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ComparisoniMessage API4 min read

Linq alternative: why teams choose Flow

Looking for a Linq alternative? Flow gives your AI agent iMessage from free, a $25 a month shared line for 300 people a month, a $100 a month dedicated line and one codebase on every channel. Compare them.

By FlowPublished Updated

The short answer

Flow is the best way to put your AI agent on iMessage. Start free, support 300 people a month on a shared line for $25 a month, or scale to a dedicated number for $100 a month. One codebase powers iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, MCP and reliable webhooks.

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 side by side

Flow first. Every cell comes from the company's public pages, with the source linked.

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 is the best Linq alternative

  • A lower paid starting price. Flow’s shared line is $25 a month and a dedicated line $100 a month. Linq lists Pro from $260 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 handler answers on iMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram, and works as an MCP server and CLI.
  • Webhooks agents can trust. Signed events retried for three days, ordered per conversation, with a replayable log and idempotent sends.
  • Test without a phone, and bring your own model. Simulated contacts play the customer, and Flow Framework is open source.

Put your agent on iMessage with Flow, free to start. For plan details, see Flow on iMessage: features, pricing and limits.

Worth weighing before you switch

Before you move from Linq, confirm the plan covers what you use today:

  • Extras. Do you use iMessage Apps, payments or live location? Check they are on the plan you would move to.

  • Groups. Does your agent need more than replying in groups a dedicated line was added to?

  • Your agent stack. Flow gives you the messaging API, hosted MCP server, simulated contacts and open-source framework in one platform.

To see how an agent runs on Flow, read Build an iMessage AI agent, then start free.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Linq cost?

Linq's pricing page lists a free Hobby plan with a 20 contact limit, Pro starting at $260 a month and Enterprise at custom pricing. Pro adds group messaging, iMessage Apps, payments, zero data retention and live location.

What is the best alternative to Linq?

Flow. It gives your agent a free trial on a shared iMessage line, a $25 a month shared line for 300 people a month, a $100 a month dedicated line, and one codebase across iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram and MCP.

Does Linq have an MCP server?

Linq's FAQ describes an MCP server you run locally with npx, so AI tools such as Claude Code and Cursor can use the Linq API.

Can I switch from Linq to Flow?

Yes. Start on the Telegram sandbox with the same handler and move to Flow's iMessage numbers when you are ready. If you rely on iMessage Apps, payments or live location, confirm what Flow covers first.

Does Linq charge per message?

Its pricing page says to stop paying per message and does not list per-message fees.

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.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.ComparisonSendblue alternative: why teams choose FlowStart with Flow for free, scale from $25 a month, and run one agent across every channel.

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