MessageBird (Bird) vs Tawk.to
Converge Team
Side-by-side comparison for 2026
| Feature | MessageBird (Bird) | Tawk.to |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $30/seat/mo | From $58/mo |
| Best For | Large enterprises with complex communication needs | Businesses needing free website live chat |
| Standout Feature | Global SMS delivery network | Completely free with up to 15 agents and full features |
| Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| G2 Rating | 4.2 | 4.5/5 |
MessageBird and Tawk.to represent two different philosophies in customer communication. MessageBird positions itself as an omnichannel platform with robust SMS and voice capabilities, while Tawk.to focuses on free live chat with optional paid agent services.
The choice between them often depends on whether you need comprehensive communication APIs or prefer a simple, cost-effective chat solution.
Feature Comparison
MessageBird excels in programmable communications with SMS delivery rates of 99%+, voice calling in 200+ countries, and WhatsApp Business API integration. Their Flow Builder enables complex automation workflows.
Tawk.to provides unlimited free live chat, real-time visitor monitoring, and automatic message translation in 45+ languages. Their standout feature is the ability to hire trained agents at $1/hour when your team is unavailable.
MessageBird targets developers and enterprises needing API-driven communications, while Tawk.to serves small to medium businesses wanting immediate chat deployment.
Pricing Comparison
MessageBird uses usage-based pricing starting at $25/month for basic plans, scaling to $200+/month for enterprise features. SMS costs vary by country (typically $0.05-0.15 per message), with voice calls priced per minute.
Tawk.to offers completely free live chat with up to 15 agents and conversations. Their only cost is optional hired agents at $1/hour, making it extremely budget-friendly for small teams.
For a 5-person team, MessageBird could cost $100-300/month depending on usage, while Tawk.to remains free unless you hire agents.
MessageBird (Bird)
Pros
- ✓ Strong global SMS delivery
- ✓ Comprehensive API documentation
- ✓ Good WhatsApp Business integration
Cons
- ✗ Complex pricing with hidden costs
- ✗ Limited customization options
- ✗ Steep learning curve
Tawk.to
Pros
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Up to 15 agents
- ✓ Full-featured
Cons
- ✗ Website chat only
- ✗ No messaging platforms
- ✗ Branding on free plan
Verdict
Choose MessageBird if you need enterprise-grade SMS, voice, and email automation with API flexibility. Choose Tawk.to if you want free live chat with the option to hire professional agents when needed.
Choose MessageBird if: You need SMS marketing, voice calls, WhatsApp integration, or complex automation workflows for enterprise-scale communications.
Choose Tawk.to if: You want free live chat with excellent visitor tracking and the flexibility to hire professional agents on-demand.
For teams seeking a middle ground with predictable pricing, Converge offers comprehensive customer communication features at $49/month flat rate, combining chat, email, and automation without per-agent fees or usage limits.
Looking for more options? Browse all 750+ platform comparisons, or see all MessageBird (Bird) comparisons and all Tawk.to comparisons.