Twilio vs Grasshopper

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Our analysts compared Twilio vs Grasshopper based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Business Phone Systems, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Grasshopper Software Tool

Product Basics

Twilio is a cloud communication platform as a service provider that enables businesses to embed phone, VoIP and messaging into web, desktop and mobile applications through web service APIs. Developers can design more efficient self-service call flows and trigger custom business processes through its low-code builder, Studio. Teams can make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages and communicate in other ways. Developers can build new apps with a wide range of existing global cellular networks and enhance audio conferencing infrastructure through its Voice API. It helps augment existing contact centers with voice, SMS, IVR and a chatbot and integrates with Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Webchat.

Omnichannel customer service ensures sustained engagement through click-to-dial, automated text notifications, intelligent routing and callback service during peak hours. It blocks unlawful robocalls and ensures increased call answer rates through call trust indicators. It empowers businesses to create video apps and embed videos through dedicated SDKs for Android, iOS and JavaScript.
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Grasshopper is a cloud-based, virtual phone system for small businesses. In addition to custom greetings, on-hold music, call transfers, call forwarding and text messaging, it offers voicemail-to-email transcriptions and MP3 recordings. It’s available on all devices and facilitates auto-texting to clients, supporting sustained customer engagement. Delivers inbound faxes as PDF attachments into a team’s email inbox. Managers can view and analyze call history, usage and activity reports to maximize productivity. Teams can utilize local, toll-free and vanity numbers as well as unlimited local calling and business texting within the U.S. and Canada.
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$150/User, Monthly, Usage-Based
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Tailored to your specific needs
$14 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Global Reach: Twilio enables businesses to connect with customers worldwide through voice, messaging, and video, breaking down geographical barriers and expanding market presence.
  • Scalability: As your business grows, Twilio effortlessly scales with you, ensuring that your communication capabilities can expand to meet increasing demand without the need for significant infrastructure investments.
  • Flexibility: With its API-first approach, Twilio offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing businesses to customize and integrate communication features into their existing workflows and systems seamlessly.
  • Cost Efficiency: By leveraging cloud communications, Twilio reduces the need for expensive hardware and maintenance costs associated with traditional communication systems, providing a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
  • Enhanced Customer Experience: Twilio's advanced features, such as automated SMS notifications and personalized voice responses, enable businesses to offer a more engaging and responsive customer service experience.
  • Reliability: Twilio's robust infrastructure ensures high availability and reliability, minimizing downtime and ensuring that businesses can maintain communication with their customers around the clock.
  • Security: With a strong commitment to security, Twilio provides features like end-to-end encryption and compliance with industry standards, ensuring that sensitive communication data is protected.
  • Real-Time Analytics: Twilio offers detailed analytics and reporting tools, giving businesses valuable insights into their communication performance and customer interactions, enabling data-driven decision-making.
  • Multi-Channel Support: Twilio supports a wide range of communication channels, including SMS, MMS, voice, video, and email, allowing businesses to reach customers on their preferred platforms.
  • Developer Friendly: With comprehensive documentation, SDKs, and support resources, Twilio is designed to be developer-friendly, reducing the learning curve and accelerating the development of custom communication solutions.
  • Innovation: Twilio is at the forefront of communication technology, regularly introducing new features and capabilities that enable businesses to stay ahead of the curve and leverage the latest advancements in communication tech.
  • Integration Ecosystem: Twilio integrates with a wide array of third-party applications and services, enhancing its functionality and allowing businesses to create a seamless ecosystem of tools tailored to their needs.
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  • Access 24/7 Support: Get round-the-clock help in the U.S., regardless of the software plan. Obtain support via phone, chat, Facebook, Twitter and email. 
  • Reduce Costs: Take advantage of features like extensions, custom greetings, call handling and more at low prices. Use existing devices instead of purchasing additional equipment. 
  • Improve Professional Image: See if the call is business-related to respond to it better. Use custom greetings to direct callers to the correct department or employee. 
  • Easy To Use: Employ the software without hassle or prior technical knowledge. Set it up quickly and operate the simplified dashboard. 
  • Mobility: Eliminate the need to purchase additional equipment and run the business from a mobile app even while traveling. 
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  • Phone Numbers: Use APIs to monitor a number’s entire lifecycle. Facilitate global innovation to ensure that all number-based apps are secure from disruption. Get a hold of numbers that have undergone intensive testing. Port your existing numbers through an online application or email. Choose from over 65,000 phone numbers from the inventory and pick from a range of phone number types.
  • Elastic SIP Trunking: Get PSTN connectivity for any SIP device in a network. Automatically scale up or down with unlimited capacity. Add innovative cloud communication features, including voice insights, Twilio Interconnect and call control. Simplify the network, don’t pay any channel or port fees and ensure optimized security. Make use of disaster recovery features to safeguard the service.
  • Short Code: Increase reachability with shortcodes available in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., and long code numbers available in over 100 countries. Enable throughput at 100 messages per second. Reroute to standard long-code phone numbers in the U.S. if a carrier is unable to receive messages from short codes. Access automatic picture transcoding, character encoding and message assembly, ensuring message delivery without custom code.
  • Email Marketing: Import and sync large contact lists within minutes. Use the powerful segmentation engine to manage and send emails to any number of people. Choose a design flow using the drag-and-drop option or the code editor. Easily schedule a one-time email or set up an automated email series.
  • Account Security: Eliminate fake account creation, secure new users and reduce fraud. Deliver detailed carrier and caller information using Lookup. Make informed decisions regarding who can contact and who cannot. Secure business and a large volume of customers with Authy, enabling two-factor authentication to the log-in via TOTP, push and SMS.
  • Enhanced Emailing: Deliver all emails without interruptions with the propriety MTA (mail transfer agent), intuitive console, email experts and more. Activate automated email queue handling and throttle risk detection. Use sender authentication, SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (Domain Keys), reverse DNS (Domain Name System) and dedicated IP addresses to improve deliverability and reliability.
  • Improved Video Experience: Integrate videos directly into the app to enjoy a customized experience. Design a layout or choose one from the pre-configured options. Monitor participant network quality with Network Quality API. Create engaging whiteboards, animation and more with DataTracks. Allow screen-sharing to improve collaboration. Add live chat and support phone dial-in when the internet is unavailable.
  • Voice API: Quickly scale and modify a voice experience and add a wide array of customizations and resources. Add features such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), recording transcriptions and speech recognition. Enable reliable, high-quality connections supported by the Twilio Super Network. Place quality calls by facilitating access to global carriers, infinite scaling and private links to the cloud.
  • Messaging API: Engage customers across the globe with 1,500 redundant partner carrier connections, phone numbers in over 100 countries and more than 200 types of numbers. Support channels such as SMS, MMS, OTT, email and more. Use intelligent sender selection for consistent, localized and compliant messaging. Message worldwide using over 200 phone number types, including shortcodes, alphanumeric and toll-free numbers. Use message insights to check status callbacks and real-time analytics.
  • Applications:  
    • Flex: Enable digital-first engagement with a broad span of communication channels managed through one platform. Continuously inspect, adapt and adjust any part of the contact center. Facilitate personalized interactions with customers by providing agents access to contextual information.
    • Frontline: Assist clients and forge relationships despite geographical location. Provide support on any channel, including SMS, MMS, WhatsApp and chat. Transfer conversations between channels and employees and direct inquiries to the next employee. Manage privacy and compliance with SSO authentication and number anonymization. Use native push and badge notifications, ensuring employees never miss any alerts. Send and receive media and messages across channels using a single app.
    • Segment: Unify data and enhance engagements by reaching out to the customers with the right message and using the right channel. Build personalized engagements by creating a single, holistic view of the customer journey rather than wasting endless hours on data. Collect user data from every interaction and combine it from various sources to better understand each customer. Catch quality data issues at the start and fix them automatically. Get rid of old, incomplete and inaccurate data.
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  • Business Texts: Send and receive text messages on a business number, deliver updates to customers and confirm appointments. Quickly respond to missed calls. Follow up with clients by giving text access to team members. Use business MMS picture messages for visual communication. 
  • Call Forwarding: Redirect incoming calls to another number(s) or service. Create a customized system to transfer to different numbers during a particular time of day. Pitch to potential customers while they wait on call via pre-recorded messages. 
  • Voicemail Transcription: Convert voicemails to text and receive them by email. Access them on the fly using an Android or iPhone app. Maintain and store searchable records. 
  • VoIP Calling: Use the internet to make calls and attain flexibility by using not traditional lines and avoiding poor reception. Save data by switching to Wi-Fi for outbound calls and text messages. 
  • Simultaneous Call Handling: Forward customer calls to alternate numbers when a line is busy or the designated number doesn’t answer. Allow customers to hear a regular ringtone rather than a busy tone, ensuring no missed calls. 
  • Virtual Faxes: Receive faxes without the fax machine and let customers send documents to a business number. Simplify workflows by receiving calls, texts and faxes on the same number. 
  • Customized Phone Greetings: Assign customized greeting messages to play when customers call, giving a more professional look. Save on labor costs spent employing someone to answer phone calls. Advertise office hours through an auto-response. 
  • Call Management: Create customized schedules to receive calls, and prevent unwanted callers by blocking them. Customize extension schedules individually and enable forwarding numbers to ring simultaneously. 
  • Call Tracking Metrics: Access three different report types to get performance updates. Attain information regarding the average length of calls, missed calls, hang-ups and more. Seamlessly analyze customer profiles of inbound callers. 
  • Instant Responses: Send instant messages to customers when calls are missed, provide availability details and eliminate the risk of losing potential clients. Include customized text, pictures, hyperlinks and additional company information. 
  • Ruby Receptionist: Employ Ruby when it’s impossible to answer customer calls. Customize greeting messages and enable Ruby to use them while answering calls. Cater to more potential customers with live answering, boost business performance and save money on regular receptionists. 
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Product Ranking

#9

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Business Phone Systems

#36

among all
Business Phone Systems

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 630 reviews
Great User Sentiment 789 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

Twilio has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 630 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Grasshopper has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 789 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (15)
4.6 (14)
4.5 (333)
4.1 (118)
n/a
4.41 (319)
4.6 (241)
4.5 (299)
4.3 (41)
4.7 (39)

Awards

Twilio stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy Setup: Twilio's user-friendly interface and comprehensive documentation make it easy for users to set up and configure their phone systems without requiring extensive technical expertise.
Scalability: Twilio's cloud-based platform allows businesses to easily scale their phone systems up or down as needed, accommodating growth and changing communication requirements.
Global Reach: With its extensive global infrastructure, Twilio enables businesses to establish a local presence in various countries and regions, facilitating international communication and expansion.
Integrations: Twilio integrates seamlessly with numerous business applications and CRM systems, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.
Customization: Twilio provides a wide range of APIs and tools that allow businesses to customize their phone systems to meet their specific needs and preferences.
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Cost: The solution’s price is reasonable, according to 67% of users.
Mobile App: According to 83% of users who reviewed, the mobile app is accessible and makes it easier for customers to use the software.
Usability: 100% of users who mentioned the functionality said it’s user-friendly.
Voicemail: Approximately 92% of clients said it's easy to add, accessible via email and comes with transcripts.
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Pricing Structure: Twilio's pay-as-you-go pricing can lead to unpredictable costs, especially for businesses with fluctuating call volumes or those that use premium features like call recording or transcription. The lack of bundled plans may also make it difficult to budget for communication expenses effectively.
Customer Support: Obtaining timely and effective support can be challenging, particularly for users on the free tier or those with less complex issues. The support structure often relies on community forums and documentation, which may not provide immediate solutions for urgent problems.
Learning Curve: Integrating Twilio's APIs and configuring its services can require a significant investment of time and technical expertise. This can be a barrier for businesses without dedicated development resources or those seeking a more out-of-the-box solution.
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Customer Service: According to 67% of users who reviewed this, the customer service isn’t very helpful.
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Twilio has earned a reputation as a leading cloud communications platform, empowering businesses to build, scale, and operate customized communication solutions. Its flexible platform, powerful tools, and global infrastructure make it easy for businesses to create solutions that meet their unique needs and help them connect with customers in a meaningful way. Users appreciate Twilio's ease of use, scalability, and flexibility, making it a solid choice for businesses of all sizes that need a cloud-based communications platform. It offers a variety of features that can help businesses improve their communication with customers, such as call routing, voicemail, and analytics. The platform's ability to integrate with various channels like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Webchat ensures sustained engagement through features like click-to-dial, automated text notifications, intelligent routing, and callback service during peak hours. However, some users have expressed concerns about Twilio's customer support and its complex pricing structure. The pay-as-you-go fees can be more expensive compared to other CPaaS platforms, especially for businesses with high-volume communication needs. Despite these drawbacks, Twilio remains a popular choice due to its comprehensive features and ability to adapt to evolving business requirements. Its low-code builder, Studio, allows developers to design efficient self-service call flows and trigger custom business processes, while its Voice API enhances audio conferencing infrastructure. Twilio is particularly well-suited for businesses seeking a customizable and scalable communication solution that can integrate with existing applications and workflows. Its ability to handle various communication channels and provide detailed analytics makes it a valuable tool for businesses looking to enhance customer engagement and streamline communication processes.

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Grasshopper is a cloud-based VoIP system that allows businesses to maintain a professional image, take multiple calls simultaneously and separate business and personal numbers. According to users who have tried this product, the customer service isn’t up to the mark and clients often struggle to find a solution. Users unanimously appreciate usability and the mobile app is another beneficial aspect. The voicemail feature is handy. Customers can distinguish between personal and work calls, making it easier for them. In short, newer and small businesses who want a platform focusing on calling should go in for this solution. It’s ideal for companies with in-house and remote teams.

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