How to Choose the Best SMS Marketing Software for Business

If you think SMS marketing belongs to the 2000s, you couldn’t be more wrong. After all, over half of the UK consumers in the age category of 54 years and above consider SMS from brands useful. That is roughly the same for the age groups of 18-24 years as well. Why not? For one, SMS is always to the point, since 160 characters are only enough for the gist of the message – which is one great thing about it for consumers: no spamming, no nonsense. But we’re marketers, after all. We want not only engagement and clicks and conversions but ideally insights too into the customer interaction with our messages so that we make sure we cover them in omnichannel and don’t repeat the same information twice. Well, the good news is, you actually can do it all if you have proper SMS software for business.

Don’t have one?

Essential Features You’d Like to Have In Your SMS Marketing Software

Bulk SMS Messaging	For larger brands, the possibility of sending dozens and hundreds of thousands of SMSs at once, with 100% deliverability and customisation, is crucial. For smaller brands, you will need only software supporting bulk email campaigns.
Two-way SMS messaging	For smooth communication and to comply, two-way SMS messaging is a must. The consumer can place an order, leave feedback, or opt out with inbound SMS messages.
Segmentation	It is vital to pave the individual customer journey. The more detailed the segmentation, the better one can create targeted marketing messages for a user.
Opt-out management	Under regulations, including the EU’s GDPR and new US-specific FCC regulations, the ability to opt out of your marketing campaigns is a compulsory compliance feature. In the same vein, you should only send robotic marketing SMS after prior written consent.
Automation	The more automated SMS campaigns you have, the easier crafting compelling messages will be, and the more focus you can place on your strategic goals.
Integrations	Marketing does not stop at SMS campaigns; therefore, you need software that is integrated with other lead management and CRM solutions you may use or plan to use in the future.
Compliance	Be it that your software sends only SMS or it also collects and analyses data, these practices should be in compliance with CAN-SPAM, CCPA, CPRA, and TCPA.

The above table does not list features exhaustive to SMS marketing software. For example, you might want to have two-way MMS to make storytelling easier or suppression list management to make sure you are not sending SMS to consumers on a Do-Not-Call Registry.

What You May Expect From Your SMS Marketing Campaigns

SMS marketing campaigns offer great engagement, high open and click-through rates, and are very easy to communicate through. Other than the fact that it makes sales – which is, of course a given – you are able to collect feedback and find out more about your consumers and their trends.

Following is why marketers use SMS messages:

Source: Statista

Phonexa Compared With Other SMS Marketing Software Suites

	5 out of 5	4.6 out of 5
	4.9 out of 5	4.7 out of 5
Bulk SMS Messaging⏷	✅	✅
Bulk SMS messaging is the ability to send thousands of SMS messages at a time while keeping the deliverability rate at 100% and the sender’s reputation intact. Bulk messaging allows you to deliver the right message at the right time to the right consumer. Bulk SMS messaging is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers. With Phonexa, the price per SMS transaction is $0.0002.
Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
Two-Way SMS Messaging⏷	✅	✅
Two-way SMS messaging is the ability to process incoming SMS, enabling two-way communication with consumers. One-to-one communication maximises engagement rates and conversion potential. Two-way SMS messaging is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers. With Phonexa, the price per two-way SMS is $0.007 plus additional carrier fees, if any.
Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
Two-Way MMS Messaging⏷	✅	⛔
Two-way MMS messaging is the ability to process incoming media messages for higher engagement and conversion rates. Two-way MMS messaging is a rare feature among SMS marketing software providers.Phonexa provides two-way MMS messaging at $0.02 per SMS plus additional carrier fees, if any.
Score	5 out of 5	2 out of 5
Multiple ESP Integration⏷	✅	⛔
Multiple ESP integration is the ability to operate several email service providers (EPS) under one roof within a comprehensive marketing strategy while ensuring consistent branding. Multiple ESP integration is a rare feature among SMS marketing software providers.Phonexa allows you to integrate with 2, 5, or 20 ESPs, depending on the subscription plan.
Score	3.5 out of 5	2 out of 5
Summary Report Data Storage⏷	✅	✅
Summary report data storage is the ability to collect and store your campaign data so you can analyse your SMS campaigns in real-time and strategically. The more data you accumulate, the easier it is to reveal marketable patterns that can help you drive more revenues. Summary Report Data Storage is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers.Phonexa saves your SMS campaign data for 180, 365, or 1,100 days, depending on the subscription plan, with detailed reports saved for 90, 180, or 365 days.
Score	4 out of 5	4 out of 5
Segmentation⏷	✅	✅
Segmentation is the ability to automatically reveal consumer patterns and group SMS recipients accordingly so you can send the right types of messages to the right audience. Depending on the software, segmentation can be fully automated or require permission. Segmentation is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers, and Phonexa also supports automated in-depth segmentation.
Score	4.5 out of 5	4.5 out of 5
Automation⏷	✅	✅
SMS campaign automation is how well the software can execute SMS campaigns on its own. The higher the level of automation, the less effort needed for large-scale SMS campaigns, and – all other things being equal – the higher the ROI. SMS campaign automation is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers, and Phonexa also supports automated SMS marketing campaigns.
Score	5 out of 5	4.5 out of 5
A/B Testing⏷	✅	✅
A/B testing of SMS campaigns allows you to understand what strategies and elements are the most profitable or fit a particular audience. By continuously testing your campaigns, you can effectively reflect the changing nature of the market.A/B testing is a fairly common feature among SMS marketing software providers, and Phonexa supports A/B testing in its Premium and Enterprise subscription plans.
Score	5 out of 5	4 out of 5
Opt-out management⏷	✅	✅
Providing the consumer with the ability to opt out of your campaigns is a mandatory compliance requirement for all types of campaigns, including SMS. Proper opt-out management helps you keep your SMS list up to date, sending messages to interested customers. Opt-out management is a common feature among SMS marketing software providers, and Phonexa also ensures straightforward opt-out for your SMS campaigns.
Score	5 out of 5	4.5 out of 5
Suppression Management⏷	✅	⛔
Suppression management is the ability to store a list of phone numbers that should not receive your marketing SMS. SMS list suppression management is just as crucial as opt-out management: you are only allowed to message interested consumers. For example, if the phone number is on the Do-Not-Call (DNC) Registry, you are not allowed to message them.SMS suppression lists are a rare feature among SMS marketing software providers, but Phonexa supports them in all three subscription plans.
Score	5 out of 5	2 out of 5
Compliance⏷	✅	✅
Compliance is how accurately the SMS campaign follows CAN-SPAM, CCPA, CPRA, and TCPA regulations. SMS marketing compliance is absolutely necessary to operate legally in the United States, so all SMS software providers try to update their policies regularly. Phonexa ensures all your SMS, email, and call campaigns comply with CAN-SPAM, CCPA, CPRA, and TCPA, including the 2025 FCC update.
Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
Integrations⏷	✅	✅
Integration is how many third-party products the SMS software can integrate with and how complex the setup process is. For comprehensive software suites, though, you may not even need many third-party integrations.Integration is a common feature with all SMS marketing software providers. Phonexa’s E-Delivery SMS and email marketing solution integrates with seven other Phonexa’s software products and all popular CRM and lead management systems.
Score	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
SMS Cost⏷
The less expensive SMS messaging is, the more messages you can send within your budget and – other things being equal – the higher the ROI of your campaigns.Phonexa offers one of the lowest rates in the industry – $0.0002 per SMS, $0.007 per two-way SMS, and $0.02 per two-way MMS. Additional carrier feed may apply to inbound and outbound messages.
Score	5 out of 5	4.5 out of 5
Value for Price
Total Score	76.9 out of 80	65.8 out of 80

How to Choose the Best Marketing Software in 3 Simple Steps

Step 1. Identify Features You Need

There are features you will most probably need – say, two-way SMS messaging – and those you won’t be able to use or might be only used in the distant future. Be aware of your needs about the features and at what scale; that way, you’ll be able to choose one that suits your budget.

Step 2. Market Research on the Solutions Offering These Features

After that, start researching the market for solutions satisfying your needs. While a few dozen rather good SMS marketing solutions exist on the market, you may only consider the biggest ones, such as MailChimp or Phonexa, if you want to stay safe.

Note: While businesses in the EU fall under GDPR regulations for automated marketing messages, those serving US consumers should take note of recent FCC changes to the TCPA. Starting January 27, 2025, prior written consent will be required for automated text messages and calls to US-based recipients.

Step 3. Comparison of Shortlisted Software for Selection of the Best

Once you have a few options to choose from, it is up to personal preference and your budget. But also consider, among other things, the fact that texting is just one marketing dimension so your software needs to integrate with your other marketing solutions.

Bulk Email & SMS Marketing Automation Using E-delivery

Whether you’re an affiliate, advertiser, or an affiliate network looking to increase your reach, Phonexa’s very own SMS and email marketing software, E-Delivery, can ensure that all of your SMS arrive at their destination on time and in a totally TCPA-, CAN-SPAM-, CCPA-, and CPRA-compliant manner.

With E-Delivery, you will get:

• Behavior segmentation
• Email campaigns and template editor
• Automated A/B testing
• Multi-ESP integration
• Suppression list management

At the right consumer and on time, you can be assured to deliver all your SMS irrespective of volume and be able to trace how they react with your message and thus analyse what more you need to do in order to scale your conversions.

 

Phonexa – The Ultimate Software Suite for Performance Marketing and Eight-In-One SMS

After all, one all-inclusive marketing software suite is much better than dealing with a plethora of different systems and reports. 

What Phonexa offers is precisely that: an eight-in-one performance marketing software suite providing solutions for SMS, email, social media, affiliate, referral, and other marketing campaigns under one roof.

Here is how Phonexa can scale your SMS and performance marketing:

 

You obtain the following eight proprietary solutions, for a single price (online price calculator):

Get your all-in-one performance marketing software suite today, or book a demo to explore the capability of Phonexa.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is SMS marketing software?

SMS marketing software refers to a set of tools through which your SMS marketing campaigns will be automated and improved, and you will be able to send thousands of SMS in a few seconds without risking your reputation or having any compliance issues. For instance, Phonexa enables the running of heterogeneous SMS campaigns-marketers can go for any niche, scale, or circumstance – while staying TCPA compliant.

What’s the best platform for SMS marketing?

Phonexa probably features the best omnichannel coverage of any other SMS marketing software. You can synchronise SMS, email, social media, affiliate, and other campaigns and track the results from one dashboard. That is a quite convenient solution for lead generators, affiliates, and advertisers.

How much will SMS marketing be?

Most of the time, SMS marketing is allotted in the range of £0.25 to £0.5 per message,  but Phonexa allows sending messages at a fraction of that cost, charging £0.0057 per two-way SMS. In such a case, sending 1,000 SMS using Phonexa is just for £5.7.

Isn’t SMS marketing outdated?

Not at all, although SMS advertising is not one of the fastest-growing marketing avenues, it still grows 1.34% annually on average in the UK and is expected to reach a projected market volume of US$46.62m by 2029.

What is the rate of engagement for SMS?

The engagement rate of an SMS campaign might be as follows: from 5% to 10% click rate and from 0.05% to 0.5% conversion rate. Not that big, one would think, but just keep in mind that it costs so low to send a single SMS that if you are converting 1 out of 1,000 customers, it’s well worth the money spent. And one more thing to bear in mind: with a well-thought-out SMS marketing campaign, the sky is a limit.