TL;DR
Vonage SMS API pricing starts at $0.00809 per outbound message and $0.00649 per inbound message in the US. There’s no monthly minimum; you pay only for what you send and receive. International rates vary and can exceed $1.00 per message in some regions. If you’re developing or testing a Vonage SMS integration, Apidog streamlines sending test requests, validating responses, and catching errors before deployment.
Introduction
If you’ve heard of Nexmo, you already know Vonage. Vonage acquired Nexmo in 2016, and while the Nexmo brand lingered, most developer resources now live under developer.vonage.com. Since 2022, Vonage has been part of Ericsson, but the API platform continues under the Vonage name.
Vonage powers over 100,000 businesses and supports 1.6 million developers. Its APIs offer global messaging with a pay-as-you-go model and no long-term commitment, spanning more than 190 countries.
💡 Pro tip: Before integrating, equip yourself with a robust API testing tool. Apidog lets you build and automate test scenarios for Vonage SMS, validate schemas, and chain API calls. Sign up free—no credit card needed.
Vonage SMS pricing overview
Vonage runs a pay-as-you-go model for SMS: no platform or subscription fees. Message rates depend on destination and number type.
US Pricing Tiers:
| Message type | Price per message |
|---|---|
| Outbound SMS (US LVN) | $0.00809 |
| Inbound SMS (US LVN) | $0.00649 |
| Outbound SMS (US Toll-Free) | Contact sales |
| Inbound SMS (US Toll-Free) | Free |
- LVN: Local Virtual Number (standard 10-digit long code/10DLC).
- Rates update in real time based on usage.
- Download the global pricing sheet from your Vonage dashboard for all countries.
Pricing breakdown: outbound, inbound, MMS, and WhatsApp
Outbound SMS
Outbound messages (your app → end user) in the US cost $0.00809/message via local virtual number. Always check your dashboard for the latest rates.
Inbound SMS
Inbound (end user → your Vonage number) messages in the US cost $0.00649/message for local numbers. Some toll-free numbers get free inbound SMS—verify this on your account.
MMS pricing
Vonage supports MMS via its Messages API, but MMS rates are not public. Contact sales for a quote. MMS pricing varies by carrier and country.
WhatsApp via Vonage
WhatsApp messages via Vonage have two charges:
- Meta fee: Paid to WhatsApp/Meta, varies by message category. See Meta’s WhatsApp pricing.
- Vonage platform fee: Starts at $0.00015 per message.
Facebook Messenger
Messenger via Vonage costs $0.0011 per delivered message.
RCS (Rich Communication Services)
Vonage supports RCS with carrier-specific US rates:
| Carrier | RCS Rich (text-based) | RCS Rich Media |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | $0.00620 | $0.01250 |
| Verizon | $0.00400 | $0.00600 |
| AT&T | $0.00450 | $0.01000 |
| US Cellular | $0.00620 | $0.01350 |
A one-time setup fee of $600/country applies for RCS.
What affects your Vonage bill
Several variables impact monthly spend:
Destination country
Biggest cost factor. US messages are low-cost; some international destinations cost $0.50 or more per SMS. Always check the global pricing sheet.
Number type
Vonage offers:
- Long code (10DLC): Most affordable, standard numbers.
- Toll-free: Higher throughput, free inbound.
- Short codes: High-volume marketing, higher cost, require registration.
Each number type has different rental and message rates.
Number rental fees
Renting a Vonage number incurs a monthly fee (US local numbers start at a few dollars/month; toll-free and short codes cost more).
Message encoding
- GSM-7: 160 characters/SMS.
- Unicode: 70 characters/SMS (emoji, accented letters).
- Long messages split into multiple SMS, increasing cost.
Carrier surcharges
US carriers may add surcharges, especially for A2P (application-to-person) messaging. Vonage passes these fees through as line items on your invoice.
Hidden costs to watch for
Support tiers
- Free: Community forums and docs.
- Business: Paid plan.
- Premium: 24/7 phone + account manager, $3,300/mo.
Add-on APIs
Some APIs incur extra monthly fees:
| Add-on | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Audit API | $550/month |
| Auto-redact (PII removal) | $1,100/month |
| Reports API | $495/month (or $0.00049/CDR pay-as-you-go) |
- Audit API: For compliance.
- Auto-redact: Removes PII from logs.
Verify API costs
Vonage’s Verify API for 2FA: $0.0572 per successful verification (plus SMS/voice delivery costs). Failed verifications still incur per-message costs.
Number registration (US 10DLC)
A2P SMS via US long codes requires registration with The Campaign Registry:
- Brand registration: One-time fee.
- Campaign registration: Recurring fee per campaign.
Unregistered messaging may be filtered.
Vonage vs alternatives
Comparison of major US SMS providers:
| Provider | US outbound SMS | US inbound SMS | Free trial | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vonage | $0.00809 | $0.00649 | Yes (verified numbers only) | Paid tiers; $3,300/mo for 24/7 |
| Twilio | $0.0079 | $0.0075 | Yes ($15 credit) | Paid support from $250/mo |
| Plivo | $0.0055 | $0.0005 | Yes | Free basic; paid tiers |
| Telnyx | $0.004 | $0.002 | Yes ($5 credit) | 24/7 email free; phone with paid |
Notes:
- Telnyx: Lowest price, newer platform, smaller support team.
- Plivo: Great inbound pricing, strong developer support.
- Twilio: Largest ecosystem and documentation, higher price.
- Vonage: Middle on price, strong carrier relationships via Ericsson.
Price per message is just one factor; also consider delivery, compliance, tooling, and support.
How to try Vonage for free
Vonage offers a free trial account. Here’s what you get and what’s limited.
What you get
- A Vonage virtual number for test SMS
- API credentials (key/secret)
- Access to all documentation and SDKs
- Test credits for limited message sending
What’s restricted
During the trial, you can only send SMS to numbers you’ve verified on your account. Upgrade to a paid account to send to any number.
How to start
- Go to dashboard.nexmo.com or vonage.com/communications-apis
- Create a free account with your email.
- Verify your phone number.
- Retrieve your API key/secret from the dashboard.
- Send your first SMS using the REST API or an official SDK.
Vonage offers SDKs for Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Java, .NET, and Go. Or, use any HTTP client for direct REST calls.
How to test your Vonage SMS integration with Apidog
Once you have Vonage API credentials, you need to test your integration before production. Apidog is built for this.
Setting up a test scenario
- In Apidog, go to the Tests module and create a new scenario.
- Add steps from:
- Your OpenAPI spec (if you’ve defined the Vonage endpoint)
- A custom request to the Vonage REST API
- Import a cURL command from Vonage docs
Example: Test sending an SMS
POST https://rest.nexmo.com/sms/json
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
api_key=YOUR_KEY
api_secret=YOUR_SECRET
from=YOUR_NUMBER
to=DESTINATION_NUMBER
text=Hello from Apidog!
Validating the response
Apidog validates responses against your schema. For Vonage, a successful send returns a JSON object with a messages array; messages[0].status should equal "0".
Add assertions:
- HTTP status code is 200
-
messages[0].statusequals"0" -
messages[0].message-idis not empty
If an error occurs, Apidog flags the step and displays the full response for debugging.
Passing data between requests
Apidog supports data chaining with {{$.stepId.response.body.field}}. Extract the message-id from the send response and use it in a follow-up status check request.
Running tests in CI/CD
Integrate Apidog with GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins. Export your scenario and run tests on every pull request using the Apidog CLI to catch SMS integration errors pre-deployment.
Try it free at apidog.com. No credit card required.
Conclusion
Vonage SMS API provides pay-as-you-go pricing, with US outbound SMS at $0.00809/message and inbound at $0.00649. Costs scale with country, number type, and encoding. Add-ons like the Audit API, Auto-redact, and premium support have significant fees, so plan accordingly.
If you’re comparing providers, Telnyx and Plivo offer lower prices, while Twilio offers the largest ecosystem. Vonage is a solid option for carrier-grade reliability and global reach.
Before deploying, use Apidog to create automated test scenarios for your Vonage SMS integration. Validate every flow and catch errors in development—not in production.
FAQ
Is Vonage the same as Nexmo?
Yes. Vonage acquired Nexmo in 2016. The developer platform remains at developer.vonage.com, and legacy integrations still use rest.nexmo.com.
Does Vonage charge a monthly fee for SMS?
No; you pay per message sent/received and for any numbers you rent. Optional add-ons like Audit API and Auto-redact have monthly fees.
How much does a Vonage phone number cost?
US long codes start at a few dollars/month; toll-free and short codes cost more. Check your dashboard for current rates.
What countries does Vonage SMS support?
Vonage supports SMS in 190+ countries. Prices vary; some regions cost $0.50+ per SMS. Download the pricing sheet from your dashboard.
Does Vonage offer volume discounts?
Yes. If you send large volumes, contact sales for custom pricing. Pay-as-you-go rates apply by default.
Can I receive inbound SMS for free?
US toll-free numbers often get free inbound SMS. Long codes charge $0.00649/inbound message in the US. Rates vary by country.
How does Vonage compare to Twilio for SMS?
Vonage’s US outbound rate is slightly higher than Twilio’s. Twilio has a larger developer ecosystem. Vonage stands out for carrier relationships via Ericsson and sometimes better international pricing. For US messaging, price differences are small; developer experience and support may be the deciding factors.
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