SMS gateway options, compared with sources
Five local gateway alternatives and the cloud platform model, compared on price, licensing, channels and platform. Every competitor figure links to its source and is stamped as of 2026-11; anything we could not verify is marked instead of guessed.
How to read these comparisons
Three rules apply to every page in this cluster. First, competitor prices and features are only stated when they appear on a public vendor page we can cite, and the capture date (2026-11-04) is printed next to them. Second, where a vendor does not publish a figure — Ozeki's price list is the example here — we say so instead of estimating. Third, our own disadvantages are listed on the same page as our advantages: SMS Deliverer needs your own modem and SIM card, and a Windows PC that stays on while you send.
| Option | Entry price (as of 2026-11) | License model | Runs on | Sending channel | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMS Deliverer | $99 lifetime license / $49 1-year license (Standard) | Lifetime license or 1-year license, per computer | Windows 10/11, Server 2016+ | Your GSM/LTE modem, modem pool or Android phone | Pricing |
| NowSMS | $395 (Lite, 1 modem or 1 Android phone) | Perpetual per edition and modem count | Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi | Modem, Android app, SMPP/UCP/CIMD2 to SMSC | Comparison |
| Diafaan SMS Server | $195 (Light, 1 gateway / 1 connector) | Perpetual, updates for 1–5 years by edition | Windows (service + web app) | Modem, Android, SMPP, cloud HTTP APIs | Comparison |
| Ozeki NG SMS Gateway | Not public — quote form only | Perpetual, 3 months support included | Windows, Linux | Modem, modem pool, Android app, SMPP/OZX/UCP/CIMD2 | Comparison |
| Auron SMS Server | $980 (Standard, incl. 1 year maintenance) | Perpetual + annual maintenance | Windows (Server and desktop) | Modem, Android agent, SMPP client/server, HTTP(S) | No detail page yet |
| Kannel + playSMS | $0 (open source) | Open source; license terms not verified here | Linux/Unix | SMSC connections; modems via add-ons | No detail page yet |
| Cloud CPaaS (Twilio, Sinch, Bird…) | $0.0125 per US segment, typical all-in (carrier fees included), captured 2026-11-04 | Pay per message plus fees | Vendor cloud | Vendor numbers, short codes, sender IDs | Comparison |
Sources: nowsms.com/buy, diafaan.com/prices/, ozeki-sms-gateway.com (purchase page is a quote form), auronsoftware.com/sales/, and the vendors' public SMS pricing pages — cloud rates captured 2026-11-04 with carrier fees included. Kannel and playSMS license terms were not verified for this page.
The five comparisons in detail
Each page states what the other product does well before it states where we differ.
Lifetime license vs per-message
A calculator for the only question that matters at volume: where is the break-even between a license and a per-message bill?
vs NowSMS
Multi-protocol server with operator-grade options vs a desktop gateway at a fraction of the entry price.
vs Diafaan
Windows middleware with deep database connectors vs a simpler desktop tool with a lower entry price.
vs Ozeki
A broad on-premise hub with quote-only pricing vs a smaller tool with public prices.
vs cloud platforms
Per-message billing, rented sender identity and data leaving your network vs hardware you already own.
Hardware first
Every local option needs a sending channel. Check your modem before comparing software.
Where SMS Deliverer is not the right choice
- You have no hardware and send at very low volume. Below roughly 20,500 messages a year at typical US all-in cloud rates, a cloud platform usually costs less in total. The calculator shows the crossover with your own numbers.
- You need operator-grade infrastructure. An MMSC, carrier SMPP binding at hundreds of messages per second, or short-code programs are NowSMS Gateway or cloud territory, not ours.
- You cannot keep a Windows PC running. Our gateway is a desktop application and a local service; if no machine can stay on, a hosted platform removes that requirement.
- You need hosted sender identity. We send through your SIM cards, so recipients see your mobile numbers. Short codes and alphanumeric sender IDs require a cloud provider.
Questions about these comparisons
Are the competitor prices on this page current?
They were observed on the vendors' public pages in 2026-11 and each figure names its source. Vendors change prices without notice, so treat the linked source page as the authority.
Why do you list your own disadvantages?
Because a comparison that only lists advantages is marketing, not information. If you have no hardware, send very low volumes, or need a short code, a cloud platform or a heavier server product is the better fit and we say so.
Why is there no Ozeki price in the table?
Ozeki does not publish a price list; its purchase page is a quote form. We mark that as not public instead of quoting a number we cannot verify.
Is SMS Deliverer cheaper than every alternative?
On license price, our $99 lifetime Standard edition is below the entry prices we found for NowSMS ($395), Diafaan ($195) and Auron ($980) as of 2026-11. Total cost depends on volume and on the SIM plan you already pay for; the calculator page works through the arithmetic.
Do the comparisons include open-source gateways?
Kannel with playSMS is listed in the overview table as a zero-cost option. We have not verified its license terms or current maintenance state, so there is no detail page for it yet.