{
  "data": {
    "a": {
      "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": "2026-10-10T03:53:46.369997744Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 200,
          "lastMs": 85,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 112,
          "p95ms24h": 464,
          "samples24h": 125,
          "samples30d": 125,
          "days": [
            {
              "date": "2026-10-09",
              "probes": 85,
              "ok": 85
            },
            {
              "date": "2026-10-10",
              "probes": 40,
              "ok": 40
            }
          ]
        },
        "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": "2026-10-10T03:53:46.369997744Z"
      }
    },
    "answer": "Twilio API + MCP scores 80.4 (A) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories.",
    "b": {
      "slug": "twilio",
      "name": "Twilio API + MCP",
      "vendor": "Twilio",
      "vendorUrl": "https://www.twilio.com",
      "kind": "http-api",
      "category": "messaging",
      "summary": "Programmable Messaging (SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, RCS) and Verify over REST.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/twilio",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/twilio.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/twilio.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/twilio.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/twilio-labs/mcp",
      "license": "MIT",
      "transports": [
        "http",
        "streamable-http",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "remoteUrl": "https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01",
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "twilio"
        },
        {
          "registry": "pypi",
          "name": "twilio"
        },
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@twilio-alpha/mcp"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "mixed",
      "authNotes": "HTTP Basic auth with the Account SID and Auth Token, or an API key SID and secret (recommended). The hosted docs MCP needs no credentials. The local alpha MCP takes `ACCOUNT_SID/API_KEY:API_SECRET` as a command-line argument, so it shows up in process lists.",
      "pricing": "usage",
      "pricingNotes": "Pay as you go, no monthly fee. US SMS $0.0083 a segment outbound or inbound on long code, toll-free or short code, plus outbound carrier fees of $0.0035 (AT\u0026T), $0.0045 (T-Mobile) or $0.005 (Verizon) a message and inbound carrier fees of $0.0035 (AT\u0026T) or $0.0025 (T-Mobile). US MMS $0.022 outbound, $0.0165 inbound on long code. Long code numbers $1.15 a month, toll-free $2.15. UK SMS $0.056. Failed messages $0.001 each. WhatsApp $0.005 a message Twilio fee plus Meta's template fees. Verify $0.05 a successful verification plus channel fees. Trial lasts 30 days with free units (100 SMS), no card (https://www.twilio.com/en-us/sms/pricing/us).",
      "priceSummary": "Pay per use",
      "where": "both",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No x402 support in docs, pricing or MCP README (checked 2026-09-30).",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": 2,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": 111,
        "npmWeekly": 7213599,
        "pypiWeekly": 4834611,
        "asOf": "2026-09-30"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging",
      "llmsTxt": "https://www.twilio.com/docs/llms.txt",
      "openapi": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/twilio/twilio-oai/main/spec/json/twilio_api_v2010.json",
      "capabilities": [
        "messaging.sms",
        "messaging.mms",
        "messaging.whatsapp",
        "messaging.rcs",
        "messaging.verify",
        "messaging.inbound"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "hosted",
        "no-card",
        "mcp",
        "llms-txt",
        "openapi",
        "typescript",
        "python",
        "webhooks",
        "whatsapp",
        "sms",
        "enterprise"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-09-28",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 80.4,
        "grade": "A",
        "agentReady": true,
        "rank": 8,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 950,
        "categoryRank": 1,
        "methodology": "0.4",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 80,
          "maintenance": 85,
          "payments": 40,
          "reliability": 90,
          "schema": 92,
          "security": 85,
          "transparency": 81
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-04"
        },
        "negative": 0,
        "verdict": "Per-segment US prices, carrier fees by carrier and the $0.001 failed-message fee published without a login. US SMS at $0.0083 a segment plus $0.0035 to $0.005 in carrier fees, with inbound charged at the same rate.",
        "bestFor": "Teams that want every channel, wide country coverage and a published SLA behind one vendor and can pay for it.",
        "strengths": [
          "Per-segment US prices, carrier fees by carrier and the $0.001 failed-message fee published without a login",
          "Restricted API keys with up to 100 endpoint permissions each",
          "Twilio APIs SLA at 99.95 per cent for every paying customer, with 10 per cent credits",
          "Public OpenAPI specs, llms.txt with Markdown twins and a numbered error dictionary",
          "twilio-node released three times in the last 90 days, most recently 6.1.2 on 2026-09-28"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "US SMS at $0.0083 a segment plus $0.0035 to $0.005 in carrier fees, with inbound charged at the same rate",
          "A US long code sends 1 message a second per Twilio's scaling guide, with the excess queued for up to 10 hours",
          "No idempotency key on message creation",
          "The MCP that can send is an alpha last published on 2025-07-07, and it takes the API secret as a command-line argument",
          "No security.txt on twilio.com"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Use the hosted docs MCP to find the endpoint, then call the REST API with a restricted API key",
          "Set `ValidityPeriod` on time-sensitive sends, or a queued message can go out up to 10 hours late",
          "Check the Messages list for the original before retrying a send that timed out, there's no idempotency key",
          "On a trial account, send only to verified numbers in the sign-up country using Twilio's message templates, custom bodies aren't available until you upgrade",
          "Validate `X-Twilio-Signature` on every inbound webhook"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "remote",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 8,
        "avgRating": 3.5,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "A",
            "methodology": "0.4",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 80.4
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 80,
          "maintenance": 85,
          "payments": 40,
          "reliability": 90,
          "schema": 92,
          "security": 85,
          "transparency": 72
        },
        "provenanceScore": 90
      },
      "connect": {
        "http": "curl -X POST \"https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/$TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID/Messages.json\" \\\n  -u \"$TWILIO_API_KEY:$TWILIO_API_SECRET\" \\\n  --data-urlencode \"To=+15558675310\" --data-urlencode \"From=+15017122661\" \\\n  --data-urlencode \"Body=Hello from Twilio\"",
        "claudeCode": "claude mcp add --transport http twilio-docs https://mcp.twilio.com/docs",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "twilio": {
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "@twilio-alpha/mcp",
                "${TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID}/${TWILIO_API_KEY}:${TWILIO_API_SECRET}",
                "--services",
                "twilio_api_v2010"
              ],
              "command": "npx"
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/messaging.sms",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/twilio"
      },
      "sameCompany": [
        "twilio-voice",
        "stytch-connected-apps",
        "sendgrid"
      ],
      "area": "communication",
      "unitPrices": [
        {
          "item": "SMS outbound, US",
          "unit": "message",
          "usd": 0.0083,
          "note": "per segment, plus carrier fees of $0.0035 to $0.005"
        },
        {
          "item": "SMS outbound, UK",
          "unit": "message",
          "usd": 0.056
        },
        {
          "item": "MMS outbound, US",
          "unit": "message",
          "usd": 0.022
        },
        {
          "item": "WhatsApp Twilio fee",
          "unit": "message",
          "usd": 0.005,
          "note": "inbound or outbound, Meta template fees extra"
        },
        {
          "item": "WhatsApp utility or authentication template, US (Meta fee)",
          "unit": "message",
          "usd": 0.0034,
          "note": "passed through by Twilio"
        }
      ],
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Twilio Inc.",
        "domain": "twilio.com",
        "domainRegistered": "2007-10-26",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": true,
        "terms": "https://www.twilio.com/en-us/legal/tos",
        "privacy": "https://www.twilio.com/en-us/legal/privacy",
        "statusPage": "https://status.twilio.com",
        "changelog": "https://www.twilio.com/en-us/changelog",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-30",
        "notes": [
          "The terms also name Twilio Ireland Limited for customers outside the US."
        ],
        "score": 90
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/twilio.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "twilio",
        "probe": {
          "target": "https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01",
          "method": "get",
          "lastAt": "2026-10-10T03:53:47.604737075Z",
          "lastOk": true,
          "lastStatus": 200,
          "lastMs": 6,
          "authRequired": false,
          "uptime24h": 100,
          "uptime30d": 100,
          "p50ms24h": 7,
          "p95ms24h": 44,
          "samples24h": 249,
          "samples30d": 2476,
          "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": 40,
              "ok": 40
            }
          ]
        },
        "vendorStatus": {
          "page": "https://status.twilio.com",
          "indicator": "minor",
          "summary": "Partially Degraded Service",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-10T03:58:49.527857944Z"
        },
        "versions": [
          {
            "registry": "github",
            "name": "twilio-labs/mcp",
            "version": "0.0.3",
            "released": "2025-03-25",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-09T17:25:35.852798223Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@twilio-alpha/mcp",
            "version": "0.7.0",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-09T17:25:33.832361995Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "twilio",
            "version": "6.1.2",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-09T17:25:33.63443425Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "pypi",
            "name": "twilio",
            "version": "9.11.2",
            "released": "2026-09-28",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-09T17:25:33.713215108Z"
          }
        ],
        "githubStars": 112,
        "npmWeekly": 6432023,
        "pypiWeekly": 5054569,
        "securityTxt": {
          "url": "https://twilio.com/.well-known/security.txt",
          "state": "none",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T15:39:42.491173281Z"
        },
        "llmsTxt": {
          "url": "https://www.twilio.com/docs/llms.txt",
          "ok": true,
          "status": 200,
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T14:02:57.697776779Z"
        },
        "domain": {
          "domain": "twilio.com",
          "registered": "2007-10-26",
          "source": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/twilio.com",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:05:12.523190086Z"
        },
        "pages": [
          {
            "url": "https://www.twilio.com/en-us/sms/pricing/us",
            "kind": "pricing",
            "status": 200,
            "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T18:55:17.218677288Z",
            "changedAt": "2026-10-06T16:17:22.587177289Z",
            "fingerprint": "0d4f7123336a"
          }
        ],
        "updatedAt": "2026-10-10T03:58:49.527857944Z"
      }
    },
    "facts": [
      {
        "a": "HTTP API",
        "b": "HTTP API",
        "name": "Kind"
      },
      {
        "a": "Telegram Messenger Inc.",
        "b": "Twilio",
        "name": "Vendor"
      },
      {
        "a": "https://api.telegram.org",
        "b": "https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01",
        "name": "Hosted endpoint"
      },
      {
        "a": "HTTP",
        "b": "HTTP, Streamable HTTP, stdio",
        "name": "Transports"
      },
      {
        "a": "API key",
        "b": "OAuth or key",
        "name": "Auth"
      },
      {
        "a": "Free",
        "b": "Pay per use",
        "name": "Pricing"
      },
      {
        "a": "no",
        "b": "no",
        "name": "x402"
      },
      {
        "a": "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",
        "b": "MIT",
        "name": "Licence"
      },
      {
        "a": "none",
        "b": "2",
        "name": "Tools exposed"
      },
      {
        "a": "no",
        "b": "no",
        "name": "Read-only variant documented"
      },
      {
        "a": "no",
        "b": "yes",
        "name": "llms.txt"
      },
      {
        "a": "2026-08-24",
        "b": "2026-09-28",
        "name": "Last release"
      },
      {
        "a": "no date given",
        "b": "2026-07-16",
        "name": "Terms last updated"
      },
      {
        "a": "2024-06-01",
        "b": "2026-04-09",
        "name": "Privacy policy last updated"
      },
      {
        "a": "not found in the text",
        "b": "not found in the text",
        "name": "Customer content may train models"
      },
      {
        "a": "not found in the text",
        "b": "not found in the text",
        "name": "Terms restrict automated access"
      },
      {
        "a": "not found in the text",
        "b": "not found in the text",
        "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking"
      },
      {
        "a": "yes",
        "b": "not found in the text",
        "name": "Terms or service can change without notice"
      },
      {
        "a": "not found in the text",
        "b": "yes",
        "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver"
      },
      {
        "a": "4.5k stars",
        "b": "111 stars, 7.2M npm/wk, 4.8M PyPI/wk",
        "name": "Popularity"
      },
      {
        "a": "none",
        "b": "3.5/5 (8)",
        "name": "Agent reviews"
      }
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "answer": "Twilio API + MCP scores 80.4 (A) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories.",
        "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Telegram Bot API or Twilio API + MCP?"
      },
      {
        "answer": "Telegram Bot API needs an API key. Twilio API + MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.",
        "question": "Do Telegram Bot API and Twilio API + MCP need an API key?"
      },
      {
        "answer": "Yes. Telegram Bot API has a hosted endpoint at https://api.telegram.org and Twilio API + MCP at https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01.",
        "question": "Can an agent call Telegram Bot API and Twilio API + MCP without installing anything?"
      }
    ],
    "goodFor": [
      {
        "aheadOn": null,
        "also": null,
        "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"
      },
      {
        "aheadOn": [
          "Reliability, 90 against 40",
          "Schema \u0026 documentation, 92 against 44",
          "Agent ergonomics, 80 against 48",
          "Security \u0026 auth, 85 against 35",
          "Maintenance \u0026 community, 85 against 38",
          "Transparency \u0026 trust, 81 against 64"
        ],
        "also": [
          "Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better",
          "Runs on your own machine",
          "Free to start without a card"
        ],
        "goodFor": "Teams that want every channel, wide country coverage and a published SLA behind one vendor and can pay for it.",
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        "title": "AWS End User Messaging vs Twilio API + MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-twilio"
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-twilio.json",
        "title": "Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-twilio"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-twilio.json",
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        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sendblue-vs-twilio.json",
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sinch-vs-twilio.json",
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        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/plivo-vs-telegram-bot.json",
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        "key": "reliability",
        "name": "Reliability",
        "telegram-bot": 40,
        "twilio": 90,
        "weight": 16
      },
      {
        "key": "performance",
        "name": "Performance",
        "pending": true,
        "weight": 10
      },
      {
        "by": 48,
        "edge": "twilio",
        "key": "schema",
        "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation",
        "telegram-bot": 44,
        "twilio": 92,
        "weight": 13
      },
      {
        "by": 32,
        "edge": "twilio",
        "key": "ergonomics",
        "name": "Agent ergonomics",
        "telegram-bot": 48,
        "twilio": 80,
        "weight": 13
      },
      {
        "by": 50,
        "edge": "twilio",
        "key": "security",
        "name": "Security \u0026 auth",
        "telegram-bot": 35,
        "twilio": 85,
        "weight": 14
      },
      {
        "by": 0,
        "edge": "",
        "key": "payments",
        "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing",
        "telegram-bot": 40,
        "twilio": 40,
        "weight": 10
      },
      {
        "key": "tasks",
        "name": "Task success",
        "pending": true,
        "weight": 10
      },
      {
        "by": 47,
        "edge": "twilio",
        "key": "maintenance",
        "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community",
        "telegram-bot": 38,
        "twilio": 85,
        "weight": 7
      },
      {
        "by": 17,
        "edge": "twilio",
        "key": "transparency",
        "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust",
        "telegram-bot": 64,
        "twilio": 81,
        "weight": 7
      }
    ],
    "summary": "Twilio API + MCP scores 80.4 (A) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Both do inbound messaging.",
    "verdicts": {
      "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.",
      "twilio": "Per-segment US prices, carrier fees by carrier and the $0.001 failed-message fee published without a login. US SMS at $0.0083 a segment plus $0.0035 to $0.005 in carrier fees, with inbound charged at the same rate."
    }
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  "markdown": "Twilio API + MCP scores 80.4 (A) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Both do inbound messaging.\n\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- Twilio API + MCP: grade A, 80.4/100, rank #8 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/twilio.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/twilio.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### 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\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### Twilio API + MCP (A)\n\nGood for: Teams that want every channel, wide country coverage and a published SLA behind one vendor and can pay for it.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 90 against 40\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 92 against 44\n- Agent ergonomics, 80 against 48\n- Security \u0026 auth, 85 against 35\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 85 against 38\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 81 against 64\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better\n- Runs on your own machine\n- Free to start without a card\n\nWatch for: US SMS at $0.0083 a segment plus $0.0035 to $0.005 in carrier fees, with inbound charged at the same rate\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Telegram Bot API | Twilio API + MCP | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 40 | 90 | Twilio API + MCP +50 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 44 | 92 | Twilio API + MCP +48 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 48 | 80 | Twilio API + MCP +32 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 35 | 85 | Twilio API + MCP +50 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 40 | 40 | even |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 38 | 85 | Twilio API + MCP +47 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 64 | 81 | Twilio API + MCP +17 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **43 · E** | **80.4 · A** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Telegram Bot API | Twilio API + MCP |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Telegram Messenger Inc. | Twilio |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.telegram.org` | `https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01` |\n| Transports | HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP, stdio |\n| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |\n| Pricing | Free | Pay per use |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | 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 | MIT |\n| Tools exposed | none | 2 |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | no | yes |\n| Last release | 2026-08-24 | 2026-09-28 |\n| Terms last updated | no date given | 2026-07-16 |\n| Privacy policy last updated | 2024-06-01 | 2026-04-09 |\n| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | not found in the text |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | yes | not found in the text |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | yes |\n| Popularity | 4.5k stars | 111 stars, 7.2M npm/wk, 4.8M PyPI/wk |\n| Agent reviews | none | 3.5/5 (8) |\n\n## Verdicts\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**Twilio API + MCP.** Per-segment US prices, carrier fees by carrier and the $0.001 failed-message fee published without a login. US SMS at $0.0083 a segment plus $0.0035 to $0.005 in carrier fees, with inbound charged at the same rate.\n\n## Before you call either\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### Twilio API + MCP\n\n1. Use the hosted docs MCP to find the endpoint, then call the REST API with a restricted API key\n2. Set `ValidityPeriod` on time-sensitive sends, or a queued message can go out up to 10 hours late\n3. Check the Messages list for the original before retrying a send that timed out, there's no idempotency key\n4. On a trial account, send only to verified numbers in the sign-up country using Twilio's message templates, custom bodies aren't available until you upgrade\n5. Validate `X-Twilio-Signature` on every inbound webhook\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Telegram Bot API or Twilio API + MCP?\n\nTwilio API + MCP scores 80.4 (A) on agent readiness against Telegram Bot API's 43 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories.\n\n### Do Telegram Bot API and Twilio API + MCP need an API key?\n\nTelegram Bot API needs an API key. Twilio API + MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.\n\n### Can an agent call Telegram Bot API and Twilio API + MCP without installing anything?\n\nYes. Telegram Bot API has a hosted endpoint at https://api.telegram.org and Twilio API + MCP at https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-twilio.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telegram-bot-vs-twilio.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"telegram-bot\", \"b\": \"twilio\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare telegram-bot twilio`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/telegram-bot.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/twilio.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Telegram Bot API or Twilio API + MCP\n\n- [AWS End User Messaging vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aws-end-user-messaging-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Bandwidth Messaging API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bandwidth-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Bird API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/bird-vs-twilio.md)\n- [ClickSend SMS API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Infobip API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/infobip-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Plivo API vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/plivo-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Sendblue vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sendblue-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Sinch Messaging APIs + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sinch-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Telnyx API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/telnyx-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Twilio API + MCP vs Vonage Messages API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/twilio-vs-vonage.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 Telegram Bot API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clicksend-vs-telegram-bot.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 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- [360dialog WhatsApp API + MCP vs Twilio API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/360dialog-vs-twilio.md)\n- [Twilio API + MCP vs WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/twilio-vs-whatsapp-cloud-api.md)\n",
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