SMS Marketing Competitions Guide To Drive Success
A text-to-win contest is a contest people enter by texting a keyword to a business number. Of the 14 SMS marketing platforms compared, 4 publish their own text-to-win feature: SlickText, Trumpia, Textedly and SimpleTexting. None of the 14 provides an official rules page or template, and SlickText, Textedly and Klaviyo tell the sender to supply its own rules.
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Text to win features, platform by platform
| Platform | Text to win | How winners are picked | Official rules page |
|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleTexting | SimpleTexting Text to Win: entrants text a keyword and get a confirmation; age restrictions can be set.Source | Random draw by SimpleTexting's system on the chosen date; it sends a congratulations message. | Not published on the pages read |
| SlickText | SlickText Text to Win runs keyword-entry SMS sweepstakes with workflow templates that pick and notify winners.Source | Random automatic draw or manual pick after close; templates also cover daily winners, every Nth entrant, and a grand prize from all entrants. | Not published on the pages read |
| Textedly | Textedly publishes a text-to-win page and says text-to-win contests are allowed only on SMS short codes, not toll-free or 10DLC numbers.Source | Textedly says a random generator chooses the winners; it does not say whether its own software runs the draw. | Not published on the pages read |
| Trumpia | Trumpia runs text-to-win campaigns where contacts text a keyword to enter; it calls text to win a specialty use case that may need extra approvals.Source | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Attentive | Not published on the pages readSource | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Emotive | Not published on the pages readSource | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| EZ Texting | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Klaviyo | Not published on the pages readSource | Klaviyo tells users to take a random sample of one from the contest list to pick the winner. | Not published on the pages read |
| Mobile Text Alerts | A Mobile Text Alerts article describes contest entry by texting a custom code; no dedicated contest feature page was found.Source | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Omnisend | Not published on the pages readSource | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Postscript | Not published on the pages readSource | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Sendlane | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| Textla | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
| YepText | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read | Not published on the pages read |
Showing the 4 platforms with their own text-to-win feature.
How a text-to-win contest works
Entrants text a keyword to your number, and the platform records each entry against that keyword. Winner selection differs by platform, in each one's own words: SlickText offers random, manual, every Nth entrant, daily or grand prize selection; SimpleTexting draws a random winner with its system; Textedly uses "a random generator"; Klaviyo describes a random sample of 1. On channel, Textedly and Klaviyo say sweepstakes run only on short codes. Trumpia says 10DLC and toll-free numbers also work, as a specialty use case that needs extra approval. A "not published" cell in the table means the platform's pages read did not show the feature, not that it lacks one.
What CTIA says about text sweepstakes
CTIA's Short Code Monitoring Handbook, version 1.9, section 3.5.2, defines sweepstakes by chance plus a prize, and states that both state and federal law regulate them. CTIA urges legal review before a program goes to the carriers for approval. At a minimum, CTIA says a text sweepstakes should follow each carrier's process, give the carrier the sweepstakes rules for review, include a free method of entry, and consult legal counsel.
- Sweepstakes are defined by chance plus a prize, and both state and federal law regulate them; CTIA urges legal review before a program goes to the carriers for approval. CTIA, read 28 September 2026.
- At a minimum a text sweepstakes should follow each carrier's process, give the carrier the sweepstakes rules for review, include a free method of entry, and consult legal counsel. CTIA, read 28 September 2026.
SMS contest questions
Which SMS platforms have a text-to-win feature?
SlickText, Trumpia, Textedly and SimpleTexting publish their own keyword text-to-win feature. Mobile Text Alerts describes text-to-enter contests in an article, not as a feature. Omnisend and Postscript run contests only through the ViralSweep integration.
How is a text-to-win winner picked?
In the platforms' own words: SlickText offers random, manual, every Nth entrant, daily or grand prize selection; SimpleTexting draws a random winner with its system; Textedly uses "a random generator"; Klaviyo describes a random sample of 1.
Does a text sweepstakes need a free way to enter?
CTIA's Short Code Monitoring Handbook, version 1.9, section 3.5.2, says a text sweepstakes should at a minimum include a free method of entry and that the sender should consult legal counsel.
Can a text-to-win contest run on a 10DLC number?
Trumpia says 10DLC and toll-free numbers work for contests, as a specialty use case that needs extra approval. Textedly and Klaviyo say sweepstakes run only on short codes. Other campaign types are compared on the SMS marketing campaigns page.