Amazon SNS vs MessageMedia
Compare Amazon SNS and MessageMedia based on observed SMS API performance, features, and pricing
Live performance comparison
Real-world performance data from messages sent through Knock
| Provider | Message volume | Growth | Status page updates (30d) | Status page updates (90d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 25M–100M | 2nd of 7 → | 0 | 0 |
 | <1M | 5th of 7 → | 0 | 0 |
From January 2nd to April 2nd, Knock routed 25M–100M messages through Amazon SNS and <1M through MessageMedia. Amazon SNS reported 0 status page updates over the last 90 days, while MessageMedia reported 0.
Response time
Response time measures how long each provider takes to accept an SMS API request from Knock, including connection overhead and any automatic retries. Lower values mean faster message hand-off.
| Provider | Median (p50) | p90 | p95 | p99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77ms | 378ms | 778ms | 794ms |
| 221ms | 600ms | 633ms | 719ms |
The chart above shows each provider's daily median response time (p50) from January 2nd to April 2nd. The top-line number is an average of these daily values: Amazon SNS averaged 77ms compared to 221ms for MessageMedia. Amazon SNS's highest daily p50 was 81ms; MessageMedia's was 585ms. Amazon SNS is 144ms faster at the median, which can add up at high volumes.
The 90th percentile (p90) captures the slowest 10% of requests, revealing how each provider handles moderate stress. Averaged across all days, Amazon SNS has a p90 of 378ms compared to 600ms for MessageMedia. The highest daily p90 was 772ms for Amazon SNS and 649ms for MessageMedia. Amazon SNS handles these slower requests 222ms faster, suggesting more consistent performance across the board.
The 99th percentile (p99) represents the long tail — the slowest 1% of requests. Averaged across all days, Amazon SNS reached 794ms at p99 while MessageMedia reached 719ms. The highest daily p99 was 865ms for Amazon SNS and 894ms for MessageMedia, indicating the worst-case response time during spikes or provider-side congestion. MessageMedia shows a tighter tail, which may matter for time-sensitive SMS notifications like one-time passwords or real-time alerts where even rare delays can impact user experience.
Error rate
Error rate tracks the ratio of 5xx responses and timeouts to total SMS API requests. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
| Provider | Avg. daily error rate | Highest daily rate | Peak error date | Zero-error days | Days above 0.01% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00% | 0.00% | Jan 2 | 91 | 0 |
| 0.00% | 0.00% | Jan 2 | 91 | 0 |
Averaged across the date range, Amazon SNS shows a 0.00% daily error rate compared to 0.00% for MessageMedia. The highest single-day error rate was 0.00% for Amazon SNS and 0.00% for MessageMedia. Both providers show similar reliability levels, with error rates well within acceptable thresholds. Knock automatically retries failed requests to both providers, minimizing the impact of transient errors on end-user delivery.
About these metrics: Data represents messages sent through Knock during the specified period. Response time measures time from Knock to provider acceptance. Error rate includes only provider 5xx responses and timeouts.
Recent Amazon SNS incidents
Recent status page incidents for Amazon SNS
No incidents reported in the last 90 days
Recent MessageMedia incidents
Recent status page incidents for MessageMedia
No incidents reported in the last 90 days
Pricing comparison
| Provider | Plan | Per message | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon SNS | Pay-as-you-go | $0.007 | $700 |
| MessageMedia | Custom | — | Custom |
Amazon SNS
US outbound SMS costs $0.007 per message. Origination numbers are billed separately. Amazon SNS charges a flat $0.00302 carrier fee per message, regardless of destination carrier.
MessageMedia
Custom pricing based on volume and destination. Contact sales for a quote. No publicly listed per-message rates.
US carrier surcharges
All US A2P SMS sent via 10DLC incurs mandatory carrier fees on top of the provider base rate. Most providers pass these through at cost.
| Carrier | Outbound SMS | Inbound SMS |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | $0.0045 | $0.0025 |
| AT&T | $0.003 | $0.003 |
| Verizon | $0.004 | $0.00 |
| US Cellular | $0.005 | $0.00 |
Amazon SNS flat carrier fee. Amazon SNS charges a flat $0.00302 carrier fee per message, regardless of destination carrier. This makes costs more predictable compared to providers that pass through variable per-carrier fees.
Pros and cons
Amazon SNS
MessageMedia
Pros
- Among the lowest per-message costs for US domestic SMS
- Deep integration with the AWS ecosystem and IAM permissions
- Reliable infrastructure backed by Amazon's global network
- Supports 200+ countries and regions
Pros
- Backed by Sinch's global carrier network for reliable delivery
- Strong presence in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia-Pacific markets
- Pre-built integrations with popular business tools and CRMs
- Supports both API-driven and web portal-based messaging workflows
Cons
- New accounts are sandboxed and require a support request to go to production
- SMS features are a subset of the broader SNS pub/sub service, which can be confusing
- Limited built-in analytics compared to dedicated SMS platforms
Cons
- Pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales
- Developer documentation is less comprehensive than Twilio or Telnyx
- Brand identity can be confusing due to Sinch acquisition and rebranding
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Amazon SNS and MessageMedia?
Amazon SNS is a cost-effective SMS service built on AWS infrastructure, ideal for applications already in the AWS ecosystem. MessageMedia is a Sinch-owned business SMS platform with strong Asia-Pacific coverage and enterprise integrations. Amazon SNS is best suited for aws-native applications, while MessageMedia is geared toward enterprise business messaging.
Which is cheaper, Amazon SNS or MessageMedia?
US outbound SMS costs $0.007 per message. Origination numbers are billed separately. Amazon SNS charges a flat $0.00302 carrier fee per message, regardless of destination carrier. Custom pricing based on volume and destination. Contact sales for a quote. No publicly listed per-message rates. The best value depends on your sending volume and destination countries.
Which is faster, Amazon SNS or MessageMedia?
Based on real-world data from Knock, Amazon SNS has a median SMS API response time (p50) of 77ms compared to 221ms for MessageMedia.
Which is more reliable, Amazon SNS or MessageMedia?
From January 2nd to April 2nd, Amazon SNS showed an error rate of 0.00% while MessageMedia showed 0.00%. Both rates are within acceptable thresholds for production SMS delivery, and Knock automatically retries failed requests to minimize the impact of transient errors.
Which is more popular, Amazon SNS or MessageMedia?
On the Knock platform, Amazon SNS handled 25M–100M messages from January 2nd to April 2nd compared to <1M for MessageMedia. Amazon SNS volume has remained stable, while MessageMedia volume has remained stable.
Can I use both Amazon SNS and MessageMedia together?
Yes. Knock enables you to integrate multiple SMS providers into a single notification workflow. You can use Amazon SNS and MessageMedia side by side, route traffic between them, or migrate from one to the other without changing your application code.
What are the main pros and cons of Amazon SNS vs MessageMedia?
Amazon SNS strengths include among the lowest per-message costs for us domestic sms and deep integration with the aws ecosystem and iam permissions. MessageMedia strengths include backed by sinch's global carrier network for reliable delivery and strong presence in australia, new zealand, and asia-pacific markets. On the other hand, Amazon SNS drawbacks include new accounts are sandboxed and require a support request to go to production, while MessageMedia drawbacks include pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales.
Use either provider with Knock
Knock enables you to integrate Amazon SNS, MessageMedia, or any combination of SMS providers into a single notification workflow. Manage templates, orchestrate cross-channel delivery, and switch providers without changing your code.