The 10 best business text messaging apps
Reaching customers with business text messaging apps
If you’re looking to engage customers immediately and prompt timely action, don’t overlook business text messaging.
SMS messages (aka text messages) boast an impressive open rate of 98%. And 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes of being received.
Whether it’s for customer support, marketing campaigns, or appointment reminders, SMS messages are a powerful channel that businesses of all sizes can leverage effectively.
SMS business messages can significantly improve customer satisfaction, engagement, as well as loyalty by providing timely and relevant information.
In other words, having a reliable text messaging service for business is a great way to build and maintain a strong connections with your audience.
Choosing the right SMS software can make a huge difference for your business. So can choosing between SMS vs MMS messaging for your business.
With many options available, however, it can be daunting to pinpoint a business text messaging service that’s the best fit.
In this article, we provide a comprehensive comparison of the top SMS software for businesses, giving you an overview of their features, benefits, and pricing. We’ll also share the criteria to consider when selecting an SMS service and offer guidance on how to get started with SMS for your business.
From essential features like SMS automation to text marketing capabilities, you’ll learn how these tools can help you create effective text messages for business so you can reach your audience where they’re most active — on mobile!
Let’s dive in and discover the top texting apps for your business.
Features to look for in a good business text messaging app
There’s no denying that the right SMS app for business can change the trajectory of your business, but how do you know which one to pick? Here are some specific criteria to consider when evaluating a business text messaging app. Look for these features to help you get the most value from your investment:
1. User-friendly interface
A good texting app for business should have an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, helping save time and reduce errors. Your team shouldn’t need extensive training to use it effectively.
2. Automation capabilities
SMS automation is a must-have feature for businesses. It allows you to schedule messages, set up auto-responses, and manage large-scale campaigns without manual intervention, allowing your team to focus on more strategic tasks.
3. Integration with other tools
Look for an SMS service that integrates seamlessly with your current systems, including CRM, email marketing platforms, and customer support tools. Having all your tools working together can streamline your workflow so you can easily keep track of and manage all customer interactions from a single platform.
4. Scalability
Your SMS app should be able to grow with your business. Look for a business text messaging service that can handle increasing volumes of messages without compromising performance. Volume pricing discounts are a plus.
5. Personalization and segmentation
It is critical to reach the right people with the right message. Look for features that allow you to segment your audience and personalize messages based on customer data.
6. Compliance and security
Make sure the SMS service complies with data privacy regulations, including GDPR, TCPA, and CCPA. It should also have robust security measures to protect your data and your customers' information.
7. Analytics and reporting
Make sure you can easily measure the success of your SMS campaigns with detailed analytics and reporting features. A business text messaging solution should track open rates, response rates, and conversions, giving you the insights you need to refine your strategy.
8. Cost-effectiveness
Consider the pricing model of the SMS app. Look for transparent pricing that aligns with your budget and provides good value for the features offered. Some apps offer pay-as-you-go plans, while others provide monthly subscriptions. Watch out for overage prices or other hidden fees.
9. Customer support
Reliable customer support is essential, especially when you’re starting out with a new system. Look for a provider that offers comprehensive support options, including live chat, phone support, and a knowledge base or community.
At a glance: Which business text messaging software should you choose?
When choosing business text messaging software, consider factors such as a user-friendly interface, integrations, automation, scalability, and cost. Look for software that offers robust features like analytics and customer segmentation to enhance communication efficiency. Additionally, prioritize solutions with strong security measures and compliance with industry regulations to protect sensitive information. Popular options like Sendbird offer versatile platforms that cater to various business needs, but the best choice will depend on your specific requirements and budget. Conduct thorough research and consider trial versions to make an informed decision.
The table below summarizes the best business text messaging options available today.
10 best business text messaging services
Every business will have slightly different criteria guiding their search, but you still might be wondering, “What is the best text messaging service for business?” The final answer depends on your needs. We’re confident that you’ll find one on our list that fits the bill.
1. Sendbird: Customizable omnichannel messaging
Best for: Omnichannel messaging solutions that are extremely customizable
When it comes to business text messaging, Sendbird stands out as a versatile and robust business messaging platform that goes beyond SMS. It is designed to meet the needs of various teams, including Marketing, Sales, Operations, and IT, making it an excellent choice for businesses wanting to streamline their communication channels.
Overview
Sendbird's SMS solution is built on a flexible SMS API that allows for extensive customization, allowing you to tailor your organization’s messaging strategies to your specific needs. Whether you need simple text messages or complex, multi-step omnichannel interactions, Sendbird provides the tools to create and manage these communications efficiently. The platform also supports a large volume of SMS messages, ensuring that you can reach your audience effectively and reliably.
One of Sendbird’s standout features is its omnichannel messaging capability. This means you can integrate SMS with other communication channels all within a single platform, including:
This integration helps you deliver a seamless customer experience by managing all interactions from one place.
The platform also offers a no-code option, enabling non-technical users to set up and manage messaging workflows without writing a single line of code. This feature is especially popular among marketing and operations teams who need to deploy campaigns quickly and efficiently without having to call in developer support.
Customer support
Sendbird provides extensive documentation to help users get started and make the most of the platform for not only Business Messaging but also other products such as a custom AI chatbot, chat, and calls. Available resources include:
Sendbird Community for peer-to-peer support and FAQs
Documentation for all major platforms
Developer portal with hands-on tutorials and developer-specific resources
Submit a support request on the website
Current customers are pleased with the level of support, with one G2 user remarking, “Customer support is super active and responds in time to all required concerns/queries.”
Business features and benefits
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from Sendbird's robust features and scalability. Sendbird is a premium product, but the platform’s no-code options make it accessible to smaller businesses with fewer development resources. Top features include:
Ability to handle high volumes of messages
Flexible API and no-code options (easy for non-technical teams to use)
Omnichannel messaging capability: SMS, in-app, push notifications, WhatsApp
Extensive messaging UI customization options to create tailored, branded messaging strategies
Its flexibility, combined with the platform's reliability and ease of use, make Sendbird a top choice for business text messaging.
Pricing
Sendbird offers a range of pricing plans to accommodate different business needs. The pricing model is designed to be flexible, with options for both small businesses and large enterprises. SMS pricing is usage-based. Please contact Sendbird for customized pricing.
2. SimpleTexting: Straightforward, easy-to-use SMS solution for businesses
Best for: Ease of use and customer engagement
SimpleTexting lives up to its name with an intuitive SMS platform designed to help businesses effortlessly engage with their customers over text. It's a straightforward, user-friendly tool that caters to various business needs, making it ideal for smaller or mid-size companies looking to enhance their communication strategies with business text messaging.
Overview
SimpleTexting is designed to be straightforward and easy to use, allowing businesses to create and send SMS campaigns quickly. The platform offers a range of features that include mass texting, scheduled messages, and autoresponders. These tools make it easy to reach a large audience or engage with customers on a more personal level.
One notable feature is SimpleTexting’s two-way messaging capability, which enables businesses to hold real-time conversations with customers. This capability is especially valuable for customer service, as it allows teams to provide quick and efficient responses to inquiries.
SimpleTexting also offers powerful analytics and reporting tools so businesses can track the performance of their SMS campaigns, monitor delivery rates, and measure engagement metrics. This data-driven approach helps businesses refine their strategies and improve their communication effectiveness.
Customer support
SimpleTexting offers multiple support channels, including:
Phone
Email
Live chat
The platform also provides extensive resources, including a detailed knowledge base, tutorials, and webinars, to help users get the most out of their SMS campaigns.
Business features and benefits
Specializing in SMS marketing only, SimpleTexting is ideal for businesses looking to focus on this channel. It may not be an ideal fit for larger companies seeking an omnichannel experience. Top business features include:
User-friendly interface: Designed with simplicity in mind, the interface makes it easy for teams to create and manage SMS campaigns without extensive training.
Versatile messaging options: Send both bulk messages and personalized texts, catering to different communication needs.
Integration capabilities: Integrates with various third-party tools, including CRMs and email marketing platforms.
Real-time engagement: Two-way messaging allows for direct communication with customers.
Pricing
SimpleTexting offers a range of pricing plans to fit different business needs. Their plans are based on the number of messages sent per month, starting at $39 per month for 500 credits (text-based messages; picture messaging is 3 credits each) and a local number. Extra credits are 5.5 cents each. They also offer a free trial (no credit card needed) so you can test the platform before committing to a paid plan.
3. Textedly: Affordable text messaging app for small businesses
Best for: Easy-to-use and affordable business messaging that’s easy to scale
Textedly is a user-friendly SMS software that simplifies business messaging for companies of all sizes, though we find it especially well-suited for small businesses.
Overview
Like many other apps in this list, Textedly offers a comprehensive set of features designed to streamline communication with customers and employees. With Textedly, you can do things like:
Send bulk text messages
Schedule messages in advance
Automate responses to frequently asked questions
The platform supports multimedia messaging (MMS) so businesses can send images, videos, and other rich content to enhance engagement.
One of Textedly's standout features is that it offers 12 different plans ranging from 600 to 120,000 monthly messages. This makes it a particularly scalable business text messaging option for growing companies. However, it has a relatively low keyword maximum compared to competitors.
Customer support
Textedly provides a variety of support options, including:
Live chat
Email support
A knowledge base with tutorials and FAQs
Phone support
Text/SMS support
The company publishes its support hours and provides various ways to contact their team, demonstrating their commitment to the timely resolution of customer issues.
Business features and benefits
Textedly is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses with straightforward business text messaging needs that don’t want a steep learning curve. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for anyone to create and manage SMS campaigns. Additionally, the platform's scalability means it can grow with your business, whether you're sending hundreds or thousands of messages.
Businesses also appreciate Textedly for its high deliverability rates and compliance with industry regulations.
Bulk messaging: Easily send text messages to large groups of users.
Automation: Schedule messages and set up automated responses to common requests and questions.
Multimedia messaging (MMS): Send images, videos, and other media to engage users.
Analytics dashboard: Monitor the performance of your campaigns in real time.
High deliverability rates: Make sure your messages reach your audience reliably.
Pricing
Textedly offers 12 pricing plans to suit different business needs. Plans start at $26 per month for 600 messages, with premium plans offering up to 120,000 messages per month. Customized pricing is available for enterprises with even higher requirements.
4. Textmagic: The user-friendly SMS solution with effective automation
Best for: Intuitive interface and automation tools
Textmagic is a simple, easy-to-use SMS platform that helps businesses communicate quickly and effectively with their customers. Its lower price point and intuitive interface make it ideal for small to midsize businesses with straightforward business text messaging needs.
Overview
Textmagic simplifies business messaging with a platform that allows users to send, receive, and manage SMS messages efficiently. Key features include:
Bulk messaging: Send large volumes of text messages to multiple recipients with just a few clicks; perfect for marketing campaigns and product updates.
Two-way messaging: Communicate with customers in real-time so you can provide quick responses to claims and tickets.
Automation tools: Schedule messages, set up auto-replies, and create automated workflows.
Contact management: Easily manage your contact lists, segment your audience, and personalize messages to target specific groups.
Reporting and analytics: Monitor delivery rates, open rates, and response rates to optimize your messaging strategy.
Customer support
Textmagic offers a comprehensive knowledge base, including tutorials and guides, to assist with setup and troubleshooting. Additionally, Textmagic provides email support and live chat for real-time assistance.
Business features and benefits
There are several reasons why Textmagic is a top texting app for business:
Ease of use: Designed to be straightforward and easy to navigate, making it accessible for non-technical users.
Versatility: Caters to various business needs, from marketing and customer service to operational notifications and employee communications.
Reliable delivery: Ensures high deliverability rates.
Pricing
Textmagic offers flexible pricing plans based on usage with a pay-as-you-go model. The price per text is $0.049 for U.S.-based SMS. They also offer a free trial.
5. EZ Texting: Versatile business messaging platform
Best for: Versatile messaging and comprehensive support
EZ Texting is a popular SMS platform designed to simplify business messaging. It's an excellent choice for businesses looking for a straightforward way to connect with their customers through text messaging.
Overview
EZ Texting offers a range of features that make it easy for businesses and teams to create and manage SMS campaigns without extensive technical know-how. Here’s a closer look at what it provides:
Mass text messaging: Send bulk messages to large groups of recipients, including marketing promotions, announcements, and alerts.
Two-way texting: Stay responsive with real-time communication.
Text scheduling: Schedule messages to be sent at a later time so your communications reach your audience at the optimal moment.
Keywords and short codes: Use keywords and shortcodes to create engaging, interactive campaigns that customers can easily join.
MMS messaging: Send multimedia messages, including images, videos, and links.
Contact management: Manage and segment your contact lists to target specific groups with personalized messages.
Analytics and reporting: Track SMS campaign performance with detailed analytics, helping you understand delivery rates, open rates, and engagement metrics.
Customer support
EZ Texting provides a variety of support options, including:
Knowledge base
Email support
Live chat
They also provide webinars and tutorials to help users get started and optimize their SMS campaigns.
Business features and benefits
EZ Texting is a great choice for businesses due to several standout features:
Easy to use: The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible even for those without technical expertise.
Versatile messaging tools: Offers a variety of tools to satisfy different business needs, including autoresponders, text-to-landline, drip campaigns, polls, and surveys.
Reliable delivery: Offers high deliverability rates as well as scheduled messaging.
Engagement capabilities: Features like keywords, shortcodes, and MMS messaging allow businesses to create engaging and interactive campaigns.
Pricing
EZ Texting offers flexible pricing plans to accommodate different business sizes and needs. Their plans are based on the number of messages sent per month, with their most popular mid-tier plan, Boost, at $60/month for 500 messages and a cost of $0.0225 per message beyond that volume. They also offer a free trial.
6. Podium: Comprehensive messaging platform for real-time engagement
Best for: Real-time customer feedback and interactions
Podium is a business text messaging platform focused on monitoring and improving business reputation, as well as enhancing communication and customer engagement. Known for its online reputation management capabilities and offering omnichannel communication, it may be too complex for small-to-midsize businesses seeking a straightforward SMS solution.
Overview
Podium's messaging platform is built to support various communication needs, making it a powerful tool for larger businesses. Key features include:
Unified inbox: Manage all your customer interactions from one place. The unified inbox consolidates messages from various channels, including SMS, email, and social media.
Automated responses: Set up automated responses to common queries, saving time and providing prompt replies to customers.
Customer feedback: Collect and manage customer reviews—including Google Reviews—directly through the platform.
Payments: Send payment requests via text so customers can pay directly from their phones, simplifying the payment process.
Webchat: Communicate with website visitors in real-time through a web chat feature that can seamlessly transition to SMS to keep the conversation going even after they leave your site.
Customer support
Podium offers a range of support options, including:
Knowledge base
Live chat
Phone support
The platform also provides personalized onboarding sessions and training resources to help businesses get started and get the most value from the tool.
Business features and benefits
Podium is particularly beneficial for enterprise businesses due to its comprehensive features and reputation management focus. Some benefits of the platform include:
Centralized communication: The unified inbox simplifies managing customer interactions, keeping your team on the same page and always up to date.
Enhanced customer engagement: Automated responses and web chat features help businesses engage with customers more effectively.
Convenient payment solutions: Sending and receiving payments via text streamlines the payment process, making it more convenient for businesses and customers.
Actionable insights: Collecting customer feedback through the platform provides valuable insights that can inform business strategy.
Pricing
Podium offers flexible pricing plans tailored to different business needs. Pricing is based on features and scale of use, with plans starting at $399 per month for unlimited one-to-one text messages and 250 bulk messages per month.
7. Salesmsg: Streamlined SMS platform with two-way communication
Best for: CRM integration and two-way communication
Salesmsg is a user-friendly SMS service that integrates with top CRM systems and offers two-way communication for timely customer engagement. It’s an ideal solution for companies looking to leverage CRM data to improve customer engagement and streamline their messaging workflows.
Overview
Salesmsg simplifies business text messaging by providing an intuitive, highly scalable platform that allows users to send and receive SMS messages with little to no technical expertise. Key features include:
Two-way messaging: Communicate with customers live.
Integration with CRM: Integrate seamlessly with popular CRM systems, including HubSpot and Pipedrive, so you can manage your contacts and communications in one place.
Call forwarding: Forward incoming calls to your Salesmsg number to your phone so you never miss an important call.
Automated messaging: Set up automated messages to send personalized responses or follow-ups.
Shared inboxes: Manage customer interactions as a team with shared inboxes, helping avoid communication gaps or overlaps.
Customer support
Salesmsg offers:
Knowledge base
Email support
Live chat
Salesmsg also provides onboarding sessions to help new users get started quickly.
Business features and benefits
Salesmsg is particularly beneficial for businesses due to several key features:
Collaboration: Shared inboxes allow teams to collaborate on customer communications, ensuring that responses are timely and consistent.
Scalability: The platform offers advanced automation and workflows, API access, mass texting, custom fields and tags, as well as support for multiple phone numbers, allowing businesses to grow easily.
Ease of use: An intuitive interface makes it easy to use for non-technical users and teams.
CRM integration: Native integrations with popular CRM systems help streamline their workflows and manage customer interactions more effectively.
Enhanced customer engagement: Engage customers live with two-way messaging and automated responses.
Pricing
Salesmsg offers flexible pricing plans to accommodate different business needs. Their plans are based on the number of messages sent per month, starting at $25 per month for 500 messages and $0.04 per message beyond that. They also offer a free trial.
8. ClickSend: The reliable SMS solution for international bulk messaging
Best for: Reliable bulk messaging and global coverage
ClickSend offers a reliable SMS platform at a lower price point that caters to various business communication needs. Its simple interface is ideal for non-technical teams like marketing or sales that don’t need extensive custom programming or automation.
Overview
ClickSend simplifies business messaging with a straightforward web platform that allows users to send and receive SMS messages efficiently. Notable features include:
Bulk SMS messaging: Send large volumes of text messages to your customers in a few clicks.
Two-way messaging: Live communication with your audience.
SMS gateway API: Integrate SMS functionality into your existing systems and applications.
Automated SMS: Schedule messages and set up automated workflows.
Global reach: Supports messaging in over 220 countries, ensuring your messages reach a global audience.
Multichannel messaging: ClickSend offers a comprehensive communication platform that includes SMS, email, voice, and direct mail.
Customer support
ClickSend offers 24/7 support through various channels:
Live chat
Email
Phone
ClickSend also provides extensive documentation, tutorials, and a knowledge base to help users troubleshoot on the platform.
Business features and benefits
ClickSend is a great choice for businesses due to its wide range of features and reliability. Here are some top reasons why businesses prefer ClickSend:
Global reach: Supports messaging in over 220 countries so businesses can easily connect with a global audience.
Intuitive for non-technical users: A simple interface makes the platform extremely accessible for less tech-savvy users, including marketing, sales, and customer service teams.
Multiple channels: Multichannel messaging capabilities allow businesses to manage all their communication needs from a single platform, including voice, text, and direct mail.
Scalability: ClickSend’s infrastructure can handle high volumes of messages in multiple countries, making it suitable for fast-growing companies as well as enterprises.
Pricing
ClickSend offers flexible pricing plans based on usage. The price is $0.0251 per message for up to 5K outbound messages per month and free inbound messages. Their pricing model is transparent, with no hidden fees, making it easy for businesses to budget for their messaging costs. ClickSend also offers a free trial.
9. Plivo: Scalable cloud communication platform with secure APIs
Best for: Scalable, high-volume messaging with secure APIs
Plivo offers a cloud communication platform with connectivity in more than 190 countries and robust APIs for integrating phone and SMS into business applications. It’s a reliable platform for businesses with a global customer base looking for text and voice capabilities.
Overview
Plivo provides an intuitive platform that simplifies the process of sending and receiving international SMS messages for businesses. Key features include:
Global SMS coverage: Supports messaging in over 190 countries.
Programmable SMS API: Robust API allows businesses to customize and automate messaging workflows and integrate SMS functionality into existing systems and applications.
High deliverability: Plivo offers direct carrier connections globally to ensure high message deliverability rates and minimal latency.
Two-way messaging: Real-time communication with customers.
Concatenated SMS: Send long messages without worrying about character limits (Plivo automatically concatenates SMS to ensure complete message delivery).
Number pooling: Use multiple numbers to distribute message traffic and manage high volumes of SMS efficiently.
Customer support
Plivo offers various support channels, including email and live chat. They also provide extensive documentation, including guides and tutorials. Their API reference assists users in setting up and optimizing their messaging workflows. For larger accounts, Plivo offers premium support options with dedicated account managers and priority response times.
Business features and benefits
Plivo is particularly beneficial for businesses with a global footprint that want to incorporate SMS features into their existing applications. Several standout features include:
Scalability: Plivo's infrastructure is designed to handle high volumes of messages, which is ideal for businesses with large-scale messaging needs.
Flexibility: The programmable SMS API allows businesses to create customized messaging solutions that fit their specific requirements.
Global reach: With coverage in over 190 countries, it is easy to connect with global audiences.
Reliable deliverability: Thanks to direct carrier connections, messages are delivered promptly and reliably.
Pricing
Plivo offers a pay-as-you-go model based on usage, charging $0.0055 per SMS. Plivo also provides volume discounts for businesses with high messaging needs.
10. SlickText: Intuitive SMS platform for B2C marketing automation
Best for: Marketing automation and business-to-consumer engagement
SlickText is an SMS marketing platform known for its easy-to-use mass texting capabilities with an affordable entry point for businesses just getting started with SMS. With robust features and an API, it's also scalable for larger companies with high-volume needs.
Overview
SlickText is a dedicated SMS platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools for business text messaging. Especially popular among retailers and restaurant chains, the SMS service makes it easy to create, send, and manage SMS campaigns. Key features include:
Mass texting: Send bulk SMS messages to a large audience. This is ideal for marketing campaigns, promotions, and announcements.
Two-way messaging: Enables live, real-time communication with customers.
SMS automation: Automate your SMS campaigns with features like drip campaigns, auto-replies, and scheduled messages.
Text-to-join keywords: Use keywords to grow your subscriber list effortlessly. Customers can join your messaging list by texting a specific keyword to a short code.
MMS messaging: Send multimedia messages, including images and videos.
Detailed analytics: Track campaign performance by monitoring delivery rates, open rates, and engagement metrics.
eCommerce and marketing integrations: Integrates with Shopify, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Zapier, among others.
Customer support
SlickText provides various avenues for support:
Knowledge base
Email support
Live chat
The platform also provides onboarding and training resources to help new users get started on the right foot
Business features and benefits
SlickText's flexible pricing and scalable features are popular among customer-facing businesses of different sizes. The platform’s main benefits for businesses include:
User-friendly: A straightforward, intuitive interface makes it easy for users to create and manage SMS campaigns with minimal technical knowledge.
Customer engagement: Features like two-way messaging, MMS messaging, and segmentation help businesses engage their audience with dynamic, personalized content.
Growth tools: Text-to-join keywords and SMS automation features help businesses grow and manage subscriber lists.
Retail and eCommerce solutions: Features like opt-in forms and links, website pop-ups, and QR codes enable business-to-consumer (B2C) brands to engage visitors and capture information instantly.
Pricing
SlickText offers a range of pricing plans based on the number of messages sent per month, starting at $29 for 500 texts per month. And with rollover credits, you won’t have to worry about using up your credits each month, as unused credits/text roll into the next month at no extra charge. They also offer a free trial.
Get started with the best text messaging service for your business
Choosing the right SMS software can greatly improve your brand's communication, marketing, and customer engagement strategies, whether you’re incorporating messaging in-app or looking to reach customers on SMS, where they're the most engaged and responsive. Each platform we've covered offers a unique set of features and benefits tailored to different business needs. If you're looking for a flexible and comprehensive solution with extensive customization capabilities, Sendbird stands out with its robust features, excellent API, and user-friendly interface.
Sendbird's SMS API offers unparalleled flexibility and customization options, making it ideal for both developers and non-developers. With the platform's no-code solution, teams across your business—from Marketing and Sales to Operations and IT—can comfortably use its features through a powerful, intuitive dashboard. The dashboard features a campaign builder, channel sequencing, and comprehensive analytics, providing you with the tools to quickly manage and optimize your messaging campaigns based on real-time insights.
Sendbird goes beyond just SMS. Our omnichannel messaging capabilities allow you to reach your customers through multiple channels, including in-app notifications, push notifications, and WhatsApp. This ensures a seamless and cohesive communication experience for your audience.
Ready to take your business messaging to the next level? Request a demo with Sendbird today and see how the platform can transform your communication strategy. For more information or to get started, contact us and let us help you find the best SMS solution for your business.
