Amazon SNS vs Vonage
Compare Amazon SNS and Vonage based on observed SMS API performance, features, and pricing
Live performance comparison
Real-world performance data from messages sent through Knock
We don't have enough message volume through Knock for Vonage to publish statistically meaningful benchmarks yet. The data below reflects Amazon SNS only. Comparison charts will appear once both providers have sufficient data.
| Provider | Message volume | Growth | Status page updates (30d) | Status page updates (90d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 25M–100M | 2nd of 7 → | 0 | 0 |
 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
From January 2nd to April 2nd, Knock routed 25M–100M messages through Amazon SNS. Amazon SNS reported 0 status page updates over the last 90 days, while Vonage 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 |
| — | — | — | — |
Amazon SNS has a median response time (p50) of 77ms, a p90 of 378ms, and a p99 of 794ms from January 2nd to April 2nd. Comparison charts for Vonage will appear once enough data is available.
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 |
| — | — | — | — | — |
Averaged across January 2nd to April 2nd, Amazon SNS shows a 0.00% daily error rate. Comparison data for Vonage will appear once enough message volume is available. Knock automatically retries failed requests to minimize 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 Vonage incidents
Recent status page incidents for Vonage
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 |
| Vonage | Pay-as-you-go | $0.0085 | $846 |
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.
Vonage
Free trial with verified number restrictions. US outbound SMS costs $0.00846 per message. Inbound messages are $0.00679 each. 10DLC carrier fees apply for US A2P messaging.
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
Vonage
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
- Adaptive routing with automatic carrier failover for improved deliverability
- Built-in Verify API for 2FA/OTP without extra development effort
- Competitive per-message pricing with simple JSON-over-HTTP API patterns
- Global coverage across 200+ countries with local number support
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
- Documentation trails market leaders, especially for complex scenarios
- Platform analytics are basic, providing only delivery receipts and usage logs
- Premium support with 24/7 phone access is expensive, starting at $3,300/month
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Amazon SNS and Vonage?
Amazon SNS is a cost-effective SMS service built on AWS infrastructure, ideal for applications already in the AWS ecosystem. Vonage is a communications platform with adaptive carrier routing, built-in verification APIs, and competitive per-message pricing. Amazon SNS is best suited for aws-native applications, while Vonage is geared toward cost-effective global sms.
Which is cheaper, Amazon SNS or Vonage?
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. Free trial with verified number restrictions. US outbound SMS costs $0.00846 per message. Inbound messages are $0.00679 each. 10DLC carrier fees apply for US A2P messaging. The best value depends on your sending volume and destination countries.
Which is faster, Amazon SNS or Vonage?
Based on real-world data from Knock, Amazon SNS has a median SMS API response time (p50) of 77ms. We don't yet have enough data for Vonage to make a direct comparison.
Which is more reliable, Amazon SNS or Vonage?
From January 2nd to April 2nd, Amazon SNS showed an error rate of 0.00%. We don't yet have enough data for Vonage to compare reliability directly. Knock automatically retries failed requests to minimize the impact of transient errors.
Which is more popular, Amazon SNS or Vonage?
On the Knock platform, Amazon SNS handled 25M–100M messages from January 2nd to April 2nd. Amazon SNS volume has remained stable. We don't yet have enough data for Vonage to compare popularity.
Can I use both Amazon SNS and Vonage together?
Yes. Knock enables you to integrate multiple SMS providers into a single notification workflow. You can use Amazon SNS and Vonage 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 Vonage?
Amazon SNS strengths include among the lowest per-message costs for us domestic sms and deep integration with the aws ecosystem and iam permissions. Vonage strengths include adaptive routing with automatic carrier failover for improved deliverability and built-in verify api for 2fa/otp without extra development effort. On the other hand, Amazon SNS drawbacks include new accounts are sandboxed and require a support request to go to production, while Vonage drawbacks include documentation trails market leaders, especially for complex scenarios.
Use either provider with Knock
Knock enables you to integrate Amazon SNS, Vonage, or any combination of SMS providers into a single notification workflow. Manage templates, orchestrate cross-channel delivery, and switch providers without changing your code.