BulkSMS review
BulkSMS is an SMS API and gateway provider founded in 2000, selling prepaid credit bundles to US businesses. Its 10,000 credit bundle costs 3.35c per message (read September 8, 2026). New users get 5 free trial credits, once per mobile number (read September 9, 2026). We score BulkSMS 5.17 out of 10.
Alain Grossbard OAM, with Justin Grossbard Updated How we rate Reader supported, we may earn a commission Reader supported. We may earn a commission when you sign up through a link on this page, and it never changes a score. How we make money.
BulkSMS cost at your volume
$36.50 in message charges a month, at 3.65c (1000 Credits bundle)
The same rule prices BulkSMS on the versus pages and the price guides: the band, top-up or number type your volume reaches, from BulkSMS's own US rates read 8 September 2026.
BulkSMS scores
| Value for money | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 10 | |
| Reliability | 1 | |
| Reputation | 7 | |
| Compliance | 3 | |
| Customer service | 6 | |
| Gateway fit | 3.13 |
Six criteria, equally weighted, each scored out of 10 from BulkSMS's own published pages (how we rate). The gateway fit score counts eight published API features and is not part of the overall score.
BulkSMS US rates
| As published | Price | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| 200 Credits | 3.80c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 500 Credits | 3.71c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 1000 Credits | 3.65c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 2000 Credits | 3.50c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 5000 Credits | 3.45c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 10000 Credits | 3.35c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 20000 Credits | 3.30c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 50000 Credits | 3.21c | Lower than 4 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
Read from BulkSMS's own US pricing page on 8 September 2026. By credit bundle. Each row is read against the lowest published US rate of every other provider we price. Source.
BulkSMS fees, trial and support
| What | BulkSMS | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Us credit bundles | Eight prepaid US bundles: 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 credits; larger volumes by quote | Read Source 1 |
| Us credit per sms | One credit sends one SMS on the major US networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular and others on the Standard Route); American Samoa costs 4.39 credits and Puerto Rico 2.19 | Read Source 1 |
| 10DLC registration fees | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Toll-free verification | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Carrier fees | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Free trial | 5 free SMS credits for testing, given once per mobile number | Read Source 1 |
| Minimum plan or spend | No monthly fee, setup fee or contract; prepaid bundles from 200 credits. Credits expire 2 years after purchase | Read Source 1 |
| API and SDKs | Yes, a JSON REST API (with an OpenAPI spec), plus a legacy HTTP API and SMPP for high volume on request; code samples in ASP Classic, C#, Java, Perl, PHP, Python and VB.NET | Read Source 1 |
| Web app | Yes, a web app that sends to lists from any browser | Read Source 1 |
| Integrations named | ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier, Zoho, Mailchimp, Marketo, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Freshdesk, Monday.com, WHMCS, ChurchSuite | Read Source 1 |
| Support channels | Phone and email support at no extra cost, a web contact form, FAQ, video tutorials and a technical notifications mailing list; a US toll free number (1 877 260 3952) is shown when the site is set to the US | Read Source 1 |
| Support hours | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Us sender id | Alphanumeric sender ID is not available for US messages | Read Source 1 |
| SOC 2 | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| ISO 27001 | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| HIPAA | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Opt-out handling (TCPA) | Automatic opt out blocking and a blocked number list; opted out numbers are blocked for the sending account | Read Source 1 |
| 10DLC registration | BulkSMS guides US senders through number application and Campaign Registry brand and campaign registration; approval takes 16 to 21 days | Read Source 1 |
| Founded | 2000 | Read Source 1 |
| Head office | Cape Town, South Africa | Read Source 1 |
| Ownership | A division of Celerity Systems (Pty) Ltd of South Africa; US customers contract with Celerity Messaging UK Ltd | Read Source 1 |
| Uptime or SLA | Not published | Read Source 1 |
| Trustpilot | 2.6 out of 5 from 1,567 reviews | Read Source 1 |
Not published means BulkSMS's own pages were checked on that day and state no figure. Nothing here is carried over from the earlier version of this review.
When BulkSMS fits
BulkSMS fits a US business whose developers want to build on an SMS API. It offers a JSON REST API with an OpenAPI spec, plus SMPP for high volume on request (read September 9, 2026). Prepaid bundles start at 200 credits with no monthly fee or contract, and credits expire 2 years after purchase (read September 9, 2026). BulkSMS also guides US senders through 10DLC registration, which takes 16 to 21 days (read September 9, 2026). BulkSMS has an RCS Business Messaging page and is recruiting early adopters, with US availability not stated (read September 28, 2026), so watch RCS business messaging before you plan around it.
When to look elsewhere
Look elsewhere when uptime matters. BulkSMS does not publish an uptime figure (checked September 9, 2026), and our reliability sub-score is 1 out of 10. Trustpilot shows 2.6 out of 5 from 1567 reviews, read September 21, 2026. US senders cannot use an alphanumeric sender ID (read September 9, 2026). BulkSMS does not publish SOC 2, ISO 27001 or HIPAA figures (checked September 9, 2026), and does not publish carrier fees (checked September 22, 2026).
BulkSMS compared
BulkSMS questions
Is BulkSMS good value for small business texting?
BulkSMS is good value only at larger volumes. The 200 credit bundle costs 3.8c per message, and the 50,000 credit bundle costs 3.21c, the lowest published rate (read September 8, 2026). Tiers between those run from 3.71c down to 3.3c.
Does BulkSMS offer a free trial?
BulkSMS offers a free trial of 5 credits, given once per mobile number (read September 9, 2026). That is enough to test the gateway and web app before you buy a bundle.
Is BulkSMS reliable for sending business messages?
BulkSMS is not verifiably reliable for sending business messages. It does not publish uptime (checked September 9, 2026). Its Trustpilot rating is 2.6 out of 5 from 1567 reviews, read September 21, 2026, and our reliability sub-score is 1 out of 10.