Business text messaging services
Try the best business text messaging service to provide customers with fast, personalized, and proactive service over their favorite messaging channels.
Última atualização em April 2, 2025
A guide to the best text messaging services for business
Imagine you’re at home, and you feel your phone buzz. It’s a text from one of your favorite retailers about a flash sale. Excited, you text back with a question about sizing for a shirt you liked, only to be met with crickets. Your question is lost in the digital ether, and your shopping momentum grinds to a halt.
Business text messaging software exists so businesses can ensure no inquiry goes unanswered. From tracking and organizing messages to prioritizing responses and crafting personalized replies, a messaging service keeps you in control and helps foster stronger customer relationships.
Below, we’ll explore 10 business texting services to help you find the best solution for your text messaging needs.
More in this guide:
- What is business text messaging software?
- What makes a great business text messaging app?
- Business text services and apps comparison chart
- The 10 best business text messaging services
- How to choose the right business texting software
- Frequently asked questions
- Try AI-powered business text messaging for free
What is business text messaging software?
Traditional business text messaging software enables companies to send and receive SMS messages from customers, employees, and other stakeholders. However, the business messaging landscape has evolved to include more modern, feature-rich channels like WhatsApp, Messenger, and X DMs, creating a more convenient and engaging customer experience (CX).
Modern messaging software allows you to track, prioritize, and respond to all your messages in one place. AI and automation enable fast, personalized interactions at scale, ensuring efficient and effective communication.
What makes a great business text messaging app?
A truly great business texting service does more than send mass messages to your customer base—it empowers you to create personalized, seamless, and informed customer experiences. While the ideal solution for your team will depend on your specific use case and goals, here are some top capabilities to look for in a messaging app to enhance the CX:
- Messaging channel breadth: Aside from SMS, the best business text messaging software supports other messaging platforms, including popular social channels like Instagram for business, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
- Personalization: Personalize text message replies using a contextual agent workspace with robust customer profiles and 360-degree customer views. This workspace should connect with all your other support touchpoints, such as live chat and email management software, so conversation history isn’t lost across channels.
- Integration with key business systems: Integrate your business messaging solution with your other systems to enable convenient in-message purchases, appointment bookings, and other conversion-driven activities.
- AI and automation: Offer 24/7 support with AI agents, assist your human agents with AI-powered suggestions and insights, and automate workflows to boost efficiency.
- Reporting and quality assurance: Monitor key CX KPIs in real-time, set SLAs, and leverage AI to continuously improve the quality of the service you’re providing.
Zendesk offers all these capabilities and more. Continue reading to learn more about Zendesk texting for business.
Business text services and apps comparison chart
From a distance, text message software might appear similar. But not all are created equal. The comparison table below outlines the main features, price points, and free trial periods so you can easily compare text messaging services for businesses at a high level.
| Business text messaging service | Starting price | Free trial | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | $19 per agent/month (billed annually) | 14 days | AI-powered omnichannel business text messaging |
| SimpleTexting | $33.20 per month (billed annually) | 30 days | Best for simple campaigns |
| EZ Texting | $20 per month (billed annually) | Available | Best for marketing and sales |
| Textedly | $26 per month (billed annually) | 14 days | Pre-built plan options |
| Sakari | $275 per year | 14 days | Outbound SMS marketing |
| TextMagic | $24.5 per month (per 500 texts) | Available | Pay-as-you-go texting |
| Twilio | $0.0079 per text message | Available | Messaging via WhatsApp |
| Salesmsg | $25 per month | 14 days | Sales outreach |
| Podium | Contact Podium | Unavailable | Review management |
| SlickText | $29 per month | 14 days | Detailed marketing campaigns |
The 10 best business text messaging services
To offer great messaging experiences, you need a business text messaging solution with cutting-edge technology that’s easy to use and easy to scale. Compare these 10 services to learn more.
- Zendesk: Best for AI-powered omnichannel business text messaging
- SimpleTexting: Best for simple campaigns
- EZ Texting: Best for marketing and sales
- Textedly: Best for pre-built plan options
- Sakari: Best for outbound SMS marketing
- TextMagic: Best for pay-as-you-go messaging
- Twilio: Best for messaging via WhatsApp
- Salesmsg: Best for sales outreach
- Podium: Best for review management
- SlickText: Best for detailed marketing campaigns
1. Zendesk
Best for AI-powered omnichannel business text messaging
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Zendesk offers AI-powered business text messaging software that’s easy to use and scalable. Our solution lets you easily communicate with customers, employees, and business partners via SMS, social channels, your website or mobile app, and productivity tools like Slack.
Cutting-edge AI is natively integrated into every aspect of our solution. Zendesk AI is trained on the world’s largest CX dataset, so it understands customer needs from day one. AI can guide agents through messaging conversations by anticipating the next steps, offering suggestions, and taking action on behalf of the agent.
Meanwhile, Zendesk AI agents can automate business text messaging and delight customers with personalized support 24/7. AI can even automate workflows, such as routing requests to the right agent or department.
All conversations are unified within our industry-leading Agent Workspace, so teams can manage messaging alongside other support channels. Comprehensive customer profiles that follow the customer across channels allow messages to be personalized for a consistent and tailored experience. Additionally, teams can use these profiles to segment customers and deliver unique, targeted messaging experiences.
Zendesk also offers robust reporting tools so you can track, measure, and improve your business text messaging experience. Zendesk QA leverages AI to enable you to review 100 percent of your customer interactions, including those with AI agents, to ensure compliance and monitor churn risk.
Finally, Zendesk enhances your SMS capabilities with features like proactive outbound texts, text notifications, and automated text responses. Plus, when phone lines are busy, customers can seamlessly switch from a live call to a text message, ensuring continuous and efficient support.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Our sales and customer relationships have been strengthened by Zendesk.”
- “Zendesk is by far the best platform for customer support companies.”
- “Likely the coolest support tool ever!!!”
Explore more Zendesk pricing plans.
2. SimpleTexting
Best for simple campaigns
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
SimpleTexting is a business text messaging service for companies that run basic text campaigns. It supports standard SMS as well as MMS messages for sending images and videos. Businesses can choose a dedicated phone number or a toll-free number or leverage an existing landline if they have one.
The web dashboard and mobile app can help agents create messages, manage contacts, and keep track of campaign performance. Uploading large contact lists and scheduling messages in advance facilitates targeted campaigns and promotions. Companies can add team members with individual logins or use a single inbox to manage communications.
Users can split contact lists into groups based on demographic information for targeted messaging. Custom tags can segment customers further, and merge tags can crawl customer info to personalize messages with names, birthdays, and more. For frequently used messages, users can opt to select pre-designed SMS templates.
SimpleTexting allows users to create automated text messaging workflows triggered by specific events, such as website form submissions, appointments, or customer actions. Businesses can set up autoresponders to send automated replies to inbound messages.
Within the dashboard, SimpleTexting provides performance reports on engagement KPIs like open rates. To analyze the data further, users can export reports as a CSV file and review them with external tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Great app for simple SMS Marketing.”
- “Glitchy app, horrible customer service. Do not recommend.”
- “Reliable and easy to use, but with some quirks.”
3. EZ Texting
Best for marketing and sales
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| Available |
|
EZ Texting’s core functionalities are SMS and MMS messages, which can feature images and videos. If businesses would like to use a dedicated phone number, EZ Texting can provide one. All EZ Texting plans offer unlimited incoming messages and contact storage.
Sales and marketing teams can use a web dashboard and a mobile app for message creation, contact management, and campaign tracking. They can use the dashboard to monitor engagement metrics like click-through rates. It offers a visual overview of campaign performance and has various integrations for further data analysis.
Users can also grow their contact lists by employing QR codes, website signup forms, and keyword opt-ins. Businesses can split these contact lists into multiple groups with personalization tags. Merge tags can further personalize with specific information like names or birthdays.
Teams can schedule messages and set up autoresponders for frequently asked questions. Machine learning (ML) can also provide marketers with suggestions on ways to tweak messages for a certain tone with the AI Compose feature.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Great option for employee communication.”
- “Disappointing Experience with Expired Credits and Poor Customer Service.”
- “No issues. Kind of expensive.”
4. Textedly
Best for pre-built plan options
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| 14 days |
|
Textedly’s business text messaging service supports standard SMS and MMS messages for both inbound and outbound messaging. Businesses can choose from 15 pre-built plans to access more features and higher volumes of opt-in keywords. Users can send messages from a dedicated number, toll-free number, or existing landline.
Uploading contact lists to Textedly and scheduling messages in advance allows for targeted messaging campaigns. Textedly also integrates with various business tools, such as CRM systems and marketing automation software.
Contact management through Textedly starts by importing existing contacts or organically growing a contact list. Users can create contact groups or add merge tags that help craft more personalized messages.
Autoresponders send pre-written replies to incoming messages. Customers can also text a keyword to trigger an autoresponder with a specific message. And for making purchases, Textedly allows for secure text-to-pay transactions.
Textedly provides reports for campaign performance that highlight engagement metrics. Real-time analytics enable businesses to track delivery success and customer responses. The SMS analytics dashboard also helps users spot areas for improvement, such as low open rates or click-through rates.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “An easy way to communicate with your customers.”
- “The people are nice, but the product needs a lot of work.”
- “Antiquated platform but get the job done without extra bells + whistles.”
5. Sakari
Best for outbound SMS marketing
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| 14 days |
|
Sakari offers various business text messaging features. It supports standard SMS texts and MMS messages, including multimedia, such as images and videos. Businesses can send messages from a dedicated, toll-free number or their existing landline. Short codes are also available for campaigns or promotions.
The web dashboard allows agents to send messages, manage contacts, and track campaigns. Businesses can upload a large contact list and schedule messages in advance for targeted campaigns. Sakari also integrates with pre-built applications and offers an open API to connect with existing business tools.
Users can customize the sender ID to display a business name or brand. They can also segment contacts into groups based on various criteria for targeted messaging. Outbound marketers can personalize messages with contact information like names, birthdays, or previous interactions. Additionally, marketers can create and use predesigned templates for frequently used messages.
Automated text workflows trigger based on actions like website form submissions, appointments, or customer actions. Users can set up autoresponders to send automated replies to incoming messages. Reports cover campaign performance metrics like delivery rates, open rates, click-through rates, and more. Sakari can also populate contact lists with data points from these reports.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Ease of Use - High Deliverability Rate.”
- “Zero Support Six Weeks of Frustration.”
- “Effective platform with good HubSpot integration.”
6. TextMagic
Best for pay-as-you-go texting
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| Available |
|
Textmagic’s web-based text messaging platform allows for two-way SMS communications with customers. Businesses can use it to create SMS marketing campaigns or enhance multimedia messages with pictures or videos. Its pay-as-you-go plan allows users to manage one-off campaigns or support occasional texting with credits that never expire.
The service also offers features to organize customer interactions. These include threaded conversations for referencing, contact segmentation for targeted messaging, and import options for integrating existing contact lists.
Companies can personalize text messages within customer segments via demographics, purchase history, and other past interactions. And with merge tags, teams can also use customer details like names or transaction history to tailor messages.
Automated tools allow users to create pre-programmed text message sequences triggered by customer actions or events. This might be a welcome message or a reminder to revisit an abandoned shopping cart. Textmagic also allows users to set up automated replies based on keywords within received texts for basic message automation.
An analytics dashboard tracks KPIs related to a campaign. Insights are available with features like detailed delivery reports and cost breakdowns for messaging activities.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Outstanding product, outstanding value”
- “Changed their functionality with no notice and continued to charge us”
- “Text magic has enabled our business to communicate with new leads and current clients.”
7. Twilio
Best for messaging via WhatsApp
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| Available |
|
Twilio’s approach to business text messaging differs from that of some competitors. Instead of offering a pre-built platform, Twilio provides a programmable API (application programming interface) that allows businesses to integrate text messaging functionalities into their existing applications or workflows.
The API facilitates two-way communication with customers through SMS messages. You can create and send marketing campaigns or leverage richer message formats like MMS with pictures or videos. Additionally, Twilio integrates with the WhatsApp Business API, allowing you to reach customers on the messaging app.
Developers can build functionalities for message personalization and automation. Then, marketers can segment customer groups based on specific criteria and tailor messages accordingly. Additionally, the API enables developers to create custom workflows using text messages. This could involve sending automated replies, appointment reminders, or triggered messages based on customer actions.
Twilio offers real-time message delivery and engagement insights through its API and dashboard. You can generate reports to track key performance metrics like message delivery rates, open rates, and click-through rates.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “The ease of integration of this tool is unlimited.”
- “Nonexistent support for a small business.”
- “Software that provides you the platform to chat.”
Learn more: Discover how Twilio Flex integrates with Zendesk.
8. Salesmsg
Best for sales outreach
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| 14 days |
|
Salesmsg offers a cloud-based platform companies can use from a web interface or mobile app. The app sidebar contains four tabs: Conversations, Contacts, Broadcasts, and Triggers. Businesses can send and receive individual texts or create and launch SMS campaigns to reach a broader audience. It also allows sending MMS messages with pictures or video. Local phone numbers are available to help sales teams connect with potential customers in specific areas.
Users can opt for toll-free landlines or shortcodes for sending and receiving texts. Those messages get collected in private and shared inboxes so teams can collaborate on customer interactions. Salesmsg’s one-click integration with Outlook and Google enables customers to book appointments. It can also automate text messaging when connected to a CRM.
Businesses can set up autoresponders to send pre-written replies based on business hours or keywords within received texts. The platform also allows scheduling text messages in advance for promotions or sending reminders.
For campaign analysis, Salesmsg provides an analytics dashboard to track key performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and overall campaign performance. It also offers reporting features that give insights with details on delivered messages and customer engagement.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “As close to a silver bullet as you can get.”
- “Some great features, but still some work to be done.”
- “Fits our day to day needs.”
9. Podium
Best for review management
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Podium | Unavailable |
|
Podium’s web-based texting platform can handle plans for small and large businesses in industries like automotive, retail, home services, and healthcare. The service offers two-way SMS and bulk texting capabilities. Podium allows agents to manage text conversations alongside channels like calls and web chat within a single inbox. Customer interactions are organized into threaded conversations and can be segmented based on different criteria.
Personalization options include targeted messaging based on customer data and the ability to insert personalized details using merge tags. Podium can also send automated messages to customers to request a review after they’ve made a purchase. Businesses can leverage features like automated workflows for appointment reminders and order confirmations, personalized marketing messages for increased conversion rates, and automated responses to common customer inquiries.
A comprehensive analytics dashboard tracks key performance metrics and generates reports on campaign performance, customer engagement, and return on investment. Every Podium plan has an inbox for all your emails, texts, phone calls, and social media messages. Voicemail transcriptions, automation, integrations, advanced routing, and auto-responses are all available through higher-tier plans, as are unlimited contacts.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Podium is a must-have for businesses.”
- “Poor Service at a premium price.”
- “Great at some things. Okay at others.”
10. SlickText
Best for detailed marketing campaigns
Starting price | Free trial | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
| 14 days |
|
SlickText offers a variety of business text messaging features and functionalities. Marketers can communicate directly with customers via two-way SMS and include pictures or videos. Businesses can use text-to-join shortcodes to subscribe customers to SMS lists, text surveys to gather feedback, and run text-to-win contests.
The web-based platform allows businesses to use a new, dedicated local phone number or acquire a new one. It’s possible to send bulk texts to targeted customer segments or message an entire contact list. Users can manage contacts by organizing interactions with features like threaded conversations to view past interactions.
Businesses can also use contact segmentation to personalize customer communications. They can tailor messages to specific customer groups based on demographics, purchase history, or other criteria. Marketers can personalize messages by inserting customer information like name or purchase details. Mobile coupons, loyalty programs, and special offers via text messages are also available.
Customer actions or events can trigger pre-programmed text message sequences. These include welcome messages and abandoned cart reminders, among other notes. SlickText offers an analytics dashboard to track actions and key performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and website visits generated from text message campaigns. The dashboard can produce reports that detail customer engagement and ROI.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
User reviews
- “Slick text made it incredibly easy to connect with my clients, streamlining communication.”
- “It works, but it’s super limited for how expensive it is.”
- “So far, so good!”
How to choose the right business texting software
Many companies are still trying to understand how messaging fits within their larger support strategies, which makes it challenging to know what questions to ask a potential messaging service. Here are a few considerations to help you find the right one for your business.
- Ease of use: The right solution should have an intuitive design for the end user to minimize training timelines and boost productivity. You should also be able to implement it quickly without technical resources to increase time to value.
- AI and automation: AI helps your agents work smarter and solve customer issues faster, creating more seamless and effective messaging experiences. This can include advanced AI agents that understand and resolve complex queries, freeing up agents for other tasks.
- Total cost of ownership: A software that includes everything you need from the get-go keeps costs low by not requiring pricey add-ons later. An out-of-the-box solution also helps you avoid developer fees.
- Scalability: Your software should grow alongside your business, not fence it in. Consider whether it’s powerful enough to scale to meet any level of complexity your business may demand in the future.
- Security: Customer data is collected through business texts. Look for a solution prioritizing customer data privacy to safeguard consumer information and protect your reputation.
The business texting service you need will vary depending on your use case. Marketers will need features like customer segmentation, while service teams might look for options like intelligent triage. With Zendesk, you get a comprehensive messaging service that includes everything you need in one solution.
Frequently asked questions
Try AI-powered business text messaging for free
The right instant messaging software goes far beyond traditional SMS. With Zendesk, you can seamlessly integrate messaging into your website or mobile app, connect with popular social channels, and enhance business productivity through tools like Slack. You’ll have advanced AI trained on billions of customer interactions—including AI agents, agent assistance tools, and workflow automation—to power every aspect of your messaging.
Manage customer conversations across all your support channels from one place. Plus, everything you need to make those conversations easier—from AI-powered quality assurance to real-time reporting—is just a few clicks away.
Related business text messaging guides
Supplement your knowledge of text messaging for business with our resources below and discover additional ways to connect with customers.