Whether you’re an expert looking for a change or a beginner looking to learn, you’ll want to check out the best SMS marketing tools and services on the market. Read on for more details.
As SMS marketing continues to perform extremely well, it generates higher click-through rates when compared to digital methods, and it’s more affordable.
Identify your needs as a company and look through this list to determine how you can benefit from the best SMS marketing tools and services.
TextMagic
TextMagic is a great service because of how accessible it is. Not only does it offer an affordable solution for SMS marketing, it also doesn’t require in-depth coding knowledge.
And while those are exciting qualities, it’s difficult to stay scalable with your plans so TextMagic is better suited for smaller businesses or freelancers.
This is further supported by their price models, as you don’t have to purchase a specific plan. It’s designed to be “pay-as-you-go” so you’re only charged for features that you’re actually using.
Features
To get an idea of what you’ll work with, here is a list of its main features:
- API integrations through Zapier
- Use your email for inbound and outbound messages
- You can send a variety of notifications and alerts through SMS
- Maintain subscriber lists
Pros
- Coding knowledge isn’t a necessity
- You only pay for the features you need
- Importing contacts is really simple
Cons
- Not suitable for bulk messaging
- Scalability is fairly limited
- Customer service isn’t very active
Pricing: Starting from $0.04/message
SMSGatez
SMSGatez is a tool entirely built around SMS marketing. This allows its features to carry the depth that its competitors lack because many of them are generally communication platforms. But because SMSGatez is so focused on its approach, you’ll always have an easy time rolling out your campaigns.
It simplifies everything for you, from conducting surveys to setting up triggers for auto-responses. One of the greatest qualities it has, however, is unlimited keywords. Meaning you have full control over how your auto-replies work.
Though you need to keep in mind that it’s not compatible with Apple devices, so that limits the potential a little. There’s also a visible lack of training webinars, but this is easily overcome with the other onboarding resources they provide.
Features
To get an idea of what you’ll work with, here is a list of its main features:
- Unlimited custom keywords, contacts and templates
- You can manage auto-replies as well as set up an SMS chatbot
- Personalize messages for more effective lead conversion
- Provides analytical data that keeps you informed on your CTR
- Carry out frictionless surveys
- Easily engage leads with coupons and other exciting offers
Pros
- Supports bulk messaging
- BYOR (Bring Your Own Route) implementation as well as Simdroid
- Intuitively designed user interface
Cons
- Not compatible with Apple devices
- Training webinars aren’t available
Pricing: Starting from $49.98
Textedly
Textedly is pretty robust, though it leaves you wanting a little bit more. This would be a great service to work with for beginners, who have just begun to invest in SMS marketing campaigns..
It’s definitely nice that all messages received are free, as it can help cut down costs significantly. But the reporting features are extremely limited so make note of that if it’s a big priority for your operations.
Smaller businesses are most likely to feel comfortable working with Textedly because it offers utility without becoming too overwhelming.
Features
To get an idea of what you’ll work with, here is a list of its main features:
- Implement custom keywords
- Schedule texts for all your campaigns
- Create opt-in keywords
- Easily integrates your current subscribers so you can send messages quickly
Pros
- Incoming messages are free of charge
- Extremely attentive customer support
- Supports multiple users
- Allows you to set up auto-replies so you don’t lose any leads
Cons
- Features are pretty limited
- Doesn’t have a mobile app
- Notifications are limited to one email address unless you purchase more expensive plans
Pricing: Starting from $24/month
Podium
Podium focuses on consolidating all customer engagement. So you can manage your SMS marketing alongside your other platforms. It’s also unique in the sense that it allows you to easily issue payment requests and invoices over text.
But some might be hesitant to take the leap because Podium requires a 12-month contract to avail their services and that’s not a practical commitment that some folks can make. This is further complicated by the lack of transparency regarding prices. So the service itself has a lot to offer but it’s best suited to larger companies.
Features
To get an idea of what you’ll work with, here is a list of its main features:
- Customizable templates
- Centralized dashboard for all inbound texts
- Provides insight into performance
- Feedback feature quickly creates SMS surveys
- Pay-to-text allows you to send messages that can collect payments via link
Pros
- It’s easy to navigate the UI
- Mobile app is optimized
- Organizes your texts alongside your social media notifications to ensure nothing is missed out
Cons
- Requires a formal contract of 12 month
- Its pricing plans aren’t shared publicly
Pricing: A custom quote needs to be requested through their website
ClickSend
With an emphasis on business communication, ClickSend has a lot to offer. If you’re looking to manage SMS campaigns alongside other channels, then this tool makes it really simple to pull it off. Not to mention it has a really attractive refund policy, which is appealing for many reasons.
There’s also a bit of added security with this app as you need all campaigns to be approved by a relevant person before they can be rolled out. This does however pose some complications for campaigns where time is an important factor.
Also worth noting is that the character limits with ClickSend can be a rough ride if you plan on sending long-form texts. But if you plan to send shorter messages, then there’s no cause for concern.
Features
To get an idea of what you’ll work with, here is a list of its main features:
- Send, receive and track messages on a global scale
- Supports SMS and MMS texts
- Personalize your approach to pursuing SMS leads
- Conduct SMS campaigns through ClickSend and monitor their progress with Google Analytics
- Send bills and invoices directly to customers
Pros
- Refund policy is reasonable and convenient
- Supported by most (if not all) carrier options
- Delivers messages without any real hold up
Cons
- In-app reporting is very barebones
- Character limits are very restrictive
- Time sensitive campaigns are easily disrupted by the approval requirement
- Some issues with saving templates
Pricing: Starting from $0.0801/message
In Conclusion
As the best SMS marketing tools and services, these are the options to strongly consider if you want to fully benefit from this method of advertising.
While it’s true that there are pros and cons for each one, it’s important to keep in mind that a dealbreaker for one company won’t be the same case for another.
If your goal is to find a dedicated resource for campaigns and analytics you would prefer SMSGatez. If you’re looking to experiment and test the waters, ClickSend’s refund policy will strike a chord with you.
So ultimately, it’s relative and you shouldn’t have any problems if your company’s priorities are clear