The textbee alternative for when you need more than an SMS API
textbee and SharkSMS agree on the big idea: your Android phone is the gateway and you should not pay per text. If you also need WhatsApp, a dashboard a colleague can use, scheduled and repeating campaigns, and replies handled without code, this is the comparison to read.
Prices are as listed on each provider's public site on the date shown below. Ours comes from our live pricing table.
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textbee is a solid, open-source project and a fair choice for a developer who wants an SMS API and nothing else. Read this if you also need WhatsApp, a dashboard for a non-technical colleague, or scheduled campaigns.
| What | textbee | SharkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly subscription, no per-message fee. Free, Pro and Scale tiers by device and message count. | Flat monthly subscription, no per-message fee. Free, Professional and Enterprise by contacts, phones and volume. |
| 5,000 texts in a month | Within the Pro tier's 5,000 monthly messages at $9.99. | Within the Enterprise plan; the Professional plan covers 2,000 SMS a month. |
| What sends the message | Your own Android phone running the textbee app. | Your own Android phone running the SharkSMS gateway app, plus a linked WhatsApp account if you want it. |
| Number your customers see | The number on your SIM. | The number on your SIM. |
| No. SMS only. | Yes. Link a WhatsApp account by QR code; send text, photos, documents and to groups. | |
| Setup before the first message | Install the app, sign in, generate an API key. Fast. | Install the app, scan a QR code, create an API key. Also fast. |
| Replies and opt-outs | Receive SMS via API and webhooks. | Webhooks, a shared inbox, keyword auto-replies, AI replies, a drag-and-drop flow builder, automatic STOP handling. |
| Best fit | Developers who want an open-source SMS API they can self-host and audit. | Businesses that want SMS and WhatsApp in one dashboard, plus an API for the developer on the team. |
Competitor figures as listed on textbee's public pages on 19 August 2026 and may have changed since. Check their current pricing
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You want to self-host and read every line of the stack, you only need SMS, and you are comfortable building your own scheduling and reply handling on top of the API.
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You want WhatsApp alongside SMS, a dashboard your front desk can use, scheduled and repeating campaigns, and replies handled without writing code, with the API still there for you.
Three plans, one flat price each
Live from our pricing table, so this is the price you will pay. Every plan includes SMS, WhatsApp, scheduling, replies and the API; they differ by contacts, phones and monthly volume.
- Free trial USD 0/ month 1 paired device · 10 SMS per month
- Professional USD 9/ month 3 paired devices · 2,000 SMS per month
- Enterprise USD 19/ month 50 paired devices · 5,000 SMS per month
Straight answers
Is SharkSMS open source?
No. SharkSMS is a hosted service; you subscribe, pair a phone and use it. If self-hosting and auditing the code is the deciding factor, textbee is the honest recommendation.
What does switching involve?
Export your contacts as CSV or Excel and import them into SharkSMS. Pair an Android phone by scanning a QR code, or link a WhatsApp account. Point your code at /api/send/sms with a form POST. Most teams are sending the same afternoon.
Do I keep my number?
You use the SIM's own number, so if the phone you pair is the one your customers already know, yes. There is no number to rent and nothing to port.
Try it on the free plan first
Pair one phone, send a real message to yourself, and compare against your current bill. It takes about five minutes.
Start free