Chert vs Zernio
Compare Chert and Zernio side by side: iMessage features, channels, developer tools, pricing and compliance, checked on each provider's own site.
Chert
iMessage and FaceTime numbers for AI agents
- Starting price
- $25/month (Shared)
- Free plan
- 24-hour trial: 10 messages and 10 FaceTime minutes on a shared line
Zernio
One API for iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, social DMs and calls
- Starting price
- $200/month per iMessage sender
- Free plan
- First 2 connected accounts free; free iMessage sandbox on a shared line
Chert supports 47 of the 77 features compared here, and Zernio supports 57.
Where Chert is ahead
Where Zernio is ahead
and 7 more in the table below.
Feature comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| iMessage messaging | ||
| iMessage | ||
| Group chats | ||
| Group management | ||
| Group name and photo | ||
| Mentions | Not listed | Not listed |
| Tapbacks | ||
| Threaded replies | Not listedHomepage mentions reply context; no reply-to field in the API docs. | |
| Typing indicators | ||
| Read receipts | ||
| Edit and unsend | ||
| Message effects | ||
| Animated text effects | Not listed | Not listed |
| Stickers | Not listed | |
| Formatted text | Not listed | |
| Attachments | ||
| Live Photos | Not listed | |
| Rich link previews | ||
| Voice messages | ||
| Contact cards | ||
| Polls | Not listed | |
| Chat backgrounds | Not listed | Not listed |
| Location sharing | ||
| iMessage apps | Not listed | Not listed |
| Live app cards | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sender name and photo | ||
| FaceTime calls | Not listedInbound FaceTime attempts show in the thread as call-typed messages. No calling documented. | |
| Delivery status | ||
| iMessage availability check | Not listed | Not listed |
| Focus and Notify Anyway | Not listed | Not listed |
| Numbers and delivery | ||
| Managed lines | ||
| Dedicated numbers | ||
| Shared numbers | ||
| Bring your own number | Not listed | |
| Line pooling | Not listedOne sender per profile; docs suggest spreading contacts across senders by hand. | |
| SMS fallback | ||
| RCS fallback | Not listedHomepage says SMS or RCS fallback; API docs only describe SMS retry. | |
| Outbound-first messaging | ||
| Calls on the iMessage number | ||
| Other channels | ||
| SMS | ||
| RCS | Not listedMentioned only as a fallback on the homepage. | |
Not supportedNot offered | ||
| Telegram | Not supported | |
| Slack | Not listed | |
Not supportedNot offered | Not supportedNot offered as a channel. iMessage senders can use an email handle. | |
| Phone calls | Not supportedNot offered; calls are FaceTime only. | |
| Apple Messages for Business | Not supportedNot offered | Not supportedNot offered |
| Unified channel API | ||
| Developer tools | ||
| REST API | ||
| TypeScript SDK | ||
| Python SDK | ||
| Other SDKs | ||
| CLI | ||
| Webhooks | ||
| Signed webhooks | ||
| MCP server | Not listed | |
| Open source | ||
| Self-hosting | Not listedOnly the open-source FaceTime link connector runs on your own machine. | Not supportedHosted cloud service only |
| Local testing | Not listedSSE stream and dev inbox avoid a public webhook, but a real phone is still needed. | Not listedThe free sandbox still needs your own phone or Apple ID. |
| Custom channel providers | Not listed | Not listed |
| Event replay | ||
| OpenTelemetry | Not listed | Not listed |
| No-code integrations | Not listed | |
| CRM integrations | ||
| Built for AI agents | ||
| Agent framework | ||
| Agent framework integrations | ||
| Streaming replies | Not listed | |
| Agent group chats | Not listed | Not listed |
| Human handoff | ||
| Audit logs | Not listed | |
| Message history API | ||
| Plans and compliance | ||
| Free plan | ||
| Public pricing | ||
| No per-message fees | ||
| Uptime SLA | Not listed | Not listedSite states 99.97% uptime; no contractual SLA found. |
| Isolated infrastructure | Not listed | |
| SOC 2 Type II | Not listed | |
| GDPR |
Checked on each provider's own site and docs on 2026-10-25. “Not listed” means the provider does not mention it.
Pricing
Chert
A free 24-hour trial includes 10 messages and 10 FaceTime minutes on a shared line; Shared is $25 a month and a dedicated line is $250 a month, but paid checkout is paused.
Pricing model: flat monthly per line, with usage limits
SourceZernio
An iMessage sender costs $200 a month plus Zernio's per-account fee, with a free sandbox; SMS, calls and outbound messages past 10,000 a month are metered.
Pricing model: flat per sender, plus per connected account and usage meters
SourceWhich should you choose?
Choose Chert if you need Live Photos, polls, FaceTime calls and line pooling.
Choose Zernio if you need threaded replies, stickers, formatted text and bring your own number.
Frequently asked questions
Chert supports 47 of the 77 features compared here, and Zernio supports 57. Chert adds Live Photos, polls, FaceTime calls, line pooling and isolated infrastructure. Zernio adds threaded replies, stickers, formatted text, bring your own number and RCS fallback.
Chert: A free 24-hour trial includes 10 messages and 10 FaceTime minutes on a shared line; Shared is $25 a month and a dedicated line is $250 a month, but paid checkout is paused. Zernio: An iMessage sender costs $200 a month plus Zernio's per-account fee, with a free sandbox; SMS, calls and outbound messages past 10,000 a month are metered.
Zernio does not list Live Photos on its site or in its docs.
Zernio does not list polls on its site or in its docs.
Zernio does not list FaceTime calls on its site or in its docs.