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See FeaturesWhat is bulk SMS? A complete guide to mass texting
Bulk SMS is the sending of promotional and informational texts to multiple customers. Unlike automated flows that trigger individually, bulk SMS goes to predetermined segments on your schedule, typically for sales, product launches, or time-sensitive offers.
How does bulk texting work? You upload your list to a platform like Omnisend, write your message, pick segments, and schedule or send it. Your tool then distributes your text through its carrier networks, delivering within seconds.
Because bulk SMS reaches as many people as possible, it also helps test offers and create browsing sessions, which provide additional data points for segmentation and future targeting.
This article is a complete guide to mass texting, covering its one-time blast potential, role in your broader marketing strategy, actionable tips, benefits, and best practices.
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What are the benefits of sending bulk SMS messages?
Send one message, reach thousands. Bulk texts let you communicate with your entire subscriber list or chosen segments via a scheduled or manual send, with no copying, pasting, or repetitive work required.
Sending mass SMS messages helps you to:
- Get seen when customers look at their phones: Your text lands next to messages from friends and family, not buried under promotional emails they’ll delete tomorrow.
 - Interrupt the buying process at the perfect moment: Customer comparing prices during a sales event? Text them a discount code before they enter their credit card elsewhere.
 - Create urgency across your list: Send “two hours left” to thousands of customers at once, triggering a wave of purchases from people waiting for a reason to buy.
 - Jump on sudden changes and trends: A cold snap hits, and everyone needs winter gear right now. Your competitor runs out of stock. Bulk SMS messages let you capitalize while the opportunity exists.
 
Success story
Vape Superstore started using Omnisend’s bulk SMS to promote personalized products and promotions to its mobile-user audience segment. As a result, the company saw a 77% increase in signup rates and a whopping 80% increase in mobile website traffic.
“Our customers have received the SMS really well. They appreciate the directness and the immediacy of SMS. Anyone who’s concerned about SMS, at least try it out,” Dan recommends. “I think you’ll be surprised by the results.”
Key takeaway
Personalized bulk SMS delivers short, targeted messages at opportune moments, helping engage subscribers who would otherwise miss or ignore emails.
Read the case study.
How do you send bulk SMS messages to your customers?
Sending bulk texts is probably the easiest marketing activity you’ll ever do. All you need is a sending tool, a contact list, and a budget for the SMS credits:
Choose your bulk SMS platform
Omnisend handles thousands of texts in one click while syncing with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix via native apps.
Invalid numbers get flagged before you waste money texting disconnected lines. Carrier relationships are managed behind the scenes so your messages bypass spam filters.
Import or sync your contact list
TCPA compliance isn’t optional. Every recipient needs documented opt-in consent. CSV uploads work, but direct store syncing prevents manual errors.
Remove anyone who hasn’t opened a text in 90 days. They cost you money and drag down engagement rates.
Create your message
Characters are currency in SMS. You get 160 before carriers split your text and double your costs. Here’s what works:
- Front-load your offer (“50% off,” not “Hey there!”)
 - One link maximum (multiple links scream spam)
 - Skip emojis (they can cause messages to break)
 - Skip personalization if you’re tight on space — [Name] becomes “Christopher” and eats 11 characters you can’t spare
 
Segment your audience
Split your list before sending. Active customers receive your sales announcement, inactive customers receive your win-back offer, and top spenders receive VIP early access.
Three different bulk campaigns, three different groups, better results than one mass blast to everyone.
Schedule and send
Test SMS timing before committing to a schedule. Send 100-contact batches across different days and times, then track performance for 48 hours. Here’s what typically works:
- 9 AM to 12 PM for transactional updates and business messages
 - 12 PM to 3 PM pulls lunch-break shoppers in retail and food
 - 5 PM to 9 PM gets THE highest engagement for promotional content (9.4% click-through for automated messages)
 - Thursday, Friday, Saturday outperform the rest of the week
 - First and last days of each month see increased purchase activity
 
Scale up whatever gets you above 3% click-through rates. Below 1% means your timing’s off or your message needs work.
What is the best bulk SMS software?
Now that you know how to send bulk SMS, we’ll provide details on several platforms you can use to get started. Each offers decent deliverability, integrations, and compliance features.
The table below provides a quick comparison of all the tools. Click the links to jump to them:
| Tool | Key features | Pricing starts from | Best for | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnisend | Bulk SMS/MMS, automations, ecommerce integrations, segment templates, revenue tracking | $10/month for 666 SMS | Ecommerce stores wanting complete omnichannel marketing | 
| Sender | Email and SMS combined workflows, landing pages, toll-free number included | $10/month (SMS on paid plans only) | Businesses combining email and SMS automations | 
| Textmagic | Pay-as-you-go, two-way messaging, credits never expire, email-to-SMS | $37.50/month for 500 texts | Small retailers needing flexible pricing without automations | 
| EZ Texting | Unlimited contacts, text-to-landline, team inbox, credit rollover | $25/month for 500 credits | Teams needing internal collaboration on SMS campaigns | 
| ClickSend | 190+ countries, email-to-SMS gateway, voice support, 99.9% uptime | $0.0256/text under 5k volume | Global businesses needing multi-channel messaging | 
| SlickText | Personalization support, rollover credits, full features on all plans | $29/month for 500 credits | Small lists requiring heavy personalization | 
| Twilio | API-driven, 180+ countries, volume discounts at 150k+, programmable messaging | $0.0083/SMS for first 150k | Developers building custom SMS solutions at scale | 
Let’s take a closer look at these tools:
1. Omnisend — Best mass texting service for ecommerce

Omnisend’s bulk texting tool lets you create standalone SMS or MMS campaigns with an intuitive content builder, which walks you through everything and provides a real-time illustration of how your text message looks:

Notice the Reply STOP to opt-out text (highlighted)? That ensures your texts comply with the TCPA’s requirements for opt-outs. Additionally, do you see the checkbox for Automatically shortening links? That helps keep your character count down.
Click Next step, and you can select to send your bulk SMS to all subscribers or segments. Click Next step again, and Omnisend will automatically calculate the cost of your mass text campaign and let you review it before sending.
In addition to mass SMS blasts, Omnisend lets you build automations that trigger based on segment activity. Automated SMS messages, such as abandoned cart alerts, accounted for 18% of orders from just 9% of sends in 2024.
What sets Omnisend apart?
All of Omnisend’s features are built for ecommerce, and you’ll absolutely love its reporting features. SMS campaigns track clicks, revenue, unsubscribe rate, and costs, plus you can see customer lifetime value (CLV) in contact profiles.
Why marketers love Omnisend
- Bulk sending tools for SMS, MMS, email, and push notifications
 - Pre-built and custom automations for your customer journey
 - Segment templates and an AI segment builder
 - Separate reports for SMS and email marketing channels
 - All marketing features combine for a complete omnichannel approach
 
“What I appreciate most about Omnisend is how remarkably easy it is to set up effective, automated marketing campaigns without needing any technical expertise. The platform brings together email, SMS, and push notifications in a seamless way, allowing me to handle all my customer communications from a single dashboard.”
Lisa G, G2 reviewer
Omnisend pricing
- SMS credit subscription: Available in all plans, sold as a monthly subscription from $10/month for approximately 666 SMS sends or 222 MMS (SMS prices vary based on the country)
 - Free: $1 in bonus SMS credits, 500 email sends/month
 - Standard: $1 in bonus SMS credits, 12x contact list email send limit/month
 - Pro: SMS credits equal to the price of your monthly plan, unlimited emails/month
 
Success story
Vagari Bags tested SMS alongside email campaigns, hitting 6-7% click rates and a 5x return on spend — quick texts about product launches converted where lengthy emails failed.
“Everyone has their phone on them,” says Jake Hughes, Co-founder at Vagari Bags, “It’s direct, it gets opened, and it drives action. SMS has been a great addition.”
On Omnisend, Jake says, “It’s intuitive, the testing options are great, and the support has been fantastic. You won’t find better if you’re a new brand trying to grow.”
Read the case study.
2. Sender — Best mass texting service for automated SMS and email campaigns

Sender is an email and SMS marketing platform with a powerful mass texting service. It enables businesses to instantly reach customers with bulk SMS campaigns. Its intuitive dashboard supports bulk SMS blasts, automated text messaging workflows, and email in one visual automation builder.
To increase engagement and sales, you can build automated sequences that mix email and SMS campaigns, such as abandoned cart reminders or appointment confirmations.
Sender key features
- Built for text blasts
 - All plans include generous email limits
 - SMS pricing from $0.015/credit
 - Unlimited subscriber groups
 - Landing page builder to continue your customer journey
 
Sender pros
- Supports one-click bulk SMS campaigns to global audiences
 - Full integration of email and SMS automations in a single workflow builder
 - Personalized sender IDs, templates, and opt‑in consent forms to manage TCPA compliance
 - Complimentary toll‑free number included for US/Canada accounts with no extra setup
 - Affordable SMS pricing: As low as $0.015 per message in the US with Credits included in paid plans
 - 24/7 live chat support and high customer satisfaction rate (~99%)
 
Sender cons
- SMS messaging is available only on paid Standard or Professional plans, not on the Free plan
 - SMS pricing varies by destination country and increases for longer messages (>160 chars)
 
Sender pricing
- Free Forever: $0/month for 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails, with no SMS included
 - Standard: From $10/month for 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails, and SMS available as a paid add-on
 - Professional: From $20/month for 1,000 subscribers, 24,000 emails, and includes free SMS credits equal to plan cost
 - Enterprise: Custom pricing for unlimited emails, SMS, and more advanced features
 
Customer reviews of Sender
Most Sender SMS reviews praise its automation features. “We’ve been using Sender.net for our email and SMS campaigns, and it’s been smooth sailing — super easy to use, great deliverability, and packed with features even on the free plan,” says Huhammad Q.
However, some reviewers have had issues. Catarina C. struggled with the setup, but thankfully, Sender’s support team solved it. “I only had an issue trying to verify my phone number to access the SMS campaigns, but it was solved easily and quickly with the help of agent Skylar.”
3. Textmagic — Best mass texting service for additional one-to-one communications

Textmagic offers pay-as-you-go and monthly SMS plans with credits that never expire. Its international messaging, scheduling, number validation, email-to-SMS, two-way conversation, and business texting numbers make it a top choice for marketers and small retailers.
Textmagic key features
- Pay-as-you-go SMS model
 - 1,000 SMS credits from $0.49/SMS
 - Toll-free and local number support
 - Two-way messaging and free replies
 - Unlimited contacts and users
 
Textmagic pros
- Send mass text messages and reply to all customers
 - Pricing flexibility with monthly and pay-as-you-go options
 - Inbound texts are free
 - Use your own number or a toll-free one
 - SMS credits have no expiry date
 - Money back guarantee to refund any unused credit
 
Textmagic cons
- Price per text is more expensive than Omnisend and some other competitors
 - Unsuitable for automations
 
Textmagic pricing
- Pay-as-you-go plans start from $37.50/month for 500 texts and 500 emails
 - Professional 2K: Starts from $80/month for 2,000 texts (works out at $0.04/text)
 - Connect 2K: For businesses with a Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS), starting from $20/month for 2,000 texts (works out at $0.01/text)
 
Customer reviews of Textmagic
G2 reviewer Sushil M. appreciates TextMagic’s ease of use: “Setting up SMS campaigns is quick, and the platform allows me to send messages to thousands of contacts with just a few clicks. The delivery rate is excellent, and I also appreciate the scheduling feature.”
However, he also finds it somewhat expensive, “The pricing could be a bit more flexible for smaller businesses or startups. While the pay-as-you-go model works, sometimes I wish there were more bundled plans for bulk usage.”
4. EZ Texting — Best mass texting service for blasts to unlimited contacts

EZ Texting includes unlimited incoming messages and contacts in all plans. Its segmentation features can group phone contacts by interest, and you can configure your mass text campaigns with a schedule to reach all contacts or groups.
EZ texting key features
- Text-to-landline
 - Unlimited contact uploads
 - Automatic contact cleanup
 - Team inbox and accounts
 - Unused credits carry over to the next billing cycle
 
EZ Texting pros
- Local textable number included in all plans
 - Cheapest plans provide 500 credits
 - Two-way texts
 - Team inbox for internal communications
 - Bundled credits are available at checkout to avoid higher-priced plans
 
EZ Texting cons
- No workflow automations below the expensive Boost plan
 - Unsuitable for businesses wanting to combine texts with email
 
EZ Texting pricing
- Launch: $25/month for 500 credits
 - Boost: $75/month for 500 credits and automations
 - Scale: $125/month for 500 credits and an onboarding specialist
 - Enterprise: $3,000/month for 200,000 credits and a dedicated short code
 
Customer reviews of EZ Texting
G2 reviewer Kovai L. praises EZ Texting’s overall marketing package, “EZ Texting is a determined program that helps us share mass messages to clients, manage all clients’ communications, and run successful campaigns.”
Another reviewer, Jeff C., appreciates EZ Texting’s forms and sign-up features: “Easy to use platform, pretty clean dashboard, and usability features. Sign-up and web forms are easy to implement to generate sign-ups.”
Some customers report the tool getting expensive at high volumes. Jared L. says, “The cost can escalate quickly, especially for high-volume users. Some users may find the credit system expensive and confusing, complicating budgeting and ROI tracking.”
5. ClickSend — Best mass texting service for SMS and voice

ClickSend lets you send high-volume text messages to everyone in a blast or broadcast with scheduling and automations. You can group your contact list to receive different texts, personalize messaging, and build relationships with two-way conversations.
ClickSend key features
- Free inbound SMS
 - Supports 190+ countries
 - 24/7 support for all customers
 - Supports SMS and MMS
 - No-code automation builder
 
ClickSend pros
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
 - High-volume discounts on texts
 - 99.9% uptime
 - Email-to-SMS gateway
 - Send to all contacts or split blasts into groups
 - Can also handle transactional SMS and email
 
ClickSend Cons
- Monthly costs for toll-free numbers
 
ClickSend Pricing
- Under 5k: $0.0256/text
 - 5k or more: $0.0183/text
 - 50k or more: $0.0119/text
 - 150k or more: $0.0087/text
 - Additional costs: A toll-free number is $3.26/month with no setup fee
 
Customer reviews of ClickSend
ClickSend gets praise for its pricing and intuitiveness:
- “It’s very easy to use, cost-effective, and useful for our SMS Marketing” — Justin T (G2)
 - “Easy to use and set up. Well-priced solution” — Verified G2 user
 - “I’ve been using this company to send SMS directly through email, and it works flawlessly. Their customer service has always been excellent, and now with 24/7 live chat support, it’s even better.” — Bharat Biyani, Trustpilot
 
6. SlickText — Best mass texting service for small lists

SlickText is an SMS marketing platform for campaigns, automations, and list-building. Its mass texting service is best for small campaigns requiring personalization. You can upload your list, create a message, and send it to hundreds of contacts with no learning curve.
SlickText key features
- Free incoming texts
 - Live phone and chat support
 - Bulk texts support personalization
 - Suitable for audiences over 500,000
 - Plans with over 50,000 credits include a Customer Success Manager
 
SlickText pros
- Full access to all features in all plans
 - Monthly plans include one month of rollover credits
 - Two-way texting
 - Automations and drips
 - Toll-free number included
 - Texts support personalization
 
SlickText cons
- More expensive per-text than some competitors — for example, you’ll pay $80/month for 5,333 SMS sends with Omnisend and over $169/month with SlickText
 - Unsuitable for large-volume senders due to costs
 
SlickText pricing
- $29/month for 500 SMS credits
 - $49/month for 1,000 SMS credits
 - $79/month for 2,000 SMS credits
 - $129/month for 3,500 SMS credits
 - $169/month for 5,000 SMS credits
 
Customer reviews of SlickText
G2 users consistently rate SlickText’s features, with one reviewer saying, “The tools themselves are intuitive and powerful, making it easy to manage SMS campaigns and collect leads in a streamlined way. SlickText has made a real difference in how we connect with our audience.”
Pricing is a sticking point for some, though. One verified G2 user elaborates, “Pricing tiers can scale quickly – If your contact list grows or you need advanced features (like automations, integrations, or API access), the cost can ramp up fast.
7. Twilio — Best mass text service to reach hundreds of thousands of subscribers

With Twilio’s mass texting service, you pay per text and there are bulk discounts above 150,000 messages. No additional features get in the way of your bulk SMS efforts, although you can add the Engagement Suite for $0.0150/SMS, with the first 1,000 sends included.
Twilio key features
- Automatic SMS volume discounts
 - Supports 180+ countries
 - SMS fallback and image resizing if a message isn’t deliverable via MMS
 - Programmable messaging API
 - Engagement suite includes link shortening and scheduling for outbound SMS
 
Twilio pros
- Suitable for the largest lists
 - Pay-as-you-go pricing for SMS/MMS
 - Transparent additional carrier fees
 - Additional features for conversational chat and WhatsApp
 - Optional Engagement Suite adds link shortening, click tracking, and SMS scheduling
 
Twilio cons
- Basic service doesn’t allow mass text scheduling
 - There’s a learning curve for additional features like Rich Communication Services (RCS)
 
Twilio pricing
- $0.0083/SMS and $0.0220/MMS for the first 150,000 messages
 
Customer reviews of Twilio
Twilio’s customers appreciate its ability to combine messaging channels. “Twilio makes it simple to integrate SMS, voice, and email through one reliable platform. The APIs are easy to work with, well-documented, and scale smoothly from small projects to enterprise deployments,” says G2 reviewer Amos V.
G2 user Stephen A. echoes these sentiments, saying it “Easily handles all our short code messaging needs. Both for internal security 2FA validation, and sales broadcast messages.”
However, Ayush K. thinks it’s expensive and difficult to debug — “Twilio’s pricing can quickly add up, especially at scale or with global usage. The cost structure isn’t always transparent, and debugging delivery issues (for example, SMS not received) can be difficult.”
How can businesses use bulk SMS for marketing?
The best way to send bulk SMS is when you have a sale, promotion, or event to shout about that can encourage clicks and engagement.
Consider these opportunities:
- Flash sales: 10 AM text with a 2 PM expiration. Four hours to buy or miss out completely.
 - VIP early access: Your top 20% of customers shop tomorrow’s launch today.
 - Back-in-stock alerts: Waitlisted that sold-out product? Text them the second inventory lands. These people have already decided to buy.
 - Event reminders: Last day for Christmas delivery, extended holiday hours, upcoming promotions.
 - Loyalty milestones: Skip the balance update and tell them what they can get: “50 points from a free coffee” or “One purchase from Gold status.”
 - Location-based offers: Segment your list by zip code and purchase history. Text the runners when running shoes go on sale, not everyone.
 - Combined strategy: Bulk SMS works for flash sales and product launches. Automated flows handle the individual stuff like welcomes and order confirmations. Both have their place in your overall messaging strategy.
 
“Bulk SMS is your best channel for time-sensitive promotions because people check texts routinely. Email gets buried, social media algorithms hide your posts, but SMS lands directly in pockets.”
Evaldas Mockus, VP of Growth at Omnisend
Successful brands using bulk SMS
Check out these bulk SMS results from successful brands:
- Vagari Bags: Added SMS to email workflows, hitting 6-7% click rates on product launches. Quick texts about new arrivals generated 5x return on ad spend while story-driven emails built the brand.
 - Žalgiris Kaunas: Basketball club built 9,000 SMS subscribers for game-day alerts and merchandise drops. Email and SMS combined generated 39% of total revenue within one year.
 - Kerrits: Abandoned cart SMS pulled 15% conversion rates at $2.87 per message. Welcome emails (not SMS) hit $6.58 per send, helping it improve ROI across all channels.
 - Vape Superstore: Switched from Klaviyo to Omnisend for SMS features and saw mobile signup forms jump from 18% to 32% conversion. Used texts for clearance alerts and reward program updates to reach its predominantly mobile audience.
 
These results show that bulk SMS, combined with automations and additional channels such as email, can generate significant revenue for your business.
How to send mass texts legally
You can send mass texts legally by following privacy laws. In the US, the relevant law is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA), and in the EU and UK, it’s the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
When sending text messages across international borders, you must follow your local laws and the laws of the recipient’s country. For example, if you’re texting from the UK to customers in the US, you must comply with UK regulations and US rules.
Note
This guide offers general information only, not legal advice. Rules may change. Omnisend customers should consult qualified legal professionals to ensure their messaging practices comply with current regulations in all countries where they operate.
TCPA requirements for mass texting
- Get explicit written permission before sending automated marketing texts to anyone
 - Each company needs separate consent — no bundling multiple businesses together
 - Make your consent process crystal clear so that people can refuse without losing anything
 - Only send messages related to what people signed up for — no bait-and-switch tactics
 - Respect the Do-Not-Call Registry — it covers texts, too, not just calls
 - Watch out when buying leads — you’re responsible for proving consent, not your lead provider
 - Always include easy opt-out instructions in your messages
 - Honor unsubscribe requests immediately — continuing to text after that is illegal
 
GDPR requirements for mass texting
- Get explicit consent before texting customers with a clear explanation of how you’ll use their information
 - Keep detailed records of when and how subscribers gave you permission
 - Use double opt-in for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, where it’s best practice
 - Only send messages between 9 AM to 8 PM in your recipient’s local timezone
 - Identify your brand at the beginning of every message
 - Include simple opt-out instructions in all messages
 - Support universal keywords like STOP and HELP in local languages
 - Never bundle SMS consent with other marketing permissions
 - Avoid content related to alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and adult themes
 
How to avoid spam reports
Even if you comply with relevant privacy and spam regulations, dissatisfied and frustrated subscribers may block and report your messages.
Follow these best practices to avoid spam lists:
- Have a point for every message, like exclusive discounts or early access
 - Keep your content concise (under 160 characters) to prevent split texts
 - Lead with your brand name so recipients instantly recognize who’s messaging them
 - Place opt-out instructions at the end to provide an alternative to block and report
 - Send texts during business hours when customers are receptive to receiving them
 
Start sending smarter bulk SMS campaigns
Bulk SMS generates measurable revenue that justifies its place in your marketing mix. The channel delivered $25 million for US brands in 2024, and if you want a slice, your SMS strategy needs mass texts alongside automations.
Test batches of 100 and track click-through rates with sales attribution to see what generates revenue. Try different character lengths, offers, timing, and segment your customers with the data bulk SMS generates for future targeting.
Omnisend lets you build standalone SMS campaigns for scheduled or immediate bulk sends, plus automations that trigger throughout your customer journey.
Quick sign up | No credit card required
Bulk SMS marketing FAQs
Omnisend is the leading bulk SMS sender with competitively priced credits, automations, ecommerce integration, and email and push notification tools for multi-channel marketing.
Mass texting is legal when you follow proper consent and TCPA/GDPR compliance requirements. Always get permission before sending marketing messages, provide clear opt-out instructions in your texts, and maintain an opted-in list.
No, there are no free bulk SMS services, although you might get bonus SMS credits as part of a paid plan. For instance, Omnisend’s Pro plan provides bonus SMS credits equal to the price of your monthly plan. That means you get $59 in SMS credits if your plan is $59/month.
Yes, provided you comply with spam regulations by obtaining explicit consent from recipients before sending promotional text messages. Bulk SMS marketing tools automatically handle regulatory requirements on the communication side.
Mass SMS marketing platforms make reaching thousands of contacts simple. Upload your contact list as a CSV file, compose a message, select your parameters (region, time, date), and your campaign will run based on your set conditions.
Very. Omnisend’s research shows that US brands generated over $25 million in SMS sales during 2024. It also found that automated messages deliver exceptional results — representing just 9% of sends but driving 18% of orders, with click rates 147% higher and conversion rates 118% better than standard campaigns.
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