The 10 Best SMS Marketing Platforms for 2025: Top Features, Benefits, and Best Practices

Achieve unmatched customer engagement with SMS marketing—boasting sky-high open rates and immediate impact, these platforms can transform how you connect with your audience. Discover the 10 best SMS marketing tools that will drive results, boost sales, and keep your business ahead of the competition.

Benefits of SMS Marketing

• High Open Rates: Let’s face it, emails often end up in the spam folder or simply ignored. Text messages, on the other hand, have a staggering 98% open rate!  
• Direct and Immediate Communication: SMS messages land directly in your customer’s pocket, providing instant communication. This makes it perfect for time-sensitive offers, reminders, and urgent updates.  
• Personalized Engagement: With SMS marketing, you can address your customers by name and segment your audience for targeted messaging, fostering a personal connection.  
• Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional marketing channels, SMS marketing is incredibly affordable, especially for small businesses with limited budgets.  
• Easy to Track: Most SMS marketing platforms provide robust analytics to track your campaign performance, allowing you to measure success and optimize your strategies.  

Best Time to Send SMS Marketing

Timing is everything in SMS marketing. Here are some general guidelines:

• Lunchtime (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM): People are often on their phones during their lunch break, making it a good time to catch their attention.
• Afternoons (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM): As the workday winds down, people are more likely to check their phones.
• Avoid Early Mornings and Late Nights: No one wants to be woken up by a promotional text! Stick to reasonable hours.

SMS Marketing Best Practices

• Get Permission: Always get explicit consent before sending marketing messages. This not only ensures you’re following regulations but also builds trust with your customers.  
• Keep it Concise: No one wants to read a novel on their phone. Get straight to the point and use clear, concise language.  
• Include a Call to Action: What do you want customers to do after receiving your message? Make it clear with a strong call to action.  
• Don’t Overdo It: Bombarding customers with texts is a surefire way to get them to opt out. Find a balance that keeps your brand top-of-mind without being annoying.
• Use a Dedicated Shortcode or Keyword: This makes it easy for customers to recognize your messages and opt in or out of your campaigns.  

Top 10 Best SMS Marketing Platforms for Small Businesses

1. GoHighLevel

Best for: Marketing agencies and businesses with multiple channels.  

Stand-out feature: All-in-one platform with SMS, email, and CRM features.  

Pricing: Starts at $97/month.  

GoHighLevel is more than just an SMS marketing platform; it’s a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline your entire marketing and customer relationship management process. While it might have a steeper learning curve than some other platforms, its all-in-one approach can be a game-changer for businesses looking to centralize their operations.

Features:

• Centralized CRM: Manage all your customer interactions, from lead generation to follow-up campaigns, in one central hub.  
• Multi-Channel Marketing: GoHighLevel allows you to launch SMS campaigns, email campaigns, and even voicemail drops, all from a single interface.  
• Workflow Automation: Automate your follow-ups, lead nurturing, and other marketing tasks with the easy-to-use Workflow Builder.  
• Customizable Landing Pages and Lead Forms: Generate leads and grow your contact list with customizable landing pages and lead forms that integrate directly with your CRM.  
• Robust Analytics: Track key metrics like open rates, response rates, and click-throughs to measure campaign performance and optimize your strategies.  

2. SimpleTexting

Best for: Easy-to-run SMS marketing campaigns.  

Stand-out feature: Intuitive interface and easy campaign setup.

Pricing: From $39/month for 500 credits.  

SimpleTexting lives up to its name. It’s incredibly easy to use, even for those new to SMS marketing. The platform focuses on simplifying the process of creating and launching marketing campaigns, making it a great choice for small businesses looking for a hassle-free solution.

Features:

• Easy Campaign Creation: Setting up a new campaign is a breeze. Just give it a name, craft your message, and select your recipients.  
• Keywords and Autoresponders: Grow your list and engage with potential customers using keywords and automated responses.  
• Built-in Apps: Run surveys, polls, and sweepstakes to gather valuable customer data and boost engagement.  
• Detailed Analytics: Track the performance of your campaigns with comprehensive analytics that provide insights into subscriber growth, keyword usage, and more.  
• Away Messages and Team Collaboration: Set up away messages for when you’re unavailable and collaborate with your team using multiple user seats.  

3. TextMagic

Best for: Quickly sending texts.  

Stand-out feature: Pay-as-you-go pricing for flexibility.  

TextMagic is a powerful yet simple SMS marketing platform that prioritizes efficiency. Its pay-as-you-go pricing model offers great flexibility, especially for businesses with fluctuating messaging needs. While its automation features may not be as advanced as some competitors, TextMagic excels at sending quick, individual texts and managing contacts.

Features:

• Intuitive Web App: TextMagic’s clean and uncluttered interface makes it easy to navigate and send messages quickly.  
• Two-Way Messaging: Send and receive messages from your own mobile number or a dedicated TextMagic number.  
• Contact List Management: Build contact lists by importing data, manually adding entries, or using a click-to-text form on your website.  
• Scheduled Messages and Templates: Schedule messages for future delivery and create templates for recurring messages like appointment confirmations.  
• Pay-as-You-Go Pricing: Only pay for the texts you send, with no monthly fees or contracts.  

4. SlickText

Best for: Collecting phone numbers and advanced marketing.

Stand-out feature: Opt-in web forms and pop-ups for list building.  

SlickText is a marketing-focused SMS platform that excels at helping you grow your contact list and engage with potential customers. Its strength lies in its ability to capture phone numbers through various channels and automate marketing campaigns. While advanced features like workflows come at a higher price, SlickText’s intuitive tools and solid onboarding make it a great choice for businesses looking to expand their reach.

Features:

• Opt-in Forms and Pop-ups: Easily collect phone numbers through your website or social media accounts using customizable forms and pop-ups.  
• Marketing Tools: SlickText offers a range of tools to help you create effective marketing campaigns, including opt-in web forms, website pop-ups, text surveys, and automated opt-in links. These tools are designed to be user-friendly and visually appealing, allowing you to quickly create professional-looking campaigns without any technical expertise.

5. Sakari

Best for: Outgoing SMS marketing.

Stand-out feature: Affordable pricing for outbound messages.  

Sakari is a cost-effective SMS marketing platform that’s perfect for businesses that primarily send outgoing text messages, such as booking confirmations, delivery notifications, and reminders. Its integration with Zapier makes it easy to automate your SMS workflow, and its affordable pricing plans make it a great choice for budget-conscious businesses.  

Features:

• Easy Campaign Creation: Create and manage SMS campaigns with ease using Sakari’s intuitive interface.
• Integrations: Connect Sakari with other apps like Zapier to automate your workflow and streamline your processes.
• Affordable Pricing: Sakari offers competitive pricing plans, especially for outbound messages, making it a budget-friendly option.  
• Free Trial: Test out Sakari’s features with a free trial before committing to a paid plan.

6. Salesmsg

Best for: Small, local businesses using SMS.

Stand-out feature: Local phone numbers for U.S. and Canada.  

Salesmsg is a great option for small businesses in the U.S. and Canada that want to establish a local presence. It allows you to get a local phone number, making it easier to connect with customers in your area. While its web app is a bit simplistic, Salesmsg integrates with popular CRMs like HubSpot and Pipedrive, making it a valuable addition to your marketing toolkit.  

Features:

• Local Phone Numbers: Get a local phone number for your business in the U.S. or Canada.  
• CRM Integrations: Integrate Salesmsg with your CRM platform to manage contacts and automate text messaging.  
• Triggers and Webhooks: Use triggers to create webhooks and automate specific kinds of messages, like appointment reminders.  
• Call Forwarding: Enable call forwarding to your personal or business phone.  

7. EZ Texting

Best for: Non-technical people who want guidance.

Stand-out feature: Excellent onboarding and help documentation.  

EZ Texting is designed with ease of use in mind. It offers comprehensive onboarding and helpful documentation, making it a great choice for businesses that are new to SMS marketing or prefer a more guided approach. While experienced users might find the hand-holding a bit excessive, EZ Texting’s intuitive interface and clear instructions make it easy for anyone to get started.  

Features:

• Group and One-on-One Texting: Send messages to groups or individual customers.  
• Marketing Campaigns: Create and manage various types of marketing campaigns.  
• Reporting and Analytics: Track campaign performance with detailed reports.  
• Clear Instructions and Help Docs: EZ Texting provides clear instructions and helpful documentation at every step.  
• Customer Support: Get assistance from EZ Texting’s customer support team if you need help.  

8. Twilio

Best for: Customization and flexibility.

Stand-out feature: Developer-friendly API for custom integrations.  

Twilio is a powerful, developer-focused platform that offers unparalleled customization and flexibility. While it requires more technical expertise to set up than other platforms, Twilio’s API allows you to build custom SMS messaging solutions tailored to your specific needs. It’s a great choice for businesses that want complete control over their SMS infrastructure and integrations.  

Features:

• Flexible API: Twilio’s API allows developers to integrate SMS messaging into any application or workflow.  
• No-Code Features: Twilio also offers no-code features and integrations with platforms like Zapier, making it accessible to non-developers.  
• Customizable Solutions: Build custom SMS messaging solutions tailored to your specific business needs.
• Cost-Effective for Developers: Twilio’s pricing can be very competitive, especially for developers who can leverage its full potential.  

9. Podium

Best for: Businesses that want to manage all customer interactions in one place.

Stand-out feature: Integrates with Google My Business and Facebook Messenger.

Podium is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses to manage all their customer interactions, including SMS, webchat, and online reviews, in one central location. Its integration with Google My Business and Facebook Messenger makes it easy to stay connected with customers across multiple channels.

Features:

• Multi-Channel Communication: Manage SMS, webchat, and online reviews in one platform.
• Google My Business and Facebook Messenger Integration: Connect with customers on their preferred channels.
• Payment Processing: Collect payments via text message.
• Team Collaboration Tools: Streamline communication and collaboration within your team.

10. Attentive

Best for: E-commerce businesses looking to drive sales and engagement.

Stand-out feature: Personalized SMS marketing campaigns based on customer behavior.

Attentive is a powerful SMS marketing platform designed to help e-commerce businesses drive sales and increase customer engagement. It allows you to create personalized SMS campaigns based on customer behavior, such as abandoned carts and browsing history.

Features:

• Personalized Campaigns: Create targeted SMS campaigns based on customer behavior.
• E-commerce Integrations: Integrate Attentive with your e-commerce platform for seamless data syncing.
• Sign-up Forms and Pop-ups: Grow your subscriber list with customizable sign-up forms and pop-ups.
• Advanced Analytics: Track campaign performance and gain insights into customer behavior.

Choosing the Right SMS Marketing Platform

The best SMS marketing platform for your business will depend on your specific needs and budget. Consider the following factors when making your decision:

• Ease of Use: How easy is the platform to navigate and use?
• Features: Does the platform offer the features you need, such as automation, integrations, and analytics?
• Pricing: How much does the platform cost? Is there a free trial available?
• Customer Support: What kind of customer support does the platform offer?
• Scalability: Can the platform grow with your business?

SMS Marketing Automation

SMS marketing automation can save you time and improve your campaign performance. Here are some ways to automate your SMS marketing:

• Welcome Messages: Automatically send a welcome message to new subscribers.
• Birthday Messages: Send personalized birthday messages to your customers.
• Order Confirmations and Shipping Updates: Keep customers informed about their orders.
• Appointment Reminders: Reduce no-shows with automated appointment reminders.
• Abandoned Cart Reminders: Recover lost sales with timely reminders.

SMS Marketing Campaigns

Here are some ideas for effective SMS marketing campaigns:

• Flash Sales: Announce limited-time offers and discounts.
• Contests and Giveaways: Generate excitement and engagement with contests and giveaways.
• Product Launches: Promote new products and services.
• Customer Feedback: Collect valuable feedback through SMS surveys.
• Loyalty Programs: Reward loyal customers with exclusive offers and discounts.

SMS Marketing Cost

The cost of SMS marketing varies depending on the platform you choose and the number of messages you send. Most platforms offer tiered pricing plans based on message volume. Some platforms also offer pay-as-you-go pricing, which can be a good option for businesses with fluctuating messaging needs.

SMS marketing is a powerful tool that can help small businesses reach their target audience, build relationships, and drive sales. By choosing the right SMS marketing platform and following best practices, you can create effective campaigns that deliver results.

Remember to consider your specific needs and budget when selecting a platform. Don’t be afraid to try out a few different platforms with free trials to see which one best fits your business.