MessageBird rebrands as Bird; slashes prices to send the message that it doesn’t “believe in profiting off consumers”

Amsterdam-based MessageBird, a global communication platform, has officially rebranded as Bird. The unicorn has also unveiled new pricing and services.

The company aims to revolutionise the industry by democratising access to global carrier networks and providing customers with more value at a fraction of the cost.

Robert Vis, founder of Bird, says, “We don’t believe in profiting off consumers. Unfortunately, this isn’t the standard in the market. And companies with non-transparent pricing models charge artificially high markups, passing the cost on to you and pocketing the profit.”

“We don’t think that’s fair. So we’re setting things straight.”

New pricing model

Bird is challenging the status quo of non-transparent pricing models prevalent in the market. Many companies with opaque pricing structures pass on artificially high markups to consumers, but Bird is committed to transparency and fairness. 

Bird has announced a reduction in pricing, introducing a 90 per cent discount on SMS charges through their new messaging APIs.

For example, if a company spends $100K on SMS with a competitor like Twilio, it would only incur $10K with Bird, making communication more affordable and accessible for businesses of all sizes.

Founder Vis says, “We’ve always invested heavily in our infrastructure and efficiency to deliver your messages at the lowest possible cost. And with today’s product launch, we’re going one step further.”

Introducing Bird CRM

Alongside the rebrand and new pricing, Bird is launching Bird CRM, marking a new chapter in marketing, sales, and payments. 

This comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is designed to streamline communication and reduce costs further. Bird CRM offers a 40 per cent saving on email costs compared to competitors like Klaviyo or Attentive, and a 90 per cent saving on SMS.

Bird CRM: Revolutionising customer interaction

Bird claims that its CRM is set to change the game by consolidating communication channels into a single, efficient tool. The platform enables businesses to manage customer relationships seamlessly across various channels, integrating payment data with other customer information.

This approach simplifies and enhances the customer experience, making communication with businesses as easy as talking to friends, claims the company. 

Bird’s vision aligns with the changing landscape of the industry, recognising the impact of AI and anticipating the next decade’s focus on infrastructure and applications. 

With the launch of Bird CRM, the company is inviting users to join them in realising the “dream: Making Talking to a business as easy as talking to your friends.”

Everything you need to know about Bird

MessageBird is a cloud communications platform that connects enterprises to their global customers. The company was founded in 2011 by Adriaan Mol and Robert Vis.

The company’s platform and APIs facilitate conversations across diverse channels—WhatsApp, Email, SMS, Voice, WeChat, Messenger, Instagram, and more.

With functionality and omnichannel expertise, MessageBird empowers knowledge workers to enhance productivity and create engaging experiences. 

The company processes over 5 trillion+ messages, calls, and emails for 29k+ customers, including industry giants like Google, Facebook, and Uber.

Bird’s journey includes rebuilding SS7* from scratch, securing Mobile Network Codes, and establishing satellite connections for SCCP signaling.

*SS7 is a global telecommunication protocol defining information exchange and control signals among network elements in a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Nodes within this system are known as signaling points.

After bootstrapping for five years, joining Y-Combinator in 2016, and rejecting acquisition offers up to $2B, the team remains dedicated to transforming how people communicate with businesses on various channels.

Bird’s founder Robert Vis on the acquisition hunt

Recently, Robert Vis announced via LinkedIn that he is seeking $0- $5M revenue companies with Electronic Money Institution (EMI) and/or Payment Institution (PI) licenses to be acquired. The founder calls this a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

The move suggests Bird’s interest in expanding its reach and capabilities within the financial technology sector through targeted acquisitions. Entrepreneurs meeting the specified criteria can contact MessageBird via email at [email protected].