No, Twilio SMS is not entirely free.
While Twilio offers a free trial or promotional credits to get started, using their SMS services long-term involves paying for several components. Here's a breakdown of the costs:
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Phone Number Costs: You pay a monthly fee for each Twilio phone number you use to send and receive SMS messages. The cost of a phone number varies by region and type (local, toll-free, etc.).
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Message Costs: You pay for each SMS message sent and received. Pricing varies depending on the destination country and can be affected by carrier fees.
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Carrier Fees: SMS messages are subject to carrier fees imposed by mobile network operators. These fees vary by country and carrier.
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WhatsApp Conversation Fees (If Applicable): If you use Twilio to send messages via WhatsApp, you'll incur WhatsApp conversation-based pricing.
In short, Twilio operates on a pay-as-you-go model. You only pay for the resources you consume, but there are costs associated with phone numbers, message delivery, and potential carrier fees. Always refer to Twilio's official pricing page for the most up-to-date information.
