflows
  • Advanced email editor
  • Activity feed
  • Multi-environment support
  • Role-based access control
  • Self-hosting

Only in Textline

Nothing recorded that Novu does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Novu

  • Building multi-channel notification workflows for a SaaS productnot Textline
  • Self-hosting notification infrastructure for data controlnot Textline
  • Managing separate notification environments for staging and productionnot Textline
  • Tracking notification delivery history and activitynot Textline

Textline

  • Responding to customer support tickets via SMS from a unified inboxnot Novu
  • Sending appointment reminders and conducting follow-ups via text messagenot Novu
  • Coordinating field teams across job sites with time-sensitive text updatesnot Novu
  • Running SMS campaigns to promote sales and capture leads with high engagementnot Novu
  • Managing HIPAA-compliant texting for healthcare patient communicationsnot Novu

Where each one falls short

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

Novu

  • Free plan activity feed retention is limited to 24 hours, restricting how far back teams can debug delivery issues.
  • Overage on Pro and Team plans is billed at $1.20 per 1,000 additional workflow runs, which can add up at scale.
  • HIPAA BAA compliance and dedicated SSO are Enterprise-only and require custom pricing.

Textline

  • Enterprise plan requires custom quote and demo booking
  • Additional message credits cost $0.03 each (purchased in advance)
  • Backup credits cost $0.04 each with minimum 250-credit purchase

Pricing, plan by plan

Novu

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10,000 workflow runs/month
    • All channels included
    • Up to 20 workflows
  • Pro$30/month
    • 30,000+ workflow runs/month
    • Advanced email editor
    • Remove Novu branding
  • Team$250/month
    • 250,000+ workflow runs/month
    • Up to 10 environments
    • 90-day activity feed retention

Textline

Free
  • EssentialsFree
    • 600 message credits per month
    • 3 agents included
    • 3 years conversation history
  • ProFree
    • 2000 message credits per month
    • 5 agents included
    • Unlimited conversation history
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • All Pro features
    • Flexible implementation

Which should you pick?

Choose Novu if

  • You need multi-channel workflows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want advanced email editor.
Novu review

Choose Textline if

  • You want to start without paying.
Textline review

Questions people ask

Is Novu or Textline better?
Neither clearly leads. Novu starts at Free and Textline at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Novu or Textline?
Novu starts at Free and Textline at Free.
Does Novu or Textline run on more platforms?
Novu runs on web, api. Textline runs on Web.
Can I use Novu for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Novu best used for?
Novu is most often used for building multi-channel notification workflows for a saas product, self-hosting notification infrastructure for data control, managing separate notification environments for staging and production, tracking notification delivery history and activity. Of those, building multi-channel notification workflows for a saas product and self-hosting notification infrastructure for data control are not what Textline is typically brought in for.
What can Novu do that Textline cannot?
Novu covers Multi-channel workflows, Advanced email editor, Activity feed, Multi-environment support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Novu: What does Novu cost?

Novu offers a Free plan for 10,000 workflow runs per month, Pro from $30/month for 30,000+ runs, Team from $250/month for 250,000+ runs, and custom Enterprise pricing for 10M+ runs.

Source
Textline: Can I use Textline for free?

Yes, Essentials and Pro tiers are free to get started, with no credit card required. Essentials includes 600 message credits and 3 agents monthly. Pro includes 2000 credits and 5 agents. Enterprise requires a custom quote.

Source
Novu: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free plan includes 10,000 workflow runs per month, all messaging channels, up to 20 workflows, 2 environments, and up to 3 team members.

Source
Textline: How much do extra message credits cost?

Additional message credits cost $0.03 per credit. Backup credits are available at $0.04 each with a minimum purchase of 250 credits.

Source
Novu: How is usage metered?

Billing is based on the number of workflow runs per month rather than per user or per message, with overage on paid plans charged at $1.20 per 1,000 additional runs.

Source
Textline: What are the costs for phone number registration?

10DLC registration costs $15 per campaign per month via The Campaign Registry. Toll-free numbers do not have a monthly registration fee.

Source
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