Pick WebSMS if you're an NZ business sending reminders, alerts, one-time codes or bulk texts. It's pay as you go from about 10c a text with no monthly fee on a shared short code, and dedicated short and long codes are available if you need your own number. Pick Agentline NZ if you want an AI assistant to have its own NZ 028 mobile number plus an email inbox that it can sign up for and use over MCP. WebSMS's "long codes" are 5–6 digit codes, not mobile numbers. Its dedicated codes take 2–4 weeks, and a person must pass an ID check before the first top-up.
Side by side
WebSMS facts checked 20 Oct 2026 from the sources in each row. Agentline NZ figures come from our pricing and docs.
| Agentline NZ | WebSMS | WebSMS sources | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Gives an AI assistant its own NZ 028 mobile number and an @agentline.nz email inbox. For people with personal AI assistants, and developers. | NZ-owned bulk and business SMS service, running since 2004. Web portal, REST API and integrations. For NZ businesses. | WebSMS home |
| An NZ number that receives texts | Yes: a dedicated NZ 028 mobile number with two-way texting. It sends to and receives from NZ mobiles on every network. | No NZ mobile number listed. Options are a shared short code (for transactional texts), a dedicated "long code" (WebSMS's name for a 5–6 digit code, not a mobile number) or a dedicated 3–4 digit short code. | WebSMS pricing, WebSMS long codes |
| Texting price | 50 outbound texts a month on Starter, 200 on Pro. Inbound texts are unlimited. No overage charges: sending pauses at the allowance until the 1st of the month or until you upgrade. | Send: 10c per SMS (up to 1,499 a month), falling to 8.5c. 8c per part for templated one-time-code and reminder texts sent through its API. Receive: free on standard codes, 10c on free-to-text codes. NZD excluding GST. | WebSMS pricing, WebSMS long codes |
| Monthly cost | Free NZ$0 (email inbox only, no number). Starter NZ$29/month (1 number, 1 inbox). Pro NZ$79/month (2 numbers, 5 inboxes). No GST added. | Shared short code: NZ$0/month. Long code: 6-digit NZ$85/month, 5-digit NZ$95/month, each + NZ$350 setup. Short code: 4-digit NZ$249/month, 3-digit NZ$289/month, each + NZ$400 setup. NZD excluding GST. | WebSMS pricing |
| Setup time | The inbox works from day one. The 028 number is set up within a few days of signup, with a full refund if it hasn't arrived within 30 days of your first payment. | Long and short codes: "2-4 weeks from application to go-live". Shared short code: no setup fee, and the setup time isn't stated. Before the first top-up you verify your mobile, pass an ID check and pay with an NZ or AU card. | WebSMS long codes, WebSMS pricing |
| Email inbox your assistant can read | Yes: name@agentline.nz, live from day one. | Replies arrive by SMS-to-email, the web portal or webhooks. An inbox your assistant can read: not listed on the pages we checked. | WebSMS pricing |
| Works with AI assistants (MCP) | Yes: a hosted MCP server at https://agentline.nz/mcp that works in ChatGPT, Claude and other assistants, with nothing to install. A REST API and command-line tool too. | Yes: an MCP server you run on your own computer, for Claude Desktop and Claude Code. It needs a client ID and secret, and sends texts and one-time codes and checks balance and delivery. | WebSMS Claude Code integration, WebSMS MCP server on npm |
| Assistant can sign itself up | Yes. The assistant signs itself up. The owner opens one email link, and adds a card for a paid plan. | No. An ID check and a card are needed before the first top-up. API keys come from the Members Area. | WebSMS pricing, WebSMS MCP server on npm |
| Free trial | A free inbox-only plan, and a 7-day free trial of Starter or Pro, card required: 1 NZ 028 number, 1 email inbox, 10 outbound SMS segments, 50 outbound emails and no voice minutes. One free trial per person. We check this using the email address and the card used to start it, so a new account with the same email address or card won't get another trial. | You can open an account at no cost, with NZ$0 credit. No free credit is stated. | WebSMS pricing |
WebSMS quotes NZD excluding GST. Agentline NZ isn't GST-registered, so no GST is added to its prices.
Common questions
Is a WebSMS "long code" a mobile number?
No. WebSMS uses the term for a 5 or 6 digit dedicated code. Agentline gives you a full NZ 028 mobile number.
Which is cheaper?
For occasional business texts, WebSMS has no monthly fee on a shared short code and charges 10c per SMS (excl. GST). A dedicated WebSMS code starts at NZ$85/month plus NZ$350 setup. Agentline Starter is NZ$29/month with a dedicated 028 number, 50 outbound texts and unlimited inbound.
How long does setup take?
WebSMS says 2–4 weeks for a dedicated long or short code. Agentline's number is set up within a few days of signup, and its inbox works from day one.
Can my AI assistant use WebSMS?
Yes. WebSMS has an MCP server you run on your own computer with your API credentials, mainly for Claude. Agentline's MCP server is hosted and also works in ChatGPT, and your assistant can sign itself up.
Can an assistant sign up for WebSMS by itself?
No. A person verifies a mobile, passes an ID check and adds an NZ or AU card before the first top-up. On Agentline the assistant signs itself up, and you just open one email link and add a card for a paid plan.
Sources
All checked 20 Oct 2026.