Purchasing SMS in mass is an effective method of keeping the overall text message distribution cost to a minimum. However other features need to be taken into account.
For a cheap mass texting service, Cellcast was seen as the best value, closely followed by Notifyre, SMS Tech and TextIt.
When finding an SMS provider that can provide a mass text messaging service, a business needs to know and understand the parameters and features of individual bulk SMS providers. Sending large volumes of SMS can be risky if the IT provider does not meet your requirements, is late in the distribution, or doesn’t provide the uptime reliability necessary to guarantee your mass text messages will be sent as needed and within the time frame required. Of course, this can affect the business or organisation’s marketing or communication campaigns or the need for timely notifications or provide sufficient time to relay special deals or provide alerts or reminder notices to clients and customers as required. Cheap may lead to unreliability of services if you are not aware of the right SMS company to choose when providing such an important service. Most mass text messaging services can offer affordable rates for each SMS distributed, whether for sending small, medium, or large volumes, without enduring high financial costs. For this reason, organisations, whether gyms, social clubs, or large companies, use SMS as the most effective means of keeping their customers well-informed with offers and updates.
This site will provide insight into the necessary features to ensure the message is sent correctly using the right bulk SMS providers. Consequently, a bulk SMS UK comparison table has been prepared for you to analyse the features and compare what each provider offers.
The extensive review over time investigated numerous mass or bulk SMS providers in the UK who have been assessed to be reputable and provide an effective and efficient online SMS service. They are Cellcast, Notifyre, WholesaleSMS, SMS Tech, DirectSMS, ClickSend, TextIt, SMS Broadcast, SMS Global, and BurstSMS. This site and the attached Bulk SMS Provider Comparison Table allow you to compare based on major features, customer service, pricing, and reliability.
The review found that WholesaleSMS provided the best value of the significant mass SMS providers in the UK.
To start with comparing services provided by mass or bulk SMS companies, it is advantageous if the major requirement is directed to the use of a mobile communication system or mobile phone or access to the Internet. To follow the second requirement should be to provide the mass SMS company with a list or database of people you wish to send a text message. This may be a group of specific customers, clients or employees. All of these needs can be met by the bulk SMS provider. It doesn’t matter whether there is a few hundred or thousand SMS or over 250,000 SMS monthly, the process of distribution by the mass provider should be the same. They should have the SMS software, platform and API systems in place to distribute within a few seconds of your instructions.
The mass SMS provider should be able to offer you two ways of sending out text messages. This can be done through a premium bulk text message service, Premium or Tier 1, which offers high reliability and fast delivery but at a higher charge. Alternatively, it can done by using cheaper telecommunication carriers, known as Hybrids, that charge less for using their networks. Still, the reliability may not be as good, and the delivery time will take longer. Such conditions should be investigated before deciding which mass SMS provider to engage.
As can be seen in the comparison table, some of the significant providers provide onshore or UK telecommunication carrier usage. At the same time, some, like Wholesale SMS and SMS Tech, do not use premium means but use them as optional extra features. Offshore or overseas systems are in place with several mass providers, but some, like SMS Central, do not offer such service, and DirectSMS is optional.
Another important feature is the provision of a developer API and possessing the correct web product to ensure that the high-speed connection can take on low, medium, and high volumes of text messages within a short time frame, which needs to be investigated. The providers should be able to offer delivery reports that indicate the number of bounces of messages sent through the API or online platform.
The review of the range of features offered by each mass SMS provider showed that SMSTech clearly indicated a greater range of valued features compared to similar competitors in the mass distribution field.
Pricing is integral to the selection process to find the right type of SMS company to engage. Pricing varies significantly between each provider. It was found that WholesaleSMS distinctly offered the best prices in all ranges of volumes distributed, from low volumes every month to high volumes of 250,000 plus over a month. All the other reputable mass providers investigated indicated they were from 10% to 30% dearer than the cheapest quotes available. From the review, SMSTech and ClickSend were seen as the cheaper in terms of charges, while DirectSMS was in the middle of the range and TextIT was significantly more expensive. SMS Central did not disclose its charges.
The payment modes varied, with some mass distributors requiring pre-paid requirements while others required pre-paid, followed by invoice requirements. Most providers did not offer monthly plans, although some others did offer plans as an optional feature. It is important that potential clients are aware of other features, such as set-up costs and a two-way SMS option at no extra cost.
Another feature that made WholesaleSMS distinctly different was its price-matching availability, which none of the other mass SMS providers overtly offered.
Reliability is a major factor when relying on an SMS provider to send out mass text messages at any one time and reassure the business client that they promptly delivered the required text to all designated end users. This commitment is incredibly important for the provider and client when engaging in such a mass text service.
Reliability is very much dependent on the powerful, quality, and capable software available that can provide satisfactory uptime, whether it is 99%, 99.9%, or, in a few cases, 100% uptime during which the software system is in operation. The minimal time delay between sending and receiving an SMS or even responding shows the effectiveness of the platform system being used.
To be able to offer a two-way service, easily upload your contacts, and see the effectiveness through the delivery reports all provide the confidence required by customers to engage a reliable, cheap mass SMS provider.
A thorough review of the major cheap mass texting services available in the UK revealed that the most reliable were Wholesale SMS, ClickSend, SMS Tech, SMS Central, Burst SMS, and SMS Global.
The review studies also reviewed the range of support assistance and effective customer service offered by each cheap mass texting company in the UK. This review depended on providing a dedicated phone number to contact, the support hours being either business hours or on a 24/7 basis, the email support availability, the types of delivery reports provided, the two-way SMS services on offer and the number of free SMS for a trial process.
The review found that all major mass UK SMS providers offered a business-hours contact number and an email support service. The phone support service was available by all companies except for WholesaleSMS. There was a free trial, but the number of SMS sent varied between different providers.
Another important factor reviewed was the compliance issue covering anti-spam, Confidentiality, and Privacy Policies, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). All these services were available for review and well recorded except for TextIt, which did not show any documentation on these requirements.
Therefore, based on the above features, the cheap mass texting service companies rated best were SMS Tech, ClickSend, SMS Central, and Direct SMS.
Over a lengthy period of time, a group of SMS experts (authors) has compiled a set of selection criteria and supportive data to formulate a cheap mass SMS Comparison Table to help you decide which mass SMS provider would best suit your needs.
This comparison table covers the main features for your selection process covering charges, special features, reliability and customer service. The authors no longer work in the SMS area and, therefore, are independent of any SMS provider.
The table and site are for your use and are available free of charge. However, if you use the site and then click on a provider’s site and engage their services, the authors of this site may ask for a commission from the provider.
SMS Providers do change their features and costs, therefore should you find some information on this site or table that does not match what was outlined on this site, the authors would appreciate you notifying them so that changes can be promptly made on this site.
Please remember that this site and comparison table are a guide only, and a detailed discussion should take place with the SMS provider.
Latest update on 4 June 2024