To help American businesses choose the best SMS Gateway Provider for their needs, we’ve compared 8 different Providers in the USA in 2023 based on elements like price, features, reliability, reputation, support, and more!
By Simon Mannheimer / Updated: Sunday, May 28th, 2023
Messente Is Our Top Pick For The Best SMS Gateway Provider based on:
Visit Messente>> Messente Review >>
The overall rating is based on review by our experts
Clicksend is our choice for the best SMS Gateway in the US based on:
Visit ClickSend >>ClickSend Review >>
An SMS gateway service is offered by an provider (such as Messente) and enables a computer, CRM, or electronic mail systems to send and receive texts to a mobile or SMS-enabled device.
We find that the best provider is one that can cater to a range of companies sizes, and offer features at a competitive rate. In our opinion, one such provider (and one of the best) is Messente, which has some of the best prices in the market, offering the most competitive prices compared to other providers. Our research finds that Messente offers a wide range of features, such as direct carrier relationships, omnichannel platforms, and much more. With an uptime of 99.8%, they are also one of the most reliable providers in the market.
SMS operates through reliable global telecommunication network operators. Communications are sent through USA’s leading Short Message Services (SMS) mobile networks. This enables companies to dispatch and receive texts to individuals, or a large range of contacts they wish to target.
Use Cases
Users should note that texts have a 160-character limit. Therefore, exceeding this limit will be split into multiple messages, which may result in higher charges. Additionally, the speed and price of textssent will depend on the route taken by the USA mobile network and provider. Most providers also offer MMS capabilities (Rich Communication Services (RCS)).
The 4-step process is shown below:
When comparing the top providers, there we find that there are a number of aspects you must consider in order to ensure your business is making the best decision and gaining the best deal while still meeting your business needs.
Comparing providers can make or break a companies success, particularly to ensure that you are receiving premium gateway performance for the price paid.
Below is our must-do check list for anyone looking to compare gateway providers:
Provider List
From our research, we found that Messente has exclusive pricing for businesses in the US and globally with prices of outbound SMS starting as low as $o.oo17 per 1000 SMS.
All inbound text responses from recipients are free, therefore enabling successful two-way communication. The only additional fee for mass SMS messaging providers is associated with a dedicated number. An American company can also decide to purchase a dedicated short-code phone number for $1700 per month. Our findings as well as reviews online state that Messente is very time-efficient, as they include dedicated short numbers taking only minutes to join up.
When comparing the prices offered by Messente to other leading mass message providers and network operators, we found that Messente’s costs are amongst the lowest costs.
In our analysis of the cost schedules offered by the leading providers in the United States, we found that prices vary up to 60%. We think this variation can be based on the network operators and service level agreements offered by the provider. It could also be based on joining fees, contract duration requirements, and other additional fees.
Overall, we think that the charges offered by Messente are very competitive at most usage brackets when compared to other SMS service providers or SMS aggregators. This is also reinforced with large volumes of texts where Messente is prepared to offer volume-based charges above 10,000 SMS. Messente ensures that its prices are regularly checked against other providers and adjusted so you always get the best prices to send messages, whether in small or large volumes.
Current is in $$$
Other Gateways offer alternative models. A leading mass texting provider such as Messente provides a more premium plan that works off a customized monthly schedule, with an average cost of $0.0017 per SMS. Whereas the provider ClickSend is suited for large business enterprises and also offers models of pre-paid 5 million messages for $0.0075 per SMS.
Visit Messente>>
When looking for the cheapest provider, there are several providers for companies in America and overseas. These providers not only offer a range of plans but also offers package deals for larger volumes. To learn more about the price packages offered by cheap bulk sms providers, read our review below.
Cheap SMS Gateways
While Messente offers some of the lowest prices, they also have the best service level agreement of 99.8% uptime guarantee. This supports a good claim to high reliability, in our opinion, as users and companies can expect uninterrupted service.
The 99.8% SLA is why not only USA companies but some of the largest global companies including Stockmann, Ergoo, Volvo and Luminor rely on Messente.
We also found that they also have a high-capacity network ensuring that critical time-sensitive texts are delivered promptly. This network is why Messente is reviewed to be a leading text provider for the distribution of mass texts worldwide.
Messente’s head office is based in Estonia, but there is no need to visit the location to make an account with online help inbox available with quick response rates
Contact Messente >>
We think that it is worth noting that Messente may appear to be a cheap ‘no frills’ provider but they have features equivalent to premium providers with a lower per unit text message cost. Payments can be made simpler with a credit card, pay-as-you-go, or invoicing. From our testing, we found that their service personnel are highly trained professionals and will provide all the technical assistance and tutorials for developers setting up their SMS campaigns or API. Messente also provides an online help to provide immediate assistance.
Messente is a reliable provider that enables the efficient mass distribution of texts to global audiences on iPhone, Google, and Android devices. Communications are sent quickly and easily with high-speed connections through direct telecommunication carriers, rather than using both direct and hybrid carrier networks. Their gateway routes are through major American mobile phone carriers including Verizon and AT&T and more. Millions of texts are able to be delivered weekly with Messente’s SMS capacity. Messente texts are usually delivered within a matter of seconds with an up-time of 99.8%. This is highly competitive compared to other leading gateway providers.
There are three main ways that mass texts can be distributed:
The web SMS option enables companies to efficiently send mass texts from their PC without the need for software downloads, making it an ideal choice, especially for smaller businesses that need a user-friendly solution. All the Main features to send texts to exist with individual or mass message options available. For mass SMS campaigns, companies simply need to upload contact lists online and a large-scale SMS broadcast can commence. This will enable mass messages to be sent and stored either temporarily or permanently on a user’s sim card.
For American businesses that have their own CRM software and infrastructure, the API may be the optimal solution. The API integration is relatively easy, allowing firms to automate messages using the company’s existing software systems and integrate to any GSM. The API can be accessed using the majority of programming languages with SDK, HTTP, and PHP available on their website for HTTP requests.
These softwares are compatible with many providers, including Gmail, Microsoft Live Mail, and Outlook. Using e-mail packages, SMS campaigns or SMS reminders and alerts can be sent, which include free deliverability reports. No extra software is required to use this method with users just requiring to forward the message or simply download a plugin to Outlook.
In helping various American businesses choose the best providers and plans for their message campaigns, we’ve learned the critical importance of adhering to the Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Act (2009). Our experience underscores the legal mandate preventing companies from initiating unsolicited electronic messages. This applies to texts and other messages with the following main guidelines:
In terms of compliance, the US SMS service provider must feature a strong privacy policy, be compliant with the CAN-SPAM act, have detailed terms and conditions, and identify a policy for acceptable use. To learn more about direct marketing compliance and security, you can visit the Federal Trade Commission website for more details.
Before conducting an campaign, companies must identify a list of target audiences’ mobile numbers and get permission from those audiences they want to receive mass texts. This can be through sending shortcodes to opt-in to marketing notifications, signing up online, or through a written form.
Whilst texts can be as long as 160 characters, research has shown that shorter, concise texts perform the best.
Thus, it is recommended that messages don’t require the recipient to scroll, as these receive the highest open rates.
A mobile is a personal device, therefore, companies must respect the audience’s personal space. Mass texts that are unexpected can be intrusive and not read correctly, therefore businesses should ensure that messages are functional, yet courteous. Businesses can use customization tools and templates to help maximize relevance and timeliness so recipients don’t receive texts at inconvenient times.
Whilst mass texts are highly effective, businesses and their marketing manager must not use bulk SMS too frequently as a marketing channel. American businesses should aim for less frequent, concise SMS messages to ensure that audiences don’t get annoyed and unsubscribe. Businesses can align their SMS campaigns with other communication platforms to spread the message across multiple mediums.
Mobile communication can be extremely effective for any business to form lasting relationships with audiences. However, businesses must ensure that text delivers useful communications such as SMS notifications, subscriber info, reminders, alerts, or special offers. As long as the message is sent with a legitimate purpose, audiences will want to continue to receive them in the future.
The resellers’ SMS process has become a popular way for “resellers” to purchase text credit from bulk providers which they then resell to their users in smaller batches. Bulk SMS providers such as Messente provide specific resellers’ SMS plans.
Discover our SMS guide to learn more about the benefits and best practices for companies in 2023.
SMS Guide >>
Having implemented and evaluated premium direct carriers for numerous companies, we can confidently say that these services enable businesses of any size to dispatch texts to users, staff members, and stakeholders effectively. SMS will be sent directly to the leading US text service providers. From our experience with various gateway systems, we have observed that a gateway effectively enables a computer to distribute and accept text transmissions to and from a telecommunications network. Most texts are routed into mobile networks via gateways. Messente is an SMS and API provider which uses a direct route, meaning the mobile carrier will always be highly reputable and usually based in America.
From our research and experience, we think that a business benefits most from a reliable premium gateway provider when they have any of the following requirements:
Having extensively researched and experimented with SMPP (Short Message Peer to Peer Protocol), we’ve found it to be widely used within the telecommunications industry. It exchanges texts between Short Messaging Entities (ESME) or Short Message Service Centers (SMSC). A level-7 TCP/IP protocol guarantees fast and efficient delivery. The SMPP can dispatch and receive texts from mobiles, including CDMA, UTMTS, GMA, and UMTS.
Having helped numerous US companies find the best API for their SMS campaigns, we’ve discovered that utilizing an API is common and beneficial for those with large-scale communication requirements. Developers can connect through their preferred API from HTTP, SMPP, Java, .NET, PHP or SOAP. Most providers will cover SDKs through documents, sample costs, and reusable libraries. Businesses must ensure they choose a provider that match their understanding of the API and SMPP Peer-to-Peer Protocols. Some businesses may need more of a hands-on approach.
From our hands-on experience with API setups, we’ve observed that it’s quite typical for the mass text provider to supply a sample code. This allows them to connect to a SOAP API regardless of the API language preferred. A provider like MessageMedia has out-of-the-box samples and Server info, including HTML, Java, GitHub in C3, HTTP, Bash & Python, and PHP. Other languages such as Powershell, C++, and Ruby can also be utilized alongside SMPP. When opting for a gateway provider, companies should ensure they talk to their help team and specialist API technical team for further questions
Our in-depth analysis and assessment have led us to understand the key reasons behind the popularity of API integration:
An SMS API gateway is a software interface that enables applications to send and receive SMS messages. It acts as a bridge between the application and the SMS service provider, allowing developers to integrate SMS functionality into their systems. It automates SMS notifications, alerts, and marketing messages, simplifying the process of incorporating SMS communication into applications.
SMS (or Short Message Service) is a two-way SMS communication method that allows mobile to communicate with each other. Certain software also allows computers and e-mails, or any other device to send and receive mass texts on a large scale, making it suitable for companies worldwide.
SMS marketing is becoming an increasingly popular form of communication for companies around the world, particularly to improve user relationships as they are able to get replies straight to their inbox.
A Gateway acts as a relay. It translates from one protocol to another through SMSCs (SMS centers). SMS centers include wireless networks that handle forwarding, routing store and other operations ensuring theY are delivered to the destination phone.
From our extensive experience in implementing SMS integration, we’ve learned that it involves companies leveraging their existing database or CRM to target their contact lists through a service provider. This can include activities we’ve experimented with and found helpful, like sending promotions, news, and other information. This integration can use automation to communicate at various times in the consumer life cycle.
SMS means Short Message Service while MMS means Multimedia Messaging Service. This is the next level of a text allowing video, audio and picture content to be sent to a mobile device. Sending an MMS can lead to a premium price depending on the text gateway used. Both texts and MMS can be sent via computer.
Most providers offer MMS capabilities at a slightly higher cost, which is optimal for SMS campaigns and promotional SMS.
Email to SMS is a service that allows users to send text messages to mobile phones using their email client. It works by converting an email into an SMS format and delivering it to the recipient’s mobile device. Users can compose an email and address it to the recipient’s phone number followed by the SMS gateway domain. The gateway then converts the email content into an SMS message and delivers it to the intended recipient. Email to SMS provides a convenient way to send text messages from an email client, eliminating the need for a separate messaging platform.
As we’ve personally tested, some providers in the US offer free tools and trial periods, enabling companies to evaluate the functionality, reliability, and efficiency of gateways. Trials can vary from 5 to 25 free texts, depending on the provider’s offer. Messente, ClickSend, SMSGlobal, Twilio, and Burst SMS offer a free trial based on the amount of texts or a period of time.
Our exploration into this field led us to understand how, with the use of flexible API, US providers can seamlessly integrate SMS services into their systems for optimal functionality. New SMS integrations can often be added later on. Most of the providers have an API that can send more than 100 texts at any one time. For example, companies are able to check the balance and delivery status of a single or group of SMS messages without the need to log in to a web interface. The official Microsoft ASP.NET Site is available for HTTP, PHP, Ruby, and .NET. There is no concern about shared resources as these providers have dedicated hardware and API servers, therefore shared resources aren’t a concern. This allows a text to be sent and received with the efficient, reliable distribution. A majority of USA providers have easy authentication and quick HTML integrations and are connected with applications such as Campaign Monitor, MailChimp, Zapier, and Infusionsoft.
A US text gateway is an online platform that provides a companies with the ability to mass text within seconds to a particular audience in their contact lists. A gateway platform acts as an SMS communication channel between the user and the telecommunication network. We’ve compared both premier and hybrid telecommunication services, and interestingly, we found that while hybrid services tend to be cheaper overseas providers, they are often less efficient than those within the USA. In our comparison of various providers, we’ve seen that the best US gateway providers, like Messente, engage highly reliable carriers, boasting an impressive uptime of 99.9%, and have a 100% money-back guarantee. As we delved into studying American text providers, we noticed that most have care centers in the USA, a factor that allows them to respond swiftly to any questions or concerns related to the distribution of mass texts. Providers also supply an SMS service that engages with users and enables the ability to track and measure campaign performance.
Through our diligent research and analysis, we’ve crafted a comparison table that showcases the key highlights and features of the top 8 providers in the USA.
Other providers which were analyzed included Messente, ClickSend, MessageMedia, Twilio, Vonage (formerly Nexmo), Notifyre, and Clickatell. The information analyzed on this web page was sourced from the provider’s websites, however as data is subject to change, it is recommended that you verify the information with the provider. If you find any mass text information incorrect, please contact us using our contact form, and we will make amendments immediately. Our mission at SMS Comparison is to assist American companies in choosing the right provider to meet their mass text requirements.
Published by Simon Mannheimer
How to I start an SMS campaign?
Hi Ryan,
Lucky for you, starting an SMS campaign is easy once you have engaged with an SMS provider. Each provider has a different way of conducting their SMS campaigns, so it is best to follow the instructions on their dashboard or web app.
For example, with a provider like ClickSend, you can simply log in to your dashboard, go to “Send Quick SMS”, enter your recipients contact details, compose your message, and click send!
Many SMS providers also offer the ability to send messages via email or any web enabled device.
Two way communication like chat is possible in text SMS
Hello, yes it is, many of our SMS Gateway providers offer two-way SMS – you can have a closer look at our listed providers and their reviews here: https://www.smscomparison.com/reviews/
I want to send text messages to my small business customers to let them know about my offers etc. I’m pretty new to this so I guess what is an SMS gateway, and how can it benefit my business?
Hi David, thanks for your question!
An SMS gateway can be a great way for businesses to stay in touch with their users. It’s fast and efficient, plus you can use it for all sorts of things like appointment reminders, running marketing campaigns and even helping out with user service inquiries. All that adds up to better user engagement and higher satisfaction.
You can have a look through our list of reviews or our SMS Gateway guide page. But if you want my opinion, in your situation I’d look over our Messente review and our ClickSend review – i think there’s a lot of info in there perfect for you.
I really can’t make my mind up for my business. What should I look for in an SMS gateway provider?
Heya Kai!
When picking an SMS gateway provider, think about factors like reliability, security and scalability. Look for one with competitive rates, top-notch user service and a user-friendly interface. Also, make sure the provider supplies all the features you need (message personalization, delivery tracking and message scheduling) as well as API documentation and dev tools if you intend to integrate it with your own systems.
Providers Compared
Hours Researched
SMS Providers Reviewed