Business text messaging

In a few short decades, customer support options evolved from dialing landline telephones to tweeting at businesses and texting them from smartphones. Business leaders noticed this trend, offering business text messaging to create convenient customer experiences.

• What is business text messaging?
• Comparison chart of the top business text services and apps
• The 15 best text services for your business
• Key features of business texting software
• Benefits of using a business texting app or service
• Best practice for business text messaging
• How to choose the right business texting platform
• Business text messaging FAQs
• Try a business SMS service for free

Business text messaging is the exchange of conversations between a company and its leads, customers or employees through messaging. In addition to standard texts, business text messaging includes mobile communication channels, such as chat apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. It allows businesses to meet people where they already are, on the channels they prefer - leading to a better experience.

From a distance, text message software might appear similar. But not all are created equal. In the comparison table below, we outline the main features, price points and free trial periods so you can easily compare the best text messaging service for businesses at a high level.

1. Zendesk

Say goodbye to teams piecing together fragmented information spread across different systems. At Zendesk, we help you break down silos that arise when you communicate with customers across channels. Zendesk can set your team up for success by providing clear access to high-priority conversations and the ability to collaborate on multiple tickets simultaneously - all in a centralised workspace.

Because agents and teams share a unified view, collaboration is much easier, boosting efficiency and productivity and resulting in higher customer satisfaction. The Zendesk business text messaging application also features robust customer journey profiles that give agents quick access to the info they need to deliver a personalised, contextually relevant service.

Add messaging to your website, mobile apps, social and business channels to allow customers to reach you instantly By tightly coupling business messaging with other channels - like Facebook Messenger for Business or Twitter for Business - agents no longer need to toggle between multiple interfaces to find customer information across channels. Zendesk makes it easy, allowing you to configure and send business text messages via WhatsApp for Business and SMS from within a simple user interface.

Business text messaging allows for 24/7 omnichannel support, so customers can conveniently connect with you on their own time, on their preferred communication channel. Since bots are always on, customers can get seamless support and self-service resources around the clock.

Features:

• Industry-leading unified agent workspace
• Omnichannel support (across email, voice, web, mobile and social)
• Automations and workflows
• AI-powered automated answers
• Pre-built reporting and analytics
• Canned snippets
• Ticket routing, categorisation and tagging
• Customisation
• Knowledge base management
• Real time chat
• API and integrations
• Email with unlimited addresses
• Tracking and measurement

Pricing plans:

• Suite Team: $55 per agent/month
• Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month
• Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month
• Suite Enterprise: Contact sales

Free trial: 14 days

2. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting is a text messaging service geared toward SMS and MMS marketing campaigns across various industries. It includes messaging-focused features like group texting, extended messaging, autoresponders, trigger-based messaging, scheduled texts and analytics.

If you’d like to collect customer feedback via text message, SimpleTexting has you covered with text polls. Additionally, SimpleTexting offers features like self-cleaning number lists. This feature automatically removes dead phone numbers so you don’t have to.

Features:

• Free incoming SMS messages
• Unlimited contacts
• Support is available 7 days a week
• Unlimited sign-up keywords
• Rollover credits
• 5 user seats
• Integrations with over 400 apps

Pricing:

• Volume-based pricing starts at $29 per month for 500 messages
• Custom plans available

Free trial: 14 days

3. EZ Texting

EZ Texting bills itself as an all-in-one text marketing solution while catering to customer service, sales, HR and employee operations teams. All EZ Texting plans include unlimited incoming messages, phone and chat support, image editing tools and growth tools (like QR codes and signup forms).

Plans vary in terms of how many users you’re allowed, how many keywords you can use and how many numbers you get. EZ Texting does not include voice services.

Features:

• Free two-way texting
• Mass texting and text forwarding
• SafeSTOP opt-out
• SMS texts up to 160 characters
• Image texting support
• Contact management
• Message templates

Pricing:

• Launch: $25 per month (up to 500 contacts)
• Boost: $75 per month (up to 2,000 contacts)
• Scale: $125 per month (up to 50,000 contacts)
• Enterprise: $3000 per month (more than 50,000 contacts)

Free trial: 14 days

Learn more about EZ Texting for Zendesk.

4. Textedly

Textedly is a full-service digital mobile provider that offers business SMS solutions. With its volume-based pricing, you can scale your messaging depending on business needs. Textedly connects to popular tools like Slack, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Zendesk and Quickbooks, so it can integrate with your existing tech stack.

Textedly plans include free incoming messages, mass group texting, toll-free phone numbers, text scheduling, text messages over 300 characters, two-way SMS, auto-reply texts, comprehensive analytics and social media messaging. Each plan varies in the number of messages you can send per month and the number of custom keywords you can use.

Features:

• 1,200 to 30,000 messages per month
• SMS keywords to enable users to sign up for text marketing and notification campaigns
• Text scheduling for single texts and group messages
• Free incoming messages
• Two-way SMS
• Messaging analytics
• Social media messaging

Pricing:

• Bronze: $24 per month
• Plus: $39 per month
• Enterprise: $50 per month
• Elite: $70 per month
• Business: $140 per month
• Silver: $210 per month
• Premium: $350 per month
• Custom: Call Textedly

Free trial: 14 days

5. Sakari

Sakari offers one of the best platforms for outbound messaging, sending bulk texts and creating text templates. However, charges attached to inbound and outbound texts add up fast. Businesses focusing on texting for booking confirmations, delivery notifications and order updates will benefit the most.

With Sakari, you can send individual and group messages right out of the box. You can also create marketing campaigns and integrate them with other apps.

Features:

• SMS and MMS (MMS only in the U.S. and Canada)
• Text message templates
• Mass texting
• Marketing campaign functionality

Pricing:

• Starter: $16 per month (500 messages)
• Growth: $30 per month (1,000 messages)
• Business: $90 per month (3,125 messages)
• Team: $170 per month (6,250 messages)
• Gold: $330 per month (12,500 messages)
• Elite: $640 per month (25,000 messages)

Free trial: 14 days

6. TextMagic

TextMagic’s SMS messaging for business aims to create a great customer support and marketing experience. With this text messaging software, you can automate everything from notifications, to confirmations, to SMS marketing campaigns. TextMagic offers bulk texting, two-way texting, automation and segmentation. The easy-to-use platform also works in over 200 countries.

Users can send texts through their TextMagic number to route replies to their API, web app, email or personal phone. You can also log contact information from an Excel spreadsheet, CSV form or click-to-text forms. TextMagic is a pay-as-you-go service that charges four cents per text.

Features:

• SMS and MMS (no group messaging)
• Mass texting
• Auto-replies
• Schedule texts
• Built-in automation and segmentation
• APIs that route replies

Pricing:

• Pay-as-you-go pricing: $0.04 per outbound text

Free trial: 30 days

7. Twilio

Even though Twilio offers no-code tools and out-of-the-box features, this platform suits developers. Thanks to its range of APIs, Twilio lets businesses add SMS texting, call redirection and other features to their own services. While you need technical expertise to get the most value out of Twilio, developers can make it a cost-effective and customisable platform.

Twilio also gets an edge from its marketing analytics tools. Its Message Insights feature allows you to assess your marketing strategies and weigh key metrics. Additionally, its advanced message delivery reports highlight where you’re succeeding and where you need to improve.

Features:

• Messaging (SMS text messages, WhatsApp, chat)
• Programmable voice for making and receiving calls
• Video support
• Email integration
• A range of pre-built products and APIs
• Customisation for developers

Pricing:

• Pay-as-you-go pricing: Starting at $0.0079 per text message

Free trial: 14 days

8. Salesmsg

Salesmsg offers a reliable cloud-based platform you can use from a web interface or mobile app. The app sidebar contains four tabs: Conversations, Contacts, Broadcasts, and Triggers. Businesses looking for extra features need to integrate Salesmsg with other apps.

Salesmsg’s one-click integration with Outlook and Google helps customers book appointments easily and can automate text messaging when it’s connected to CRM platforms. Thanks to the wide range of integrations, you can use Salesmsg to send high volumes of messages and make calls from the same number, enabling you to gain leads and conversions in real time.

Features:

• Simple interface
• Integrations with other apps
• Bulk messaging
• Automated texts
• Voice call functionality

Pricing:

• 500 message plan: $25 per month
• 1,000 message plan: $49 per month
• 2,500 message plan: $99 per month
• 5,000 message plan: $179 per month
• 7,500 message plan: $249 per month
• 10,000+ message plan: Talk to a member of the Salesmsg team

Free trial: 14 days

9. Google Voice

Google Voice offers basic text messaging features at one of the lowest price points. Though it doesn't have advanced features, small businesses and companies with only a handful of clients will appreciate this service’s simplicity. On top of that, the software integrates with the full Google suite of tools.

While Google Voice is a great starting point for small businesses and sole proprietors, it won’t offer the features that larger companies need. After growing your business, you may want to branch out into other platforms.

Features:

• Unlimited SMS (U.S. only)
• MMS (U.S. only)
• Group messaging (8 users max)
• Voice calls
• Voicemail
• Call attendants
• Call forwarding
• Basic one-on-one text messaging

Pricing:

• Starter: $10 per user/month
• Standard: $20 per user/month
• Premier: $30 per user/month

Free trial: Not available

10. Podium

As one of the top business SMS solutions, Podium can handle plans for small and large businesses across industries, including automotive, retail, home services, professional services and healthcare. Every Podium plan comes with an inbox for all your emails, texts, phone calls and social media messages.

But note that business messaging software features - like voicemail transcriptions, automation, integrations, advanced routing and auto-responses - require an advanced plan. The same goes if you want unlimited contacts.

Features:

• Task automation
• Round-robin lead routing
• Customised branding
• Text-based website chat
• Reporting and analytics
• Unlimited contacts and team members on Standard plans
• Secure payment processing

Pricing:

• Essentials: $289 per month
• Standard: $449 per month
• Professional: $649 per month

Free trial: 14 days

11. SlickText

SlickText’s text service for business includes automatic URL shortening, bulk SMS and a text scheduler. It also offers text keywords, unlimited contacts, picture messaging and live chat support on all plans. Each plan’s price relates to text volume, though higher volume plans also get more text keywords.

SlickText focuses on growth marketers with features like text-to-join. This feature enables leads to join your marketing lists by texting your business’s shortcode a customised keyword. They can also use a QR code to opt in.

Features:

• Text keywords for signing up
• Unlimited contacts
• One-on-one onboarding support
• Picture messaging support
• Unused texts rollover
• Dedicated short codes and phone numbers

Pricing:

• The Basic: $29 per month (500 texts)
• The Step Up: $49 per month (1,000 texts)
• The Lil Bro: $79 per month (2,000 texts)
• The Big Bro: $139 per month (3,600 texts)
• The Boss: $189 per month (5,000 texts)
• The Albatross: $350 per month (10,000 texts)
• The Whale: $750 per month (25,000 texts)
• The Monstro: $1,250 per month (50,000 texts)
• Enterprise: Talk to SlickText

Free trial: 14 days

12. Thryv

Thryv’s customer messaging software comes packaged with business management solutions. The platform drives growth and automates workflows with an array of built-in tools. Thryv also offers an interface where you can find inbound and outbound messages in one place. You can integrate Thryv with other services, including social media, text and email.

You can also monitor your online reputation with new comment notifications and automatic review requests. Unlike most services, Thryv doesn’t offer cookie-cutter plans, so users select features and add them to their interface.

Features:

• Automated workflows
• Built-in business management solutions
• Integrations with social media, text and email
• User payment requests
• Centralised bill pay portal
• Online reputation analytics
• Customisable plans

Pricing:

• Plus (2 users): Customised pricing
• Premium (5 users): Customised pricing
• Unlimited (10 users): Customised pricing

Free trial: Not available

13. RingCentral

RingCentral caters to startups, small businesses and enterprises in various industries, including retail, financial services, healthcare, education, professional services and more. Whether you want to use the app or need to rent desks and conference phones, the company will lend you support.

RingCentral’s instant messaging software lets users text and send multimedia messages to their clients and colleagues from a unique business number - you can even use it for voice and fax communications. All RingCentral plans come with messaging and phone support. Users receive push and email notifications, number blocking and international SMS in 22 countries.

Features:

• SSO
• Multi-site support
• Popular CRM integrations with Zendesk, Salesforce and more
• Video meetings with up to 200 participants
• Real-time analytics
• Unlimited calls in the U.S. and Canada
• Voicemail-to-text
• Team messaging and document sharing
• Phone and desk rental options

Pricing:

• Essentials: $32.99 per user/month
• Standard: $40.99 per user/month
• Premium: $47.99 per user/month
• Ultimate: $62.99 per user/month

Free trial: 14 days

Learn more about Zendesk for RingCentral.

14. Sendinblue

Sendinblue’s SMS texting services focus on outreach through messaging with advanced plans featuring digital marketing features, such as an email designer, landing page builder and Facebook ad manager. Using Sendinblue’s SMS marketing tool, you can build campaigns, set up transactional SMS for order fulfillment, craft personalised messages and track campaign performance.

For businesses that want flexible pricing, Sendinblue is a great option for texting because it allows you to purchase prepaid SMS credits. All you need to do is go to the pricing page, enter the number of texts you want and in what country, and you’ll receive your pricing.

Features:

• Unlimited daily text messaging
• SMS marketing automation
• Advanced segmentation
• Advanced open and click stats, heat map reporting and real time reporting
• Basic and advanced integrations
• Email and phone support
• GDPR compliance
• Contact management
• Transactional emails and texting
• Automation

Pricing:

• Starter: $25 per month
• Business: $65 per month
• Enterprise: Customised pricing

Free trial: 14 days

15. Attentive

Attentive’s SMS messaging for business can help you engage with customers via messaging that fits your business needs. Features include cart abandonment reminder texts, omnichannel sign up solutions, real time updates and presale codes. Attentive allows you to tailor your text messages by customer or customer segment. This service also comes equipped with bulk SMS, coupons and promotions features to help drive marketing campaigns.

Attentive offers four products: Growth, Audience Manager, Messaging and Business Intelligence. With Audience Manager, you can build custom segments to improve message targeting and timing. Growth provides solutions for lead generation, such as mobile website sign up modules. Business Intelligence delivers detailed reports on performance so you can optimise your messaging campaigns, while Messaging is the tool that helps drive engagement and communication.

Features:

• Trigger-based automated text messaging
• Multichannel marketing
• Automatic URL shortening
• Rich media support
• A/B testing and real time statistics
• Group messaging, message personalisation and customer segmentation

Pricing:

• Contact Attentive for custom pricing

Free trial:60 days

Here are a few key features to look for when picking business texting software.

Companies can leverage text messaging as part of their sales, support and marketing strategies. Here are some key benefits of incorporating a texting service into your business.

Best practice can help you maximise the benefits of your business text messaging software.

• Personalise conversations

  
  With business text messaging, you can use customer data to engage in rich, personalised conversations. Based on the customer’s history, preferences and behaviours, you can connect with them on their preferred channel with offers, updates and language tailored to their needs.
• Find the right messaging cadence

  
  Overstimulating your customer with too many messages can cause them to immediately delete your texts. Even if your customer is open to receiving a lot of messages, some mobile networks may automatically mark your texts as spam when sent from the same number. Finding the right text message frequency can keep your customer satisfied and responsive, allowing you to continue building the relationship.
• Be responsive

  
  Don’t ghost your customers. When customers get in touch, it’s best to have an automated response ready so you can provide them with instant support. Depending on the inquiry, your always-on AI text bot can send the appropriate response. For example, perhaps you can direct them to your help centre or provide them with the phone number for customer service.
• Use macros and templates to streamline messaging

  
  Templates can help your support agents send text messages to customers at scale. With templates, you can communicate transactional details like shipping confirmations, payment reminders or shipping updates. You can also create templates for promotional messages that include personalised offers, discounts and coupons. Keep templates concise and personalised to boost engagement with the messages.
  Additionally, apply macros so that when agents update tickets, the changes are automatically communicated to the customer. These prewritten responses eliminate the need to type a manual reply, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Now that you’ve seen the top business texting software tools, features, benefits and best practice, here are a few more points to take into account:

• Would you prefer a pay-per-text or standard monthly payment plan?
• Will you emphasise inbound or outbound messages?
• Does your business focus on marketing or customer service?
• Do you only need basic features or advanced functionality?

You should also consider the following questions to help you pick the right fit.

Does it integrate with your existing customer service tool?

The right business text messaging platform should integrate with your current systems. This allows your teams to use the software quickly and enhance the customer experience sooner. Consider the out-of-the-box integrations that the software comes with and which third-party integrations - like Twitter for Business or Instagram for Business - are available so you can customise your messaging support to your business.

Is the business text messaging tool easy to set up and scale?

Your business text messaging tool should be easy to set up so you can start offering text support across several channels. The business texting application should also be flexible enough to grow with your business without any issues. This is where it’s important to consider general functionality, such as whether the tool is service-, marketing- or sales-oriented.

While you may only plan to use business texting for customer service purposes, it’s smart to consider whether it might also play a future role in your sales strategy.

Does the business text service provide a frictionless agent experience?

The business texting service you choose should be simple to use and provide a seamless experience for your team. When agents can’t do what they need to - or they can’t do it easily - the customer receives less efficient, less effective service.

If tools make agents’ jobs more difficult, they can get frustrated, which ruins morale. The downstream effect can result in agent burnout and customers experiencing low-quality service. Even the simplest support strategy relies on a strong foundation of people, processes and technology.

Business texting comes with a few extra considerations. Here are the common FAQs.