16 SMS marketing software for small businesses, each with who it suits, where it falls short and a source for every price. No scores or star ratings.
Updated 27 Sep 2026 Next review 26 Dec 202616 tools · 22 min read
Disclosure: We make startbuddi, so we've put it first and been upfront about where it falls short. There are no scores or star ratings here. Every price and feature below comes from the tool's own website or our own test account, and each one links to its source.
Businesses with developers that send high volumes of SMS through an API
$1,000 USD, per month (Enterprise plan, required for SMS), plus usage
Trial only
Prices are list prices as each company publishes them, never converted. startbuddi's price is shown in your currency where we can.
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startbuddi
Our productBest for businesses that send bulk SMS to customers from the same place they keep them
Best for
Businesses that send bulk SMS to customers from the same place they keep them
Starting price
Free plan. Paid from $29 a month Starter plan, our pricing
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
SMS marketing sends bulk campaigns on startbuddi's built-in SMS or through your own Termii, Africa's Talking, Twilio or Brevo account, to audiences from the customer list.
Strengths
Built-in SMS or your own provider
Sender ID support
Audiences from the customer record
Limitations
Not on the Free plan; SMS volumes are small on lower plans
No link shortening
Replies to Termii and Brevo messages aren't read yet
Best for developers adding SMS to their own apps and systems
Best for
Developers adding SMS to their own apps and systems
Starting price
$0.005 USD, per WhatsApp message (Twilio fee), plus Meta fees; pay as you go
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
API (developer tools and SDKs)
Twilio sells SMS by the message through its API, at $0.0083 per segment in the US plus carrier fees and a monthly phone number cost. It suits teams that can build their own sending logic rather than wanting a ready-made campaign tool.
Strengths
Pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee
WhatsApp messaging, conversations and calling through APIs
SDKs for JavaScript, Python, C#, Java, PHP and Ruby
Simplified WhatsApp Business Account creation and verification
Limitations
Built for developers: sending messages means integrating its API
Meta fees for WhatsApp and carrier fees for SMS are added on top of Twilio's price
US SMS needs A2P 10DLC or toll-free registration, with onboarding fees
Best for african businesses sending SMS, WhatsApp and email campaigns and OTPs
Best for
African businesses sending SMS, WhatsApp and email campaigns and OTPs
Starting price
$75 USD, per month (Engage Starter), plus per-message channel fees
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, API
Termii offers messaging for campaigns (Engage), support (Resolve) and OTP delivery with fraud checks (Signals), aimed at banks, fintechs and retailers. The free Engage plan sends SMS campaigns; Starter adds email and WhatsApp, stored customers and journeys.
Strengths
Free Engage plan for SMS campaigns
Starter adds SMS, email and WhatsApp campaigns, segments and integrations
Prices shown in USD, NGN or FCFA
Signals adds fraud checks and auto failover for OTPs
Limitations
Per-message SMS rates are not published; you need to ask sales for a rate card
Free plan is SMS only and does not store customers
Journey steps over the plan limit cost $10 per 10,000
Best for businesses sending SMS to customers in African countries through an API
Best for
Businesses sending SMS to customers in African countries through an API
Starting price
Pay as you go, priced per SMS by country and network. Examples from the pricing pages: Ken
Free plan
Not stated
Platforms
Web dashboard, API
Africa's Talking provides SMS, USSD, voice, airtime and WhatsApp APIs for African markets, with SMS prices listed per country and mobile network. Bulk SMS is pay as you go with no plans or minimums, and it also offers Echo, a code-free SMS tool.
Strengths
Per-message SMS prices published for many African countries, with lower rates at higher spend tiers
Pay as you go: 'no plans or minimum requirements', and purchased SMS do not expire
Delivery reports and branded Sender IDs on bulk SMS
Also offers USSD, voice, airtime and mobile data from the same account
Limitations
Mainly an API product: most features assume a developer integrates it
Sender IDs cost extra in some countries, e.g. KES 14,100 set-up for a bundled Safaricom and Airtel Sender ID in Kenya
Airtel Kenya treats multi-country brand Sender IDs as international traffic, charged at USD 0.22 per SMS
Best for uS and Canadian small businesses sending text message campaigns
Best for
US and Canadian small businesses sending text message campaigns
Starting price
$29 USD, per month for 500 credits, billed monthly
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web
SimpleTexting is an SMS marketing tool for mass texting, two-way messaging, auto-replies and drip campaigns. It serves the US and Canada only and prices plans by monthly message credits.
Strengths
Mass texting, two-way messaging, auto-replies and drip campaigns
Incoming messages and SMS replies do not use credits
Three user seats included on paid plans, with unlimited contacts
Mailchimp and Zapier integrations included
Limitations
Available in the US and Canada only
A local number costs $10 per month on top of the plan, and carrier fees apply per message
Best for uS and Canadian businesses sending text campaigns and two-way texts
Best for
US and Canadian businesses sending text campaigns and two-way texts
Starting price
$20 USD, per month, billed annually (Launch)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
EZ Texting is an SMS marketing platform for mass texting, two-way conversations, scheduling and automation. Plans are priced by contact tier with a monthly credit allowance, and a 14-day trial needs no credit card.
Strengths
Two-way texting, scheduling, automation and a team inbox
A2P carrier registration included on all plans
Keywords, QR codes and sign-up forms included
AI drafts for campaign messages
Limitations
Sends in the United States and Canada only
Plans include 1 user; extra seats are $10 per month each
Monthly credits roll over for one billing cycle only, and an MMS uses 3 credits
Best for businesses sending bulk and two-way texts without a monthly contract
Best for
Businesses sending bulk and two-way texts without a monthly contract
Starting price
$0.049 USD, per SMS to Nigeria, prepaid pay-as-you-go
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Textmagic is a prepaid SMS and email platform for bulk texts, two-way messaging, automation flows and a shared inbox. You buy credit and pay per message, with no contract, and new accounts start with a free test balance.
Strengths
Prepaid credit that never expires; inbound SMS is free
Unlimited contacts and users
Automation flows, a shared inbox and email campaigns with the first 10,000 emails free
API and a Zapier connection
Limitations
A dedicated texting number is required at $10 per month
US 10DLC campaigns and alphanumeric sender IDs cost $10 per month each
MMS costs $0.08 per message, and texts over 160 characters count as 2
Best for businesses that want pay-as-you-go bulk SMS without a monthly fee
Best for
Businesses that want pay-as-you-go bulk SMS without a monthly fee
Starting price
Per-SMS rates load in the browser and could not be read from the page; top-ups start at $2
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, API
ClickSend is a pay-as-you-go SMS service: you top up credit and pay per message, with no monthly fees. It offers bulk SMS, MMS and an SMS API, and the per-message rate falls on larger top-ups. It now focuses on SMS only.
Strengths
No monthly fees; pay only for what you send
Inbound SMS is free
Lower per-message rate on larger top-ups ($500, $3,000, $10,000 tiers)
SMS gateway API for developers
Limitations
US carrier fees are charged on top of the base rate
Messages over 160 characters are split and each part is charged
Email, voice and fax are no longer available to new customers
Best for businesses sending SMS to many countries on pay-as-you-go rates
Best for
Businesses sending SMS to many countries on pay-as-you-go rates
Starting price
Pay as you go; per-message rates vary by country and message type and are shown in a calcu
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, API
Infobip sells SMS pay as you go, with per-country rates in a calculator and custom pricing for volume. It suits teams that send internationally and are comfortable with an API-led platform.
Strengths
SMS and WhatsApp on a pay-as-you-go model, paying only for what you send
Per-country rate calculators for SMS and WhatsApp
'Try SMS for free' sign-up on the SMS pricing page
Custom pricing available for higher volumes
Limitations
No fixed plan prices are published; rates must be looked up per country
WhatsApp pricing varies by message category (marketing, utility, authentication)
Best for developers building SMS sending and receiving into their own app or system
Best for
Developers building SMS sending and receiving into their own app or system
Starting price
Pay as you go. Base per-message rates depend on the destination country and are loaded by
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
API (REST), SMPP
Vonage's SMS API is a developer tool for sending and receiving text messages worldwide through REST APIs. It supports virtual numbers, toll-free numbers and short codes, delivery receipts and an auto-redact feature for privacy. You pay per message with no plan fee.
Strengths
Pay only for what you use, with no monthly plan fee
Send and receive SMS worldwide, including on local numbers
Delivery receipts, Unicode messages and SMPP access
Related Messages API also covers MMS, WhatsApp, Viber and Facebook Messenger
Limitations
An API for developers, not a campaign tool: there is no built-in contact list or campaign editor on the pages checked
US messages carry extra carrier fees and 10DLC registration applies to long-code traffic
Add-ons such as Audit API and Auto-redact are charged monthly
Best for businesses that want SMS alongside email in one marketing tool
Best for
Businesses that want SMS alongside email in one marketing tool
Starting price
$9 USD, per month (Starter, billed monthly; $96.96 per year billed annually)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Brevo combines email and SMS campaigns in one platform, with SMS paid for through credits bought separately from the plan. Email plans start free, and automation that can trigger messages starts on the Standard plan.
Strengths
Free plan with up to 300 emails per day
Starter includes a drag-and-drop editor, templates, segmentation and forms
Standard adds unlimited automated workflows, A/B testing and landing pages
Sales Essentials CRM features such as sales automation and deal pipelines are listed
Limitations
Marketing automation is not in Starter; it starts on Standard
SMS credits are sold separately
WhatsApp, pop-ups and push channels are listed on the Professional plan, which starts at $499 per month
Best for ecommerce and retail brands running SMS and email marketing at scale
Best for
Ecommerce and retail brands running SMS and email marketing at scale
Starting price
Pricing on request
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web
Attentive is a marketing platform for SMS, email, RCS and push messages, aimed at ecommerce and retail brands. Pricing is quoted per account and is based on list size, messages sent, channels and AI add-ons.
Strengths
SMS, email, RCS and push messaging in one platform
Sign-up units and list growth tools for collecting subscribers
AI add-ons including AI Journeys for triggered messages
Over 100 integrations listed
Limitations
No published prices: every plan needs a demo request or sales contact
AI Pro, AI Grow and AI Journeys are paid add-ons on top of the channel plan
Built around ecommerce brands, so less suited to service businesses
Postscript is an SMS and RCS marketing platform for ecommerce brands, with campaigns, automations, segmentation and opt-in tools. It segments using Shopify data, and stores not on Shopify can add its SDK to their own code.
Strengths
Campaigns, automations and unlimited segments on every plan
Popups, checkout collection and opt-in forms to grow a subscriber list
Segmentation using Shopify data and third-party integrations
Free trial with a $100 credit for the first 30 days
Limitations
Starter has a $49 monthly minimum spend, and messages plus carrier fees are charged on top
API access and removing 'Powered by Postscript' need Professional ($500 per month)
Best for ecommerce brands adding SMS to email flows for carts and orders
Best for
Ecommerce brands adding SMS to email flows for carts and orders
Starting price
$16 USD, per month, billed monthly (Standard, up to 500 contacts)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web; integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix and others
Omnisend combines SMS, email and web push in one platform for online stores, and lets you add SMS steps to automated workflows such as abandoned carts. SMS is priced per message from $0.007 for high-volume US sends and is added to the Pro plan as credits.
Strengths
Free plan with 250 contacts, 500 emails and 500 web push notifications a month
Pre-built ecommerce workflows for cart abandonment, welcome and post-purchase
SMS from $0.007 per message (high-volume US rate), with SMS inside automated workflows
Free migration of contacts, data and segments, and 24/7 support on every plan including Free
Limitations
Free plan emails carry a 'Powered by Omnisend' badge
SMS credits are added to the Pro plan; the Standard plan card does not list SMS
Standard caps email sends at 12 times your list size per month; SMS pricing varies by country and volume
Best for online stores that want SMS alongside email in one platform
Best for
Online stores that want SMS alongside email in one platform
Starting price
$20 USD, per month (Email plan, 500 profiles)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Klaviyo runs SMS and email from the same customer profiles, so texts can be triggered by browsing and order data. The free plan includes $5 of mobile messages a month.
Strengths
Free plan: up to 250 profiles and 500 emails a month
Email, SMS and push flows triggered by customer actions
Segments built on hundreds of data points
350+ integrations including Shopify and WooCommerce
Limitations
Free accounts get email support only for the first 60 days
Free plan shows Klaviyo branding in emails and sign-up forms
Price rises with active profiles, so costs grow with the list
Best for businesses with developers that send high volumes of SMS through an API
Best for
Businesses with developers that send high volumes of SMS through an API
Starting price
$1,000 USD, per month (Enterprise plan, required for SMS), plus usage
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
API, web console
Plivo is a communications API for voice, SMS, WhatsApp and verification. SMS, shortcodes and custom sender IDs are only on the Enterprise plan, which starts at $1,000 a month plus per-message fees.
Strengths
US SMS from $0.0077 per message on long codes
Coverage across 190+ countries on Enterprise
Shortcodes and custom sender IDs
Volume discounts and custom billing intervals on Enterprise
Limitations
SMS is only available on the Enterprise plan, from $1,000 a month
US carrier surcharges apply on top of per-message rates
Built for or usable by small businesses and small teams
A published product page and pricing page we could check
Actively maintained, with a working sign-up or trial
Covers the core job this list is about, not just a feature of it
A mix of free, low-cost and established options
About this list
Where the facts come from
Every price, plan and feature comes from the tool's own website, pricing page or docs, or from our own test account. Each tool links to its sources and shows the date we checked them.
What we leave out
No scores, star ratings or review counts. If we can't confirm a fact from an official source, we leave it out and mark it "not published".
When it's reviewed
Last updated 27 Sep 2026. Next review due 26 Dec 2026. We review every list at least every 90 days.
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