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ComparisoniMessage API5 min read

Flow vs Linq: why Flow wins

Flow vs Linq for iMessage: see why Flow is the better choice for AI agents, with a sourced feature table and plans side by side. Updated October 2026.

By FlowPublished Updated

The short answer

Flow gives your agent a US iMessage number from free, a $25 shared line for 300 people a month and a $100 a month dedicated line. One codebase powers iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram and MCP, with reliable webhooks, simulated contacts for testing and SMS/RCS fallback included on every plan.

Building on the iMessage API? Build on iMessage with Flow: one agent for iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram. New to it? Read the iMessage API guide.

Flow and Linq feature by feature

Flow first. Every cell links to the page it came from, and where we did not find something the table says to check with the provider.

Featureflow.engineerLinq
Sends iMessage (blue bubbles) Yes. A US number, shared or dedicated, with blue-bubble repliesYes1
WhatsApp and Telegram Both, through the same APICheck with the provider
Webhook signing and retries HMAC-SHA256 signed; retried for 3 days; ordered per conversation; replayable event log2Standard Webhooks signing; retried with backoff for up to 30 minutes3
Free way to try it Free trial on the shared line: 25 people, customers text first. Plus a $25 shared line for 300 people a month, a Telegram sandbox and simulated contactsHobby plan: $0, 20 contacts1
Price to start Free trial for 25 people; $25 shared line for 300 people a month and 200 a day; $100 a month dedicated line for 1,000 people a day (250 a day at first, ramping to 1,000 over its first 14 days); writing first with the $40 a month Outbound add-on on a dedicated line, where new conversations ramp from 2 a day to 40 a day over 21 daysPro from $260 a month; Enterprise custom1
Message limits No per-message fees. Plans cap different people, not messages, per account and channel by UTC day and month, replies included: 25 free on the trial (no monthly reset), 300 a month and 200 a day on the $25 shared plan, 1,000 a day on a dedicated line after a 14-day ramp from 250. Writing first is pacedNo per-message pricing stated1

Last checked: October 2026. Prices and features change, so check each provider’s own pages before you rely on a detail. “Check with the provider” means we did not find it stated.

  1. Linq pricing
  2. Flow events and webhooks
  3. Linq webhooks docs

Why Flow

  • A lower paid starting price. The shared Flow line is $25 a month, and a dedicated line is $100 a month.
  • More room to start free. A free trial on the shared iMessage line covers 25 people, and a $25 a month shared line fits 300 people a month.
  • One agent on every channel. The same code answers on iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram, and Flow is also an MCP server and CLI.
  • Webhooks built for agents. Signed events are retried for three days, ordered per conversation and kept in a replayable log.
  • Open source and your own model. Flow Framework is open source, and you choose the model.

Put your agent on iMessage with Flow, free to start.

Build, test and scale in one place

Flow gives your team one messaging layer from the first sandbox test to a live iMessage line. The same agent, tools and delivery model work across iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram and MCP, so new channels do not mean a new integration.

What to plan for

  • SDKs: Flow ships TypeScript and Python and works over plain HTTP from any language.
  • Groups: on a dedicated line, Flow replies in any group the line was added to. Confirm what you need beyond that before you choose a platform.
  • Test flow: use a no-account sandbox and simulated contacts before connecting a live iMessage line.

Keep reading

For the whole market, read the best iMessage API and iMessage API pricing compared. To see how Flow works on iMessage, read Flow on iMessage: features, pricing and limits and Build an iMessage AI agent.

Frequently asked questions

Why choose Flow over Linq?

Flow starts free, supports 300 people a month on a $25 shared line and runs one agent across iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram and MCP, with signed webhooks retried for three days.

How much does Linq cost compared with Flow?

Flow lists a free trial on the shared iMessage line for 25 people, a $25 a month shared line for 300 people a month and a $100 a month dedicated line.

Does Linq have an MCP server?

Flow hosts a messaging MCP server at api.flow.engineer/mcp and also builds MCP servers from your own tools.

Which has more SDKs?

Flow ships TypeScript and Python and works over plain HTTP, so any language can use it.

Can Flow do group chats?

Yes, on a dedicated line. Flow’s dedicated iMessage line replies in any group it was added to, with text, files, effects and threaded replies.

Start hereiMessage API: a developer’s guideThe overview of how iMessage APIs work, and what to ask a provider. ComparisonDoes Twilio support iMessage?No. Flow gives your agent iMessage, and you can keep Twilio for SMS beside it.ComparisoniMessage API pricing comparedWhy Flow is the value pick: start free, support 300 people a month for $25 a month, and scale with a $100 dedicated line.ComparisonBest iMessage API for AI agentsWhy Flow is the best iMessage API for agents: one codebase, reliable webhooks, testing and every channel in one platform.ComparisonApple Messages for Business vs iMessage APITwo different things that both get called iMessage for business, side by side.ComparisonLinq alternative: why teams choose FlowWhy Flow is the best Linq alternative: a lower paid price, a free start and one agent on every channel.ComparisonFree iMessage APIStart free on Flow's shared iMessage line, test your agent without a phone, and scale to 300 people a month for $25 a month.

All posts: the Flow blog. The Flow docs have the reference.

From reading to building

Your agent, on iMessage and everywhere else.

Flow gives your agent an iMessage line, and the same code answers on WhatsApp and Telegram and works as an MCP server and CLI. See how it works on iMessage.

Build on iMessage with Flow