mautrix-gmessages vs Linq

mautrix-gmessages supports 16 of the 77 features compared here, and Linq supports 63.

Feature comparison

Feature	mautrix-gmessages	Linq
iMessage messaging
iMessage	Not supportedNo iMessage support	Supported
Group chats	Not supported	SupportedPro plan. Up to 31 recipients. No read or delivery receipts in groups.
Group management	Not supported	SupportedAdd and remove participants and leave a group, iMessage groups only, 3-member minimum.
Group name and photo	Not supported	SupportedSet display_name and group_chat_icon on group chats.
Mentions	Not supported	SupportedGroup chats only. Notifies iMessage recipients even in a muted chat.
Tapbacks	Not supported	SupportedSix classic tapbacks or any emoji, send and receive via reaction webhooks.
Threaded replies	Not supported	Supportedreply_to with optional part_index. iMessage only.
Typing indicators	Not supported	SupportedSend and receive, in direct and group chats. iMessage only.
Read receipts	Not supported	SupportedMark chats read and receive message.read. One-to-one chats only.
Edit and unsend	Not supported	PartialEdit text up to 5 times within 15 minutes. Delete does not unsend from the recipient's device.
Message effects	Not supported	Supported11 screen and 4 bubble effects.
Animated text effects	Not supported	Supportedtext_decorations animations: big, small, shake, nod, explode, ripple, bloom, jitter.
Stickers	Not supported	SupportedPeel emoji or images onto messages, send stickers, or place them inline in text.
Formatted text	Not supported	SupportedBold, italic, underline and strikethrough ranges, plus animated text. iMessage only.
Attachments	Not supported	SupportedUp to 10MB by URL, 100MB with pre-upload.
Live Photos	Not supported	Not listed
Rich link previews	Not supported	Supportedlink parts render as rich previews on iMessage and RCS.
Voice messages	Not supported	SupportedDedicated voice memo endpoint renders the native iMessage voice bubble.
Contact cards	Not supported	SupportedSend .vcf files as media parts.
Polls	Not supported	SupportedCreate, add options, vote and read tallies, with poll webhooks. Not as a chat's first message.
Chat backgrounds	Not supported	SupportedColor, animated or photo backgrounds, in direct and group chats.
Location sharing	Not supported	SupportedRequest, read and stop Find My shares. Live location is a $79/mo add-on on Pro.
iMessage apps	Not supported	SupportedPro plan. Cards from your own Messages extension, or Linq-hosted cards (Experiences).
Live app cards	Not supported	SupportedUpdate App Card replaces a delivered iMessage app or Experience card in place.
Sender name and photo	Not supported	SupportedContact card API sets name and photo, shared per chat via Name and Photo Sharing.
FaceTime calls	Not supported	Not supportedDocs say the API does not place or answer calls.
Delivery status	Not supported	Supportedsent, delivered, read and failed webhooks. Groups report sent only.
iMessage availability check	Not supported	Supportedcheck_imessage and check_rcs endpoints.
Focus and Notify Anyway	Not supported	Not listed
Numbers and delivery
Managed lines	Not supportedNo iMessage support	Supported
Dedicated numbers	Not supportedNot offered; uses your own phone's number	SupportedPaid lines are dedicated. Provisioned by Linq, no self-serve number API.
Shared numbers	Not supportedNot offered	SupportedFree Hobby tier uses a Shared Line, inbound-first, 20 contacts.
Bring your own number	SupportedUses the number of your own phone running Google Messages	Not listed
Line pooling	Not listed	SupportedManaged load balancing (Pro): send without from and Linq picks and fails over lines.
SMS fallback	Not supportedNo iMessage support	Supported
RCS fallback	Not supported	SupportedOrder is iMessage, then RCS, then SMS.
Outbound-first messaging	SupportedStart DMs with any phone number and create MMS or RCS groups	SupportedFree Hobby tier is inbound-first. Docs recommend inbound-first flows to avoid flagging.
Calls on the iMessage number	Not supportedNo iMessage support	PartialAPI forwards inbound calls on the line; outbound needs caller-ID masking via another provider.
Other channels
SMS	SupportedSMS and MMS from your phone's number, including group MMS	Supported
RCS	SupportedRCS chats with replies, reactions, typing and read receipts	Supported
WhatsApp	Not supportedNot offered by this bridge	BetaSeparate WhatsApp API in beta. Access by request, no SLA.
Telegram	Not supported	Not supportedNot offered
Slack	Not supported	Not supported
Email	Not supportedNot offered	Not supportedNot offered. iMessage can be sent to Apple ID email handles.
Phone calls	Not supportedNot offered; messages only	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	Not listedAI context page mentions it, but no product page or docs were found.
Unified channel API	PartialSMS, MMS and RCS share one Matrix room model; other networks need other bridges	PartialiMessage, RCS and SMS share one API. WhatsApp is a separate API with its own keys and SDKs.
Developer tools
REST API	PartialNo messaging API; you send through Matrix. An HTTP provisioning API covers logins and new chats	Supported
TypeScript SDK	Not supportedNo bridge SDK; any Matrix client library talks to the bridged rooms	Supported@linqapp/sdk
Python SDK	PartialNo bridge SDK; mautrix-python is a Matrix bot and bridge framework from the same project	Supportedlinq-python
Other SDKs	PartialNo bridge SDK; mautrix-go, the Go Matrix framework the bridge is built on	SupportedOfficial Go SDK.
CLI	Not supportedNo messaging CLI; managed by chatting with the bridge bot in Matrix	Supported@linqapp/cli: signup, sending, and a local webhook listener.
Webhooks	Not supportedNo webhooks; inbound messages arrive as Matrix events	Supported
Signed webhooks	Not supportedNo webhooks	SupportedHMAC-SHA256, Standard Webhooks format, with replay protection.
MCP server	Not supportedNot offered	Supported@linqapp/sdk-mcp with docs search and code execution tools.
Open source	SupportedAGPL-3.0	PartialSDKs, CLI and adapters are Apache-2.0 or MIT on GitHub. The messaging platform is closed.
Self-hosting	SupportedSelf-hosted; the docs point to Beeper for managed instances	Not supportedLinq describes itself as fully managed, in contrast to self-hosted options.
Local testing	Not supportedNeeds a real phone with Google Messages that stays online	Not listedThe CLI streams webhooks locally, but tests still use a real phone.
Custom channel providers	Not listed	Not listed
Event replay	PartialBackfills up to 500 missed messages after a restart, when backfill is turned on	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	Not listed	SupportedLinq Blue works as a GoHighLevel messaging provider. No n8n, Make or Zapier found for the API.
CRM integrations	Not listed	SupportedVia Linq Blue: GoHighLevel, HubSpot and Salesforce.
Built for AI agents
Agent framework	Not listed	PartialNo own framework. Maintains a Vercel Chat SDK adapter and OpenClaw and Hermes plugins.
Agent framework integrations	Not listed	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	Not listed	Not listed
Audit logs	Not listed	SupportedDashboard Activity page plus account-change webhooks with actor and origin.
Message history API	SupportedCreates rooms for recent chats and can backfill their history	Supported
Plans and compliance
Free plan	SupportedFree, open-source software	SupportedHobby: $0, up to 20 contacts, through the CLI.
Public pricing	SupportedFree; no paid tiers	SupportedPro from $260/mo. Enterprise is custom.
No per-message fees	SupportedFree software with no usage fees	Supported
Uptime SLA	Not supportedAGPL-3.0 software comes without warranty	SupportedContractual SLAs on the Enterprise plan; marketing cites 99.95%
Isolated infrastructure	SupportedRuns on your own server and phone	SupportedDedicated lines across 4 data centers on paid plans; Hobby uses a shared line
SOC 2 Type II	Not listedSelf-hosted; compliance is up to the operator	SupportedType I and Type II, reports for 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
GDPR	Not listed	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 mautrix-gmessages if you need bring your own number and self-hosting.

Choose Linq if you need iMessage, group chats, group management and group name and photo.

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