Clickatell review
Clickatell is an SMS API and gateway provider with an HTTP API and a REST based One API for developers. Its per message rate for US sending is 0.751c at every monthly volume tier from 0 to 1,000,000 plus, read September 28, 2026. A free self-service Prepaid account and unlimited free sandbox testing are available, with no free credit published as of September 9, 2026. We score Clickatell 5.83 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.
Clickatell cost at your volume
$7.51 in message charges a month, at 0.751c (0-10000)
The same rule prices Clickatell on the versus pages and the price guides: the band, top-up or number type your volume reaches, from Clickatell's own US rates read 28 September 2026.
Clickatell scores
| Value for money | 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 8 | |
| Reliability | 1.5 | |
| Reputation | 5 | |
| Compliance | 6.5 | |
| Customer service | 8 | |
| Gateway fit | 6.25 |
Six criteria, equally weighted, each scored out of 10 from Clickatell's own published pages (how we rate). The gateway fit score counts eight published API features and is not part of the overall score.
Clickatell US rates
| As published | Price | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 10000-50000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 50000-100000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 100000-250000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 250000-500000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 500000-1000000 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
| 1000000-2147483647 | 0.751c | Lower than 26 of 32 other providers' lowest US rates |
Read from Clickatell's own US pricing page on 28 September 2026. By monthly volume. Each row is read against the lowest published US rate of every other provider we price. Source.
Clickatell fees, trial and support
| What | Clickatell | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | A once-off setup fee applies to short codes and two-way long numbers, paid in advance; no amount stated on any page | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| 10DLC registration fees | A once-off brand registration fee and a once-off fee per campaign, both non-refundable; amounts not published; no monthly campaign fee stated | Read 22 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Toll-free verification | Not published | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Free trial | Free self-service Prepaid account and unlimited free sandbox testing; no free credit or trial length published | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Minimum plan or spend | No platform fee on the self-service Prepaid tier; you pay per message. Connect, Interact and Transact package fees are quote only | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| API and SDKs | Yes: HTTP API and REST based One API. SDKs for C#, Java, NodeJS, Python and PHP are listed but marked archived | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Web app | Yes: cloud hosted web portal, plus SMS Campaign Manager for scheduled campaigns to lists | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Integrations named | Salesforce, Zendesk Support, Zendesk Sell, Shopify, Bitly | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Support channels | Web form, Help Center, WhatsApp, AI chat agent and email ([email protected]); no phone number published | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Support hours | 24/7, as stated on product pages; no named window or time zone | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| SOC 2 | Conflicting claims: SOC 2 Type 1 on the security page (re-read today), SOC 2 Type 2 in help doc images; no report linked | Read 22 September 2026 Source 1 |
| ISO 27001 | ISO 27001 claimed; the linked US certificate is the 2013 edition and states expiry 27 June 2024 | Read 22 September 2026 Source 1 |
| HIPAA | Not published | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| GDPR | GDPR compliance stated, with data processing agreements for customers; data hosted on AWS in Ireland | Read 22 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Opt-out handling (TCPA) | Opt-out tooling: a Do not contact (DNC) list on SMS, opt-out management in Campaign Manager and an Opt-Out node in Chat Flow; the terms put compliance on the customer | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| 10DLC registration | Self-service 10DLC: Clickatell submits your brand and campaign to The Campaign Registry; one brand per EIN; campaign vetting takes up to 5 business days | Read 22 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Founded | 2000, in Cape Town | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Head office | Bellville, South Africa, per the ISO 27001 certificate Clickatell links; US entity Clickatell Inc in Redwood City, California | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Ownership | Not published | Read 9 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Uptime or SLA | 99.98% uptime SLA on the packages page; other Clickatell pages say 99.90%, 99.9% and 99.99%; no figure appears in the terms, so none is contractual | Read 8 September 2026 Source 1 |
| Trustpilot | 1.3 out of 5 from 92 reviews | Read 21 September 2026 Source 1 |
Not published means Clickatell'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 Clickatell fits
Clickatell fits a US business that sends through an SMS API and wants one flat per message rate: 0.751c applies from 0 to 10,000 messages a month and up to 1,000,000 plus, as read September 28, 2026. The self-service Prepaid tier has no platform fee, so you pay per message only. Clickatell submits your brand and campaign to The Campaign Registry, one brand per EIN, with campaign vetting taking up to 5 business days, read September 28, 2026, as our US SMS compliance rules page details. Developers get an HTTP API and a REST based One API, plus a cloud web portal with SMS Campaign Manager for scheduled campaigns. Support runs 24/7 through web form, WhatsApp, an AI chat agent and email, per September 9, 2026.
When to look elsewhere
Look elsewhere when you need a contractual uptime figure: Clickatell states 99.98% on its packages page but also 99.90%, 99.9% and 99.99% elsewhere, and no figure appears in the terms as of September 8, 2026. A once-off setup fee applies to short codes and two-way long numbers, with no amount published (September 9, 2026). Clickatell does not publish long number, toll-free or short code rental fees, checked September 9 and September 22, 2026. Its Trustpilot rating is 1.3 out of 5 from 92 reviews, read September 21, 2026.
Clickatell compared
Clickatell questions
How much does Clickatell SMS cost?
Clickatell SMS costs 0.751c per message at every monthly volume tier from 0 to 1,000,000 plus, read September 28, 2026. The self-service Prepaid tier has no platform fee. Connect, Interact and Transact package fees are quote only, as of September 9, 2026.
Does Clickatell have a free trial?
A free trial in the credit sense is not published. Clickatell does offer a free self-service Prepaid account and unlimited free sandbox testing, with no free credit or trial length published, read September 9, 2026.
What is Clickatell?
Clickatell is an SMS API and gateway provider founded in 2000 in Cape Town, read September 9, 2026. It offers an HTTP API, a REST based One API, a cloud web portal and integrations including Salesforce, Zendesk Support, Zendesk Sell, Shopify and Bitly.