Sendblue vs Text Request (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Text Request grades higher than Sendblue: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Text Request grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Sendblue
iMessage, SMS and RCS messaging API sold per phone line
Text Request
Business texting with a shared dashboard, priced by included texts
Which one is for you
Pick Sendblue if
- Fits if a developer wants iMessage from an AI agent or app
- Works for teams wiring messages into a CRM
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you want outbound messaging, as the $100 plan is inbound-first with 1,000 contacts a day
- Skip it if you want a working free plan, as the sandbox is for testing only
- Pricey if you need many lines, as each is $100 and annual billing goes through sales
- Watch out: iMessage reaches Apple devices only
- Not for you if you do not code, as it is an API
Pick Text Request if
- Fits if your team shares one US text line
- Works for offices that text customers back and forth
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you grow: $145 for 2,500 texts, $295 for 6,500
- Tight if you need the API: only Enterprise at $575 and above
- Watch out: extra texts cost 5.8 cents each on Basic and Starter
- Watch out: one dashboard is one text line, so more lines need a higher plan
How we grade them
| 1.6GPASendblueWeak | 1.8GPAText RequestWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$100 a month per dedicated line, in the dearer part of chat tools, where the middle is $36. | D$59.99 for 1,000 texts, with integrations from $145 and the API from $575; the middle of the category is $36. |
| Free plan and trial | DA free sandbox with a shared number and 10 verified contacts, but no outbound messages or webhooks, so it is a test only. | DTry it free, but the page gives no length or terms. |
| Features | CiMessage, SMS and RCS, an SDK, CLI, MCP server and CRM links. Outbound messaging is Enterprise. | CTwo-way and mass texts, sequences and payments, with the API, integrations and keywords held back for higher plans. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It is an API, SDK and CLI to build against. | CNo store rating on record, and 10DLC sending needs to be set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb with HubSpot, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Close, Pipedrive and more. No apps are listed. | BWeb with a Chrome extension, integrations and an API on top plans; no phone apps listed. |
| Best for | iMessage and SMS through an API | a shared texting dashboard for US businesses |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Sendblue and Text Request. How we grade
Price against what you get
Sendblue starts at $100 a month for each person and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Text Request starts at $59.99 a month and scores 2.3.
Text Request scores higher and starts $40.01 a month lower. Of the other SMS and chat marketing tools on the chart, 36 score higher than Sendblue for less, and 6 score higher than Text Request for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Sendblue also covers AI agents.
- Text Request also covers shared inbox.
At a glance
| Sendblue | Text Request | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $100 per month per dedicated line | $59.99 per month for 1,000 texts, billed monthly |
| Free plan | Free Sandbox: full API access with a shared number and up to 10 verified contacts; inbound-first, with no outbound messaging or webhooks. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Try it free; the page does not state the length or terms |
| Web | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Round One Inc. | Text Request |
| Price read from | sendblue.com | textrequest.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Sendblue
- The $100 AI Agent plan is inbound-first with 1,000 inbound contacts a day; full outbound messaging is part of the custom Enterprise tier.
- The free sandbox has no dedicated number, no outbound messaging and no webhooks.
- Annual billing and volume discounts for 10 or more lines are available only by contacting sales.
- iMessage reaches Apple devices only; the vendor says each line can also send SMS and RCS.
Text Request
- Texts beyond the monthly allowance cost 5.8¢ down to 1.3¢ each, depending on the plan.
- The API is only on Enterprise and higher; integrations and the Chrome extension need Starter or above.
- The pricing page shows 20% off the first 3 months and a promo code banner; the list prices are recorded here.
- One dashboard is one text line, so extra lines mean a higher plan or a $5 add-on on High Volume tiers.
Key features
Sendblue
- iMessage, SMS and RCS from one line
- Each dedicated line can send and receive iMessages, SMS and RCS, according to the pricing FAQ.
- Messaging API, SDK and CLI
- A REST API with an npm package and CLI lets developers provision a number and send messages in code.
- CRM integrations
- Native connections for GoHighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce, Close and Monday.com log messages on contact timelines.
- MCP server for AI tools
- A Sendblue MCP server lets AI coding tools and agents built on Anthropic's SDK send and receive iMessages.
- No per-message fees
- The page states there are no per-message fees, A2P registration charges, carrier surcharges or SMS fallback fees.
- Compliance
- The vendor says it is SOC 2 Type II certified and offers HIPAA plans on enterprise terms.
Text Request
- Two-way texting dashboard
- A web dashboard for conversations with customers, with unlimited users, contacts and contact groups on every plan.
- Mass texts and scheduling
- Send mass texts, schedule messages, and use message templates and sequences from the same account.
- Payments and location requests
- Text-to-pay is listed on every plan; location requests come with Starter and above.
- Chrome extension and integrations
- Starter and above add a Chrome extension and third-party integrations; the API arrives with Enterprise.
- 10DLC verified sending
- Every plan is listed with 10DLC verified sending for US business texting.
Plans
Sendblue
Free Sandbox$0
Test environment with a shared number, up to 10 verified contacts, CLI and SDK support and community support.
AI Agent$100
per month per dedicated line
A dedicated phone number for inbound-first messaging, 1,000 inbound contacts a day, webhooks, media, typing indicators, reactions and priority support.
EnterpriseCustom
Volume pricing with full outbound messaging, multiple dedicated lines, SOC 2 and HIPAA plans and a dedicated account manager.
Text Request
Basic$59.99
per month for 1,000 texts and 1 dashboard, billed monthly
Two-way and mass texting, sequences, payments, templates and 10DLC sending. Extra texts 5.8¢. Shown at $47.99 for the first 3 months.
Starter$145
per month for 2,500 texts and multiple dashboards, billed monthly
Adds location requests, unlimited keywords, a Chrome extension and third-party integrations. Extra texts 5.8¢. $116 for the first 3 months.
Corporate$295
per month for 6,500 texts and 5 dashboards, billed monthly
Adds custom merge fields. Extra texts 4.9¢. Shown at $236 for the first 3 months.
Enterprise$575
per month for 20,000 texts and 10 dashboards, billed monthly
Adds API access. Extra texts 3.2¢. High Volume tiers run from $890 a month for 50,000 texts to $2,900 for 250,000.
Ways to pay less
Sendblue
No public discounts listed.
Text Request
- Other savings
20% off the first 3 months
Plan cards show a reduced price for the first 3 months, for example $47.99 against $59.99 on Basic, marked as for new customers.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Sendblue or Text Request?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Sendblue starts at $100 per month per dedicated line, and Text Request starts at $59.99 per month for 1,000 texts, billed monthly. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Sendblue or Text Request?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Sendblue has a free plan. Text Request does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Sendblue and Text Request run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Text Request lists a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.