Affordable Text Message Marketing For Every Business

Winner

CheapestTexting

5/5
I'm Mark Teller and I'm a SaaS Platform and Marketing Platform Analyst, who specializes in software reviews. Today I’m sharing my insights on SMS marketing solutions based on my experience. After evaluating various options on the market, and uncovering some impressive ones, CheapestTexting SMS Marketing Solution really caught my attention. Its user-friendly interface and powerful automation features have the potential to make a big impact on your SMS marketing efforts. In my opinion, CheapestTexting offers a comprehensive solution, backed by a team of experts. If you’re looking for an SMS marketing solution that combines practicality with industry knowledge, then CheapestTexting is worth considering.
Mark Teller

Pros

  • Best price I could find
  • They will beat any published competitor price
  • So many features: one-on-one chat, emoji support, and more
  • Easy-to-use platform

Ranking!!!

5/5

Overview

CheapestTexting offers the best price for a full-featured bulk text messaging service. They have a “Best Price Guarantee” which means that you can contact their support and they will beat any competitor’s price. Great to know about this pricing hack for SMS.
If your business is in the United States, CheapestTexting ensures your text messaging program will get rock-solid reliability, low prices, live human service, and all the essentials of text message marketing.   Their platform includes mass text notifications, delivery confirmations, one-on-one chat, scheduled messages, custom keywords, picture messages, emoji support, autoresponders, deep reporting, and more.

With CheapestTexting, you can get 100% of the features needed to run a modern, compliant, text message campaign today in the United States, without the markup.

Because of this focus on the US market, they can keep their costs below the competition.  CheapestTexting is chosen by domestic business owners, marketing agencies, churches, restaurants, and individuals for its full feature set, reliability, and the industry’s lowest cost.
With prices starting at $12.80/month, CheapestTexting offers the lowest cost option to begin a text message marketing program.

2
SlickText

Effective for Customer Onboarding

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Wide range of text automation options
  • Assigned manager for support
3
Textedly

Suitable for Businesses with Basic Text Messaging Needs

  • Cost-effective advantage, with message rates lower than some of its competitors across various service plans.
  • Central inbox and campaign management
  • Zapier integration
4
EZ Texting

Convenient for User-Friendliness

  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • Library of message templates
  • Online learning zone
5
Thryv

Appropriate for Service-Oriented Businesses

  • One platform for communication, marketing, and management
  • Advanced appointment reminders
  • Customer-focused support
6
SimpleTexting

Tailored for Small Businesses

  • User-friendly features and platform
  • Custom integration
  • Campaign analytics

Content

Content

Top Text Message Marketing Services

Text message marketing campaigns tend to engage customers more effectively than email marketing campaigns. Due to text message character limits, they require concise and direct communication. Texting creates a sense of immediacy and personal connection. According to EZ Texting’s 2019 Mobile Usage Report, 97% of all text messages are opened within three minutes, whereas 4 out of 5 email marketing messages go unopened. The best text message marketing platforms simplify the process and seamlessly integrate with your broader marketing efforts. To determine the leading text message marketing systems, I assessed factors like ease of use, cost, features, and integration capabilities. Read my reviews below to explore each service’s offerings and find the one that best suits your business.
  • CheapestTexting: Affordable Text Message Marketing for Every Business.
  • SlickText: Effective for customer onboarding.
  • Textedly: Suitable for businesses with basic text messaging needs.
  • EZ Texting: Convenient for user-friendliness.
  • Thryv: Appropriate for service-oriented businesses.
  • SimpleTexting: Tailored for small businesses.
  • Podium: Relevant for businesses targeting local markets.
  • ProTexting: Proficient for customer service.
  • Twilio: Adequate for scaling businesses.
  • Tatango: Sufficient for nonprofits.
  • Zingle: Competent for hospitality businesses.
  • TextMagic: A pay-as-you-go platform.
  • Salesmsg: Functional for high-volume communications.

How I Made My Selection

How I Made My Selection

I invest weeks in evaluating various business solutions to identify the best choices. To ensure my research remains current, I regularly update my findings. 

Solutions Considered

18

Options Researched

12

Top Selections

12

Reviews

1

CheapestTexting

Affordable Text Message Marketing for Every Business.
Why I Chose It

CheapestTexting tops my list of SMS marketing software providers because it offers the most important and essential enterprise-grade marketing tools at the lowest price in the industry while still providing excellent quality service.

Businesses and organizations of all sizes are switching to CheapestTexting to power their text message marketing programs at a fraction of the cost.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Best price I could find
  • They will beat any published competitor price
  • So many features: one-on-one chat, emoji support, and more
  • Easy-to-use platform
Cons
  • International messaging is unsupported.
Overview

CheapestTexting offers the best price for a full-featured bulk text messaging service. They have a “Best Price Guarantee” which means that you can contact their support and they will beat any competitor’s price. Great to know about this pricing hack for SMS. If your business is in the United States, CheapestTexting ensures your text messaging program will get rock-solid reliability, low prices, live human service, and all the essentials of text message marketing.   Their platform includes mass text notifications, delivery confirmations, one-on-one chat, scheduled messages, custom keywords, picture messages, emoji support, autoresponders, deep reporting, and more.

With CheapestTexting, you can get 100% of the features needed to run a modern, compliant, text message campaign today in the United States, without the markup.

Because of this focus on the US market, they can keep their costs below the competition.  CheapestTexting is chosen by domestic business owners, marketing agencies, churches, restaurants, and individuals for its full feature set, reliability, and the industry’s lowest cost. With prices starting at $12.80/month, CheapestTexting offers the lowest cost option to begin a text message marketing program.

2

SlickText

Why I Chose It
SlickText’s clients include FedEx, General Electric, Lyft, and Hyatt, which shows the prevalence of their text messaging service. It takes the runner-up spot for the best overall text messaging service due to its comprehensive feature set presented in a user-friendly platform. SlickText provides a choice of nine plans, including four affordable options.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • For premium plans priced above $139, SlickText provides one-on-one guidance from an assigned customer success representative.
  • Their user-friendly mobile app has many useful features.
Cons
  • Hidden fees. SlickText hides their carrier fees – they are not included and you’ll get a surprise change on each monthly bill. Look for vendors with the Clean Pricing badge to avoid this common trap.
  • No discount on annual plans.
Overview
SlickText is a user-friendly and feature-rich text messaging service with a unique onboarding approach. When you subscribe to any of its paid plans, you can meet with a member of SlickText’s client success team. Additionally, all users, regardless of their chosen plan, have access to product consultants.

These agents teach you how to navigate the system. They assist in developing a text message marketing strategy for your business and fine-tuning your account settings to help you achieve your specific objectives. While your client success representative serves as your primary point of contact, SlickText’s website also offers videos and guides to support and inspire you whenever you require assistance.

The platform itself is designed for ease of use and boasts many practical features. If you wish to customize how SlickText functions for your business, the no-code automation tool available on the site empowers you to create a more personalized texting experience for your subscribers. Notably, SlickText offers seamless integration with Shopify, and through Zapier, you can connect it to a vast network of over 1,100 other apps and software platforms.

SlickText offers a range of service plans, with prices starting at $29 per month for 500 texts and going up to $1,999 per month for 100,000 texts. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option available, its pricing remains competitive, especially considering the extensive set of features it offers. Furthermore, the free mobile app allows you to perform nearly all the functions available on the central dashboard while on the go, enhancing your flexibility and convenience.
3

Textedly

Suitable for Businesses with Basic Text Messaging Needs.
Why I Chose It

Textedly serves a wide array of companies like Walmart, GoDaddy, Coca-Cola, JetBlue, FedEx, and Disney. I think it’s great for small businesses because it provides a straightforward and fundamental suite of SMS marketing features that expedite the startup process for businesses.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Textedly offers a cost-effective advantage, with message rates lower than some of its competitors across various service plans.
  • Simplified creation of subscriber lists and promotional messages.
Cons
  • Few advanced features, which could be limiting for businesses seeking a more comprehensive solution that includes both campaign management and robust two-way customer communication.
  • Hidden fees. Textedly taks on a “telecom surchage”. Not sure what is it for, but it makes their cheapest plan $33 instead of $26.
Overview
Textedly is a budget-friendly option among full-featured text messaging platforms. Its primary selling point is its low cost, but affordability doesn’t lead to inferior quality. Textedly lets you create contact lists, engage in two-way conversations with clients, execute large-scale campaigns, and integrate with numerous popular applications, including Salesforce. Another feature it has is direct text messaging to your customers through your Instagram business profile.

Under Textedly’s most economical service plan, the per-text rate is 2.4 cents. Even with substantial SMS marketing needs, you’ll pay about $140 per month for 10,000 texts. Payment options include both monthly and annual plans. Unlike some other providers, Textedly doesn’t offer a monthly discount for annual subscriptions; instead, it increases your text message allowance by 20%. So, if you opt for a year of the $140 plan upfront, your per-message cost decreases. However, unused texts do not roll over from month to month, and while you can upgrade your plan, downgrading it is not an option.

Textedly’s does have a resource section, with 65 templates, surpassing what most competitors provide. Textedly imposes extra charges for text personalization, drip campaigns, and automatic replies. While some of the more advanced features may have a slight learning curve, the standard functions are user-friendly, catering to both novice and experienced text marketers.

Additionally, Textedly has integrated a cutting-edge artificial intelligence copywriting tool into its platform. With Textedly’s AI Assist, users can create a concise prompt that encapsulates all the essential information they wish to convey in the text. By clicking “generate message,” the tool generates multiple original message suggestions tailored to the target audience. Users can then select the message that best suits their needs and further customize it with links, images, emojis, or additional information.
4

EZ Texting

Convenient for User-Friendliness.
Why I Chose It
EZ Texting is included in this analysis of text message marketing software providers due to its array of text message marketing tools, which are useful for businesses seeking innovative methods to enhance customer loyalty. EZ Texting works with clients such as Domino’s and Aeroflow Healthcare.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • True to its name, EZ Texting lives up to its reputation as a user-friendly and accessible choice, particularly for business owners who might not possess a high level of technological expertise.
  • EZ Texting provides hints and tips tailored to various industry sectors, ensuring that users can be effective in their specific field.
Cons
  • You can only send 500 messages a day on EZTexting. You have to pay an extra $50-$100 to send more than 500.
  • Hidden fees. EZTexting holds the top spot for tricky pricing. For example, in order to get 500 “Free” messages you have to spend $25 or even $125.
Overview
EZ Texting is a user-friendly text messaging platform equipped with valuable features. Even those who lack technical skills or marketing experience will find it straightforward to navigate, thanks to its intuitive design.

One feature of EZ Texting is its library of industry-specific content, providing users with marketing ideas they can act on. The integration of its template library into the messaging apps within EZ Texting simplifies the template usage process. In contrast, many competitors complicate this step unnecessarily. EZ Texting has 49 built-in templates, and it can be linked to over 3,000 apps through Zapier.

EZ Texting has a partnership with the renowned photo library Shutterstock, granting users access to 20 million images that can be utilized for MMS business messages. At no additional cost, EZ Texting customers gain access to Shutterstock’s vast collection of royalty-free images, enabling them to create promotions, announcements, and invitations. Furthermore, an intuitive Canva-like feature is integrated into the platform, aiding users in crafting branded announcements, invitations, and promotions. For those less acquainted with graphic design, there’s a multitude of design templates available. The platform is user-friendly,  and the EZ Texting website is replete with guidance and helpful resources for those who may need assistance.

Pricing for EZ Texting consists of three main plans, ranging from $19 to $49 per month. Each plan includes 200 outgoing texts and free incoming texts. However, if you anticipate sending a high volume of messages, it’s worth noting that EZ Texting can be relatively costly compared to some alternative platforms. Unfortunately, unused text credits from one month do not carry over to the next.

EZ Texting offers four plans in total, catering to businesses of various sizes and needs. The platform operates on a credit-based system for messages, allowing users to have control over both the quantity of messages they wish to send and their budget. The Value plan is priced at $24 per month and offers 200 credits, with additional credits available at a rate of 4 cents each. The Custom package, priced at $374 per month, also includes 200 credits, but at a reduced rate of just 1 cent per additional credit. Users can take advantage of annual plans, which offer savings of up to 20% on each package.
5

Thryv

Appropriate for Service-Oriented Businesses.
Why I Chose It
Thryv has secured its spot in our ranking of text marketing service providers due to its user-friendly platform, advanced features, and competitive advantages. Its commitment to customer satisfaction, reasonable pricing, and versatile integration capabilities make it a solid choice for any business looking to enhance its text marketing strategy. Thryv’s holistic approach to marketing solutions ensures that businesses can efficiently manage their marketing efforts and connect with their audience through SMS campaigns and more.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • One platform for communication, marketing, and management
  • Advanced appointment reminders
  • Customer-focused support
Cons
  • It’s worth noting, however, that detailed pricing information for Thryv is not readily accessible, and potential users may need to contact the company directly to obtain specific pricing details.
  • Hidden Fees. You can’t get SMS features without buying a paid advertising plan, which you might not need. They also tack on a $9/month support fee to all plans. 
Overview

Thryv is a comprehensive platform designed to enhance the productivity, communication, and payment processes of service-based businesses, ultimately leading to increased profitability, efficiency, and streamlining. The company aims for its software to serve as the central hub for all business activities, encompassing order management, payment processing, and more. A notable feature of Thryv is its text message marketing capability, which enables users to run targeted campaigns driven by keywords, thereby boosting subscription numbers.

Through this feature, users can send messages to their subscribers, encouraging them to schedule appointments, access the client portal, or visit social media pages, among other actions. The messaging function includes well-crafted templates that offer inspiration for various campaign and promotion ideas.

One particularly advantageous aspect of Thryv is its built-in and programmable appointment reminder service, which is often lacking or challenging to utilize on other SMS platforms. Additionally, clients have the convenience of logging into Thryv to book their own appointments.

Thryv allows customers to see messages from social media, emails, text messages, and now, WebChat messages sent to your website, all in one place. With WebChat, a free service for Thryv users, businesses can gain new customers by allowing them to reach out via their website at any time. In doing so, the customers will be prompted to provide contact information that is stored in the customer relationship management (CRM) or used to update their contact.

You can perform many other business tasks with Thryv, such as managing your social media and Google Business Profile (which includes building citations). It even offers merchant services – allowing you to accept credit and debit card payments – and online video marketing services. Additionally, Thryv recently introduced ThryvPay, a mobile card reader with tap-to-pay integrations using Apple or Google Android operating systems. This new service will allow customers to pay online rather than meeting with business owners in person.

Text message marketing teams can use this new technology to their advantage by communicating with buyers and directing them to the new online payment portal. ThryvPay also allows users to schedule payments online, decreasing the likelihood of forgetting to make a payment. All this makes Thryv a great option for companies that want to run their customer communications, marketing campaigns and management functions from the same platform.

6

SimpleTexting

Tailored for Small Businesses.
Why I Chose It

SimpleTexting supports thousands of customers at companies like Starbucks, Cisco, Century 21, and Samsung. We picked it because it offers many features and is relatively affordable.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • User-friendly features and platform
  • Custom integration
  • Campaign analytics
Cons
  • Hidden fees. Carrier fees are not included, so get ready for surprise upcharges on every bill. You’ll always pay more than their advertised rate.
  • No free number rental. At SimpleTexting, you’ll have to pay an extra $10/month. Hopefully you don’t have multiple numbers.
  • Setup fees. SimpleTexting calls it “carrier registration”. But we know it’s just another hidden fee that other companies don’t charge.
Overview

SimpleTexting offers a versatile range of six service plans, catering to various needs, with prices starting at $29 per month (which includes 500 texts) and going up to $899 per month (including 50,000 texts). The platform provides comprehensive features that most small businesses require to facilitate growth. 

SimpleTexting’s analytics provide in-depth insights, yet they remain accessible and understandable even for new users. Launching campaigns, adding custom fields to subscriber lists, and segmenting clients for more targeted marketing efforts are all straightforward tasks. The inbox functionality is user-friendly, allowing for seamless two-way conversations with customers.

The SMS Template Generator offered by SimpleTexting is a valuable tool for small businesses looking to kickstart their text marketing campaigns. With a library of over 100 curated templates, users can easily customize messages, including the ability to tailor templates for frequently-sent messages. This feature empowers users to send personalized messages to multiple recipients and engage in two-way texting to follow up with leads, enhancing response rates.

Through integration with Zapier, SimpleTexting can connect to thousands of software programs, including popular CRM platforms and top-tier email marketing software. What sets SimpleTexting apart is its willingness to create free integrations that link the texting platform to the specific software packages and apps you use, depending on their complexity. This service is available for users on the $229 monthly plan or higher.

This unique offering makes the $229 plan an enticing proposition, especially for growing businesses. As businesses expand, the need for seamless integration between the apps and software they rely on becomes increasingly critical to meet customer demands effectively. SimpleTexting’s commitment to facilitating these integrations sets it apart in the text message marketing industry, making it an attractive choice for businesses experiencing growth.

7

Podium

Relevant for businesses targeting local markets.
Why I Chose It
Podium has earned its place in our ranking of text marketing service providers because its customer-centric approach, industry experience, and solid analytics make it a great choice for businesses looking to improve their marketing strategy. text marketing. Podium’s ability to help businesses manage online reputation, engage with customers via two-way text messaging, and maintain accurate local listings positions it as a valuable partner for businesses looking to improve their digital presence and relationships. with the clients.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Podium’s inbox feature has the capability to automatically invite customers to join your marketing lists after they have posted a Google review.
  • Offers a payment processing tool on their more expensive plans.
Cons
  • Podium advertises a monthly rate, but they force you to purchase 12 months up front.   You might get a free trial, but after that you’ll pay at least $2,988 before you send your first message.
  • No monthly plans.
  • All around pricing confusion.   Hard to know what it really costs in the end.
Overview

Podium is a comprehensive SMS marketing platform combined with an online review management system. Pricing starts at $289 per month. It is the SMS solution of choice for over 100,000 U.S. businesses focused on serving their local communities. Whether you run a restaurant, plumbing service, car dealership, or retail store, Podium bridges the gap between a business and its customers. It provides an opportunity to capitalize on the goodwill of your customer base by encouraging them to share positive online reviews of your business.

Building and segmenting subscriber lists is a breeze with Podium. The platform offers a range of list-building tools, including QR codes and webpage pop-ups that can be seamlessly integrated into your website and social media channels.

Podium ensures that launching new text campaigns is a straightforward process. You can effortlessly select your desired subscriber list, compose your message, and hit “send.” Additionally, Podium conveniently includes message templates within the messaging feature, simplifying the process further. The platform’s clean and organized layout makes it user-friendly right from the start. Evidently, user experience was a top priority during its design and development. However, should you require assistance, a link to Podium’s knowledge base is readily accessible in the top navigation bar of their website.

The Podium inbox serves as a centralized hub for managing all your text, email, Facebook, Instagram, and webchat conversations. Notably, when you click on a subscriber’s name, you can view your entire conversation history with them at a glance.

Furthermore, Podium facilitates soliciting reviews from customers and subscribers for your business. You can even engage directly with individuals who have left Google reviews, expressing your gratitude and inviting them to join your mailing list. Podium seamlessly integrates with most major review platforms.

Podium also offers a selection of marketing automation options accessible through a newly designed automation dashboard. This dashboard allows users to explore a range of prebuilt automation templates, including those for review referrals and website retargeting. These templates efficiently send relevant marketing messages to customers based on their interactions with your business. This enables customers to express their concerns and needs without the need for direct interaction with a customer representative. Setting up automation templates is a straightforward process, involving selecting the desired automation, customization, and activation with a simple click.

8

Protexting

Proficient for customer service.
Why I Chose It
ProTexting has been chosen to be part of this analysis due to its ability to segment subscribers effectively using keywords and custom fields. ProTexting’s features position it as a valuable partner for companies looking to connect with their audience through engaging and targeted text messages.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • ProTexting simplifies the process of sending both individual and group messages while facilitating easy responses to incoming replies. 
  • One of its standout features is the robust contact management system, which offers versatile segmentation options for subscribers, enabling you to tailor your messaging strategy effectively.
Cons
  • Lots of industry standard features are only available through non-free “marketplace apps”.
  • Text voting and text survey features cost an additional $99/month.   
  • Email capture costs an additional $10/month.   
Overview

ProTexting is a favored choice among businesses, charitable organizations, and educational institutions seeking efficient communication with customers, donors, students, and parents. It facilitates both individual and group text messaging, granting you the flexibility to send messages instantly or schedule them for a specific time and date, accessible from your desktop or the mobile app. An impressive feature is ProTexting’s ability to segment subscribers effectively using keywords and custom fields.

Shopify users can leverage ProTexting to send SMS reminders when customers abandon their shopping carts, a valuable tool to recover potential sales. Texts, with a generous character limit of 480, can be dispatched as soon as 15 minutes after cart abandonment.

ProTexting offers holiday and after-hours SMS auto-replies, enabling businesses to manage communication during holiday breaks. Customizable messages inform customers about your reopening date and provide alternative contact options. This feature is configurable by specifying date ranges for responses, integrating with other automated messages, and sharing alternative contact details.

Through integration with HubSpot, ProTexting users can send various image types, including videos and photos, to customers, enhancing the customer experience with multimedia messaging (MMS).

The platform introduces a valuable “additional users” feature, allowing teams to seamlessly add sub-users to their accounts. Collaboration is simplified, with each added user receiving their own toll-free number (TFN). In case of user removal, the TFN reverts to the master user.

While ProTexting offers a comprehensive set of features, it does come with a learning curve. While some features are user-friendly, others lack on-screen prompts, potentially posing challenges for new users. However, ProTexting’s customer support is highly regarded and can assist those encountering difficulties, instilling confidence even in users with limited tech knowledge or SMS marketing experience.

ProTexting offers seven service plans, priced from $49 to $1,119 per month, and a free trial is available for users interested in testing its features. The platform boasts 19 built-in apps, with an additional 42 add-ons to choose from, most of which are free. ProTexting also integrates seamlessly with popular platforms like VerticalResponse, Mailchimp, Amazon (available for $49 a month), Shopify, and Constant Contact, offering flexibility and compatibility for various business needs.

9

Twilio

Adequate for scaling businesses.
Why I Chose It

Twilio was my best choice for customization because it’s primarily aimed at developers who can build it the way they want using the Twilio API.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Twilio helps software-savvy programmers write customized text messaging functions for their custom software applications.
  • Its agile platform is well-suited to serve as the backend infrastructure for growing companies with intricate communication requirements.
Cons
  • If you don’t understand how to write custom software, Twilio is probably not for you.  
  • Hidden fees.   At Twilio, a $0.01 message could actually cost you $0.02!  With hidden carrier fees, true message costs at Twilio are 38% to 100% higher than their posted rates.   
  • Many online complaints regarding poor customer service.
Overview

Twilio stands out as the most developer-friendly text messaging platform, making it a prime choice for businesses seeking rapid growth. It empowers developers with the necessary tools to seamlessly integrate the messaging platform into your company’s software ecosystem, catering to the needs of fast-scaling enterprises.

A recent collaboration with Google Cloud brings generative AI capabilities to Twilio’s customer engagement products, elevating customer experiences. Leveraging Twilio’s customer engagement platform data alongside Google Cloud’s Vertex AI models, businesses can harness generative AI for enhanced contact center interactions and marketing automation. Furthermore, this partnership integrates Google Cloud Contact Center AI with Twilio Flex, enabling the deployment of AI-powered virtual assistance for self-service conversations.

Twilio has incorporated AI into its platform to enable personalized experiences at scale, centered around individual customers. Utilizing Chat GPT-4’s model, businesses can leverage their rich customer data stored on the Segment Customer Data platform, combining it with AI’s generative capabilities to execute highly tailored marketing strategies across multiple channels. This empowers businesses to gain a profound understanding of their customers, enhancing engagement and enabling deeper personalization in customer interactions.

One of Twilio’s significant advantages is its highly competitive pricing structure. It operates on a pay-as-you-go model, with SMS texts costing less than a cent each (specifically, 0.75 cents) for both sending and receiving. You can enhance your texting capabilities with add-ons like local numbers for $1 per month, toll-free numbers for $2, and high-volume shortcodes for $1,000. Twilio provides comprehensive analytics, allowing you to analyze campaign performance trends by country, carrier, channel, and sender.

It’s essential to note that Twilio may not be the most suitable choice for small or growing businesses without dedicated development teams. It is best suited for businesses aiming for rapid growth or those already established, seeking a reliable text messaging component to seamlessly integrate with their software infrastructure and automate workflows.

10

Tatango

Sufficient for nonprofits.
Why I Chose It

Tatango secured its place in my selection of text marketing service providers thanks to its extensive experience and advanced segmentation capabilities. Its dedication to offering detailed reporting, automation features, and industry-specific solutions makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to excel in text marketing.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Tatango has the capacity to send an impressive 6 million texts per hour, making it well-equipped to handle substantial message volumes, especially during peak demand periods.
  • The platform provides valuable insights into recipient engagement, allowing for the segmentation of recipients based on their interactions, such as text opens and donations.
Cons
  • However, Tatango does not offer transparent pricing information, necessitating that you reach out to the company for a personalized quote.
Overview

Tatango primarily caters to nonprofits, charities, and political campaigns that require the rapid dissemination of large volumes of text messages. Its advanced backend platform empowers Tatango to send an impressive 6 million texts per hour, a capability that has positioned it as the leading SMS marketing platform in the United States, particularly in terms of fundraising potential and voter outreach.

Unlike many providers that offer pre-defined service packages, Tatango opts for a personalized approach. They require you to reach out directly to create a tailored pricing plan based on your specific text message volume and system functionality needs. The platform seamlessly integrates with over 20 popular CRM and email marketing services, facilitating easy and immediate sharing of donor and supporter information across applications.

In situations where your organization lacks an existing contact list, Tatango assists in collecting phone numbers from other software platforms you may be using. This includes Salesforce, HubSpot, WinRed, Anedot, ActBlue, and NationBuilder.

Tatango’s analytics tool is notably sophisticated, providing insights into how many recipients received a particular message, clicked on embedded links, or made donations. The platform supports detailed subscriber segmentation, message automation, and offers a REST API for your organization’s developers to seamlessly integrate Tatango with your existing software, enhancing the efficiency of your operations.

11

Zingle by Medallia

Competent for hospitality businesses.
Why I Chose It

Zingle earns its place in my ranking of customer experience solutions thanks to its 360-degree insight, personalization and multi-channel communication. Its track record, scalability and seamless integration make it the best option for companies looking to improve customer experiences, fostering loyalty and long-term success in a competitive market.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Zingle offers a unified interface that seamlessly combines SMS, webchat, and popular smartphone messenger apps such as WhatsApp.
  • The platform boasts native integrations with numerous leading hotel and hospitality CRMs, as well as other essential software systems, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency for businesses in the hospitality industry.
Cons
  • If you aren’t running a hotel, you probably won’t like Zingle’s features.
  • It’s so common for SMS companies to add hidden fees that it’s scary when companies like Zingle don’t publish any pricing at all.  
  • Talking to a salesman to get pricing is unpleasant.
Overview

Originally designed for client-facing businesses, Zingle has gained popularity among hotels and other hospitality establishments. At the core of its system is the inbox, which seamlessly consolidates various communication channels into a single interface. These channels encompass SMS, webchat, Facebook Messenger, and various other messenger apps. With Zingle, you can engage in fluid and responsive conversations with customers using the desktop control panel or the mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices.

Zingle stands out for making two-way communication with customers easier, regardless of the original messaging channel. Additionally, it offers built-in sentiment analysis, which helps understand the intent behind incoming messages. When configured correctly, Zingle can automatically route messages to the appropriate staff based on whether they contain queries, complaints, or booking requests. The upcoming analytics feature will allow you to monitor equipment performance in terms of response times and problem resolution, further expanding the valuable information it provides.

Transferring your existing and potential customer contact details into Zingle is a breeze, thanks to its integrations with leading hotel and hospitality platforms like Opera, Springer-Miller, Amadeus, Megasys, and Maestro. Additionally, Zingle’s compatibility with HotSOS and Quore enables the creation of service tickets, while message histories can be included in Mindbody customer profiles.

For those interested in exploring Zingle’s capabilities, the platform offers a three-day free trial. During this trial period, you can send up to 1,000 messages to evaluate the system’s effectiveness and suitability for your hospitality business.

12

TextMagic

A pay-as-you-go platform.
Why I Chose It
TextMagic takes the top spot as the best bulk SMS system for quick setup because it’s designed so that anyone can send their first SMS marketing message within minutes of setting up an account.
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • TextMagic offers highly versatile keyword automation features, providing flexibility in managing your text message marketing campaigns.
  • Additionally, the platform supports two-way chat, enabling real-time SMS and MMS conversations with your clients, enhancing engagement and communication.
Cons
  • TextMagic can be relatively expensive, especially for high-volume texting needs, where monthly costs can reach nearly $2,000.
  • No annual discounts.  
  • Too expensive for long-term texting campaigns.
Overview

TextMagic utilizes keywords in a unique manner for subscriber opt-ins. Instead of simply collecting keywords, the platform allows you to program specific rules tied to keywords. This enables TextMagic to send keyword-specific auto-responses and add the corresponding numbers to designated lists, whether they are new or existing. The platform fully supports MMS messages, allowing you to schedule both SMS and MMS messages at your preferred times. Custom fields enable message personalization and the creation of more detailed segments within your marketing contact lists.

The TextMagic interface is user-friendly, featuring a clean and intuitive design. However, if you require assistance while navigating the platform, you’ll find a wealth of support articles and videos on the website.Additionally, the customer service team is available 18 hours a day on weekdays to ensure timely support. TextMagic’s foundation is built upon a robust REST API framework, facilitating integrations with thousands of other apps and software platforms through Zapier.

For comprehensive campaign analysis, TextMagic offers an intuitive analytics tool that provides in-depth insights into performance. You can even monitor individual team members’ usage of the platform and conveniently download reports in CSV or Excel formats.

13

Salesmsg

Functional for high-volume communications.
Why I Chose It

I chose SalesMessage for its two-way communication capabilities, integration options, and automation features. Its focus on enterprise messaging, user-friendly interface, and cost-effectiveness make it an appealing choice for businesses aiming to streamline messaging efforts and enhance customer engagement.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Salesmsg is a user-friendly and efficient platform designed for both bulk SMS messaging and one-on-one communication with customers. It offers a streamlined and straightforward experience for businesses.
  • One of its significant advantages is the ease of performing fine-grained segmentation, allowing you to effectively target specific groups of recipients.
Cons
  • High costs vs. the competition if you send over 500 texts per month.    No free incoming texts.   No free text replies. 
  • Hidden fees.   Non-transparent pricing if you send over 10,000 messages.  Additional $10/month for each chat seat.
  • No phone support until you pay $179/month.   
Overview

Salesmsg is a feature-rich and easy-to-use SMS marketing service that provides the best value for businesses looking to send 5,000 to 25,000 text messages per month.

While it may be slightly more expensive in this usage range compared to other providers, it stands out as the top choice for high-volume communications due to its comprehensive feature set.

Notable features of Salesmsg include shared inboxes, custom and merge fields, conversation archives, private team member communication, video messages, dynamic segmentation, contact notes, and seamless integrations with over 1,500 apps via Zapier. Additionally, it provides custom integrations for popular platforms such as ActiveCampaign, Keap, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Aircall, Marketo, and various CRM systems, including HubSpot. Salesmsg distinguishes itself by offering built-in ticketing and quote funnels, a feature not commonly found among competitors.

The platform’s inbox navigation system is streamlined and user-friendly, allowing for alphabetical organization, inbox searches by name, and the ability to pin important conversations for quick access. Users can respond to customer text messages via email or a shared inbox. Furthermore, Salesmsg recently introduced audio and video messaging capabilities, enabling users to record and send audio messages and videos that can be viewed directly within the message timeline.

Salesmsg’s smart conversation assignment tool facilitates efficient delegation of conversations based on message mood and tone, allowing businesses to provide personalized attention to customers for prompt issue resolution. The export option allows users to save closed conversations for future analysis and record-keeping purposes.

Service plans offered by Salesmsg start at $25 per month, which includes 500 credits, and go up to $249 per month for 7,500 credits. For businesses with text message volume exceeding 10,000 messages per month, the company offers customized quotes to suit specific requirements.