WhatsApp vs SMS
WhatsApp instead of SMSfor codes and notifications.
SMS costs money for every message and tells you little about what happened next. Messengers show delivery and reading, cost nothing per message through your own number and let the user reply.
Create a free accountThe free plan includes one WhatsApp number. No card required.
Side by side
| Feature | OTPRun | SMS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan with one number, from $9 a month for unlimited messages | Pay per message |
| Cost of one code | No per-message fee | Depends on the country; Twilio, for example, charges $0.0083 per SMS in the US |
| Who sends | Your own WhatsApp number, linked in a minute by QR or pairing code | Short codes or sender names, often registered in advance |
| Verification codes | Generates, sends and checks codes, with expiry and attempt limits | Depends on the provider |
| If a message does not arrive | Automatic fallback to Telegram and tap-to-verify links | SMS only, unless you add other channels yourself |
| Replies | Inbox, conversations and signed webhooks | Two-way SMS on some routes |
| Assistants and MCP | Remote MCP server with OAuth sign-in, OpenAPI actions and /llms.txt | Depends on the provider |
SMS price example as published on twilio.com in August 2026.
Where SMS is the better choice
The phone has no internet connection or the user has no messenger.
Your regulator or bank requires SMS for a specific kind of confirmation.
Questions
Do people really read WhatsApp faster than SMS?
Messengers are the main place people check, and OTPRun shows you when a code was delivered and read, so you can measure it for your own users.
What if a user is not on WhatsApp?
Routing moves to the next channel, by default Telegram, with the same code. You can also check in advance whether a number is on WhatsApp.
Do I have to give up SMS completely?
No. Many teams send most codes through messengers and keep SMS for the rest, which cuts most of the cost.