Blue Reacher vs Linq

Blue Reacher supports 50 of the 77 features compared here, and Linq supports 63.

Feature comparison

Feature	Blue Reacher	Linq
iMessage messaging
iMessage	SupportedOne-to-one iMessage sends and replies over REST and webhooks.	Supported
Group chats	PartialAPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet; the site sells group threads opened from the CRM.	SupportedPro plan. Up to 31 recipients. No read or delivery receipts in groups.
Group management	PartialAdd, remove and leave are documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	SupportedAdd and remove participants and leave a group, iMessage groups only, 3-member minimum.
Group name and photo	PartialRename and group photo are documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	SupportedSet display_name and group_chat_icon on group chats.
Mentions	Not listed	SupportedGroup chats only. Notifies iMessage recipients even in a muted chat.
Tapbacks	PartialInbound reactions arrive as webhooks; sending the six tapbacks is not available on the API yet.	SupportedSix classic tapbacks or any emoji, send and receive via reaction webhooks.
Threaded replies	PartialSite lists threaded replies; the API reply option sends a quoted reply, not an inline thread.	Supportedreply_to with optional part_index. iMessage only.
Typing indicators	PartialTyping endpoint is documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	SupportedSend and receive, in direct and group chats. iMessage only.
Read receipts	Partialmessage.read webhooks fire; sending native read receipts is not available on the API yet.	SupportedMark chats read and receive message.read. One-to-one chats only.
Edit and unsend	Not listed	PartialEdit text up to 5 times within 15 minutes. Delete does not unsend from the recipient's device.
Message effects	Partial8 screen and 4 bubble effects are documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	Supported11 screen and 4 bubble effects.
Animated text effects	Not listed	Supportedtext_decorations animations: big, small, shake, nod, explode, ripple, bloom, jitter.
Stickers	Not listed	SupportedPeel emoji or images onto messages, send stickers, or place them inline in text.
Formatted text	Not supportedDocs say there is no Markdown rendering on any channel.	SupportedBold, italic, underline and strikethrough ranges, plus animated text. iMessage only.
Attachments	SupportedOne file per message for now. Images and video up to 100 MB, audio and PDF up to 25 MB.	SupportedUp to 10MB by URL, 100MB with pre-upload.
Live Photos	Not listed	Not listed
Rich link previews	SupportedA bare URL renders as a preview card on iMessage, built on the recipient's device.	Supportedlink parts render as rich previews on iMessage and RCS.
Voice messages	PartialNative voice memo endpoint is documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	SupportedDedicated voice memo endpoint renders the native iMessage voice bubble.
Contact cards	PartialDocs and site say lines send contact cards; no endpoint appears in the API reference.	SupportedSend .vcf files as media parts.
Polls	Not listed	SupportedCreate, add options, vote and read tallies, with poll webhooks. Not as a chat's first message.
Chat backgrounds	Not listed	SupportedColor, animated or photo backgrounds, in direct and group chats.
Location sharing	Not listed	SupportedRequest, read and stop Find My shares. Live location is a $79/mo add-on on Pro.
iMessage apps	Not listed	SupportedPro plan. Cards from your own Messages extension, or Linq-hosted cards (Experiences).
Live app cards	Not listed	SupportedUpdate App Card replaces a delivered iMessage app or Experience card in place.
Sender name and photo	Not listedDocs say recipients see only the number until they save your contact card.	SupportedContact card API sets name and photo, shared per chat via Name and Photo Sharing.
FaceTime calls	PartialFaceTime audio from the line, started by a person; $99/mo add-on. Calls API not available yet.	Not supportedDocs say the API does not place or answer calls.
Delivery status	Supportedmessage.sent, delivered, read and failed webhooks, plus a status endpoint.	Supportedsent, delivered, read and failed webhooks. Groups report sent only.
iMessage availability check	PartialCapability lookup for up to 100 numbers is documented, but aPI docs (22 Oct 2026) say not available yet.	Supportedcheck_imessage and check_rcs endpoints.
Focus and Notify Anyway	Not listed	Not listed
Numbers and delivery
Managed lines	SupportedEach line is an Apple ID on Apple hardware run by Blue Reacher.	Supported
Dedicated numbers	SupportedEvery line is a dedicated number with a custom area code.	SupportedPaid lines are dedicated. Provisioned by Linq, no self-serve number API.
Shared numbers	Not supportedDocs say each line is yours alone, never shared and never recycled.	SupportedFree Hobby tier uses a Shared Line, inbound-first, 20 contacts.
Bring your own number	SupportedPricing lists port-in support for an existing number.	Not listed
Line pooling	SupportedOmit the line on a send and load balancing picks one; the site calls it smart routing.	SupportedManaged load balancing (Pro): send without from and Linq picks and fails over lines.
SMS fallback	Supported	Supported
RCS fallback	PartialSite says iMessage, then RCS, then SMS; the docs say the platform's own fallback is SMS.	SupportedOrder is iMessage, then RCS, then SMS.
Outbound-first messaging	SupportedCold outreach allowed: 30 cold or 50 opted-in new contacts a day per warmed line.	SupportedFree Hobby tier is inbound-first. Docs recommend inbound-first flows to avoid flagging.
Calls on the iMessage number	PartialFaceTime audio from the same line. Phone calls need your own provider using the number as caller ID.	PartialAPI forwards inbound calls on the line; outbound needs caller-ID masking via another provider.
Other channels
SMS	PartialOnly as automatic fallback from the same line.	Supported
RCS	PartialSite lists RCS fallback; the docs say messages deliver over iMessage or SMS.	Supported
WhatsApp	Not supportedNot offered	BetaSeparate WhatsApp API in beta. Access by request, no SLA.
Telegram	Not supported	Not supportedNot offered
Slack	Not supportedNot offered as a channel; a Slack guide forwards replies into Slack.	Not supported
Email	Not supportedNot offered. Docs say there is no email-address sender option.	Not supportedNot offered. iMessage can be sent to Apple ID email handles.
Phone calls	PartialDocs cover FaceTime audio only; the pricing page lists 2-way calling with SIP routing.	PartialAPI does not place or answer calls; it forwards inbound calls. Calling lives in the Linq Blue app.
Apple Messages for Business	Not supportedNot offered; the site describes it as a separate Apple product.	Not listedAI context page mentions it, but no product page or docs were found.
Unified channel API	SupportediMessage and SMS fallback share one send endpoint and message model.	PartialiMessage, RCS and SMS share one API. WhatsApp is a separate API with its own keys and SDKs.
Developer tools
REST API	Supported	Supported
TypeScript SDK	Supportednpm package bluereacher, v0.1.0 (Sept 2026), MIT.	Supported@linqapp/sdk
Python SDK	SupportedPyPI package bluereacher, v0.1.0 (Sept 2026), MIT.	Supportedlinq-python
Other SDKs	Not supportedDocs suggest generating Go, Java, Ruby or PHP clients from the OpenAPI spec.	SupportedOfficial Go SDK.
CLI	Supportedbluereacher-cli on npm: send, status, conversations and capability checks.	Supported@linqapp/cli: signup, sending, and a local webhook listener.
Webhooks	Supported	Supported
Signed webhooks	SupportedHMAC-SHA256 in X-BlueReacher-Signature.	SupportedHMAC-SHA256, Standard Webhooks format, with replay protection.
MCP server	SupportedHosted MCP server at api.bluereacher.com/v1/mcp; works with sandbox keys.	Supported@linqapp/sdk-mcp with docs search and code execution tools.
Open source	PartialSDKs, CLI, a stdio MCP server and an n8n node are MIT on GitHub. The platform is closed.	PartialSDKs, CLI and adapters are Apache-2.0 or MIT on GitHub. The messaging platform is closed.
Self-hosting	Not listed	Not supportedLinq describes itself as fully managed, in contrast to self-hosted options.
Local testing	SupportedPublic sandbox key runs the API and MCP against a simulator, with simulated inbound replies.	Not listedThe CLI streams webhooks locally, but tests still use a real phone.
Custom channel providers	Not listed	Not listed
Event replay	PartialRetries for about a day; undelivered events are kept and support replays them on request.	PartialRetries for 30 minutes; after that, re-fetch chats or ask Linq for a manual replay.
OpenTelemetry	Not listed	PartialW3C trace IDs on every response and webhook for OTel backends. No export of Linq spans by default.
No-code integrations	SupportedNative GoHighLevel, plus Zapier, Make and n8n guides and an n8n community node.	SupportedLinq Blue works as a GoHighLevel messaging provider. No n8n, Make or Zapier found for the API.
CRM integrations	SupportedNative HubSpot, Salesforce, Close, Pipedrive, Follow Up Boss and Jobber (beta).	SupportedVia Linq Blue: GoHighLevel, HubSpot and Salesforce.
Built for AI agents
Agent framework	PartialBuilt-in AI reply assistant on your own model key, with per-contact controls. No agent SDK.	PartialNo own framework. Maintains a Vercel Chat SDK adapter and OpenClaw and Hermes plugins.
Agent framework integrations	PartialGuide pages for LangChain and the Vercel AI SDK that wrap the API as a tool.	SupportedLinq-maintained Vercel Chat SDK adapter, plus OpenClaw and Hermes Agent plugins.
Streaming replies	Not listed	Not supportedDocs say the Chat SDK adapter buffers streams into one final message.
Agent group chats	Not listed	Not listed
Human handoff	SupportedPause or snooze the AI assistant per contact while a person replies.	Not listed
Audit logs	PartialDocs mention an exportable opt-out audit trail; no general activity log is documented.	SupportedDashboard Activity page plus account-change webhooks with actor and origin.
Message history API	SupportedConversation history per contact, cursor-paginated.	Supported
Plans and compliance
Free plan	SupportedFree public sandbox key; simulator only, no real messages sent.	SupportedHobby: $0, up to 20 contacts, through the CLI.
Public pricing	Supported	SupportedPro from $260/mo. Enterprise is custom.
No per-message fees	Supported	Supported
Uptime SLA	Not listed	SupportedContractual SLAs on the Enterprise plan; marketing cites 99.95%
Isolated infrastructure	SupportedDedicated lines per customer, never shared; workspaces logically isolated.	SupportedDedicated lines across 4 data centers on paid plans; Hobby uses a shared line
SOC 2 Type II	Not supportedTrust page says controls map to SOC 2 but the independent attestation is not complete.	SupportedType I and Type II, reports for 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
GDPR	SupportedGDPR page and a published DPA with Standard Contractual Clauses.	SupportedDPA covers GDPR and UK GDPR, with Standard Contractual Clauses.

Checked on each provider's own site and docs on 2026-10-25. “Not listed” means the provider does not mention it.

Pricing

Which should you choose?

Choose Blue Reacher if you need FaceTime calls, bring your own number, local testing and human handoff.

Choose Linq if you need mentions, edit and unsend, animated text effects and stickers.

Frequently asked questions

• Photon vs Blue Reacher
• Blooio vs Blue Reacher
• Blue Reacher vs Sendblue
• Blue Reacher vs Zernio
• Blue Reacher vs LoopMessage
• Blue Reacher vs Chert
• Blue Reacher vs Miss Blue
• Bland vs Blue Reacher
• Blue Reacher vs BlueBubbles

• Photon vs Linq
• Blooio vs Linq
• Sendblue vs Linq
• Zernio vs Linq
• LoopMessage vs Linq
• Chert vs Linq
• Miss Blue vs Linq
• Bland vs Linq
• BlueBubbles vs Linq