Bandwidth review (2026): is it worth paying for?
Voice, messaging and number APIs on its own carrier network
Black Friday: is there a Bandwidth sale?
Bandwidth report card
Weak · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for voice and text APIs on its own carrier network
Bandwidth sells voice, messaging and number APIs on its own network, billed by use. It's a carrier for developers rather than an office phone with desk phones or an app, and its full pricing is on request.
Who Bandwidth is for
- Fits if you're building calling or texting into your own software
- Works for phone providers who need a carrier network
Who Bandwidth is not for
- Not for you if you want a desk phone or softphone app, as there isn't one
- Watch out: rates are US figures, exclude taxes and fees, and SIP trunking pricing is on request
- Pricey if you text a lot, as 10DLC is $0.004 for SMS and $0.015 for MMS, and short codes cost more
- Skip it if you want to know the trial's terms first, as they aren't stated
Why Bandwidth gets a 1.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyUS local calls are $0.0100 a minute out and $0.0055 in, with volume pricing by quote. That's usage billing, so it can't be set against per-seat prices.
- DFree plan and trialA free trial through a Build developer account, with terms not stated.
- DFeaturesVoice, messaging, SIP trunking and numbers as APIs. It needs your own app or phone system to be useful.
- DEase of useNo store rating on record. It's built for developers who write code against it.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, with Teams, Zoom Phone, Webex Calling, Genesys Cloud CX, Five9 and Google Voice SIP Link.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bandwidth's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/bandwidth#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/bandwidth.svg" alt="Bandwidth: 1.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Bandwidth stands among business phone systems
Bandwidth's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 7 of the 77 other business phone systems we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 14 of 77) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 78 business phone systems we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bandwidth’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 77, level with 53
- DFree plan and trialAbove 45 of 77, level with 7
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 77, level with 8
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 77, level with 10
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 14 of 77, level with 43
Keep Bandwidth, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Bandwidth you would be making phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 66 of the 77 other business phone systems grade higher.
What you could not
- Phone numbers and calls carried over the phone network.
- Texts from a business number, registered with the carriers.
- It plugs into other products, Microsoft Teams, Zoom Phone and Webex Calling among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Bandwidth’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Bandwidth?
Bandwidth sells voice, messaging, emergency calling and phone-number APIs, plus SIP trunking, that run on its own US network. It is aimed at developers, software platforms and enterprises that build calling and texting into their products or connect it to systems such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom Phone.
Worth knowing
- Usage rates are quoted for the US: US local outbound calls are $0.0100 a minute and inbound $0.0055, as listed.
- A 10DLC text is $0.004 outbound for SMS and $0.015 for MMS; short code and toll-free messages cost more.
- It is a carrier and API platform, not a packaged office phone with desk phones or a softphone app.
- Rates exclude taxes and fees, and SIP trunking and full pricing are given only on request.
Key features
- Voice API
- Embeds calling in an application with 6-second billing increments, recording, conferencing, answering machine detection, text-to-speech and media streaming.
- Messaging API
- Sends SMS and MMS over 10DLC, short code and toll-free numbers, with RCS and alphanumeric sender options named in the product menu.
- SIP trunking and numbers
- Usage-based SIP trunking, number management, porting, caller ID and emergency calling for phone systems that run on premises or in the cloud.
- Authentication API
- Sends two-factor authentication codes and call verification to protect user sign-ins, billed per authentication or per call.
- Platform integrations
- The product menu lists Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and Operator Connect, Zoom Phone, Webex Calling, Genesys Cloud CX, Five9 and Google Voice SIP Link.
Bandwidth pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Bandwidth is a paid product with a free trial.
- Starts at
- Not published
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- Free trial through a Build developer account; terms not stated
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Volume-based pricing | Custom | Pay per use at published US rates, with volume pricing by quote; SIP trunking and full product pricing are available on request. |
Read from bandwidth.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Bandwidth before you buy.
Works with
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom Phone
- Webex Calling
- Genesys Cloud CX
- Five9
- Google Voice SIP Link
Bandwidth alternatives
- Bandwidth vs Plivo
Free trial · from $1,000/mo
- Bandwidth vs Telnyx
From $1/mo
Common questions
Does Bandwidth have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bandwidth is listed for Web.
Does Bandwidth have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Bandwidth is listed for Web.
Is Bandwidth open source?
Bandwidth is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Bandwidth have an API?
Yes. Bandwidth offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.