# Twilio API 15 Hacker News commenters recommended Twilio API and 32 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 3 years (3 owners). **Verdict:** Developers use its API to send texts, make calls and rent phone numbers. The most common caveat is sudden account suspensions and blocked numbers. ## Why people recommend it - Protects numbers from SIM-jacking and loss (3 comments): "has other added benefits like additional protection from SIM-jacking and being invulnerable to theft or loss of your handset" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47429534)) "which has other added benefits like additional protection from SIM-jacking" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47450381)) "You would be better off hosting your “phone number “at Twilio and then forwarding that number to a throwaway SIM card" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47147339)) - Handles porting and integrations well (3 comments): "Twilio will be helpful to assist with the port, in my experience" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49482680)) "probably a good idea to have the Twilio integration ready to go" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47622191)) "You could use twillio api + script + llm + voice model." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46260407)) - Dedicated numbers forwarded to other lines (2 comments): "I'd look into getting a dedicated Twilio number, then just forward incoming texts to your email or something like that." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46269826)) "You would be better off hosting your “phone number “at Twilio and then forwarding that number to a throwaway SIM card" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47147339)) - Established, widely used messaging platform (2 comments): "Twilio market cap is $35 billion. That's a decent amount of value." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49335226)) "twilio and I think MailChimp really blazed the way there" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46063158)) ## What people warn about - Accounts suspended or numbers cancelled abruptly (3 comments): "Twilio suspended our account for no reason, charges anywhere from $250 - $5000/month to even access their support" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47074510)) "my card expired, they never notified me, account went into arrears, and they cancelled my number" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48659492)) "Telnyx and Twilio nuked every small or personal accounts at some point" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47554675)) - Numbers blocked by services and filters (3 comments): "Twilio numbers are on a ban list for many services" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46278275)) "sometimes they are flagged VOIP and blocked" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47195960)) "Google verification for example would not accept my Twilio number as verification" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46270075)) - Costly fees and support charges (2 comments): "you pay a fee (I think $500) to enable RCS with a third-party only to find out that a small percentage of devices have it enabled making it effectively useless" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45979796)) "Twilio suspended our account for no reason, charges anywhere from $250 - $5000/month to even access their support" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47074510)) - Criticized over complicity with customers (2 comments): "Isn't Twilio complicit? and isn't it deserved that random Twilio customers, who are funding an illegal organization, get banned?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50251324)) "Twilio is complicit so it rightly affects the number reputation." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50259034)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Telegram Bot API](https://hackerapproved.com/p/telegram-bot-api.md): 11 recommend - [Kapso](https://hackerapproved.com/p/kapso.md): 10 recommend - [Telnyx API](https://hackerapproved.com/p/telnyx.md): 6 recommend - [WhatsApp Business API](https://hackerapproved.com/p/whatsapp-business-api.md): 5 recommend - [Chert iMessage API](https://hackerapproved.com/p/chert.md): 5 recommend ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://www.twilio.com/en-us) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Twilio API", https://hackerapproved.com/p/twilio/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).