Avochato vs MessageDesk

Avochato is a business messaging service for teams handling customer conversations through SMS and MMS. It supports two-way messaging in a shared team inbox, with automated sequences, scheduled messages, and inbound keywords. The service is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Its Pay as you Go plan has no platform fee and costs nothing, with SMS segments in the United States and Canada charged at $0.08 each. Standard costs $210 a month and lowers that segment rate to $0.03 in those countries. Both plans include five users; each additional user costs $42 per month. The Custom plan has no listed price and offers volume discounts for 15,000 or more segments per month, higher API throughput limits, and dedicated account management. Avochato is listed as paid with a pricing note of From $0/mo, but there is no free plan. Its plans give teams different platform-fee and messaging-rate arrangements.

MessageDesk brings business texting for multiple teams and phone lines into a shared inbox, with access on web, Android, and iOS. Teams can route and assign conversations, add labels and comments, mention teammates, and schedule messages. It supports individual and group SMS and MMS, with group texts for up to 7 contacts. Automated Relays can send out-of-office replies, respond to keywords, identify contacts, assign teammates, and apply labels. Integrations include Twilio, Zapier, webhooks, and VoIP providers such as RingCentral, Ooma, Zoom Phone, and Microsoft Teams Phone. Sending uses 10-digit US or Canada numbers, including existing landline and VoIP numbers, but not cell phone numbers. The Team plan includes carrier registration; the company guides businesses through A2P 10DLC registration. Team starts at $29 a year per user, billed annually, with a three-user minimum. A 14-day trial requires a credit card to start. MessageDesk says SMS is not end-to-end encrypted, is not for protected health information, and it does not currently sign BAAs.