Twilio Verify vs Programmable SMS

What Twilio Verify does

  • You don’t send raw SMS yourself. Instead, you call Twilio Verify API (start verification → Twilio picks the best route → sends SMS/voice/WhatsApp).

  • Twilio handles:

    • Global routing: Chooses the most reliable channel (local number, short code, alphanumeric sender ID, WhatsApp fallback).
    • Compliance: Deals with country-specific registration rules (e.g., Thailand requiring local IDs or pre-registration).
    • Rate limiting & fraud checks: Prevents repeated spam to the same number.
    • Templates: OTP format is carrier-approved, reducing risk of filtering.

  • You just manage session state (user requested OTP, verify it later). No need to provision or manage phone numbers.

Key Benefits vs DIY with SMS API

  1. No need for local numbers

    • With raw SMS, if you want high deliverability in Thailand, India, Indonesia, etc., you usually need local long codes, short codes, or registered sender IDs.
    • With Verify, Twilio already has these relationships and numbers — you don’t need to maintain them.

Twilio Programmable SMS (DIY OTP)

Costs in Thailand:

  • Outbound SMS: $0.0305 per segment when sending via international numbers or alphanumeric sender IDs ([Twilio][1]).

  • Phone Number Rental (if needed):

    • International numbers start at $1.15/month