The Sendblue Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Sendblue in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Sendblue
The Insider’s Guide
iMessage, SMS and RCS messaging API sold per phone line
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among SMS and chat marketing tools, read from Sendblue’s own pages.
Made by Round One Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Sendblue’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Sendblue’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 2 of the 77 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade
Sendblue provides an API and a CRM add-on for sending and receiving iMessages, SMS and RCS from a dedicated phone number. It is used by sales teams that want blue-bubble messages from their CRM and by developers building messaging agents. Pricing is a flat monthly fee per line with no per-message charge.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Sendblue, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is an API, SDK and CLI to build against.
- 1
Best for iMessage and SMS through an API
That plan is inbound-first, full outbound messaging is on the custom Enterprise tier, and the free sandbox has no outbound messages.
- 2
Paid plans start at $100 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $100 per month per dedicated line.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
iMessage, SMS and RCS from one line
Each dedicated line can send and receive iMessages, SMS and RCS, according to the pricing FAQ.
- 6
Messaging API, SDK and CLI
A REST API with an npm package and CLI lets developers provision a number and send messages in code.
- 7
CRM integrations
Native connections for GoHighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce, Close and Monday.com log messages on contact timelines.
- 8
A 1.6 GPA, above 2 of 77
That is against the other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Sendblue you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Sendblue at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $100 per month per dedicated line
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Round One Inc.
- Category
- SMS & Chat Marketing
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for iMessage and SMS through an API
Sendblue sends iMessage, SMS and RCS from one line through an API, at $100 a month per dedicated line. That plan is inbound-first, full outbound messaging is on the custom Enterprise tier, and the free sandbox has no outbound messages.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $100 a month per dedicated line, in the dearer part of chat tools, where the middle is $36. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A free sandbox with a shared number and 10 verified contacts, but no outbound messages or webhooks, so it is a test only. |
| Features | C | iMessage, SMS and RCS, an SDK, CLI, MCP server and CRM links. Outbound messaging is Enterprise. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. It is an API, SDK and CLI to build against. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web with HubSpot, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Close, Pipedrive and more. No apps are listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Sendblue is for
- Fits if a developer wants iMessage from an AI agent or app
- Works for teams wiring messages into a CRM
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Developers building AI agents that talk to people over iMessage
- Sales teams that want blue-bubble messages triggered from a CRM
- Teams that prefer a flat per-line fee to per-message billing
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$100
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Sendblue has a free plan. Paid plans start at $100 per month per dedicated line.
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.
Enterprise
Custom
Volume pricing with full outbound messaging, multiple dedicated lines, SOC 2 and HIPAA plans and a dedicated account manager.
The 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.
Read from sendblue.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
iMessage, SMS and RCS messaging API sold per phone line. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, workflow automation, AI agents, business texting, sMS marketing.
iMessage, SMS and RCS, an SDK, CLI, MCP server and CRM links.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- GoHighLevel
- Close
- Monday.com
- Pipedrive
- Clay
- Apollo.io
Sendblue is made by Round One Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/77
Other SMS and chat marketing tools it is graded above
Sendblue's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 2 of the 77 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 19 of 77) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $100 a month for each person, against a middle price of $36 for the category: 44 of the 50 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 36 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 78 SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sendblue’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 77
- DFree plan and trialAbove 24 of 77
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 77
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 77
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 19 of 77
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 51 SMS and chat marketing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Sendblue is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Sendblue you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. 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: 62 of the 77 other SMS and chat marketing tools grade higher. It costs $1,200 a year.
What you could not
- Texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Texts from a business number, registered with the carriers.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: SOC 2 and HIPAA.
What this rests on. Sendblue’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Heymarket, TextUs, Text Request, SimpleTexting and Avochato
The 5 tools Sendblue is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Heymarket
Free trial · from $49/mo
Shared inbox for business texting and email.
- Sendblue has a free plan. Heymarket does not, though it has a free trial.
- Sendblue also covers workflow automation.
- Heymarket also covers shared inbox and marketing automation.
- 1.6GPA
TextUs
From $299/mo
Business texting for recruiting, sales and customer teams.
- Sendblue has a free plan. TextUs does not.
- Sendblue also covers workflow automation and AI agents.
- TextUs also covers shared inbox, marketing automation and whatsApp messaging.
- 1.8GPA
Text Request
Free trial · from $59.99/mo
Business texting with a shared dashboard, priced by included texts.
- Sendblue has a free plan. Text Request does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Text Request lists a browser extension.
- Sendblue also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
SimpleTexting
Free trial · from $23.20/mo
SMS marketing and two-way texting priced by monthly message credits.
- Sendblue has a free plan. SimpleTexting does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only SimpleTexting lists iOS and Android apps.
- Sendblue also covers workflow automation and AI agents.
- 2.2GPA
Avochato
Free trial · from $0
Business texting with a shared inbox, broadcasts and AI agents.
- Sendblue has a free plan. Avochato does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Avochato lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Avochato lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Sendblue free?
Sendblue has a 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.
How much does Sendblue cost?
Sendblue lists 3 plans. Free Sandbox: $0.
What platforms does Sendblue work on?
Sendblue is available on Web.
Does Sendblue have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sendblue is listed for Web.
Does Sendblue have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sendblue is listed for Web.
Is Sendblue open source?
Sendblue is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Sendblue have an API?
Yes. Sendblue offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Sendblue integrate with?
Sendblue's listing names HubSpot, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Close, Monday.com, Pipedrive, Clay and Apollo.io.
Who makes Sendblue?
Sendblue is made by Round One Inc.
What are the alternatives to Sendblue?
The closest alternatives to Sendblue in our directory are Heymarket, TextUs, Text Request, SimpleTexting and Avochato.
How does Sendblue compare with other SMS and chat marketing tools?
Sendblue's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 2 of the 77 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, and level with 13.
Is Sendblue good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Sendblue D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $100 a month for each person, against a middle price of $36 for the category: 44 of the 50 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Sendblue?
To replace Sendblue you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Sendblue’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sendblue's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Round One Inc. Prices change, so check sendblue.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Sendblue, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sendblue
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Sendblue: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sendblue
Know someone choosing between SMS and chat marketing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sendblue/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded SMS and chat marketing tools after Sendblue, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- SMS & Chat Marketing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 78 SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, compared
- Chatfuel Insider's GuideAI chatbots for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook with a usage wallet2.6 GPA
- Interakt Insider's GuideWhatsApp and Instagram marketing, inbox and chatbots for Indian brands2.6 GPA
- AiSensy Insider's GuideWhatsApp API for broadcasts, retargeting and click-to-WhatsApp ads2.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Sendblue’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Sendblue is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Round One Inc. Prices and plans change: check sendblue.com before you buy.