mautrix-imessage vs Linq
Compare mautrix-imessage and Linq side by side: iMessage features, channels, developer tools, pricing and compliance, checked on each provider's own site.
mautrix-imessage
Matrix bridge for iMessage that runs on your own Mac
- Starting price
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source (AGPL-3.0)
Linq
iMessage, RCS and SMS API with flat monthly pricing
- Starting price
- $260/month (Pro)
- Free plan
- Hobby: $0, up to 20 contacts, used through the CLI
mautrix-imessage supports 26 of the 77 features compared here, and Linq supports 63.
Where mautrix-imessage is ahead
Where Linq is ahead
- Group name and photo
- Mentions
- Message effects
- Animated text effects
- Stickers
- Formatted text
- Contact cards
- Polls
and 31 more in the table below.
Feature comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| iMessage messaging | ||
| iMessage | ||
| Group chats | ||
| Group management | ||
| Group name and photo | Not listed | |
| Mentions | Not listed | |
| Tapbacks | ||
| Threaded replies | ||
| Typing indicators | ||
| Read receipts | ||
| Edit and unsend | ||
| Message effects | Not listed | |
| Animated text effects | Not listed | |
| Stickers | Not listed | |
| Formatted text | Not listed | |
| Attachments | ||
| Live Photos | Not listed | Not listed |
| Rich link previews | ||
| Voice messages | ||
| Contact cards | Not listed | |
| Polls | Not listed | |
| Chat backgrounds | Not listed | |
| Location sharing | Not listed | |
| iMessage apps | Not listed | |
| Live app cards | Not listed | |
| Sender name and photo | Not listed | |
| FaceTime calls | ||
| Delivery status | ||
| iMessage availability check | Not listed | |
| Focus and Notify Anyway | Not listed | Not listed |
| Numbers and delivery | ||
| Managed lines | ||
| Dedicated numbers | Not supportedNot offered; uses your own Apple ID | |
| Shared numbers | Not supportedNot offered | |
| Bring your own number | Not listed | |
| Line pooling | Not listed | |
| SMS fallback | Not listed | |
| RCS fallback | Not listed | |
| Outbound-first messaging | ||
| Calls on the iMessage number | ||
| Other channels | ||
| SMS | ||
| RCS | Not listedNot documented for the Mac connectors; the Android SMS connector cannot do RCS | |
Not supportedNot offered by this bridge | ||
| Telegram | Not supported | Not supportedNot offered |
| Slack | Not supported | Not supported |
Not supportedNot offered | Not supportedNot offered. iMessage can be sent to Apple ID email handles. | |
| Phone calls | Not supportedNot offered; messages only | |
| Apple Messages for Business | Not supportedNot offered | Not listedAI context page mentions it, but no product page or docs were found. |
| Unified channel API | ||
| Developer tools | ||
| REST API | ||
| TypeScript SDK | Not supportedNo bridge SDK; any Matrix client library talks to the bridged rooms | |
| Python SDK | ||
| Other SDKs | ||
| CLI | ||
| Webhooks | Not supportedNo webhooks; inbound messages arrive as Matrix events | |
| Signed webhooks | Not supportedNo webhooks | |
| MCP server | Not supportedNot offered | |
| Open source | ||
| Self-hosting | ||
| Local testing | Not listedThe CLI streams webhooks locally, but tests still use a real phone. | |
| Custom channel providers | Not listed | Not listed |
| Event replay | Not listed | |
| OpenTelemetry | Not listed | |
| No-code integrations | Not listed | |
| CRM integrations | Not listed | |
| Built for AI agents | ||
| Agent framework | Not listed | |
| Agent framework integrations | Not listed | |
| Streaming replies | Not listed | |
| Agent group chats | Not listed | Not listed |
| Human handoff | Not listed | Not listed |
| Audit logs | Not listed | |
| Message history API | ||
| Plans and compliance | ||
| Free plan | ||
| Public pricing | ||
| No per-message fees | ||
| Uptime SLA | ||
| Isolated infrastructure | ||
| SOC 2 Type II | Not listedSelf-hosted; compliance is up to the operator | |
| GDPR | Not listed |
Checked on each provider's own site and docs on 2026-10-25. “Not listed” means the provider does not mention it.
Pricing
mautrix-imessage
The bridge is free, open-source software; you supply a Mac signed in to iMessage, a Matrix homeserver and the wsproxy websocket proxy.
Pricing model: free self-hosted software
SourceLinq
Hobby is free with up to 20 contacts through the CLI, Pro starts at $260 a month with a 7-day free trial, and Enterprise is custom.
Pricing model: flat monthly, no per-message fees
SourceWhich should you choose?
Choose mautrix-imessage if you need bring your own number and self-hosting.
Choose Linq if you need group name and photo, mentions, message effects and animated text effects.
Frequently asked questions
mautrix-imessage supports 26 of the 77 features compared here, and Linq supports 63. mautrix-imessage adds bring your own number and self-hosting. Linq adds group name and photo, mentions, message effects, animated text effects and stickers.
mautrix-imessage: The bridge is free, open-source software; you supply a Mac signed in to iMessage, a Matrix homeserver and the wsproxy websocket proxy. Linq: Hobby is free with up to 20 contacts through the CLI, Pro starts at $260 a month with a 7-day free trial, and Enterprise is custom.
Linq does not list bring your own number on its site or in its docs.
Linq does not support self-hosting.