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A free sandbox to build and test every feature with full API access.
- Full API access
- No limit on messages
- No limit on users
- Every feature unlocked in the sandbox
- Get Apple Experience Review–ready
MigrateUpdated October 2026
Migrate from Linqto Apple Messages for Business.
Linq's v3 API and Blooio's v4 API are both chat-based, so most handlers keep their shape. Swap the base URL and key, flatten message parts, and let customers message your verified brand.
Feature by feature
Blooio vs Linq at a glance
FeatureBlooioLinq
Apple Messages for Business
BlooioOfficial Messaging Service Provider. One verified brand, no number to ban. Compare
iMessage from phone numbers
Pricing
Blooio$199/mo for 500 monthly active users, with a 6-month minimum. The sandbox is free.
Not published. Custom quotes after a sales call, with reported setup fees of $500+
Who the customer sees
BlooioYour brand name, logo, and Apple's verified check mark
A phone number from Linq's pool of lines
Number bans
BlooioNo number to ban on Apple's official business channel
Lines rotate to manage flagging risk
List pickers, forms, Apple Pay
BlooioNative in the conversation
Not available on phone-number iMessage
Fallbacks
BlooioSmart fallbacks to RCS Business Messaging, then SMS
RCS and SMS from phone lines
Published pricing
BlooioOn the page, with a free sandbox
Quote-only
API shape
BlooioChats, messages, typing, and message.received webhooks on v4
Chats, messages, typing, and message.received webhooks on v3
Apple Experience Review
BlooioAI bot built to pass it, and Blooio submits it for you
Not part of phone-number iMessage
Apple Messages for Business vs iMessage
One verified brand, not a stack of phone numbers.
Linq sends iMessage from phone numbers. iMessage is built for people texting people. Apple Messages for Business is Apple's official channel for businesses texting customers, and Blooio is an official Messaging Service Provider for it.
Feature
Apple Messages for Business
Apple's channel for businesses
iMessage
Person to person, from a phone number
Identity
Who the customer sees
Apple Messages for BusinessYour brand name, logo, and Apple's verified check mark
iMessageA phone number or email address
Who the customer talks to
Apple Messages for BusinessOne business. Every agent and bot answers in the same thread
iMessageWhichever line texted them, so one customer can end up in several threads
Business hours
Apple Messages for BusinessShown natively in the conversation
iMessageNot available
Cost and scale
Pricing
Apple Messages for Business$199/mo for 500 monthly active users
iMessagePer line, every month
Number bans
Apple Messages for BusinessNo number to ban. It's Apple's official business channel
iMessageLines can be flagged or restricted, and a restricted line goes offline
Scaling up
Apple Messages for BusinessOne brand handles any volume
iMessageMore volume means more numbers, and every number adds cost
In the conversation
List pickers
Apple Messages for BusinessNative
iMessageNot available
Quick replies
Apple Messages for BusinessNative
iMessageNot available
Forms
Apple Messages for BusinessNative forms inside the chat
iMessageSend a link out of Messages
Apple Pay
Apple Messages for BusinessInside the thread, with a 0% Apple upcharge
iMessageOnly through your own iMessage app, where App Store fees can apply
Typing indicators
Apple Messages for BusinessSupported
iMessageSupported
Apple platform
iMessage app extensions
Apple Messages for BusinessSupported
iMessageSupported
App Clips
Apple Messages for BusinessSupported
iMessageSupported
Switch in three steps
From Linq to Apple Messages for Business.
Keep your bot and your business logic. Point your code at Blooio, pass Apple's review, and go live.
- 1
Get a free sandbox and build
Connect a free Apple Messages for Business sandbox, point your code at the Blooio API, and build your bot with every feature unlocked: quick replies, list pickers, forms, Apple Pay, and live agent handoff.
- 2
Submit to Apple's Experience Review
Apple tests the whole conversation before you go live. Blooio records the walkthrough and submits it for you, and the AI bot on the Growth plan already checks every box Apple looks for.
- 3
Go live
Once Apple approves, turn on the Message button in Maps, Search, your site, and your app. Customers who can't be reached on Apple Messages for Business fall back to RCS Business Messaging, then SMS.
Let your AI assistant do the switch
Paste these instructions into Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor. They switch your code from Linq to Blooio's endpoints and teach your bot the payloads that pass Apple's Experience Review.
Works with the API you already use
Blooio's v4 API follows the same send, reply, and webhook flow you already run. Swap the base URL and API key, map a few field names, and your bot keeps working. iMessage, SMS, RCS, and Apple Messages for Business all share one API.
Smart fallbacks to RCS Business Messaging and SMS
Customers who can't be reached on Apple Messages for Business, including everyone on Android, fall back to RCS Business Messaging, then SMS. One priority list decides, so you send once and Blooio picks the channel.
Every Linq call, mapped
| Task | Linq | Blooio |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticate | Authorization: Bearer $LINQ_API_KEY | Authorization: Bearer $BLOOIO_API_KEY (same scheme, new key) |
| Start a conversation | POST /v3/chats with from, to[], message.parts | POST /v4/messages with to, text, and optional from |
| Let the platform pick the sender | POST /v3/messages (Linq picks the line) | POST /v4/messages without from (your channel priority picks) |
| Reply in a thread | POST /v3/chats/{chatId}/messages | POST /v4/chats/{chatId}/messages |
| Text | { "type": "text", "value": "..." } part | text |
| Media | { "type": "media" } part | attachments |
| Links | { "type": "link" } part | rich_link |
| Typing indicator | POST /v3/chats/{chatId}/typing | POST /v4/chats/{chatId}/typing |
| Receive messages | message.received webhook | message.received webhook with data.text, data.sender, data.chat_id |
Before and after
The same reply, on Blooio.
A new base URL, one Bearer key, and a reply to the chat. On Apple Messages for Business your verified brand is the sender, so there is no phone number to pass.
Linq
curl -X POST https://api.linqapp.com/api/partner/v3/chats/$CHAT_ID/messages \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $LINQ_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"message": {
"parts": [{ "type": "text", "value": "Thanks for reaching out. How can we help?" }]
}
}'Blooio
curl -X POST https://api.blooio.com/v4/chats/$CHAT_ID/messages \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BLOOIO_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
-d '{
"text": "Thanks for reaching out. How can we help?"
}'Pricing for Apple Messages for Business
Start free in the sandbox, launch with hands-on guidance, and scale per Monthly Active User.
Popular
Growth
Launch on Apple Messages for Business with hands-on guidance.
- Guidance to pass the Apple Experience Review
- AI bot included to expedite your Apple Experience Review
- 500 Monthly Active Users
- Real-time trends with Bloobability
- 20+ integrations & CRM
- Full API access
- No limit on messages per user
- Managed fallback options available
- Outbound via Business Invitations
6-month minimum commitment.
Enterprise
The scale, support, and fallbacks enterprises need.
Custom per MAU
- Everything in Growth, plus:
- Scalable pricing per MAU
- Slack Connect with a dedicated support team
- Managed + unmanaged fallbacks
Need better pricing? Talk to our sales team
Linq vs Blooio FAQ
Pricing, features, and moving from Linq.
Questions? Check the docs or reach out anytime.
How much is Linq?
Linq does not publish its pricing. You book a sales call for a custom quote, and customers report setup fees of $500+. Apple Messages for Business on Blooio is $199/mo for 500 monthly active users, with a free sandbox to build in.
Can I keep my Linq code?
Mostly, yes. Linq's v3 API and Blooio's v4 API are both chat-based and both use Bearer auth and a message.received webhook. POST /v3/chats/{chatId}/messages becomes POST /v4/chats/{chatId}/messages, and Linq's message parts flatten into text, attachments, and rich_link. The migration guide in our docs maps every call.
Can I still send outbound messages?
Apple Messages for Business conversations start with the customer. The one business-first message is an Apple-approved business invitation to a customer who opted in. Cold outbound goes over RCS Business Messaging or SMS through the same Blooio API.
How do I switch?
Three steps. Get a free sandbox and build your bot against the Blooio API. Submit to Apple's Experience Review, which Blooio records and submits for you. Then go live and turn on the Message button in Maps, Search, your site, and your app.
How much does Apple Messages for Business cost on Blooio?
The sandbox is free forever, with every feature unlocked. The Growth plan is $199/mo for 500 monthly active users with a 6-month minimum, and includes an AI bot built to pass Apple's Experience Review. Enterprise pricing scales per monthly active user. If you need better pricing, talk to our sales team.
guides
Related guides
More on texting customers through Blooio.
Apple Messages for Business API
Connect a verified brand through Blooio, a Messaging Service Provider. List pickers, Apple Pay, forms, and live agent handoff.
iMessage for Business
Send and receive business iMessages at scale with the Blooio API — higher open rates than SMS or email.
iMessage CRM Integration
Connect iMessage to your CRM for seamless customer conversation tracking.
- Free sandbox
- Official Apple MSP
- RCS and SMS fallbacks
Move from Linq to Apple Messages for Business.
Blooio is an independent service and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Linq. “Linq” is a trademark of its respective owner. Competitor information is based on publicly available data as of October 2026 and may change. If anything here is inaccurate, email support@blooio.com.