How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Attentive and Postscript dominate e-commerce SMS, but they sit at opposite ends of transparency: Attentive is quote-based and managed, Postscript publishes every rate.
- Klaviyo and Omnisend are the picks when SMS is one channel among several, since both bundle SMS with email, and in Omnisend's case push notifications.
- SimpleTexting, SlickText, EZ Texting, and TextMagic serve non-e-commerce senders, with TextMagic's pay-as-you-go model fitting irregular senders best.
- Carrier fees and 10DLC registration costs apply on top of almost every plan, so compare all-in costs, not headline rates.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Attentive | Large e-commerce brands with managed programs | See website (custom quote) | No |
 Klaviyo | Stores running email and SMS together | From $20/month (email); SMS from $15/month | Yes (150 SMS credits/month) |
 Postscript | Shopify brands wanting transparent SMS pricing | Starter $0/month ($49 minimum spend) | Yes (Starter tier) |
 SimpleTexting | Small teams running their first campaigns | From $29/month (500 credits) | Free trial |
 SlickText | Compliance-first marketing teams | From $29/month (500 credits) | Free trial (14 days) |
 EZ Texting | Local businesses sending promotions | From $25/month (Launch) | Free trial (14 days, 120 credits) |
 TextMagic | Occasional senders avoiding subscriptions | Pay as you go, from $0.049/text | Free trial |
 Trumpia | Multi-channel campaigns with automation | From $45/month | Free trial |
 Omnisend | E-commerce brands bundling email, SMS and push | From $16/month | Yes |
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The best software to boost sales with SMS marketing
Starting priceSee website (custom quote)
Free planNo
Attentive is the enterprise end of SMS marketing. It processes billions of messages a year for major retail brands, and its signature feature is a two-tap mobile signup that auto-populates the subscriber's phone number, cutting the friction out of list building. On top of that sits AI-powered send optimization and a compliance operation built to survive carrier scrutiny and TCPA claims.
The price of admission is opacity. Attentive publishes no pricing page, and every contract is a custom quote shaped by your volume and channels. Third-party reporting puts entry costs around a few hundred dollars a month with quarterly minimums in the low thousands. If you are a mid-market or enterprise brand sending six-figure monthly volumes and you want a managed program, that trade works. If you are a small brand that wants to see a number before a sales call, it does not.
What we like- Patented two-tap mobile signup drives strong list growth
- AI send-time optimization
- White-glove onboarding and 24/7 support
Watch out for- No public pricing, every deal is a negotiated quote
- Annual commitments are common, which locks smaller brands in
Starting priceFrom $20/month (email); SMS from $15/month
Free planYes (150 SMS credits/month)
Klaviyo's case for SMS is coordination. Because email and SMS live on the same customer profile, you can build flows that choose the channel per message: email for the first abandoned-cart nudge, SMS for the last one an hour before the discount expires. Predictive analytics for lifetime value and churn risk feed directly into SMS segments, which is more than most standalone SMS tools offer.
The pricing structure has two parts. The email plan starts at $20 a month for up to 500 contacts, and SMS is a credit add-on starting at $15 a month for 1,250 credits. Every plan includes 150 free SMS credits. Watch two things: credits expire at the end of each billing cycle, and international messages cost multiple credits, so a brand with a global list can burn through its allowance faster than expected.
What we like- Email and SMS share one flow builder and one customer profile
- Predictive analytics feed SMS targeting
- 150 free SMS credits every month
Watch out for- Costs scale fast as active profiles grow
- Credits do not roll over
- International SMS burns credits quickly
Starting priceStarter $0/month ($49 minimum spend)
Free planYes (Starter tier)
Postscript is the anti-Attentive. Its pricing page lists everything: Starter at $0 a month with a $49 monthly minimum spend, Growth at $100 a month, Professional at $500 a month, with per-message rates from about $0.009 per SMS plus carrier fees passed through at cost. A Shopify brand can calculate its real monthly bill before signing anything.
The product is built for one job: SMS as a revenue channel for Shopify stores. The automation library covers abandoned carts, browse abandonment, post-purchase, and win-back flows out of the box, and compliance tooling, including A2P 10DLC registration, is handled inside the platform. The limits are real, though. Postscript is Shopify-only, and after its 2026 pricing restructure, brands under about $1M in GMV may find Klaviyo's free tier cheaper at low volumes.
What we like- Every rate is published, so you can model your true bill
- Strong abandoned-cart and browse-abandonment automations
- Managed 10DLC compliance in-platform
Watch out for- Shopify-only, with shallow integrations elsewhere
- The $49 monthly minimum makes it poor value at very low volumes
Starting priceFrom $29/month (500 credits)
Free planFree trial
SimpleTexting is the tool reviewers keep recommending to first-time senders, and the reason is simplicity. Plans are priced by message credits, starting at $29 a month for 500 credits on a toll-free number, with a 14-day free trial that does not ask for a credit card. Every plan includes unlimited contacts, free incoming messages, mass texting, two-way messaging, and an AI writing assistant.
The honest trade-offs are geography and depth. It is a US and Canada platform, so international brands need to look elsewhere. Segmentation covers link clicks, signup method, and custom fields, which is enough for most promotional campaigns but thinner than what Attentive or Klaviyo offer. For a restaurant, gym, or local retailer running promotions and reminders, it is the right amount of tool.
What we like- Genuinely easy to use with a short learning curve
- Unlimited contacts and free incoming texts on every plan
- AI message drafting included
Watch out for- US and Canada only
- Segmentation is functional but not enterprise-grade
Starting priceFrom $29/month (500 credits)
Free planFree trial (14 days)
SlickText markets itself on compliance, and the product backs it up. Double opt-in, opt-out intelligence, and built-in TCPA workflows make it a comfortable choice for teams whose legal department reads marketing contracts. All features, mass texting, automation, shared inbox, analytics, are included on every plan, so the plan you pick is purely a volume decision.
Pricing starts at $29 a month for 500 credits, matching SimpleTexting, but note that 1-on-1 onboarding only switches on at the $129 tier, so the entry plan is self-serve by design. Credits roll over for a month on monthly plans, which softens the blow of an uneven sending schedule. Like SimpleTexting, it is North America only, so it is not the pick for global campaigns.
What we like- Strong compliance tooling with opt-out intelligence
- Every feature included on every plan
- Credits roll over to the next month
Watch out for- Entry plan lacks 1-on-1 onboarding, which is gated to higher tiers
- Sending limited to North America
Starting priceFrom $25/month (Launch)
Free planFree trial (14 days, 120 credits)
EZ Texting prices by contacts rather than messages, which is unusual in this category. The Launch plan at $25 a month covers up to 500 contacts, Boost at $75 covers up to 2,000, and Scale at $125 covers up to 50,000. All of them include the same 500 monthly message credits, so moving up the ladder buys contact headroom and a cheaper overage rate, not more messages.
For a local business with a big list and modest sending, that structure works well. Compliance tooling, automatic opt-in capture, and mandatory opt-out handling come standard, and the AI Compose feature drafts message variants from a short prompt. Watch the fine print: additional seats are $10 a month each, and only the Launch plan carries a $5 monthly telecom fee, waived on Boost and above.
What we like- Transparent published pricing from $25 a month
- Built-in compliance tooling on every plan
- AI message drafting and MMS support included
Watch out for- Every plan below Enterprise includes the same 500 monthly credits, so upgrading buys contacts, not messages
- Extra user seats cost $10 a month each
Starting pricePay as you go, from $0.049/text
Free planFree trial
TextMagic is the pay-as-you-go pick for senders who do not want a monthly bill. The headline rate is $0.049 per SMS credit with no required subscription, and prepaid credits never expire. Unlimited users and unlimited contacts come standard, which most subscription tools charge extra for.
The number most buyers miss is the compliance floor. After the first month, a local number costs $10 a month and 10DLC campaign registration costs another $10 a month, so the real minimum is about $20 a month even if you send ten texts. Below roughly 500 messages a month it is still usually the cheapest option. Above that, the subscription tools win. It is also a sending platform first and a marketing suite second, so campaign automation is thinner than the e-commerce specialists.
What we like- No monthly subscription required
- Credits never expire
- Unlimited users and contacts on every account
Watch out for- Real monthly floor is about $20 once number and 10DLC fees apply
- Per-message cost adds up at high volumes
Starting priceFrom $45/month
Free planFree trial
Trumpia takes a different approach from the SMS-only tools: every plan bundles SMS with email, starting with the Core Multi 1,000 plan at $45 a month for 1,000 SMS and 5,000 emails. The Smart tier adds a workflow automation builder with multi-step journeys, dynamic targeting, and campaign consulting.
That bundling is the point. If you run coordinated campaigns across SMS and email and you want one vendor, one inbox, and one bill, Trumpia is built for that. The Advanced plans start at $195 a month with enterprise tooling and account management. The trade-off is entry cost: $45 a month is higher than the $29 entry points of SimpleTexting and SlickText, so pure SMS senders get less for the money.
What we like- Bundles SMS with email in every plan
- Workflow automation builder for multi-step campaigns
- 365-day support included on Core plans
Watch out for- Higher entry price than pure SMS tools
- The plan lineup has changed names over time, so compare current tiers carefully
Starting priceFrom $16/month
Free planYes
Omnisend's pitch is consolidation. Instead of paying for an email platform and a separate SMS tool, one subscription covers email, SMS, and web push. The Standard plan starts at $16 a month, and the Pro plan at $59 a month includes unlimited emails plus SMS credits equal to the plan cost, which works out to roughly 3,900 US messages.
The free plan is genuinely usable: 250 contacts with 500 emails a month, which is enough to test the channel before paying. The catch is that SMS on the Standard plan is metered at about $0.007 per message with only a token credit included, so meaningful SMS volume means stepping up to Pro or buying top-ups. For Shopify and other e-commerce stores that want one tool for every channel, the math usually beats buying two vendors.
What we like- One subscription covers email, SMS, and push
- Free plan includes 250 contacts
- SMS credits included on the Pro plan
Watch out for- SMS on the Standard plan is essentially an add-on
- The platform is e-commerce focused, so other industries get less
How we chose
We compared these tools using vendor pricing pages and public documentation, checked against user reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner write-ups. Every product is actively sold in 2026 and supports promotional SMS campaigns, not just transactional alerts. We verified current pricing where vendors publish it and marked quote-based pricing clearly where they do not. No hands-on testing was involved; the rankings reflect documented features, pricing transparency, and fit for different sender profiles.
The compliance layer nobody budgets for
SMS marketing in the US runs on a compliance stack that most first-time buyers underestimate. Every business sender needs a registered sending number, either 10DLC for local numbers or verified toll-free, and carriers can block or fine senders that skip opt-in rules. Registration typically costs a few dollars to register plus a monthly campaign fee, and most platforms either handle it for you or charge you for it.
Then there are carrier fees. On top of whatever your platform charges per message, the mobile carriers levy pass-through fees, roughly $0.004 per SMS in the US, and every legitimate platform passes them to you at cost. Nobody absorbs them. When you budget, add about half a cent per message to every plan's headline rate, and confirm whether the vendor's quote includes them.
Finally, TCPA consent rules are strict and the penalties are real. Every tool on this list includes opt-in capture and automatic opt-out handling, but the workflow is only as good as your list hygiene. Buy a list, text people who did not opt in, and the platform is not the thing that gets fined. You are.
Start with your sending pattern. If you send in bursts around launches and holidays, a pay-as-you-go tool like TextMagic or a credit-based plan with rollover like SlickText beats a fixed monthly allowance you will waste. If you send steadily, compare the per-message cost at your actual volume, including carrier fees and overages.
Next, decide whether SMS stands alone. E-commerce brands usually do better with Klaviyo or Omnisend, where SMS shares data and flows with email. Service businesses and local retailers usually do better with a dedicated SMS tool like SimpleTexting or EZ Texting, where the interface assumes texting is the whole job.
Then check the number situation. Dedicated short codes start around $1,000 a month and are an enterprise purchase; most teams should use 10DLC or toll-free. Confirm what the platform charges for the number and registration, because that is the fee buyers most often discover after signup.
Finally, run the compliance check before the price check. Confirm the platform handles 10DLC registration, supports double opt-in, and logs consent. A cheaper tool that leaves compliance to you is not cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
How much does SMS marketing cost per message?
Platform rates range from about $0.007 to $0.05 per SMS depending on volume and vendor, and carrier pass-through fees add roughly $0.004 per message on top. At 10,000 messages a month, expect $100 to $500 in platform costs plus $40 in carrier fees. Quote-based platforms like Attentive bundle these differently, so ask for the all-in number.
Is SMS marketing legal without explicit consent?
No. In the US, the TCPA requires prior express written consent before you send marketing texts, with penalties per message for violations. Every legitimate platform enforces opt-in and opt-out workflows, but the legal responsibility for consent sits with you, not the vendor.
What is 10DLC and do I need it?
10DLC is the carrier-approved system for sending business texts from standard 10-digit local numbers. If you send marketing SMS from a local number in the US, you need a registered 10DLC campaign. Registration takes a few days and carries a monthly fee, usually around $10. Toll-free numbers use a separate verification process.
Which is better for e-commerce: Attentive, Klaviyo, or Postscript?
It depends on size and priorities. Attentive suits large brands that want a managed program and can handle quote-based pricing. Klaviyo suits brands that want SMS coordinated with email on one profile. Postscript suits Shopify brands that want transparent, self-serve pricing and deep SMS automation. All three are strong; the wrong choice is usually about fit, not quality.
Can I send SMS internationally with these tools?
Some can. Klaviyo supports about 22 countries, Postscript covers the US and Canada, and SimpleTexting and SlickText are North America only. International messages cost multiple credits on most platforms, so check the per-country rate before you assume your domestic math applies.
Do unused SMS credits roll over?
It depends on the vendor. SlickText rolls credits over for a month, TextMagic credits never expire, and Klaviyo and Postscript credits expire at the end of the billing cycle. If your sending is seasonal, rollover terms matter more than the headline per-message rate.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.omnisend.com/blog/omnisend-vs-postscript/
- https://taylorsicard.com/blog/attentive-vs-postscript-pricing
- https://simpletexting.com/blog/best-text-messaging-services-small-business/
- https://www.slicktext.com/blog/2025/10/best-sms-marketing-platforms/amp/
- https://www.g2.com/products/simpletexting/pricing
- https://www.smscomparison.com/reviews/slicktext/
- https://www.smscomparison.com/reviews/ez-texting/
- https://ddiy.co/textmagic-review/
- https://comparisons.financesonline.com/maropost-marketing-cloud-vs-trumpia-vs-messente
- https://www.omnisend.com/blog/klaviyo-pricing/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.