An SMS gateway is an API-driven tool that enables you to securely send SMS messages from a software application to a mobile phone or other text-enabled device over a telecommunications network. It translates messages sent from a web or mobile applicationinto a format that mobile devices can recognise. Through an SMS gateway, a computer can also receive SMS messages from a mobile device.
SMS gives a voice to your business, reaching customers quickly and effectively. Text marketing is the ultimate mobile engagement tool, with impressive open and response rates and better costs than other marketing and communication channels. It's used by all types of businesses all around the world for various use cases, from driving sales and onboarding new customers to providing customer service and sending business-critical transactional messages.
If you want to leverage SMS messaging to its fullest potential, you need a reliable SMS gateway service. To help you decide, we've compiled a list of some of the best SMS APIs that can help your business efficiently connect with your customers.
Your choice of SMS API should be based on multiple factors, including the messaging capabilities you need, your level of technical knowledge, and your budget.
Let's explore in detail a checklist of factors for your selection process and the top options you should consider for your SMS communication needs.
9 important criteria to consider when selecting an SMS API provider
Before you choose an online SMS gateway API provider for your business, you need to keep in mind some important factors that should help you make the best decision.
Bulk SMS messaging support
Since most businesses use SMS to send out promotional messages to their subscribers en masse, you need to find SMS gateway providers that will allow you to send bulk SMS messages to hundreds or even thousands of recipients at the same time.
Scalability
A good SMS gateway provider will be able to handle any message volume and scale up as your business grows.
Ease of use
Is the SMS API you've got your eye on easy to use? What's the integration like – is it simple to navigate, or will implementation require rigorous training or advanced technical skills and knowledge? Ideally, the API should come with ample documentation and support to assist you throughout and after the integration process.
Connectivity, reliability, and deliverability
How consistent an SMS gateway service is with stable uptime and deliverability and how it handles downtime determines the true level of connectivity you will be able to achieve with your audience.
Check whether delivery is guaranteed. If so, to what percentage? You won't find a mass text app with a 100% delivery rate as this isn't realistic – you must take into account any mobile network errors or invalid numbers. But you'll want reassurance that delivery rates are high. For example, Messente's customers often reach delivery rates above 90%.
Ask for real-time delivery statistics and review client case studies before making a decision.
Coverage and routing
Does your chosen SMS provider cater to all the regions where your target audiences are located? Your text messages should get delivered quickly via the best routes, even if they're being sent halfway across the world.
Automation and scheduling
By scheduling and automating your SMS campaigns, you can save a lot of precious time and gain operational efficiencies. With the right platform, you can pre-save drafts for different types of SMS messages, such as reminders and welcome texts. Therefore, SMS gateway APIs that don't incorporate modern tech for maximum efficiency don't get a green flag from us!
Reporting
With the right reporting tools, you will be able to get access to detailed campaign insights so that you can see how well your text messages are performing. You can make any changes necessary to further improve your SMS campaign ROI.
Compliance and security
When you communicate with customers via an SMS API, not only will you be handling mobile phone numbers, but you could also be sending out one-time PIN codes to enable account logins or transmitting other forms of sensitive data. Thus, you want your chosen SMS gateway service to be mindful of the legal compliance regulations applicable to the region(s) to which you expect to send messages.
If the service provider violates any laws, it could land your business in legal trouble, too, not to mention the loss of reputation and possibly hefty fines.
Check how the provider collects, stores, and processes data relating to your business as well as your customers and subscribers. You'll want an SMS API that offers secure architecture in order to comply with global privacy laws(which are more complex in some countries than others).
Willingness and ability to help
Have you checked client reviews for potential SMS providers? If not, you should do it before you make a final commitment. In the service industry, the reliability of a service provider and their ability and willingness to resolve technical glitches and customers' concerns is an important aspect to consider.
Our compilation of the 11 best SMS API providers
Within this list, you'll find a selection of two types of options. The first are open-source SMS gateway software solutions that are geared up for developers. The second type are the best SMS API providers, which are SMS-sending services that are generally easier for businesses to use.
Before we delve into the details, here’s a quick summary of the top features of each SMS API we have analysed for this article, along with pricing plans and star ratings, out of 5, for ease of use, based on Capterra user reviews.
| Best for | Ease of use (Based on Capterra user reviews) | Pricing starts from | Free trial available? | |
| Messente | SMS, WhatsApp, and Viber service Excellent customer support | 4.8/5 | €0.01 per SMS | Yes |
| Sinch | Focus on customer engagement | 4.6/5 | $0.0078 per SMS plus carrier fees starting from $0.003 | Yes |
| TextMarks | One-way bulk texting | 4.7/5 | $199 per month | No |
| Twilio | Omnichannel messaging | 4.2/5 | $0.0079 per SMS, plus carrier fees of $0.0030 per SMS | Yes |
| Telnyx | Comprehensive technical documentation and support | 4.6/5 | $1 per month per feature; $0.004 per SMS | Yes |
| Podium | Seamless communication flow Great for reputation management | 4.3/5 | $399 per month | Yes |
| EZ Texting | Text automations for marketing | 4.3/5 | $25 per month for gives 500 credits; extra credits cost $0.03 each | Yes |
| SimpleTexting | 99.95% uptime guarantee | 4.7/5 | $39 per month | Yes |
| Bird | Convenient template flows | 4.5/5 | $45 per month for 3,000 contacts, and a variable cost of $0.00331 per SMS | No |
| ClickSend | Built keeping developers in mind | 3.8/5 | $0.0250 per SMS, plus a $0.0025 per SMS carrier fee | Yes |
| Clickatell | Ecommerce SMS messaging | 4.3/5 | $800 per month plus $0.0075 per SMS, with a one-time fee of $2,330 | Yes |
And now, a more in-depth analysis.
1. Messente
Messente is an SMS gateway and API provider that connects businesses to their customers in almost 200 countries. It's an omnichannel solution that supports a wide range of SMS marketing campaigns and time-critical transactional messages.
Main features offered by Messente
Fraud protection mechanisms to shield client businesses from financial and reputational losses.
- Global reach – Messente has partnerships with over 800 mobile networks.
- Omnichannel messaging – you can also send rich content messages to Viber users.
- Supports seamless two-way SMS messaging, suited for customer support, and various other use cases.
- Bulk SMS service provider with a 98% delivery rate, ensuring that important text messages such as verification codes, urgent alerts and notifications, and promotional messages reach maximum audiences on time.
- Viber and Whatsapp Business Messages - send images, videos, and links to billions of users through the API or dashboard.
- Also offers a phone number verification API to eliminate costs incurred due to failed calls or text deliveries to invalid phone numbers.
- Adaptive routing – smart routing algorithms determine the fastest delivery channels.
- A suite of SMS campaign tools, such as message preview, scheduling, templates, unsubscribe links, contact management, and customisation options.
- 100% free (human) customer support for all clients.
- Easy SMS API integration into hundreds of apps through Zapier. The API is also developer-friendly for scalability.
- Dashboard analytics –delivery reports, campaign history, and more.
2. Sinch
A customer engagement solution, Sinch supports messaging, voice, and email interactions. It offers omnichannel messaging or standalone messaging APIs for single-channel needs. The SMS API can be integrated into your business systems with a few lines of code.
Main features offered by Sinch
- Global reach – access to more than 600 mobile networks.
- Mass text messaging.
- One or two-way SMS.
- RCS and MMS available for rich content texting.
- Verified SMS supported.
- Customer insights to monitor campaign performance.
Sinch's pricing structure
Prices for Sinch start from $0.0078 per SMS, excluding carrier fees, which are charged separately.
3. TextMarks
TextMarks has been operational since 2006 and has garnered an impressive customer base over the years, comprising thousands of businesses of all sizes. Their services, however, are only available in the US.
Main features offered by TextMarks
- API integration.
- Mass text messages.
- Dynamic automatic replies.
- Subscriber management with advanced grouping and segmentation options.
- Custom keywords.
- Shortcodes.
- The business SMS app can be managed via an intuitive interface.
TextMarks's pricing structure
Compared to many other SMS API solutions that offer services for text message marketing campaigns, TextMarks seems more interested in catering to customers with higher budgets. Their lowest package, the Gold, costs $199 per month, which one startup described as a "daunting" commitment for a nascent business.
4. Twilio
One of the most diverse SMS marketing companies, Twilio has offices in fifteen countries and the infrastructure to support communications around the world. It provides simple tools that power customer interactions and solve complex problems.
Main features offered by Twilio
- Omnichannel messaging APIs – supporting SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Business Messages.
- Short code management.
- Contact database management.
- SMS delivery reports and status updates.
- Country code and area code geomatch.
- A customer engagement solution that captures customer data.
- Customisable verification solutions, including no-input verification.
- A cloud-based contact centre platform.
Twilio's pricing structure
Prices start from $0.0079 per outbound SMS, along with an additional carrier fee of $0.0030-$0.0035 per SMS, bringing the total to around $0.011 for each text you send.
5. Telnyx
Telnyx is a next-generation communications platform. It's a licensed carrier with direct access to the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN), cutting out intermediaries to provide better quality, lower latency, and lower prices.
Main features offered by Telnyx
- SMS API with global reach.
- Supports MMS.
- Can integrate with AI chatbots for automated messaging.
- Deep number inventory – short codes, local and toll-free numbers, or an alphanumeric sender ID.
- Granular reporting for delivery insights.
- Opt-out management.
Telnyx's pricing structure
Prices are applied per message based on the destination, message type and carrier. You're only charged for what you use.
6. Podium
Podium is an Australian interaction management system that helps local businesses communicate, market to, and collect payments from customers. Podium focuses on helping small businesses interact with leads and customers, collect reviews and improve engagement, with much of this activity done through SMS messaging.
Main features offered by Podium
- Growth tools – website chat, text marketing and text message review requests.
- Omnichannel solution.
- Central communications inbox to bring customers and channels together in one place.
- Payment solutions – text to pay, Podium Payments, and Podium card readers.
- Integrates with 180+ applications.
Podium's pricing structure
Starts at $399 per month, with a 14-day free trial available.
7. EZ Texting
EZ Texting is a text marketing company aimed at small to medium-sized businesses. It provides high-ROI mobile marketing solutions that support businesses to grow.
Main features offered by EZ Texting
- SMS API for marketing and sales, customer service, and HR and employee operations.
- Robust suite of features for a wide range of SMS campaigns.
- Supports MMS messages.
- Offers helpful resources such as getting started guides and video tutorials.
- Contact management.
- Keywords and signup forms.
- Template and design tools.
- A range of textable number options.
EZ Texting's pricing structure
The lowest-priced package is $25 per month ($20 if billed annually) and gives 500 credits for the year for 500 contacts. Additional credits cost $0.03 each.
8. SimpleTexting
Originally founded as a marketing agency, SimpleTexting soon shifted its focus to offering SMS as a business communications channel. The SMS API provider caters to businesses in North America only. SimpleTexting boasts robust integration capabilities and a wide range of functionalities with varying complexities.
Main features offered by SimpleTexting
- Easy SMS API integration.
- SMS autoresponders.
- Two-way messaging is available for conversations.
- Automated SMS surveys.
- AI message generator.
- Support for MMS and extended SMS.
- Contact list management with two-way sync.
- Free compliance messages.
SimpleTexting's pricing structure
While SimpleTexting offers customised plans based on usage, the website quotes a starting monthly price of $39 for 500 text messages.
9. Bird (formerly MessageBird)
MessageBird, recently rebranded to Bird, powers communication between businesses and their customers across various channels, such as SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, push notifications, email, and voice. Bird processes more than 5 trillion messages for over 29K customers, which include Facebook, Google, and Uber.
Main features offered by Bird
- Global reach with access to over 240 direct connections in 140 countries.
- Inbox product brings together customer conversations across all supported channels for omnichannel service.
- Send and receive SMS messages and other correspondence through drag-and-drop builders, a point-and-click dashboard, or the Bird API.
- Template flows are available to help build engaging experiences.
- Omnichannel messaging widget can be embedded into any webpage.
Bird's pricing structure
The costs are based on tiers. The cheapest package costs $45 per month for 3,000 contacts and 30,000 SMS, email, and WhatsApp sends combined. On top of that is their variable cost of $0.00331 per SMS.
10. ClickSend
ClickSend offers a diverse portfolio of services, including SMS, MMS, RCS, voice, email, and even fax. Built with developers in mind, the ClickSend SMS API enables businesses in over 190 countries to send SMS messages in bulk for different campaigns and purposes.
Main features offered by ClickSend
- Global coverage.
- Developer-friendly integration and implementation of API.
- Extensive documentation and other dev tools.
- User-friendly dashboard with no download required.
- Mass text messaging.
- Contact lists.
- 2-way SMS conversations.
- Opt-out management.
- 24x7 live support.
ClickSend's pricing structure
A dedicated number costs $1.67 per month with no setup fees, while a dedicated shortcode is priced at $969.33 per month with a setup fee of $969.33. For those sending under 5,000 SMS messages in a month, the rates start from $0.0250 per SMS.
11. Clickatell
Clickatell is a chat commerce platform that supports customer relationship building through mobile messaging, engagement, and payment solutions. Clickatell allows customers to text businesses to make purchases, track orders, and resolve problems.
Main features offered by Clickatell
- SMS gateway service with an infrastructure covering more than 1,000 mobile networks.
- Supports two-way messaging.
- Omnichannel messaging – SMS, Messenger, and WhatsApp messages.
- USSD interactive messaging and chat flows.
- Transact APIs for distributing digital goods (like airtime and data).
- 99.9% platform uptime.
- 24/7 network operations monitoring.
Clickatell's pricing structure
Costs are dependent on the destination country, one-way or two-way messaging, and message volume. In some countries, one-way messaging isn't available. You can get a better estimate of monthly pricing on Clickatell's website. But to summarise, a basic package for the US starts from $800 per month, with an additional $0.0075 per SMS. A one-time application fee of $2,330 is also charged from first-time customers, which drives up the cost greatly.
Choosing the best SMS gateway service provider
SMS marketing is often heavily focused on advertising a business's products or services, with the goals of boosting sales, improving customer retention, and increasing customer engagement through two-way SMS. Your business can use text messaging to meet all these goals by choosing the best SMS gateway provider.
In this article, we've compared some of the best SMS APIs around. For some of these choices, you'll need to engage a developer, such as the open-source software options. Others provide an out-of-the-box platform that you can begin using right away.
Why not get started with text marketing using Messente's SMS gateway API? Request a demo to try the platform out.
