66text vs textbee
A focused Android SMS API or a complete self-hosted messaging platform? Compare hosting, devices, campaigns, automations, and SaaS features.
Choose textbee if
- You want a focused SMS API and dashboard
- You prefer a hosted free or monthly plan
- You are comfortable deploying a Node.js stack
Choose 66text if
- You want campaigns and contact automations
- You prefer a PHP product with a lifetime license
- You want to launch your own SMS SaaS
textbee Android gateway
textbee product preview from its official website.
66text dashboard
66text current dashboard and SMS delivery overview.
Key features comparison
| Feature | 66text |
textbee |
|---|---|---|
| Android phone as SMS gateway | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Self-hosted backend | ✅ Yes PHP and MySQL |
✅ Yes Node.js, Next.js, NestJS, and MongoDB |
| Hosted service | ❌ No You operate your installation |
✅ Yes Free and paid Cloud plans |
| Send and receive SMS | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| REST API | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Incoming SMS webhooks | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Multiple Android devices | ✅ Unlimited | ✅ Yes Cloud limits depend on plan |
| Bulk SMS from dashboard | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Contacts and custom fields | ✅ Yes | 🟠 CSV bulk sending A comparable contacts CRM was not found |
| Contact segments | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
| Recurring SMS campaigns | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
| Automated welcome SMS flows | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
| Automated replies and reply tagging | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
| RSS-to-SMS automation | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
66text and textbee use cases
For a quick hosted Android SMS API
textbee is a practical fit if you want to register a phone, create an API key, and use a managed dashboard without maintaining your own server.
For campaigns and contact workflows
66text is a better fit when contacts, segmentation, scheduled and recurring campaigns, welcome flows, automated replies, and RSS automations are part of the workflow.
For launching an SMS SaaS
66text includes customer accounts, plans, payments, taxes, invoices, and white-label controls for selling access from your own installation.
For active development
66text has had 11 updates since 20 September, 2025. textbee is also actively developed as an open-source project.
What to consider before choosing
Hosted convenience or full ownership
textbee offers a managed Cloud service and self-hosting. 66text is purchased and operated on your own hosting.
API gateway or campaign platform
textbee keeps the product focused on sending and receiving through an API and dashboard. 66text adds marketing and contact workflows.
Subscription or lifetime license
textbee Cloud uses monthly or yearly plans. 66text uses a one-time license with lifetime product usage and future updates.
Where textbee can be the better choice
textbee can be the better choice when you want a quick managed setup, a free entry plan, an open-source Node.js stack, or a focused API for OTPs, alerts, and two-way messaging.
66text is stronger when the gateway must also manage contacts, segments, campaigns, automations, customer accounts, subscriptions, taxes, and invoices from one self-hosted product.
Where 66text may not be the right choice
66text may not suit you if you want a vendor-managed Cloud service, a permanently free hosted tier, or a deliberately small API-only gateway. You are responsible for installing, securing, backing up, and updating your 66text server, and your Android devices must remain powered and connected.
Additional features comparison
| Feature | 66text |
textbee |
|---|---|---|
| Open source code | ✅ Included with license | ✅ Public repository |
| Message templates with variables | ✅ Yes | ✅ Paid Cloud plans |
| Email, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and webhook notifications | ✅ Yes | 🟠 Webhooks Comparable notification channels were not found |
| Multi-language and RTL support | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not advertised |
| User white label | ✅ Yes | 🟠 Custom plan White-labeled solutions available by enquiry |
| SaaS-ready payment gateways | ✅ 19 gateways | ❌ Not advertised |
| Built-in customer plans and subscriptions | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not for running your own SaaS |
| Docker support | ✅ Yes | 🟠 Manual self-hosting stack Official setup uses separate services |
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact us via email if you have another question about 66text.
Need a textbee alternative?
Choose 66text if you want a self-hosted Android SMS gateway with campaigns, contacts, automations, and built-in tools for launching your own SMS SaaS.