5 Best SimpleTexting Alternatives With Greater SMS Flexibility

SimpleTexting has long been a go-to choice for its features. But let’s face it—no single platform can cover every business’s growing needs.

As your business expands, you might need a platform with sharper tools or a more intuitive interface. Your team might be expanding and require a system that scales effortlessly. 

Or perhaps you’re looking for richer integrations that integrate seamlessly with your other business applications.

If you’re a small startup or enterprise ready to scale up your marketing efforts, there’s a tool that can fit with the unique challenges your organization faces.

In this guide, we’ll discover what makes each SimpleTexting alternative stand out and help you decide which is the perfect match for your business’s specific needs and goals.

Key Features of SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting offers a variety of features to improve SMS marketing efforts and customer engagement.

This text messaging platform offers a comprehensive set of features with every plan. This means that regardless of the size of your plan, you have full access to all of SimpleTexting’s capabilities.

One of their standout services is the ability to create custom integrations specifically tailored to your business’s unique needs. They also support your business with a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you the confidence to try their services without risk.

They provide unmatched flexibility in managing your marketing efforts. The number of keywords or contacts you can have is unlimited, and you can change your plan at any time to better suit your evolving needs.

The platform also includes a built-in AI message generator that saves significant time by automatically crafting messages. Their customer support team is available seven days a week, ready to assist you with any queries or issues to ensure your SMS campaigns run smoothly.

Common Limitations and Drawbacks of SimpleTexting

While SimpleTexting is a widely used SMS marketing tool, it might not suit every business. 

One of the main concerns is cost. As your business grows and you send more messages, the expenses can quickly increase, making it less economical for high-volume users.

Integration is another area where SimpleTexting may fall short. If your business relies on specific tools and SimpleTexting doesn’t support seamless integration with these tools, you could encounter difficulties. This can lead to inefficiencies and additional manual work, which is not ideal for a growing business.

Additionally, while SimpleTexting offers solid basic features, some businesses need more advanced capabilities. If your text marketing strategy requires detailed customer segmentation, automated drip campaigns, or in-depth analytics, you might find SimpleTexting’s offerings insufficient. 

Advanced functionalities are essential for creating personalized and effective marketing campaigns, and lacking these features can hinder your marketing efforts.

5 Best SimpleTexting Alternatives

If you were previously a SimpleTexting user, you might have noticed that certain features essential for your business needs are missing. 

Finding a platform that aligns more closely with your specific requirements can impact your SMS marketing efforts. 

Here, we have compiled a list of the best SimpleTexting alternatives that offer sophisticated and tailored features to meet a broader range of needs:

1. Textellent

Textellent is an excellent alternative if you’re looking for better features than what SimpleTexting offers. It’s designed for businesses of all sizes and specializes in personalizing your SMS and MMS marketing strategies offering rich “out of the box” capabilities.

This platform allows you to create and schedule a wide variety of triggered messages in advance, which helps keep your customers informed and engaged without needing to send each message manually. 

People can join or opt-in by simply texting a keyword to a designated number via a shared short code or a unique 10-digit phone number while all responses can come from the businesses’ telephone number to enable two-way dialog.

Textellent allows you to run nationwide promotions that feel local, using phone numbers that match each area. This personal touch helps make big campaigns easy to implement while making them more relevant and effective.

You can also plan and manage your messaging around key business events, such as  Textellent’s appointment scheduling tools, so that pre and post-appointment campaigns can become a key part of the customer journey. Its segmentation tools provide options to organize your messages by actions, events, roles, or groups, making it easier to target the right contacts.

With MMS library capabilities, you can make your messages more engaging by including images or videos. Textellent provides a variety of texts and images, or you can upload your own to tailor your content. 

Lastly, you can adjust your messaging strategy with customizable tags and automated messages tailored to different customer needs using its “no-code” rules-based engine that allows you to design new customer experiences. For larger businesses, Textellent’s compliance tools ensure that your messaging campaigns adhere to regulations at every location.

Compliance

Starting December 1, 2024, U.S. carriers will block business text messages from numbers that don’t comply with 10DLC requirements.

Many users are experiencing setbacks, with many registrations being rejected and receiving insufficient support to resolve the issues.

These disruptions can affect messaging services and result in additional costs from fines or surcharges for non-compliance. Missed opportunities and downtime can quickly lead to financial losses.

Instead of leaving you to manage these challenges alone, Textellent collaborates with carriers to identify the root causes of registration issues and guide you through the resolution process, helping you stay compliant and avoid interruptions to your messaging.

Pricing

Textellent provides a variety of pricing plans designed to accommodate different industries and messaging needs.

• Lite plan: $29/month for one user with 250 SMS credits
• Essentials plan: $49/month for one user with 750 SMS credits
• Standard plan: $99/month for two users with 2,000 SMS credits
• Premium custom plan: Custom options for users, SMS credits, and extra features to fit your business needs

For tailored pricing that suits your Accounting and Tax services, try our pricing calculator to get exact estimates.

2. ClickSend

ClickSend is a versatile communication platform that helps manage user access across its services, ensuring security and compliance. 

It supports various communication methods, such as SMS, MMS, Voice, Letters, Postcards, and Chat, all of which can be integrated into your software. This allows you to reach your audience through their preferred channels.

The platform integrates with popular business apps, making communication more efficient. Whether you use CRM systems or e-commerce platforms, ClickSend connects with them to provide a smooth experience.

Advantages

• Simple upload of team numbers and tracking of sent messages
• Easy setup process for a quick start
• No onboarding fees or monthly charges; pay per message sent
• Easy tracking of billing to manage costs

Drawbacks

• Lower rating compared to some competitors (3.8 out of 5 on Capterra)
• No scheduling or calendar app is available 
• Some reported issues with receiving texts from contacts

Pricing

ClickSend’s pricing starts at $0.0253 per message for businesses that send fewer than 5,000 messages per month. The cost per message drops as your messaging volume increases, offering better rates for bulk SMS campaigns.

3. Twilio

Twilio offers a robust suite of development tools to build the features you want to improve communication and streamline customer interactions across various platforms.

One key feature is its user verification API, which delivers one-time passcodes across multiple channels and verifies users silently. For tailored marketing across different channels, Twilio Engage provides a unified platform that integrates various data sources. 

The SendGrid Email API feature reliably delivers large volumes of emails directly to recipients’ inboxes. This is essential for businesses that rely heavily on email communication.

Twilio also offers Segment CDP, a Customer Data Platform that uses real-time data to help marketers craft effective campaigns. This platform allows for highly targeted marketing efforts based on current customer behavior and preferences.

Twilio Flex is a fully customizable cloud contact center development platform. It allows businesses to adjust workflows to better manage customer interactions, improving service and efficiency.

Advantages

• Flexible pay-as-you-go model
• Advanced mass texting with scheduling and personalization
• Easy integration with existing systems
• Compatible with internal voice platforms and VoIP tools
• Enables complex application development

Drawbacks

• Initial licensing fees and investment needed
• No support for users facing difficulties with 10DLC registration
• Requires specialized IT staff to develop the applications
• Long-term maintenance commitment is necessary

Pricing

Twilio offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model starting at $0.0079 per message. Volume discounts and tailored options are available for businesses with extensive SMS messaging requirements.

4. Textedly

Textedly was established in response to the demand for more personalized services in mobile phone communication.

One of its main features is the ability to set up automatic conversation triggers, which allow for seamless, automated communication with contacts. 

Textedly offers free Webforms that help businesses easily build their SMS opt-in lists. You can create unlimited web forms on Textedly’s platform, which helps collect customer information and grow your contact base at no extra cost.

Textedly also includes a calendar feature for scheduling text messages. This allows you to plan single texts or mass messages to be sent at future dates and times, helping manage campaigns effectively.

Advantages

• Wide range of features for effective SMS campaigns
• Easy-to-use customizable templates and drag-and-drop features
• Options to categorize customers based on interests
• Cost-effective solution for small businesses

Drawbacks

• Requires an approval process for approval to bulk upload contacts
• Free trial limited to self-texting only
• No multi-site campaign capabilities

Pricing

Textedly offers a 14-day free trial where users can send up to 50 text messages at no cost, allowing them to test the platform’s features. After the trial, subscription plans range from $26 to $69, catering to different business needs and budgets.

5. EZ Texting

EZ Texting offers a set of features that boost SMS marketing through engagement and compliance. The platform’s two-way SMS texting capability is a standout feature that allows automated, personalized text message sequences.

It also offers conversational texting for easy one-to-one connections with customers. For compliance, EZ Texting incorporates safety features such as SafeSTOP, which ensures that all messaging campaigns adhere to legal standards.

Additionally, EZ Texting utilizes SMS Keywords to streamline contact list growth. Contacts can quickly join your SMS list by texting a simple Keyword (e.g., “JOIN”) to your number.

Advantages

• In-depth data insights
• Variety of MMS templates and design tools
• Has features that support expanding your subscriber base
• Includes a link shortener and web sign-up links
• Integrated with Shutterstock for high-quality images

Drawbacks

• Few options for CRM compatibility
• Fewer pre-designed templates
• Unable to send texts to multiple sites simultaneously

Pricing

EZ Texting has several pricing plans tailored to different business requirements. The starting plan is priced at $20 per month, perfect for businesses with up to 500 contacts.

How to Choose the Right SMS Marketing Tool

Choosing the best SMS marketing tool lets you create meaningful connections with your audience. Let’s walk through some steps to help you find a tool that is suitable for your business:

1. Identify Your Needs

Start by figuring out what you want to achieve with your text messages. Are you trying to get more people to buy something, keep your customers informed, or just stay in touch more regularly? Your goals will help determine which tool is right for you.

Next, consider how many people you need to reach. Are you sending messages to a small group of customers, or do you need to reach thousands at a time? Some tools are better for smaller, personal messages, while others can easily handle large numbers.

Also, consider what kind of messages you’ll be sending. Are they regular texts, or do you want to include pictures and videos? Maybe you want to make your texts more interactive by adding polls or surveys.

Finally, think about who will be using the tool. Is your team tech-savvy and ready to use a complex system, or do you need something easy for anyone to pick up and use right away.

Once you understand these basics, you can easily pick an SMS marketing tool that fits your needs.

2. Look at the Features

Once you know what you need from an SMS marketing tool, it’s time to explore the features each option offers. Here’s what to consider:

• Mass texting: Allows you to send text messages to a large number of people at once
• Two-way messaging: Enables recipients to reply to your messages
• Automation and triggers: Send texts automatically based on specific triggers or actions
• Segmentation: This lets you organize your contacts into groups based on certain criteria
• Integration: You can integrate with other systems you use, like your CRM, phone system or email marketing software
• Analytics: Provide SMS key metrics on how your messages perform 

3. Check for Scalability

A good tool should be able to handle an increasing volume of messages without sacrificing performance as your contact list grows. 

Additionally, you must consider whether the tool offers advanced features that you may need down the line. This could include more detailed segmentation or upgraded analytics. It should remain efficient and reliable, even under the strain of larger-scale operations. 

Choosing a tool that can grow with your business will prevent you from needing to switch platforms as your requirements expand.

4. Test the Usability

An intuitive user interface can improve daily operations by saving time and reducing errors. If possible, take advantage of free trials offered by tool providers to get hands-on experience with the software.

5. Evaluate Customer Support

When things go sideways, good customer support is your lifeline. You must look for tools that offer comprehensive support through live chat, phone, or detailed online resources. It’s also wise to read reviews to see how other users feel about the support they’ve received.

6. Understand the Pricing

Different tools have various pricing models, so it’s important to choose one that aligns with your budget and usage expectations. 

Some tools offer pay-as-you-go pricing, which means you only pay for the messages you send. Others might require a monthly subscription, including a set number of messages or unlimited sends, depending on the plan.

Remember to look out for any additional costs that may not be obvious upfront. These can include fees for extra features, integration capabilities, or overage charges if you exceed your message limit.

7. Get Insights from Others

Before making your final decision on an SMS marketing tool, it’s ideal to gather insights from other users with experience with the platform. 

You may check out online reviews on Capterra, G2, or Trustpilot. These reviews can provide real-world insights into the tool’s reliability, effectiveness, and customer service. Pay attention to both positive and negative reviews to get a balanced view.

Why Textellent Is The Best Choice for Your SMS Marketing Needs

Textellent checks off all the key features in an SMS marketing platform. We excel in three critical areas: generating leads, nurturing them, and following up with customers effectively. 

Right from the start, when someone shows interest or makes an inquiry, our system immediately sends them a personalized message. This prompt response helps to engage potential customers instantly.

Textellent offers drip campaigns—these are sequences of targeted messages automatically sent based on specific actions taken by potential customers. These messages are strategically designed to encourage further action, like scheduling an appointment or completing a purchase.

Our platform enables us to track the effectiveness of these messages. We monitor how many people open them, click on links, and ultimately make purchases, which helps us to continuously improve our messaging strategies.

Additionally, Textellent offers a diverse range of ready-to-use message templates and multimedia options for MMS, ensuring you can quickly deploy engaging content that resonates with your audience.

Our focus spans the entire customer journey, from initial contact to long-term loyalty. We ensure that at every touchpoint, we effectively engage customers, answer their questions, and guide them to the next step. 

Textellent is the best SimpleTexting alternative because of its comprehensive approach, which attracts more leads and nurtures them into satisfied, loyal customers.

Turn Conversations into Conversions with Textellent!

Why juggle multiple tools when you can have everything in one place? Textellent is a comprehensive platform designed to nurture your customers in ways no other platform can.

With Textellent, you get more than just messaging; you get an SMS marketing solution that understands and addresses the unique needs of each customer.

Ready to see how Textellent can transform your business communications? Sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo consultation today!

FAQs About SimpleTexting Alternatives

Can I use a toll-free number with SimpleTexting alternatives?

Yes, many alternatives to SimpleTexting allow you to use a toll-free number for your SMS marketing campaigns. 

How do SimpleTexting alternatives help with reputation management?

Several SMS marketing platforms offer tools specifically designed for reputation management. These tools can help you monitor and respond to customer feedback efficiently, manage reviews, and engage positively with your audience.

Are phone calls supported by SimpleTexting alternatives?

While SMS is the primary mode of communication on these platforms, some SimpleTexting alternatives support phone calls natively or through integrations with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services. This feature allows you to manage both texts and phone calls from the same platform.