Pricing
Carrier lookup API pricing compared (2026)
Carrier lookup API pricing varies considerably across providers: some charge per signal type, some charge per lookup regardless of signals returned, and some require a sales conversation before they will quote for SIM swap detection. This page compares the published pricing for Twilio Lookup, Vonage Number Insight and Telebase for the signals that fraud and KYC teams actually need.
Pricing data checked July 2026. Verify current rates directly with each provider before procurement decisions.
What fraud teams actually query for
Most carrier lookup API use cases for fraud and KYC need three or four signals per query: the carrier (network operator), the number type (mobile vs VoIP vs landline), active status (is the number reachable now), and increasingly SIM swap detection. The cost comparison depends on whether a provider charges per signal or per lookup.
Twilio Lookup
Twilio Lookup uses add-on pricing: you pay separately for each data type you request. Carrier and number type are bundled as "Line type intelligence" ($0.008 per request, flat). Active status is a separate "Line Status" product with tiered pricing starting at $0.007 for the first 100,000 queries, dropping to $0.00385 at 10 million. SIM swap detection requires contacting sales and is not self-serve.
For a fraud team querying carrier + number type + active status: approximately $0.015 per query at low volumes, falling with scale. For SIM swap on top of this, no public price is available.
Vonage Number Insight
Vonage offers three tiers: Basic (format validation, free for most queries), Standard (carrier and number type, priced per lookup, varies by country), and Advanced (adds active status, higher per-lookup price). SIM swap is not part of the self-serve Number Insight product. Vonage does not publish a single global price for Standard or Advanced lookups; pricing depends on the destination country and volume, and is available from their dashboard after account creation. Note that Vonage has announced Number Insight will be sunset on 4 February 2027, with Identity Insights as its replacement.
Telebase
Telebase charges $0.03 per query for all signals in a single call. There are no tiers, no add-ons and no signals priced separately. One query returns carrier, country, number type, active status and the simSwap field. SIM swap detection is launching for GB, DE, NL and FR and is included in the same $0.03 query price, with no separate contract required.
| Provider | Carrier + number type | + Active status | + SIM swap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twilio Lookup | $0.008/query (flat) | +$0.007 (tiered, from $0.00385 at 10M+) | Contact sales |
| Vonage Number Insight | Standard tier, country-variable, not published | Advanced tier, country-variable, not published | Not available in self-serve product |
| Telebase | $0.03/query (all signals included) | Included in $0.03 | Included in $0.03, launching, early access open |
How to read this table
Twilio is the cheapest option if you only need carrier and number type and run high query volumes: at 10 million queries, line type intelligence plus line status works out to roughly $0.008 + $0.004 = $0.012 per query. At low volumes, Twilio's combined cost is around $0.015, and Telebase at $0.03 is about twice the price for the same signals.
The picture changes when you add SIM swap. Twilio's SIM swap product is enterprise-only: no public price, a sales process, and likely a volume commitment. Telebase's SIM swap launches at the same $0.03 per query with no separate negotiation. For a team that needs SIM swap detection and wants to start without committing to an enterprise contract, Telebase is the only self-serve option in this comparison.
Vonage is difficult to compare directly because pricing is not published and varies by country. If you primarily serve traffic outside GB, DE, NL and FR, it is worth checking Vonage's coverage and pricing for your specific markets.
What "no contract" means in practice
Telebase is billed via Paddle on a pay-as-you-go basis. There is no minimum monthly spend, no annual commitment and no setup fee. New accounts receive a $5.00 starting balance, enough for about 165 test queries. You can start integrating today, run real lookups in your test environment and see what you are spending before committing to anything. See the quickstart guide for the steps from sign-up to first query.