Twilio is a globally recognized telephony option, but it doesn’t always fit the needs of businesses. In contrast, Megacall offers a more affordable alternative with a ready-to-use virtual PBX.
Today, we’re comparing two platforms, Twilio and Megacall, to see how they stack up against each other and which one is the best choice for business calls.
Do you know Twilio?
It is a U.S. based company that offers cloud-based customer interaction services through APIs — tools that allow two systems to connect — to integrate services like voice calls, SMS messaging, video calls, and other communication systems.
Unlike other virtual PBXs we’ve compared before, Twilio is a bit different. It’s designed for developers, making it more technical to use. With development knowledge, its APIs can be fully leveraged, but this might make it a bit more complex for small businesses and users looking for easy-to-set-up IP telephony.
What is the difference between Megacall and Twilio?
Twilio and Megacall both offer cloud communication services, but with very different approaches. As mentioned, Twilio is an API-based platform designed for developers to integrate calls and messages into their own applications or systems. This provides flexibility, as every aspect of the communication can be customized, but it also requires technical knowledge for implementation, along with a team capable of managing the setup.
Megacall, on the other hand, offers a ready-to-use virtual PBX, allowing businesses of any size to access its features. Both platforms provide IVR menus, call routing, call recordings, and call queues. However, Megacall also includes call statistics and analytics, a highly useful feature that helps businesses improve their service, boost sales, and even identify patterns in conversations.
While Twilio is known for its API-centric approach, Megacall also offers integrations through its own API, enabling connections with CRMs, systems like Hubspot, and more. The difference is that Twilio requires technical skills, while Megacall makes it easy to integrate popular tools without advanced programming knowledge, backed by technical support to assist with configurations.
Speaking of technical support, what can we highlight about each platform in this regard? Twilio offers extensive documentation, a forum, and web-based assistance, but it’s primarily a “self-service” model due to its developer-oriented design. Megacall, on the other hand, provides more personalized and accessible support, offering help through tickets and phone calls, a great advantage for companies without a dedicated technical team.
The biggest disadvantage of Twilio
If there’s one key advantage to highlight when choosing IP telephony services, it’s that call rates in Spain and Europe are generally cheaper than using traditional phone systems. However, this is where Twilio’s biggest disadvantage in pricing comes into play. The lower call rates in Europe wouldn’t benefit businesses using Twilio, as the platform charges even for incoming calls, something unusual in the VoIP market and an extra cost that can be avoided with other providers like Megacall.
To make the comparison clearer, let’s look at call rates between Megacall and Twilio in the UK:
With Twilio, local landline calls in the UK cost $0.015 per minute for outgoing calls and $0.010 per minute for incoming calls.
Meanwhile, Megacall offers calls from $0.008 per minute and does not charge for incoming calls, making it a much more affordable option.
Regarding free trials or plans, Twilio doesn’t offer free plans but provides a free trial since its model is pay-as-you-go. On the other hand, Megacall offers a free version of its virtual PBX, by simply paying for the phone number (starting from €2 per month), businesses gain access to all PBX features. Plus, Megacall offers different plans that can easily scale as the business grows, whether they need more extensions, storage, or call minutes.
So, what’s the best alternative?
While Twilio has its advantages, Megacall stands out not only for its accessibility to end customers but also for its more affordable call rates, including the significant advantage of not charging for incoming calls. Megacall’s virtual PBX is easy to use, doesn’t require technical knowledge, and the technical support team is available to assist throughout the setup process if needed.
