TL;DR
Plivo charges $0.0077 per outbound SMS on long codes in the US. Inbound SMS on long codes runs $0.0077 as well. Carrier surcharges (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) apply on top of those base rates. MMS starts at $0.018 per message. Phone numbers cost $0.50/month for long codes and $1.00/month for toll-free. Short codes start at $500/month plus a $1,500 one-time setup fee. There are no platform fees on the self-service plan. You pay only for what you use.
Introduction
Plivo is a cloud communications platform that lets you send and receive SMS, MMS, and voice calls through a REST API. Developers often reach for it as a Twilio alternative because the API design is similar enough that migration takes hours, not weeks, and the per-message rates are typically 30 to 50 percent lower.
If you are building OTP verification flows, transactional alerts, or marketing campaigns and want to understand exactly what you will pay, this guide breaks down every Plivo SMS cost line by line.
Plivo SMS pricing overview
Plivo runs a pay-as-you-go model with no monthly platform fee on its self-service tier. You deposit credits and spend them on messages, phone numbers, and add-ons.
For high-volume senders, Plivo offers committed-spend agreements starting at $750 per month. Those contracts unlock discounted rates, dedicated support, and guided onboarding. Volume discounts kick in at 200,000 messages per month.
The self-service plan suits most teams at early or mid-scale. You sign up, verify your account, and get a trial credit balance to start testing immediately.
Pricing breakdown: SMS, MMS, short codes, toll-free, 10DLC, and Verify
SMS text messages (US)
These are Plivo's base rates before carrier surcharges.
| Route type | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| Long codes (10DLC) | $0.0077/SMS | $0.0077/SMS |
| Toll-free numbers | $0.0079/SMS | $0.0079/SMS |
| Mobile numbers | $0.0055/SMS | N/A |
| Short codes | $0.0077/SMS | $0.0077/SMS |
Carrier surcharges (US)
Every US carrier adds a surcharge on top of Plivo's base rate. These pass through at cost.
| Carrier | Long code outbound | Long code inbound |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $0.0030 | $0.0030 |
| T-Mobile | $0.0045 | $0.0025 |
| Verizon | $0.0040 | N/A |
| US Cellular & others | $0.0050 | $0.0025 |
That means a single outbound SMS to an AT&T subscriber on a long code costs $0.0077 + $0.0030 = $0.0107. Always factor carrier surcharges into your cost estimates.
Unregistered traffic (messages sent without a 10DLC campaign) incurs additional surcharges. AT&T adds $0.0100, T-Mobile adds $0.0080, and Verizon adds $0.0100 for unregistered messages. Register your campaigns before you go live.
MMS multimedia messages (US)
| Route type | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| Long codes | $0.0180/MMS | $0.0180/MMS |
| Toll-free numbers | $0.020/MMS | $0.020/MMS |
| Short codes | $0.020/MMS | $0.020/MMS |
MMS messages cost roughly 2.5x a standard SMS. Each MMS supports images, GIFs, and audio files up to carrier limits (typically 1 MB).
RCS messages (US)
Plivo supports RCS messaging on Android devices where the carrier allows it.
| Type | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| RCS Rich (text) | $0.00770 | $0.00770 |
| RCS Rich Media | $0.01800 | $0.01800 |
Carrier surcharges apply to RCS as well. RCS rich media charges per message (not per segment).
Phone number rental
| Number type | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Long code (local) | $0.50/month |
| Toll-free number | $1.00/month |
| Short code (regular) | $500/month (billed quarterly) |
| Short code (vanity) | $1,000/month (billed quarterly) |
Short codes also carry a $1,500 one-time setup fee at purchase. That fee covers the carrier vetting process. Budget 6 to 12 weeks for short code provisioning.
10DLC registration
10DLC (10-digit long code) is the US carrier framework for A2P (application-to-person) business messaging. You must register a brand and a campaign to send at scale on long codes. Plivo charges pass-through fees for this:
- Brand registration: ~$4 one-time fee
- Campaign registration: ~$10 one-time fee
- Ongoing campaign fee: ~$10/month per campaign
These fees come from The Campaign Registry (TCR), not Plivo itself. Skipping registration triggers steep carrier surcharges and risks message blocking.
Verify API (OTP)
Plivo's Verify API handles OTP delivery without a separate per-verification fee. You pay the underlying SMS rate for each message the Verify API sends. There is no additional verification fee on top of the SMS cost. For a US long-code OTP, your total cost is the $0.0077 base rate plus the applicable carrier surcharge.
What affects your Plivo bill
Several factors move your monthly total up or down.
Message segments. SMS messages over 160 characters split into segments. Each segment bills as a separate message. A 320-character message is two segments and costs twice as much. Use a character counter in your app to stay under the limit where possible.
Destination country. International rates vary significantly. Sending to India, Nigeria, or Brazil costs more than sending within the US. Check Plivo's per-country pricing page before targeting new markets. Coverage spans 190+ countries.
Number type. Toll-free numbers cost slightly more per SMS than long codes but bypass some 10DLC campaign requirements for lower-volume use cases. Short codes carry a high fixed monthly cost but support the highest throughput (hundreds of messages per second).
Registration status. Unregistered 10DLC traffic incurs punishing carrier surcharges (up to $0.010 per message extra). Registered campaigns avoid this. The $10/month campaign fee pays for itself after a single message if you are sending at any meaningful volume.
Inbound vs. outbound. Inbound SMS on long codes and toll-free numbers costs $0.0077 to $0.0079 per message. That may surprise teams used to competitors that offer free inbound. Budget for inbound if you expect two-way conversations.
Hidden costs and fees
Plivo is more transparent than most carriers, but a few costs can catch you off guard.
Carrier surcharges are the biggest surprise. A single outbound SMS can cost $0.0107 to $0.0127 when surcharges apply. That is 40 to 65 percent above the base rate shown in the pricing table.
Quarterly billing on short codes. Short codes bill in 3-month or 4-month blocks depending on the type. You pay the full block upfront, so a regular short code costs $1,500 when you first activate it (three months at $500 plus the $1,500 setup fee).
International SMS. Some markets require local sender IDs, country-specific registration, or both. Fees vary by country and can include one-time registration costs on top of per-message rates.
Failed messages. Plivo does not charge for messages that fail to deliver, but you may pay carrier fees for attempted delivery. Check your delivery reports regularly.
Support tiers. The self-service plan includes basic support. Premium support, dedicated account management, and SLA guarantees require a committed-spend agreement.
Plivo vs alternatives
Here is how Plivo stacks up against three common competitors for US outbound SMS on long codes (base rate, before surcharges):
| Provider | US outbound SMS | US inbound SMS | Long code/month | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plivo | $0.0077 | $0.0077 | $0.50 | Yes |
| Twilio | $0.0079 | $0.0079 | $1.15 | Yes |
| Telnyx | $0.0040 | $0.0020 | $1.00 | Yes |
| Bird (MessageBird) | $0.0075 | $0.0075 | ~$1.00 | Limited |
Plivo sits between Telnyx and Twilio on price. Twilio charges slightly more per message and significantly more for number rental. Telnyx is cheaper per message but has a smaller feature surface and less mature documentation for complex workflows.
Plivo's main advantages over Twilio are lower rates, an API that Twilio developers can migrate to with minimal code changes, and the PHLO visual workflow builder that reduces the need to write boilerplate webhook logic. Plivo's main disadvantage is smaller ecosystem. Twilio has more third-party integrations, a larger community, and more helper libraries.
Telnyx wins on raw per-message cost but requires more hands-on configuration and has fewer no-code tools.
Bird targets enterprises with pre-built omnichannel campaign tools. Its pricing requires a sales conversation at higher volumes.
How to try Plivo for free
Plivo offers a trial account with pre-loaded credits. You can sign up at plivo.com without a credit card on the self-service plan.
During the trial: - You get enough credit to send test messages. - You can use Plivo's sandbox environment or send to verified numbers. - You have access to the full API and PHLO builder. - Basic support is included.
To activate a real production number, you will need to verify your identity and fund your account. The minimum deposit varies by account tier.
For committed-spend agreements (volume discounts, premium support, 99.99% SLA guarantees), you need to contact Plivo's sales team and commit to $750 or more per month.
Conclusion
Plivo offers competitive SMS API pricing with a clean pay-as-you-go structure. The base rate for US outbound SMS on long codes is $0.0077 per message, with carrier surcharges adding $0.003 to $0.005 depending on the destination carrier. MMS costs $0.018 per message on long codes. Short codes carry a high fixed cost but suit high-throughput use cases. The Verify API adds no extra fee beyond the underlying SMS cost.
The biggest surprises for new users are carrier surcharges (always budget for them) and inbound SMS costs (unlike some competitors, Plivo charges for inbound).
For most teams building SMS notifications, OTP flows, or alerts, Plivo's pricing is 30 to 50 percent below Twilio with a similar API surface. That difference compounds quickly at scale.
Test your integration in Apidog before you go live. It saves you from paying for failed messages, debugging production issues under pressure, and explaining unexpected charges to stakeholders.
FAQ
Is Plivo SMS free?Plivo offers a trial account with free credits so you can test the API. Ongoing use is pay-as-you-go. There is no free tier for production traffic.
How much does an international SMS cost on Plivo?International rates vary by country. Sending to the UK costs around $0.04 per message. Sending to India or Brazil can cost $0.06 to $0.12 per message. Always check Plivo's country-specific pricing page before targeting new markets.
Does Plivo charge for inbound SMS?Yes. Inbound SMS on long codes costs $0.0077 per message. Inbound on toll-free numbers costs $0.0079 per message. This is worth noting if you expect high inbound volume from two-way messaging flows.
What is the difference between Plivo and Twilio pricing?Plivo's US outbound long-code SMS rate ($0.0077) is slightly lower than Twilio's ($0.0079). Long code rentals cost $0.50/month on Plivo vs. $1.15/month on Twilio. The API design is similar, so migration is low-effort. At high volume, the difference adds up.
Does Plivo have volume discounts?Yes. Volume discounts apply at 200,000 messages per month through a committed-spend agreement starting at $750/month. These contracts also include premium support and lower per-message rates than the standard pay-as-you-go tier.
What is PHLO in Plivo?PHLO (Plivo High Level Objects) is a visual workflow builder inside Plivo. You drag and drop components to build SMS flows, IVR menus, and call routing without writing API code. It is included at no extra cost on all Plivo accounts.
Do I need to register for 10DLC to use Plivo for SMS?Yes, if you are sending A2P SMS to US recipients on long codes. Without 10DLC registration, carriers add surcharges of up to $0.010 per message and may block your messages entirely. Brand registration costs around $4 and campaign registration costs around $10. These are pass-through fees from The Campaign Registry.
