Hustle vs TextNow

Hustle is a communications platform for texts, calls and video messages, with broadcasts, automated responses and live one-to-one conversations. Users can send personalized SMS and MMS to targeted audience members, tag them and retarget smaller groups. Its video options include short Clips distributed by text, Personalized Clips and longer Hustle Stories. The AI-powered Script Assistant helps users create communications described as creative and brand-safe. Hustle offers mobile and web apps, plus integrations for Salesforce, NGP VAN and EveryAction, Blackbaud Luminate Online, Blackbaud TeamRaiser and PDI. It also lists a public API, although programmatic message sending through it is in development. Salesforce imports support up to 100,000 Campaign members or 2,000 Report rows. Hustle says it is SOC 2 certified and lists encryption in transit and at rest, penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. The PAYGO plan has a $250 a month platform fee, with SMS billed at $0.04 per segment. Annual commitments start at $10,000 a year and include priority support queue access and Client Success Manager support. Hustle serves nonprofits, education, commercial organizations, politics, government, and labor and unions.

TextNow is a VoIP service for calls and texts to U.S. and Canadian numbers, with international long-distance calling available through purchased credits. Its ad-supported free service provides a phone number and unlimited North American calling and texting over Wi-Fi or a carrier data plan. The Free Plan costs nothing and includes unlimited talk and text plus 5G data for select apps; it requires an active TextNow SIM. With an active SIM, users can also get wireless coverage and free data for listed essential apps away from Wi-Fi. Those apps must first be downloaded over Wi-Fi. The service works on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and account details, messages, and call history are accessible across Android, iOS, and web. The Unlimited Plan costs $35.99 a month, with unlimited data and up to 10GB at up to 5G speeds before speeds drop to 2G. Ad-Free+ removes ads and adds features including number locking, call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and unlimited photo and video history.