Telesign Sends Messages.1Lookup Validates Numbers.
Still waiting for Telesign's enterprise sales team and custom pricing quotes? 1Lookup delivers the same validation quality from one credit balance with instant access. As the leading Telesign alternative, we offer the same core validation without enterprise complexity or lengthy sales cycles.
Two ways to trust a phone number
Telesign pairs phone intelligence with messaging and OTP. 1Lookup focuses on validating phone, email, and IP from one API.
The 1Lookup approach
- Validate a number and get line type, carrier, DNC status, and a fraud score in one call
- Confirms a line is real and active before you dial or text it
- The same API key also verifies email addresses and looks up IPs
- Phone and carrier data updated daily, from one universal credit balance
- Real-time responses, identical lookups cached for 7 days
- Live in about 5 minutes, with 1,000 requests/min included
The Telesign approach
- Phone verification, fraud scoring, and SMS/voice OTP
- Phone number intelligence and risk signals
- Enterprise anti-fraud focus
- Verification is often bundled with messaging
- Typically sold on enterprise contracts
Telesign is strong for enterprise verification bundled with messaging. If you want straightforward phone, email, and IP validation on one key and one balance, 1Lookup is focused there.
Good tool, no fluff
Been using 1Lookup for a couple months now. We verify leads before pushing them into Pipedrive. Honestly it just works. Not fancy, not buggy, and the support actually answers when you write them. Can't really ask for more.
Brian LetzterUnited States · October 2025The most practical data tool I've used
I've seen hundreds of validation APIs come and go. 1Lookup stands out because they don't oversell. Their data is solid, support is honest, and they're transparent about limitations, which is rare in this industry. I've replaced three tools with this one. They listen, they iterate, and they keep improving. You can feel there are actual engineers behind it, not just salespeople.
Bùi Thị Thanh NgọcVietnam · October 2025Solid phone validation API
We use 1Lookup inside our telemarketing app to verify numbers before they go to the dialer. Setup was simple and the results have been consistent. It's not overloaded with features, just fast, accurate, and reliable. Docs could be a bit deeper, but honestly, it works out of the box.
Dirk van MeerUnited States · December 2025Saved us from hundreds of spam signups
We run a SaaS product with free trials and were getting flooded with bots and fake users. After integrating 1Lookup, the difference was night and day. It quietly filters out junk signups without blocking legitimate customers. The support team even helped us fine-tune our risk thresholds on a quick Zoom call. Being honest, we couldn't ask for more.
Ido ShachamUnited States · January 2026A good addition to our workflow
1Lookup has been a good addition to our workflow over the last few months. We use it to verify IPs, emails, and phone numbers, which has noticeably cut down the time we spend chasing dead-end applications. It's reasonably priced and their support team is actually helpful. It's a very practical tool for what we need.
Meredith Jr. RedmondIsrael · March 2026
Telesign vs 1Lookup FAQ
Common questions about Telesign and switching to 1Lookup
What is Telesign?
Telesign is a digital identity and programmable communications company whose APIs handle phone number verification (SMS and omnichannel one-time passcodes), phone number intelligence and reputation scoring, and fraud prevention. It is used mainly by enterprises to confirm that a user actually controls a phone number during signup or login and to flag risky numbers. Its verification stack spans channels such as SMS, voice, email, WhatsApp, Viber, RCS, and push.
How much does Telesign cost?
Telesign uses usage-based, pay-as-you-go pricing with volume discounts, and rates vary by product, channel, and destination country. As of publication Telesign does not list standard per-transaction rates publicly; exact pricing is shown after you create an account, and higher-volume or committed-use plans are quoted through its sales team. Telesign does offer a free trial account for testing select products such as SMS, SMS Verify, and Phone ID. Because pricing is tiered and product-specific, your final cost depends on which APIs and channels you use.
What is the best Telesign alternative?
The best alternative depends on your goal: if you mainly need one-time-passcode delivery across many channels, Telesign is strong, but if your priority is validating and enriching contact data, a dedicated data-verification API is often a better fit. 1Lookup is a leading Telesign alternative for teams that want to validate phone numbers, emails, and IP addresses through a single API on one shared credit balance. It also offers carrier and HLR lookup, reverse lookup, and fraud and IP intelligence, with a free trial so you can test before committing.
How is 1Lookup different from Telesign?
Telesign centers on identity verification and one-time-passcode delivery across communication channels, while 1Lookup focuses on data verification: checking whether a phone, email, or IP is valid, active, and risky. 1Lookup unifies phone, email, and IP validation in one API on a single universal credit system, and refreshes its underlying data daily from FCC and carrier sources. Its edge is that unified coverage plus self-serve access and a free trial, rather than an enterprise sales cycle. Both are capable tools; the right choice depends on whether you primarily need to send verification messages or verify the data itself.
Can I try 1Lookup for free?
Yes. 1Lookup offers a 7-day free trial so you can validate phone numbers, emails, and IP addresses before you pay. You can sign up and start making API calls on one universal credit balance without waiting on a sales team.
Is Telesign worth it in 2026?
Telesign is worth it for fraud and identity teams that need carrier-grade phone intelligence: Phone ID costs a flat $0.011 per lookup across all 233 countries on its live pricing feed, billing is true pay-as-you-go with no contracts or monthly fees, and there is a free trial without a credit card. Budget carefully beyond the base lookup, though: subscriber name and address append runs $0.10 per transaction, Intelligence risk scoring $0.15, several products are priced only through sales, and volume discount tiers are not published. It is also phone-centric, so email and IP verification need other vendors. Teams that want all three channels with published per-lookup rates often find a multi-channel API like 1Lookup the more predictable buy.
The Focused Telesign Alternative
Why wait for enterprise sales processes? Get the same validation quality with instant access, transparent pricing, and modern APIs.
1Lookup vs Telesign: the same criteria, side by side
Both products measured on identical criteria, with Telesign’s numbers taken from its own published pricing.
1lookup1lookup.ioMulti-channel validation- Phone
- IP
telesign.comPhone validation- Phone
- Telesign · Starts at
- $0.011 per Phone ID lookup (per-transaction, no monthly fee or minimum); Phone ID Contact (subscriber name/address) is $0.10 per transaction and Intelligence risk scoring is $0.15 per transaction
- 1Lookup: $99/mo for 20,000 credits ($4.95 per 1,000, down to $2.00 on Enterprise)
- Telesign · Cheapest published per 1,000
- $11.00 at their largest published tier
- 1Lookup: $2.00 per 1,000 at 1,000,000 lookups/mo
- Telesign · Free trial
- Free trial account with complimentary test credits, no credit card required; trial covers SMS, SMS Verify, Verify Plus, Phone ID, Phone ID Contact, and Intelligence, testable via SDKs (7 languages) or a no-code browser API Explorer
- 1Lookup: 7-day free trial on every plan: $5 of credits on Starter, $20 on Growth, Professional, and Enterprise (card required, nothing charged up front)
| Criteria |  1Lookup | |
|---|---|---|
| Contact-data coverage | EmailPhoneIP | EmailPhoneIP |
| Pricing model | Monthly plans with universal credits; core phone, email and IP lookups cost 1 credit, enrichment and intelligence products cost more | Pay-as-you-go, per-transaction metered billing ("No contracts, time-based commitments, or monthly fees"); self-serve signup via portal.telesign.com, with negotiated volume/committed-use discounts via sales |
| Starting price | $99/mo for 20,000 credits ($4.95 per 1,000, down to $2.00 on Enterprise) | $0.011 per Phone ID lookup (per-transaction, no monthly fee or minimum); Phone ID Contact (subscriber name/address) is $0.10 per transaction and Intelligence risk scoring is $0.15 per transaction |
| Free option | Free single lookups via the online tools at 1lookup.io/tools, no account required | None published |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on every plan: $5 of credits on Starter, $20 on Growth, Professional, and Enterprise (card required, nothing charged up front) | Free trial account with complimentary test credits, no credit card required; trial covers SMS, SMS Verify, Verify Plus, Phone ID, Phone ID Contact, and Intelligence, testable via SDKs (7 languages) or a no-code browser API Explorer |
| Do credits expire? | Unused monthly credits roll over for 3 months; separately purchased credits last 1 year | Not published |
Cost per 1,000: Telesign and 1Lookup
Published rates only, drawn on one shared scale that starts at $0.
- 1Lookup rate card
- Telesign published tiers
Telesign, per published tier
10,000 Phone ID lookups
$11.00100,000 Phone ID lookups
$11.0010,000 Phone ID Contact lookups (subscriber name/address append)
$100.0010,000 Intelligence risk-score transactions
$150.00
1Lookup, reference band (a range, not a bar from $0)
All 4 plans, 20,000 lookups/mo to 1,000,000 lookups/mo
Cost per 1,000
| Product | Volume tier | Price | Cost per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telesign | 10,000 Phone ID lookups | $110 at the flat $0.011 list rate | $11.00 |
| Telesign | 100,000 Phone ID lookups | $1,100 at list rate (volume discounts negotiated via sales) | $11.00 |
| Telesign | 10,000 Phone ID Contact lookups (subscriber name/address append) | $1,000 at the $0.10 list rate | $100.00 |
| Telesign | 10,000 Intelligence risk-score transactions | $1,500 at the $0.15 list rate | $150.00 |
| 1Lookup | 20,000 lookups/mo | $99/mo (Starter) | $4.95 |
| 1Lookup | 85,000 lookups/mo | $299/mo (Growth) | $3.52 |
| 1Lookup | 250,000 lookups/mo | $799/mo (Professional) | $3.20 |
| 1Lookup | 1,000,000 lookups/mo | $1,999/mo (Enterprise) | $2.00 |
What Telesign costs at volume
| Volume | Telesign price | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 Phone ID lookups | $110 at the flat $0.011 list rate | $11.00 |
| 100,000 Phone ID lookups | $1,100 at list rate (volume discounts negotiated via sales) | $11.00 |
| 10,000 Phone ID Contact lookups (subscriber name/address append) | $1,000 at the $0.10 list rate | $100.00 |
| 10,000 Intelligence risk-score transactions | $1,500 at the $0.15 list rate | $150.00 |
For scale: 1Lookup’s plans work out to $4.95 per 1,000 lookups on Starter down to $2.00 per 1,000 on Enterprise, with every lookup type (phone, email, IP, spam) drawing from the same credits. Pricing models differ (subscription vs pay-as-you-go), so compare at your real monthly volume.
The same month, priced both ways
Pick one of Telesign’s own published volumes. Their figure is their published price at that tier; ours is the cheapest plan on our rate card that covers it. Nothing here is interpolated.
1Lookup
$99/mo
The Starter plan, 20,000 credits a month at $4.95 per 1,000. Using 10,000 of them is 50% of the plan, so $9.90 per 1,000 effective.
Telesign
$110
Their published price for “10,000 Phone ID lookups”, at $11 per 1,000.
At 10,000 a month, 1Lookup is $11 cheaper, and the credits also cover phone, email and IP rather than one of them.
Telesign rates as published on telesign.com, verified July 2026. Pricing models differ (a monthly plan is not a credit pack), so a like-for-like month depends on your real mix of lookups. Check their pricing page
Before you sign: Telesign and 1Lookup on the operational terms
The terms that decide what a year actually costs, rather than what the first month does. A blank means we could not verify it on either product’s published pages, not that the answer is nothing.
| Term | 1Lookup | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum commitment | None. Monthly plans with no contract and no minimum volume; cancel any time | Pay-as-you-go is stated as "No contracts, time-based commitments, or monthly fees." Volume/committed-use packaging requires contacting sales. |
| Going over your quota | — | Per-transaction pay-as-you-go pricing with no included quota, so no overage rate is published. |
| API access | Included on every plan and during the free trial; there is no tier that unlocks it | API access is available on all self-service accounts. Free trial accounts are issued a Customer ID and API key plus $5 in complimentary test credits that never expire. Telesign's developer center states the self-service trial covers SMS Verify, SMS and Phone ID; its self-service blog post also names Intelligence. Verify Plus and Phone ID Contact are not stated anywhere as trial-included. No separate API tier is published. |
| Rate limit | 1,000 requests per minute on standard accounts, with higher limits available on request | — |
| Compliance | — | Telesign states it is ISO 27001 certified and HIPAA compliant, and runs an annual ISO 27002-based third-party security risk assessment. Its data centers and cloud providers are stated to be SSAE 16 SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 certified. GDPR is referenced, plus EU-U.S., UK extension and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework certification. |
| Support | Starter: Email Support; Growth: Priority Email & Chat Support; Professional: Chat + Live Meeting; Enterprise: Dedicated CSM | — |
Telesign fine print worth reading twice
Published terms that change what Telesign costs or what you can do with it. Each one links to the Telesign page it was read on, because a claim about somebody else’s contract should be checkable in one click.
Silent Verification and Voice Verify have no published price in any of the 233 countries in the pricing table; both read "Talk to sales."
Read it on Telesign’s sitePhone ID attributes beyond the standard lookup and the contact lookup are priced "Talk to sales" in all 233 countries; only the $0.011 standard lookup and the $0.10 contact lookup have published rates.
Read it on Telesign’s siteSMS Verify has no published price in 74 of the 233 listed countries; those entries read "Talk to sales."
Read it on Telesign’s siteVoice pricing reads "Talk to sales" for all 233 countries, including the United States.
Read it on Telesign’s sitePhone number (sender ID) pricing is not shown on the pricing page and is only available as a downloadable XLSX file.
Read it on Telesign’s siteVolume discounts and tailored packaging for committed use are only obtainable by contacting sales; no discount tiers or volume thresholds are published.
Read it on Telesign’s site
1Lookup
TeleSign
Where Telesign wins
- Flat global list price: Phone ID is $0.011 per lookup in every one of the 233 countries on the live pricing feed - no per-country rate lookup needed for phone intelligence
- Goes deeper than line-type lookup: Phone ID Contact returns subscriber name and address, and the Intelligence API returns fraud risk scoring - plus Verify API/Verify Plus for OTP delivery, so one vendor covers lookup, risk, and verification
- True pay-as-you-go with self-serve signup: no contracts, time-based commitments, or monthly fees, and a free trial without a credit card
- Carrier-grade heritage and scale: part of the Proximus Group family alongside BICS and Route Mobile, with enterprise fraud/account-integrity focus
Where 1Lookup wins
- Phone, email, and IP validation in one API with one universal credit balance
- Phone data refreshed daily from FCC and carrier sources
- Carrier/HLR lookup, line type, spam score, and reverse lookup included alongside validation
- Self-serve plans with no contracts and 3-month credit rollover
Telesign pricing and product facts verified against telesign.com as of July 2026. Prices change; always confirm on the vendor’s site. 1Lookup numbers come from the live rate card.
Who this is for
A quick, honest read on which tool fits your use case.
Choose 1Lookup if: you want self-serve phone, email, and IP validation with line type and fraud signals from one API at a lighter, self-serve price point.
Consider Telesign instead if: you are an enterprise that needs to send one-time passcodes and confirm a user controls their number across SMS, voice, WhatsApp, and other channels.