{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "clicksend", "name": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP", "vendor": "ClickSend (Sinch)", "vendorUrl": "https://www.clicksend.com", "kind": "http-api", "category": "messaging", "summary": "Prepaid SMS and MMS API aimed at small businesses, part of Sinch, with RCS, voice, email and post on the same account.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clicksend", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clicksend.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clicksend.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/clicksend.json", "repo": "https://github.com/ClickSend/clicksend-mcp-server", "license": "MIT", "transports": [ "http", "stdio" ], "remoteUrl": "https://rest.clicksend.com/v3", "packages": [ { "registry": "npm", "name": "@clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "clicksend" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "clicksend-client" } ], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "HTTP Basic auth with the account username and an API key. The MCP server reads CLICKSEND_USERNAME and CLICKSEND_API_KEY from the environment.", "pricing": "usage", "pricingNotes": "Prepaid credit, minimum top-up $20, no subscription. US SMS $0.0289 a message at the lowest tier down to $0.0095 at the highest, plus a $0.0041 carrier fee. US MMS $0.0374 plus $0.0087. Dedicated US number $3.53 a month. Inbound replies are free. UK SMS from $0.0569 (https://www.clicksend.com/us/pricing/us/).", "priceSummary": "$3.53 / mo", "where": "both", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402 or stablecoin payment path in docs, pricing or agent discovery files (checked 2026-09-30).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": 6, "popularity": { "githubStars": 3, "npmWeekly": 3710, "pypiWeekly": 7690, "asOf": "2026-09-30" }, "docsUrl": "https://developers.clicksend.com/docs/", "llmsTxt": "https://developers.clicksend.com/llms.txt", "registryName": "com.clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server", "capabilities": [ "messaging.sms", "messaging.mms", "messaging.rcs", "messaging.voice", "messaging.inbound" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "mcp", "llms-txt", "typescript", "python", "webhooks", "sms" ], "lastRelease": "2026-09-25", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 47.7, "grade": "D", "agentReady": false, "rank": 827, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 950, "categoryRank": 13, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 70, "maintenance": 62, "payments": 30, "reliability": 65, "schema": 52, "security": 23, "transparency": 53 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-01" }, "negative": -3, "negativeNotes": [ "Since 2025-05-16 the official MCP server has logged each request's options to stderr, including the Basic `Authorization` header that encodes the username and API key, along with every request and response body. The published 2026.8.23 package was built from that code. The credential stays in local log files rather than leaving the machine, so -3 (https://github.com/ClickSend/clicksend-mcp-server/blob/main/src/helper/clicksend.ts)." ], "verdict": "A keyless pricing endpoint returns per-country, per-tier SMS and MMS prices. The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request.", "bestFor": "Small businesses and simple agents that send SMS in a few countries and want prices up front.", "strengths": [ "A keyless pricing endpoint returns per-country, per-tier SMS and MMS prices", "Six MCP tools, including a price check before a send", "Inbound replies are free", "The MCP turns natural-language dates into history filters", "No SMS or API incidents on the status page in the last 90 days" ], "weaknesses": [ "The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request", "One API key per account or subaccount, with no scopes or read-only mode", "No rate limits, Retry-After or idempotency key documented", "US SMS at $0.0289 a message on the entry tier, falling to $0.0095 only on the top tier", "No public OpenAPI spec or changelog, and the privacy policy dates from September 2023" ], "agentNotes": [ "Call calculate-sms-price before a bulk send, the pricing endpoint needs no key", "Pass the user's own date words in user_date_request when reading SMS history", "Use a subaccount key for the agent, not the main account key", "Restrict access to the MCP host's log files, they contain the encoded API key", "Leave links out of messages, ClickSend pauses SMS with URLs for new customers" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 2, "avgRating": 2.5, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "D", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 47.7 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 70, "maintenance": 62, "payments": 30, "reliability": 65, "schema": 52, "security": 23, "transparency": 30 }, "provenanceScore": 76 }, "connect": { "http": "curl -X POST https://rest.clicksend.com/v3/sms/send -u \"$CLICKSEND_USERNAME:$CLICKSEND_API_KEY\" \\\n -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -d '{\"messages\":[{\"source\":\"curl\",\"to\":\"+15555550123\",\"body\":\"Hello from ClickSend\"}]}'", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add clicksend -e CLICKSEND_USERNAME=$CLICKSEND_USERNAME -e CLICKSEND_API_KEY=$CLICKSEND_API_KEY -- npx -y @clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server@latest", "config": { "mcpServers": { "clicksend": { "args": [ "-y", "@clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server@latest" ], "command": "npx", "env": { "CLICKSEND_API_KEY": "${CLICKSEND_API_KEY}", "CLICKSEND_USERNAME": "${CLICKSEND_USERNAME}" } } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/messaging.sms", "tool": "https://letme.dev/clicksend" }, "area": "communication", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "SMS, US", "unit": "message", "usd": 0.0289, "note": "US, entry tier, plus $0.0041 carrier fee, falls to $0.0095 at the top tier" }, { "item": "SMS, UK", "unit": "message", "usd": 0.0569, "note": "UK, entry tier, falls to $0.0417" }, { "item": "MMS, US", "unit": "message", "usd": 0.0374, "note": "US, plus $0.0087 carrier fee" }, { "item": "Dedicated US number", "unit": "month", "usd": 3.53 } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "ClickSend Pty Ltd", "domain": "clicksend.com", "domainRegistered": "2003-07-05", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://www.clicksend.com/us/legal/terms-of-service/", "privacy": "https://www.clicksend.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/", "statusPage": "https://status.clicksend.com", "changelog": "", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-09-30", "notes": [ "Owned by Sinch. The privacy contact is a sinch.com address." ], "score": 76 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clicksend.json", "live": { "slug": "clicksend", "probe": { "target": "https://rest.clicksend.com/v3", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-10T02:07:05.213017238Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 200, "lastMs": 381, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 346, "p95ms24h": 438, "samples24h": 250, "samples30d": 2458, "days": [ { "date": "2026-09-30", "probes": 35, "ok": 35 }, { "date": "2026-10-01", "probes": 276, "ok": 276 }, { "date": "2026-10-02", "probes": 248, "ok": 248 }, { "date": "2026-10-03", "probes": 271, "ok": 271 }, { "date": "2026-10-04", "probes": 272, "ok": 272 }, { "date": "2026-10-05", "probes": 272, "ok": 272 }, { "date": "2026-10-06", "probes": 272, "ok": 272 }, { "date": "2026-10-07", "probes": 272, "ok": 272 }, { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 268, "ok": 268 }, { "date": "2026-10-09", "probes": 250, "ok": 250 }, { "date": "2026-10-10", "probes": 22, "ok": 22 } ] }, "vendorStatus": { "page": "https://status.clicksend.com", "indicator": "none", "summary": "All Systems Operational", "checkedAt": "2026-10-10T02:05:43.881282901Z" }, "versions": [ { "registry": "mcp-registry", "name": "com.clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server", "version": "2026.8.23", "seenAt": "2026-10-09T02:57:46.004536428Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server", "version": "2026.8.23", "seenAt": "2026-10-09T16:45:40.798835822Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "clicksend", "version": "7.0.0", "seenAt": "2026-10-09T16:45:41.723549582Z" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "clicksend-client", "version": "6.0.2", "released": "2026-09-25", "seenAt": "2026-10-09T16:45:43.099442528Z" } ], "githubStars": 3, "npmWeekly": 76, "pypiWeekly": 10390, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://clicksend.com/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "none", "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T15:39:11.960301255Z" }, "llmsTxt": { "url": "https://developers.clicksend.com/llms.txt", "ok": true, "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T14:01:37.129618808Z" }, "domain": { "domain": "clicksend.com", "registered": "2003-07-05", "source": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/clicksend.com", "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:03:55.142150796Z" }, "pages": [ { "url": "https://www.clicksend.com/us/pricing/us/", "kind": "pricing", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:49:11.010545242Z", "changedAt": "2026-10-06T16:14:32.399001062Z", "fingerprint": "4d3f25a9ad7a" }, { "url": "https://www.clicksend.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/", "kind": "privacy", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:49:04.995684635Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "84bfd5d9bbc2" }, { "url": "https://www.clicksend.com/us/legal/terms-of-service/", "kind": "terms", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:49:09.191792838Z", "changedAt": "2026-10-06T16:14:30.14933341Z", "fingerprint": "6285ba272f13" } ], "updatedAt": "2026-10-10T02:07:05.213017238Z" } }, "answer": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP scores 47.7 (D) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Telegram Bot API leads on security \u0026 auth, payments \u0026 pricing and transparency \u0026 trust.", "b": { "slug": "telegram-bot", "name": "Telegram Bot API", "vendor": "Telegram Messenger Inc.", "vendorUrl": "https://telegram.org", "kind": "http-api", "category": "messaging", "summary": "The Telegram Bot API is Telegram's HTTP interface for bot accounts. A bot sends and edits messages, media and polls, manages chats and takes payments, and receives user messages by long polling or webhook, with a token issued by @BotFather.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/telegram-bot", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/telegram-bot.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/telegram-bot.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/telegram-bot.json", "repo": "https://github.com/tdlib/telegram-bot-api", "license": "Proprietary hosted service under the Telegram Bot Platform Developer Terms of Service. The Bot API server source in tdlib/telegram-bot-api is BSL-1.0", "transports": [ "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://api.telegram.org", "packages": [], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "Self-serve. A person with a Telegram account sends `/newbot` to @BotFather and receives one token per bot. The token goes in the URL path of every request, as `https://api.telegram.org/bot\u003ctoken\u003e/METHOD_NAME`. It has no scopes or expiry and gives full control of the bot. `/token` in @BotFather generates a new one. No OAuth, app review or sales approval applies.", "pricing": "free", "pricingNotes": "Free, with no card or contract. The one fee found is for paid broadcasts, 0.1 Telegram Stars per message sent above 30 a second, open to bots with at least 100,000 Stars and 100,000 monthly active users. A separate test environment exists for bots (checked 2026-10-09).", "priceSummary": "Free", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the Bot API reference, the FAQ, the developer terms or the server source (checked 2026-10-09).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": 4478, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-09" }, "docsUrl": "https://core.telegram.org/bots/api", "capabilities": [ "messaging.inbound" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "free", "api-key", "webhooks", "long-polling", "telegram", "chat", "open-source-server", "bug-bounty", "self-serve" ], "lastRelease": "2026-08-24", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 43, "grade": "E", "agentReady": false, "rank": 885, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 950, "categoryRank": 14, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 48, "maintenance": 38, "payments": 40, "reliability": 40, "schema": 44, "security": 35, "transparency": 64 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-09" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Telegram's first-party bot interface is free, needs no card and documents 185 methods on one page with a dated changelog and numeric send limits. No OpenAPI document, status page, SLA or idempotency key was found, one token controls the whole bot and travels in the URL, and a person must create the bot in a chat with @BotFather.", "bestFor": "An agent that talks to people who use Telegram, with free sends and long polling that needs no public server.", "strengths": [ "Free to use with no card. Limits are published as numbers, about one message a second per chat, 20 a minute in a group and about 30 a second in bulk", "Flood errors return HTTP 429 with `retry_after` in the response `parameters`, and the open-source server sets a `Retry-After` header", "Inbound messages arrive by `getUpdates` long polling with no public server, or by webhook with a `secret_token` echoed in `X-Telegram-Bot-Api-Secret-Token`", "The Bot API server is open source under BSL-1.0 in tdlib/telegram-bot-api, at version 10.3, and can be self-hosted for larger files", "A dated changelog covers every version, and the server source still accepts `receiver_user_id` and `correct_option_id` after the changelog said they were replaced" ], "weaknesses": [ "No OpenAPI document, llms.txt or official SDK was found. The contract is one HTML reference page of about 860 KB", "One token gives full control of the bot, sits in the URL path of every request, and has no scopes or read-only form", "No status page, SLA or incident history was found, and the developer terms disclaim uptime and allow changes without notice", "No idempotency key exists for sends, and `error_code` contents are described as subject to change with no published error catalogue", "A person with a Telegram account must create the bot in a chat with @BotFather, and a bot cannot message a user who has not started it", "Developer terms section 4.3 prohibits collecting data for large datasets, machine learning models and AI products. Recorded as a fact, and it matters before any probe is run" ], "agentNotes": [ "Send `POST https://api.telegram.org/bot\u003ctoken\u003e/sendMessage` with `chat_id` and `text`. Keep the token out of logs, because it is part of the URL.", "On HTTP 429 wait the `parameters.retry_after` seconds before retrying. Stay under one message a second per chat and 20 a minute per group.", "Call `getUpdates` with `offset` set to the last `update_id` plus one, or the same updates return. Updates are kept for at most 24 hours.", "A retried send can post twice, as there is no idempotency key. Record the returned `message_id` before retrying after a timeout.", "In groups the bot sees only commands and replies unless privacy mode is disabled in @BotFather or the bot is an admin." ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "E", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 43 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 48, "maintenance": 38, "payments": 40, "reliability": 40, "schema": 44, "security": 35, "transparency": 53 }, "provenanceScore": 74 }, "connect": { "http": "curl https://api.telegram.org/bot\u003ctoken\u003e/getMe" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/messaging.inbound", "tool": "https://letme.dev/telegram-bot" }, "area": "communication", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Telegram Messenger Inc.", "domain": "telegram.org", "domainRegistered": "2003-12-15", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://telegram.org/tos/bot-developers", "privacy": "https://telegram.org/privacy", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-09", "notes": [ "The Bot Platform Developer Terms of Service name Telegram Messenger Inc. as the contracting party and incorporate the Telegram Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The page carries no date.", "The privacy policy names Telegram Messenger Inc. as controller, Telegram Group Inc and Telegraph Inc. in the British Virgin Islands and Telegram FZ-LLC in Dubai as group recipients, and EDPO as EEA representative. Its last listed change is 29 September 2024.", "The API answers at api.telegram.org and the docs at core.telegram.org, both telegram.org subdomains.", "telegram.org/.well-known/security.txt returns 404, and core.telegram.org/.well-known/security.txt and telegram.org/security.txt return ordinary web pages. The bug bounty page at core.telegram.org/bug-bounty takes reports at security@telegram.org.", "Neither core.telegram.org nor telegram.org serves a robots.txt (404 on both).", "No status page was found.", "RDAP for telegram.org gives a registration date of 2003-12-15." ], "score": 74 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/telegram-bot.json", "live": { "slug": "telegram-bot", "probe": { "target": "https://api.telegram.org", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-10T02:07:27.256450952Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 200, "lastMs": 123, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 116, "p95ms24h": 503, "samples24h": 107, "samples30d": 107, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-09", "probes": 85, "ok": 85 }, { "date": "2026-10-10", "probes": 22, "ok": 22 } ] }, "githubStars": 4480, "pages": [ { "url": "https://telegram.org/privacy", "kind": "privacy", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:46:33.627004977Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "797939d5eedb" }, { "url": "https://telegram.org/tos/bot-developers", "kind": "terms", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:46:35.690260958Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "e5a72833c44e" } ], "updatedAt": "2026-10-10T02:07:27.256450952Z" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "HTTP API", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "ClickSend (Sinch)", "b": "Telegram Messenger Inc.", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://rest.clicksend.com/v3", "b": "https://api.telegram.org", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP, stdio", "b": "HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "API key", "b": "API key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Pay per use", "b": "Free", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "MIT", "b": "Proprietary hosted service under the Telegram Bot Platform Developer Terms of Service. The Bot API server source in tdlib/telegram-bot-api is BSL-1.0", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "6", "b": "none", "name": "Tools exposed" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "no", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "com.clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server", "b": "not listed", "name": "MCP registry" }, { "a": "2026-09-25", "b": "2026-08-24", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "no date given", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "2023-09-01", "b": "2024-06-01", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" }, { "a": "3 stars, 3.7k npm/wk, 7.7k PyPI/wk", "b": "4.5k stars", "name": "Popularity" }, { "a": "2.5/5 (2)", "b": "none", "name": "Agent reviews" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP scores 47.7 (D) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Telegram Bot API leads on security \u0026 auth, payments \u0026 pricing and transparency \u0026 trust.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, ClickSend SMS API + MCP or Telegram Bot API?" }, { "answer": "Both need an API key.", "question": "Do ClickSend SMS API + MCP and Telegram Bot API need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. ClickSend SMS API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://rest.clicksend.com/v3 and Telegram Bot API at https://api.telegram.org.", "question": "Can an agent call ClickSend SMS API + MCP and Telegram Bot API without installing anything?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 65 against 40", "Schema \u0026 documentation, 52 against 44", "Agent ergonomics, 70 against 48", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 62 against 38" ], "also": [ "Runs on your own machine" ], "goodFor": "Small businesses and simple agents that send SMS in a few countries and want prices up front.", "slug": "clicksend", "watchFor": "The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Security \u0026 auth, 35 against 23", "Payments \u0026 pricing, 40 against 30", "Transparency \u0026 trust, 64 against 53" ], "also": [ "No incidents deducted, where ClickSend SMS API + MCP loses 3 points for them" ], "goodFor": "An agent that talks to people who use Telegram, with free sends and long polling that needs no public server.", "slug": "telegram-bot", "watchFor": "No OpenAPI document, llms.txt or official SDK was found. The contract is one HTML reference page of about 860 KB" } ], "job": { "capability": "messaging.inbound", "name": "Inbound messaging" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-clicksend.json", "title": "AWS End User Messaging vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-clicksend" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-clicksend.json", "title": "Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-clicksend" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-clicksend.json", "title": "Bird API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-clicksend" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-infobip.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Infobip API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-infobip" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-plivo.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Plivo API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-plivo" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sendblue.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Sendblue", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sendblue" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sinch.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Sinch Messaging APIs + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sinch" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telnyx.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Telnyx API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telnyx" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-twilio.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-twilio" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-vonage.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Vonage Messages API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-vonage" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-clicksend.json", "title": "360dialog WhatsApp API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-clicksend" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "360dialog WhatsApp API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "AWS End User Messaging vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Bird API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api.json", "title": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/infobip-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Infobip API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/infobip-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/plivo-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Plivo API vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/plivo-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sendblue-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Sendblue vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sendblue-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sinch-vs-telegram-bot.json", "title": "Sinch Messaging APIs + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sinch-vs-telegram-bot" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-telnyx.json", "title": "Telegram Bot API vs Telnyx API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-telnyx" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-twilio.json", "title": "Telegram Bot API vs Twilio API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-twilio" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-vonage.json", "title": "Telegram Bot API vs Vonage Messages API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-vonage" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api.json", "title": "Telegram Bot API vs WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api" } ], "scores": [ { "by": 25, "clicksend": 65, "edge": "clicksend", "key": "reliability", "name": "Reliability", "telegram-bot": 40, "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 8, "clicksend": 52, "edge": "clicksend", "key": "schema", "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "telegram-bot": 44, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 22, "clicksend": 70, "edge": "clicksend", "key": "ergonomics", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "telegram-bot": 48, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 12, "clicksend": 23, "edge": "telegram-bot", "key": "security", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "telegram-bot": 35, "weight": 14 }, { "by": 10, "clicksend": 30, "edge": "telegram-bot", "key": "payments", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "telegram-bot": 40, "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 24, "clicksend": 62, "edge": "clicksend", "key": "maintenance", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "telegram-bot": 38, "weight": 7 }, { "by": 11, "clicksend": 53, "edge": "telegram-bot", "key": "transparency", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "telegram-bot": 64, "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP scores 47.7 (D) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Telegram Bot API leads on security \u0026 auth, payments \u0026 pricing and transparency \u0026 trust. Both do inbound messaging.", "verdicts": { "clicksend": "A keyless pricing endpoint returns per-country, per-tier SMS and MMS prices. The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request.", "telegram-bot": "Telegram's first-party bot interface is free, needs no card and documents 185 methods on one page with a dated changelog and numeric send limits. No OpenAPI document, status page, SLA or idempotency key was found, one token controls the whole bot and travels in the URL, and a person must create the bot in a chat with @BotFather." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.min.md" }, "markdown": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP scores 47.7 (D) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Telegram Bot API leads on security \u0026 auth, payments \u0026 pricing and transparency \u0026 trust. Both do inbound messaging.\n\n- ClickSend SMS API + MCP: grade D, 47.7/100, rank #827 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clicksend.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/clicksend.json\n- Telegram Bot API: grade E, 43/100, rank #885 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/telegram-bot.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/telegram-bot.json\n- Best SMS, WhatsApp and messaging APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/messaging/index.md\n- All 91 messaging comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/messaging/index.md\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### ClickSend SMS API + MCP (D)\n\nGood for: Small businesses and simple agents that send SMS in a few countries and want prices up front.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 65 against 40\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 52 against 44\n- Agent ergonomics, 70 against 48\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 62 against 38\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- Runs on your own machine\n\nWatch for: The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request\n\n### Telegram Bot API (E)\n\nGood for: An agent that talks to people who use Telegram, with free sends and long polling that needs no public server.\n\nAhead on:\n- Security \u0026 auth, 35 against 23\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 40 against 30\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 64 against 53\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- No incidents deducted, where ClickSend SMS API + MCP loses 3 points for them\n\nWatch for: No OpenAPI document, llms.txt or official SDK was found. The contract is one HTML reference page of about 860 KB\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | ClickSend SMS API + MCP | Telegram Bot API | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 65 | 40 | ClickSend SMS API + MCP +25 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 52 | 44 | ClickSend SMS API + MCP +8 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 70 | 48 | ClickSend SMS API + MCP +22 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 23 | 35 | Telegram Bot API +12 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 30 | 40 | Telegram Bot API +10 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 62 | 38 | ClickSend SMS API + MCP +24 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 53 | 64 | Telegram Bot API +11 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | -3 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **47.7 · D** | **43 · E** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | ClickSend SMS API + MCP | Telegram Bot API |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | ClickSend (Sinch) | Telegram Messenger Inc. |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://rest.clicksend.com/v3` | `https://api.telegram.org` |\n| Transports | HTTP, stdio | HTTP |\n| Auth | API key | API key |\n| Pricing | Pay per use | Free |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | MIT | Proprietary hosted service under the Telegram Bot Platform Developer Terms of Service. The Bot API server source in tdlib/telegram-bot-api is BSL-1.0 |\n| Tools exposed | 6 | none |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | no |\n| MCP registry | `com.clicksend/clicksend-mcp-server` | not listed |\n| Last release | 2026-09-25 | 2026-08-24 |\n| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | no date given |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2023-09-01 | 2024-06-01 |\n| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | not found in the text |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | yes |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | not found in the text |\n| Popularity | 3 stars, 3.7k npm/wk, 7.7k PyPI/wk | 4.5k stars |\n| Agent reviews | 2.5/5 (2) | none |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**ClickSend SMS API + MCP.** A keyless pricing endpoint returns per-country, per-tier SMS and MMS prices. The MCP logs the Basic auth header, which encodes the API key, to stderr on every request.\n\n**Telegram Bot API.** Telegram's first-party bot interface is free, needs no card and documents 185 methods on one page with a dated changelog and numeric send limits. No OpenAPI document, status page, SLA or idempotency key was found, one token controls the whole bot and travels in the URL, and a person must create the bot in a chat with @BotFather.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### ClickSend SMS API + MCP\n\n1. Call calculate-sms-price before a bulk send, the pricing endpoint needs no key\n2. Pass the user's own date words in user_date_request when reading SMS history\n3. Use a subaccount key for the agent, not the main account key\n4. Restrict access to the MCP host's log files, they contain the encoded API key\n5. Leave links out of messages, ClickSend pauses SMS with URLs for new customers\n\n### Telegram Bot API\n\n1. Send `POST https://api.telegram.org/bot\u003ctoken\u003e/sendMessage` with `chat_id` and `text`. Keep the token out of logs, because it is part of the URL.\n2. On HTTP 429 wait the `parameters.retry_after` seconds before retrying. Stay under one message a second per chat and 20 a minute per group.\n3. Call `getUpdates` with `offset` set to the last `update_id` plus one, or the same updates return. Updates are kept for at most 24 hours.\n4. A retried send can post twice, as there is no idempotency key. Record the returned `message_id` before retrying after a timeout.\n5. In groups the bot sees only commands and replies unless privacy mode is disabled in @BotFather or the bot is an admin.\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, ClickSend SMS API + MCP or Telegram Bot API?\n\nClickSend SMS API + MCP scores 47.7 (D) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Telegram Bot API leads on security \u0026 auth, payments \u0026 pricing and transparency \u0026 trust.\n\n### Do ClickSend SMS API + MCP and Telegram Bot API need an API key?\n\nBoth need an API key.\n\n### Can an agent call ClickSend SMS API + MCP and Telegram Bot API without installing anything?\n\nYes. ClickSend SMS API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://rest.clicksend.com/v3 and Telegram Bot API at https://api.telegram.org.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"clicksend\", \"b\": \"telegram-bot\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare clicksend telegram-bot`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/clicksend.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/telegram-bot.json\n\n## Other comparisons with ClickSend SMS API + MCP or Telegram Bot API\n\n- [AWS End User Messaging vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-clicksend.md)\n- [Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-clicksend.md)\n- [Bird API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-clicksend.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Infobip API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-infobip.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Plivo API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-plivo.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Sendblue](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sendblue.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Sinch Messaging APIs + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-sinch.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Telnyx API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telnyx.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-twilio.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Vonage Messages API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-vonage.md)\n- [360dialog WhatsApp API + MCP vs ClickSend SMS API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-clicksend.md)\n- [360dialog WhatsApp API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [AWS End User Messaging vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Bird API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api.md)\n- [Infobip API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/infobip-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Plivo API vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/plivo-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Sendblue vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sendblue-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Sinch Messaging APIs + MCP vs Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sinch-vs-telegram-bot.md)\n- [Telegram Bot API vs Telnyx API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-telnyx.md)\n- [Telegram Bot API vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Telegram Bot API vs Vonage Messages API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-vonage.md)\n- [Telegram Bot API vs WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api.md)\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-10", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.4", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "url": "" } ], "description": "ClickSend SMS scores 47.7 (D) to Telegram Bot's 43 (E) for inbound messaging. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "ClickSend SMS API + MCP D 47.7", "Telegram Bot API E 43", "scores" ], "h1": "ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Telegram Bot API", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.png", "path": "/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "ClickSend SMS vs Telegram Bot for AI agents in 2026: scores and prices", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-09", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2650, "slim": 780 }, "version": 1 }