Did you know the average person looks at their mobile phone 96 times daily?
As people become more attached to their smartphones, text messages sound like a good idea to contact them. In fact, text message marketing is one of the best ways to engage your customers and boost revenue. Although, you need an SMS automation platform to implement this effective marketing channel and reap the benefits.
However, it’s important to note that not all SMS services are identical. You need a reliable tool that offers the features to deliver your messages to customers’ inboxes and increase engagement.
In this article, you’ll find a list of the best SMS marketing tools and what to look for in one.
What Should You Look for in an SMS Marketing Solution?
Although your marketing budget may determine the text message marketing services you consider, it’s crucial to look not only at the cost factor but also at other features that will help your business grow.
Here are some things to check out before choosing an SMS platform: | |
| Reliability. The SMS marketing solution should offer high SMS deliverability to ensure your messages reach the intended recipients. | Scalability. The text messaging platform should scale with your business and handle the resource demand as your business grows. |
| Customer support. The customer support team should help you adhere to laws regulating SMS marketing messages. | Transparency and reporting. Comprehensive reports and analytics will help you understand how your campaigns perform and look for ways to improve your SMS marketing strategy. |
| Ease of use. The text message marketing solution should have an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that even beginners can operate and set up SMS campaigns. | Integrations. The provider should offer seamless integrations with customer relationship management (CRM software), customer data platforms, and other marketing tools. |
| Costs. Given that phone number provisioning costs, message segments, and carrier fees are determined by providers, seek out a provider that aligns with your budget. | |
Top Features to Look for in SMS Marketing Software
Now, let’s look at some must-have features all SMS software should have to help you grow your audience and boost revenue:
| Top features look to for in text marketing software: | |
| Bulk messaging. This helps you send personalized bulk SMS messages to many customers simultaneously. | Two-way conversation. Two-way messaging allows you to have one-on-one conversations with customers to increase engagement and conversions. |
| API. It lets you connect the SMS marketing software with your website or any other system and synchronize all customer data automatically. | Opt-out management. Allows users to opt out of receiving your text messages so you can maintain compliance. |
| Contact list building. Tools like popups and signup forms enable you to gather customers’ information and grow your audience. | Omnichannel capabilities. Omnichannel features help you combine various platforms like email and SMS to offer customers more personalized experiences. That way, you can boost engagement and conversions. |
| Shortcodes. Shortcodes simplify the opt-in process and enable two-way SMS conversations. | Segmentation. This feature helps you group customers into specific segments to send them relevant, personalized text message campaigns. |
| Automation. With SMS automation, you can send abandoned carts, welcome, follow-up, and many other messages based on specific triggers. | Integrations. Integrations help you combine your SMS platform with other business tools and manage them on one dashboard. |
| Analytics and link tracking. This lets you get notifications whenever customers click the links in your SMS messages. | MMS. This lets you embed media into your text messages, including images, videos, and GIFs. |
11 Best Text Marketing Platforms & Apps in 2024
Let’s now look at the best SMS marketing platforms in 2024 that can help you boost engagement and revenue:
- Sender
- Textla
- Klaviyo
- EngageBay
- TextMagic
- SlickText
- EZ Texting
- Attentive
- Textedly
- SimpleTexting
- MessageDesk
- Bonus: Zonka Feedback
1. Sender — Most Affordable SMS Marketing Software
Sender is your go-to marketing automation platform if you need an affordable yet powerful omnichannel tool.
- Email and text message marketing campaigns;
- Integration with other customer relationship management software (CRMs), CMS, and ecommerce platforms.
It’s an affordable SMS marketing software that offers an omnichannel experience to customers.
Sender helps you combine email and text message marketing campaigns, which you can manage within one dashboard. Forget about purchasing multiple tools to manage your marketing campaigns.
Want your campaigns to be a huge success? Combine text messages with emails and watch your business grow without spending a fortune.
Its drag-and-drop design builder and library of pre-built templates save you even more effort and time. You can pick your desired template and edit it within minutes to create beautiful popups, forms, and messages to boost engagement and sales.
With smart segmentation and personalization, you can group customers based on their needs and preferences. Then, send them relevant and customized messages to engage them and boost loyalty.
Sender Key Features
- Email and text message marketing automation;
- Intuitive drag-and-drop design builder and free library of pre-built templates;
- High-converting popups for lead generation;
- Real-time reporting and analytics to track and improve your email and text message marketing strategies;
- Smart segmentation and personalization for sending relevant and targeted messages.
Sender Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Friendly UI | No possibility to include images or videos (yet) |
| Affordable pricing plans | |
| Unlimited automation |
Sender Pricing
- Free Forever plan available for up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month (SMS marketing isn’t included in the Free plan);
- Paid plans start from $15 per month for up to 2,500 subscribers and 30,000 emails per month.
2. Textla — Leading Text Messaging Service for Businesses
Textla is the fastest-growing text messaging service for SMBs and solopreneurs looking to do bulk sending and two-way texting with their customers. Competitive pricing and ease of use make Textla the leader in modern SMS software for business.
- Onboard in minutes;
- Two-way texting;
- Simple campaign management.
Textla makes it easy to run automated SMS marketing campaigns, schedule recurring campaigns, chat one-to-one with customers in a shared inbox, and see real-time analytics about delivery.
The platform enables users to onboard in just minutes, get a business phone number for texting, and begin the approval process so they can begin sending messages to their customers.
Hands-on customer support is also a huge value-add that Textla provides. Their US-based team of experts has helped thousands of customers understand best practices for SMS marketing and optimize their campaigns for maximum deliverability and effectiveness.
Textla is a great option for businesses looking to do bulk SMS marketing quickly and easily without breaking the bank.
Textla Key Features
- Bulk SMS and MMS sending;
- Two-way chats via shared inbox;
- Real-time SMS deliverability insights;
- Bulk contact upload, grouping, and tagging;
- Keyword opt-ins.
Textla Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Fast onboarding and easy to use | Browser-based only |
| Best pricing in the industry | Limited messaging templates |
| Bulk and two-way sending |
Textla Pricing
- 14 Day Free Trial available with up to 100 credits and full access to platform features;
- Paid plans start at $25 per month and $0.005 per SMS.
3. Klaviyo — SMS Marketing Service for Text Messaging & MMS
Klaviyo is an SMS marketing service for text messaging and MMS marketing designed for ecommerce businesses looking to start SMS marketing campaigns. This SMS service’s automation features and flow builder help you engage your audience via SMS and email on autopilot.
- SMS automation;
- SMS A/B testing;
- AI writing for SMS.
Klaviyo comes with several valuable features you seek in any SMS messaging app. There’s a central dashboard for monitoring all conversations, readymade SMS flows, audience segmentation, and support for MMS messages and GIFs.
It also has AI capabilities to help you with SMS copywriting, intelligent replies, and predictive analytics, though some users report the analytics could be better.
Klaviyo Key Features
- SMS opt-ins through links, QR, and email CTAs;
- Dynamic text blocks for SMS sign-up forms;
- Two-way communication;
- Audience segmentation for SMS.
Klaviyo Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Predictive behavior capabilities | Basic analytics dashboard |
| AI writer for SMS and emails | Slow customer service |
| Omnichannel flow builder for SMS & emails | Expensive |
Klaviyo Pricing
- Free plan for up to 250 contacts and support for email and SMS;
- Paid plans start from $45 monthly for email and SMS capabilities (up to 1500 contacts and 150 monthly SMS credits).
4. EngageBay — Best SMS Marketing Software with CRM Solution
EngageBay is the best SMS marketing software With CRM solution that offers sales, marketing, and customer support tools to engage customers and boost revenue.
- Email and SMS marketing;
- Sales and marketing automation;
- Landing pages, popups, and forms.
The platform offers advanced SMS marketing features that help you improve your marketing efforts. For example, you can automate your SMS campaigns and use CRM data to segment your customers based on their behavior. This way, you can send personalized and relevant offers to each customer.
On top of that, its integrated CRM helps you manage your customer relationships seamlessly while streamlining your sales and marketing processes.
EngageBay Key Features
- SMS personalization;
- Integrates with your favorite business apps;
- All-in-one CRM software;
- Automation workflows.
EngageBay Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Multi-channel marketing | Reporting and analytics could be enhanced |
| SMS automation | Learning curve for advanced features |
| Personalization | Limited customer support hours |
EngageBay Pricing
- Starts at $14.99 per month for up to 500 contacts;
- Free plan available for up to 250 contacts.
5. TextMagic — Best Online SMS Service for Pay-As-You-Go Messages
Your business needs a reliable platform to create and send marketing text messages, and TextMagic does exactly that. As the best online SMS service for pay-as-you-go messages, the tool helps you engage with customers using cutting-edge SMS features.
- SMS opt-out management;
- SMS campaigns;
- Scheduled text messages.
You can access the platform’s text message marketing tools through its desktop, browser, or iOS and Android apps. After logging into your account, you can compose your messages by selecting a contact list and sending bulk texts with only a few clicks. You can even insert files, tags, and premade templates into your bulk messages.
Zapier also helps you connect your TextMagic account with your favorite apps through simple, no-code integration.
TextMagic Key Features
- Two-way SMS chats;
- Bulk text messages;
- SMS apps for iOS and Android;
- Zapier SMS integrations;
- Mail merge SMS and templates.
TextMagic Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly interface | Limited automation |
| Global reach | Compliance concerns |
| SMS templates | Complicated delivery timing |
TextMagic Pricing
- Paid plans start at $0.049 per text;
- 30-day trial and free credit for testing.
6. SlickText — Text Marketing Platform with Great Analytics Features
SlickText is a text marketing platform that offers customer loyalty tools with great analytics features. You can use the platform to offer mobile coupons with unique codes, create a loyalty rewards program, and run text-to-win contests.
- SMS autoresponders;
- Subscriber list growth;
- One-on-one texting.
With SlickText, you can engage in one-on-one conversations with your customers to encourage them to take your desired action. You can also let subscribers respond to your mass texts and reply using private messaging. This makes it a critical business text messaging feature.
In addition, you can gain helpful insights into your SMS marketing efforts with its analytics dashboard. With everything from response data and click rates to abandoned cart revenue and opt-in stats, the platform helps you measure your SMS marketing performance to find ways to improve it and grow your business.
SlickText Key Features
- SMS automation;
- Mass text messaging;
- MMS marketing;
- SMS short codes.
SlickText Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy-to-use platform | SMS character limit |
| High open and engagement rates for SMS | SMS costs can add up for large lists |
| Integration with other marketing tools | Potential for message overload |
SlickText Pricing
- Starts at $29 per month for up to 500 text messages;
- 14-day free trial for up to 50 text messages.
7. EZ Texting — Feature-Rich SMS Texting Service
A feature-rich SMS texting service can help you increase your revenue and build customer loyalty. EZ Texting does exactly that.
- Reporting and analytics;
- Design tools and MMS templates;
- Contact list growth.
What makes the platform stand out is how intuitive it is. It assumes that users don’t know how a marketing platform operates. So it has prompts all over telling you what you should do. This makes it ideal for new users starting out with SMS marketing.
The SMS marketing software also includes a link shortener, web sign-up links, and a native Shutterstock integration that lets you insert high-quality stock images directly into your text messages.
EZ Texting Key Features
- Contact management;
- SMS messaging tools;
- SMS campaign automation;
- SMS integration and API.
EZ Texting Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Mobile keyword management | Basic reporting features |
| Automation and scheduling | Limited message templates |
| Support and training | Limited CRM integration |
EZ Texting Pricing
- Starts at $25 per month for up to 500 contacts;
- Free plan available with limited features.
8. Attentive — SMS Platform for Personalized Text Messaging
Attentive is an SMS platform for personalized text messaging that lets you engage customers throughout the entire lifecycle with conversational, promotional, and transactional text messages.
- Customizable SMS and email analytics
A/B testing; - 100+ integrations.
This text message marketing service provides engagement data you can use to segment customers and create personalized messages with dynamic content. On top of that, you can maximize your engagement and revenue with segmentation that uses AI to predict the best send times and content for each audience.
You can also send MMS that features GIFs, images, and videos to stand out in your subscribers’ inboxes.
Attentive Key Features
- Text messaging automation;
- SMS personalization;
- AI segmentation;
- Build two-way relationships with SMS.
Attentive Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Targeted messaging | Limited message length |
| Automation | Higher pricing |
| Real-time analytics | Potential spam filter issues |
Attentive Pricing
- Attentive’s pricing varies and is tailored to each customer.
9. Textedly — Best Text Marketing App for Two-Way Messaging
Textedly is the best text marketing app for two-way messaging if you’re looking for a tool to handle the basics. It includes SMS and MMS features and other SMS marketing tools you need to run a simple campaign.
- Two-way SMS conversation;
- Auto-reply texts;
- Comprehensive analytics.
With Textedly, you can invite visitors to subscribe to your marketing messages based on the types of services or products they’re interested in. You can also create keywords that reflect your offers (like “dog food” if you own a pet store) and encourage customers to use them when they sign up to receive texts.
In addition, all Textedly accounts include a toll-free number your subscribers can use to text you. If you activate Textedly’s voice calling option, customers can call that number to connect with your business directly.
Textedly Key Features
- Conversation triggers;
- SMS surveys;
- SMS drip campaigns;
- Personalization and segmentation.
Textedly Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| High delivery rates | Limited personalization |
| Autoresponders | Limited analytics |
| Keyword campaigns | High cost per message |
Textedly Pricing
- Starts at $26 per month for up to 500 text messages;
- Free 14-day trial plan available for up to 50 text messages.
10. SimpleTexting — Intuitive All-in-One Text Marketing Solution
The best SMS marketing platforms help you run campaigns, create custom keywords, view analytics, and send personalized or mass messages. SimpleTexting is a great text messaging service for businesses that check all these boxes.
- Two-way conversations with customers;
- SMS and MMS campaigns.
With SimpleTexting, you can create unlimited custom keywords in all plans, which you can view on your dashboard. The keywords allow subscribers to join your list of services and products they’re interested in. You can then send messages with relevant offers based on their preferences.
This business texting service is also highly scalable, meaning you can easily integrate it with the other web apps you already use. In summary, SimpleTexting gives businesses the tools they need to create their ideal SMS marketing campaigns.
SimpleTexting Key Features
- Two-way messaging;
- Mass texting;
- Customer segmentation;
- SMS drip campaigns;
- MMS marketing.
SimpleTexting Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Mobile app | Costly pricing |
| List segmentation | Limited automation |
| Advanced analytics and reporting | No email marketing |
SimpleTexting Pricing
- Starts at $29 per month for up to 500 credits. Your phone number comes with your plan;
- 14-day free trial that includes 50 free messages.
11. MessageDesk — Best SMS Service for Business Texting
MessageDesk is the best SMS marketing software for organizations with teams. It works great for texting one-on-one and broadcasting to large groups from a 10-digit phone number. You can also connect your existing business phone number or text enable your landline.
- Mass text message broadcasts;
- Route, organize, and respond as a team.
MessageDesk is a great tool if you’re looking to create conversational customer experiences. This makes it well-suited for conversational commerce. It also works great for customer service, appointment reminders, review and feedback collection, and more.
MessageDesk Features
- Scheduled and automated text messages;
- Templates and MMS messages;
- Mass text broadcasts;
- Call forwarding and voicemails to any number;
- Desktop, tablet, and mobile apps;
- Supports high-volume A2P carrier-verified bulk messaging;
- Built-in opt-in and opt-out tools for TCPA compliance.
MessageDesk Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly functional shared team-inbox | Few native integrations (but can integrate with anything through Zapier) |
| Affordable starting price | |
| Excellent customer service |
MessageDesk Pricing
After a free trial, starting costs are $14 per month for one user. MessageDesk also offers custom pricing for larger teams.
Bonus: Zonka Feedback
Zonka Feedback is one of the best and easiest SMS Survey Software to measure real-time customer feedback via SMS.
- For SMS Surveys
- Customizable Feedback Forms
- Trigger SMS Surveys from platform or APIs or integrations
Connect Zonka Feedback to your CRMs, eCommerce Platforms, POS, Service Desks, or any other platform and trigger automated surveys after an event or transaction to measure customer feedback.
Benefits of Using Text Message Marketing
Apart from being a top customer engagement channel, SMS is much more effective than other platforms, with an open rate of 98% and a reply rate of 45%.
With that in mind, let’s look at some key benefits of SMS marketing:
- Reach customers on the go. SMS marketing helps you connect with customers wherever they are and build lasting relationships.
- Fast and efficient audience reach. With SMS campaigns, you can contact customers directly on their phones and send them highly personalized offers.
- Targeted personalization and segmentation. You can segment customers based on their preferences and needs and then send them relevant SMS messages to boost engagement and sales.
- High open and response rates. As mentioned, SMS offers a massive open rate of 98% and a reply rate of 45%. With the right marketing strategies, you can be sure that almost all your customers will open and respond to your messages.
- Cost-effective. With marketing automation tools like Sender, you won’t have to break the bank to connect with customers using SMS. The platform offers affordable yet powerful SMS marketing services.
- Tracking and measurement capabilities. SMS analytics helps you analyze how well your SMS campaigns perform so you can find ways to improve them.
- Integration with existing tech stack. Integration helps you connect your SMS service with other business tools to manage all your data in one place.
- Scheduling and automation. With scheduling, you can send automated messages to customers at the right time to boost engagement.
- Easy setup and management. Easy-to-use platforms like Sender enable you to build, run, monitor, and optimize high-converting SMS campaigns effortlessly.
SMS Marketing Service FAQs
What is SMS marketing?
SMS marketing is a type of marketing that businesses use to engage customers and sell their products and services through text messages. Like email marketing, users must opt in to receive your SMS marketing messages.
What is an SMS marketing software?
An SMS marketing platform is software that helps you plan and implement marketing campaigns that target customers using text messages sent directly to their mobile devices.
Is SMS marketing effective?
Yes, SMS marketing is very effective. It offers an open rate of 98%, a reply rate of 45%, and a click-through rate of 19%. These metrics show that SMS is one of the best channels to reach your audience and grow your business.
Is SMS marketing good for a large contact list?
Yes! SMS marketing works really well for big contact lists. It’s a great way to reach out to a bunch of customers all at once without breaking the bank. Plus, it feels personal since you’re sending messages straight to their phones. If you’ve got a big list of contacts, SMS marketing is definitely worth considering.
However, it’s crucial to ensure compliance with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which governs the use of automated calls and text messages for marketing purposes, to avoid potential legal issues and maintain a positive reputation.
SMS vs. text messaging vs. MMS?
SMS, or short message service, is often called “SMS messages” or “text messages.” These terms essentially mean the same thing, denoting text sent to mobile devices. However, MMS (multimedia messaging service) differs significantly.
While SMS is limited to text and up to 160 characters per message, MMS can include multimedia content such as images, videos, and voice, allowing for message character count longer than 160. This multimedia capability makes MMS a more engaging marketing channel compared to SMS text messages.
Author bio
Billy Njogu is a content writer focused on helping B2B tech companies engage their audience by delivering content that solves their problems. His drive for excellence makes him exceed expectations to ensure his clients’ businesses succeed.
