Tired of missed appointments, communication breakdowns, and marketing messages that never seem to land?

The right texting app can transform your business communication from hit-or-miss to precision-targeted, ensuring every message counts.

Unlike email, people check their text messages 6 more more time per day. With such high engagement, sending SMS messages for appointment reminders, marketing efforts, or to ask for reviews is a great way to ensure your messages are not only noticed, but read too.

SMS Stats on checking texts per day

What is business text messaging?

Business text messaging refers to the use of text messaging services for business purposes. It allows businesses to connect with customers, clients, and employees through SMS, enabling efficient and effective communication.

Business text messaging offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Increased customer engagement
  • Improved response rates
  • Enhanced customer experiences

It also provides businesses with a cost-effective and time-efficient way to communicate with their audience.

By leveraging business text messaging services, companies can send personalized messages, reminders, and updates directly to their customers’ mobile devices. This direct line of communication helps build stronger relationships and ensures that important information is delivered promptly.

Effective SMS marketing strategies

Crafting effective SMS messages is crucial for successful SMS marketing campaigns. Here are some strategies to help your business create impactful SMS messages:

  1. Keep it concise: SMS messages should be short and to the point. Keep your message concise and focused on the main objective.

  2. Use clear language: Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may confuse your audience. Use clear and simple language that is easy to understand.

  3. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA): Include a clear CTA in your SMS message, such as “Reply YES to confirm” or “Click the link to learn more.”

  4. Use personalization: Personalize your SMS messages by using the recipient’s name or referencing their previous interactions with your business.

  5. Use attention-grabbing headlines: Use attention-grabbing headlines to capture the recipient’s attention and encourage them to read the message.

  6. Include a sense of urgency: Create a sense of urgency by including a limited-time offer or a deadline for response.

  7. Use mobile-friendly formatting: Use mobile-friendly formatting to ensure that your SMS message is easy to read on mobile devices.

  8. Test and optimize: Test your SMS messages and optimize them based on the results to improve their effectiveness.

Here's a great example of an appointment reminder SMS example:

Appointment reminder SMS Example with cancellation policy

By following these strategies, businesses can create effective SMS messages that engage their audience and drive results. Whether you’re launching a new product, promoting a special offer, or simply keeping your customers informed, well-crafted SMS messages can significantly enhance your sms marketing efforts.

Examples of SMS campaigns to consider

While there are endless opportunities for how to leverage sms campaigns to drive revenue, knowing how you want to use text messaging for your business will help determine what platform is best for your business. Here are just a few examples to help inspire your sms marketing efforts:

  • Appointment reminders and scheduling: Automatically send personalized text message confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups for bookings. Tools like YouCanBookMe tie SMS campaigns directly to bookings.
  • SMS marketing campaigns: Launch targeted text marketing campaigns to promote deals, run surveys, polls, competitions, and sweepstakes. Tools like SimpleTexting make it easy to send bulk messages to subscribers and track engagement through marketing analytics. 
  • Customer communication and notifications: Send quick notifications, alerts, and updates about sales, service changes, or important information. Platforms like Capacity allow businesses to send notifications and maintain two-way communication with customers—all with AI!
  • Lead generation and sales follow-up: Use SMS platforms like Salesmsg to engage with leads in real-time, facilitate team collaboration on conversations, and track communication progress through analytical tools. 
  • Automated customer service: Implement AI-powered automated responses, create SMS templates, and set up auto-responders to provide instant communication and support.

Best SMS apps for small businesses in 2025

Our buying guide and how we rate the SMS apps

SMS apps are definitely not one-size-fits-all. 

Some criteria, like ease of use, apply universally to all businesses, while others, such as features, may vary. Your choice will depend on your specific needs, including essential integrations, features for daily operations, and your budget. Choosing the right business texting software is an important decision that you'll need to make as a small business owner.

With that in mind, we chose and rated the eight best SMS apps for small businesses based on: 

  • Ease of use—We examined how intuitive each app is, ensuring your team can quickly adapt to using it without encountering complex features or processes.
  • Features—We scrutinized each app's messaging functionalities, including capabilities such as mass texting, two-way communication, scheduled messages, multimedia messaging, and automation options.
  • Value for money—We reviewed each tool’s pricing, whether a monthly plan or pay-as-you-go, to determine the best value for your hard-earned cash.
  • Integrations—Every business has tools they just can’t live without. That’s why we looked into how well each SMS app integrates with other popular software.

The 10 Best Scheduling Apps Of 2025

1. YouCanBookMe (YCBM)

YouCanBookMe integrates scheduling, SMS notifications, and online payments into one intuitive tool. Users can automate personalized text messages for bookings, rescheduling, cancellations, sales updates, and marketing purposes.

Read more about YouCanBookMe

2. Capacity

Capacity is an AI-powered support platform with an SMS branch. They're a business texting platform designed to improve your customer experiences through AI and human-powered conversations. 


Read more about Capacity

3. Twilio

Twilio’s cloud communication tool uses APIs to engage customers through SMS messaging, call redirection, and marketing analytics. It’s highly customizable but technically advanced, making it best suited to developers (or people with access to one).

Read more about Twilio


4. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting offers an SMS and multimedia messaging service (MMS) marketing solution. It lets users launch campaigns quickly, send bulk messages, automate reminders, facilitate two-way conversations, and access campaigns across multiple devices.

Read more about SimpleTexting

5. Emitrr

Emitrr is a text message marketing software designed for customer interaction and engagement across various industries, from small businesses to healthcare. The platform offers seamless integration with 1000+ external tools and its features are highly customizable.

Read more about Emitrr


6. Textmagic

Textmagic streamlines business texting by quickly sending notifications, alerts, reminders, and marketing SMS messages. Its intuitive UI, automation, prebuilt analytics, and handy templates make it a good option for non-technical users.

Read more about Textmagic


7. Salesmsg

Salesmsg’s cloud-based SMS platform helps you manage text conversations in the US and Canada via web or mobile app. The tool enables team collaboration through shared texting features and provides analytical tools.

Read more about Salesmsg


8. OpenPhone

OpenPhone is a VoIP business phone system that integrates calls, SMS, MMS, voicemails, and contacts into a single app. It offers call routing, auto-attendants, and team collaboration tools to boost communication and efficiency.

Read more about OpenPhone


9. EZTexting

EZTexting offers a text marketing solution featuring unlimited incoming messages, robust support, and image editing tools across all plans. It provides clear instructions, extensive help resources, and a user-friendly dashboard.

Read more about EZTexting


10. Textedly

Textedly is a business SMS solution with free incoming messages, mass group texting, and two-way SMS functionality. The tool has valuable analytics and allows users to send long SMS messages (over 455 characters).

Read more about Textedly

🧰 Once you’ve made up your mind, dive into the latest SMS best practices to get the most out of your selected texting app! 

1. YouCanBookMe—Best for integrating SMS with scheduling

YouCanBookMe SMS platform homepage

YouCanBookMe combines stress-free scheduling, SMS notifications, and online payments in one easy-to-use tool. With YCBM, all text messages are triggered through the booking page, allowing you to automate SMS messages based on actions such as booking, rescheduling, and cancellations. Users can schedule personalized confirmations, reminders, and follow-up text messages to inform clients about sales, significant changes, or market other services.

Pros

Cons

  • Combines online scheduling and SMS in one handy tool
  • User-friendly interface
  • Designed for both small and large teams
  • No need to purchase a phone number—they'll handle it for you
  • If you work with clients across a wide range of international locations, YouCanBookMe will set up local phone numbers for you based on your clients' location
  • No mobile app
  • Since it's a tool that focuses on both online scheduling and SMS, it might have limited texting features compared to SMS-only products

Top YouCanBookMe features:

  • Automated and personalized text messages
  • Localized phone numbers based on your clients’ location
  • Confirmation, follow-up, and appointment reminder SMS
  • Set prices and take payment for appointments
  • Customizable booking page with different appointment types and lengths
  • Ample integrations, including Zoom, Gmail, Zapier, and Outlook
  • Available in 44 languages 

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go, with texts starting at $0.07*

*You can send SMS messages from YCBM’s free scheduling plan or upgrade to the paid version for advanced features. 

YouCanBook.me has a clean interface, allows SMS notifications, works great for teams and is a highly effective sales and communication tool – we absolutely love it.

- Deepak Shukla, Founder of Pearl Lemon Leads

🧰 Need help crafting your ideal reminder SMS? These appointment reminder text message templates will help you get started.

YouCanBookMe SMS in action

With super customizable booking pages and forms, YouCanBookMe users have the ability to add a phone number field to their booking form. This means that you can easily get permission from your clients to send SMS notifications and reduce no-shows. 

Check out how Greg Schwartz Schwartz, an AI and prompt engineering consultant has included SMS into his booking process.

how to easily get permission on your booking page for SMS messages

 

Appointment reminders are phenomenal. Before I turned them on, I had almost 20% of appointments canceled. After turning them on, that went down to less than 1%.
- Greg Schwartz, a self-employed AI and prompt engineering consultant
Another YCBM user, Becca also has SMS notifications set up for meeting reminders. This is what it looks like in action: 
 
meeting reminder sms template

2. Capacity—Best AI-powered business texting service

capacity sms platform

Another great business texting service is Capacity. Their AI-powered SMS software will help your business build stronger client relationships and drive more sales as a result. Their business texting service gives your customers the ability to: 

  • Book, confirm, and reschedule appointments
  • Get personalized recommendations in real-time via SMS
  • Get answers and responses faster

Beyond text messaging, Capacity's suite of tools also empowers businesses to AI-power phone calls and SMS campaigns as well, which in turn will help your business:

  • Deliver personalized and relevant promos and updates to clients through AI-powered SMS marketing campaigns
  • Give expert advice and personalized recommendations in real-time
  • Drive repeat bookings and maximize engagement and sales for your business

Pros

Cons

  • AI-powered solution offers businesses the ability to tackle customer inquiries faster
  • Helps free up customer service agent time to handle more complicated requests
  • Easy to build upselling workflows to drive more revenue from each client
  • Partner with top phone service providers like RingCentral
  • Tailored to larger businesses
  • No free trial

Top Capacity features:

  • Two-way AI SMS and MMS messaging so customers can reach out anytime and receive answers—no receptionist required
  • On-the-spot responses to service questions, availability, and pricing
  • Instant SMS campaigns for your waitlist to avoid empty appointment slots
  • AI-powered message routing to empower customer service agents to follow-up to customer inquiries fast
  • Real-time push notifications to send timely and relevant alerts and promos to customers

Capacity SMS

Pricing: No public pricing

Considering that Capacity is more than just an business texting service, they offer multiple pricing tiers based on your use case. To get accurate and personalized pricing for your needs, you'll need to reach out or book a demo.

 

3. Twilio—Best for developers

twilio SMS

Twilio is a cloud communication platform that uses APIs to reach your customers effectively. It’s highly customizable, allowing you to select from various features, including SMS messaging, call redirection, and marketing analytics tools. Although it offers some out-of-the-box features, Twilio is best suited for developers, as you’ll need technical expertise to get the most out of the tool. 

Pros

Cons

  • Very flexible with lots of customization options
  • Offers comprehensive SMS analytics and tracking tools
  • Affordable pricing per text
  • Can be tricky to set up with a steep learning curve, especially if you aren’t a developer
  • Users have some gripes with the speed of customer support

Top Twilio features:

  • Programmable Messaging APIs that deliver messages to your customers through text and WhatsApp
  • Conversations API that lets you text back and forth with customers
  • Programmable voice API to make, receive, and monitor phone calls
  • Advanced customization for developers
  • CRM and email integration
  • Two-factor authentication for log-ins and onboarding

Pricing: Twilio's pricing structure is based your location, the type of message you're sending, and which carrier the SMS is being sent.

For example, here's a breakdown of SMS and MMS pricing if you're located in the United States:

4. SimpleTexting—Best for SMS marketing campaigns

simpletexting sms platform

SimpleTexting is an all-in-one SMS and MMS marketing tool that lets you launch sms campaigns without needing a developer. Users can send bulk text messages to subscribers to promote their latest deals or set up automated reminders. Additionally, features like two-way conversations simplify follow-ups. Since SimpleTexting is cloud-based, campaigns can be accessed from multiple devices using an integrated dashboard.

Pros

Cons

  • Doesn’t require programming skills
  • Clean and simple dashboard
  • Ample integrations
  • Reliable customer support and robust features
  • More expensive than the majority of its competitors
  • Experienced developers may find the tool limiting

Top SimpleTexting features:

  • Free incoming SMS messages
  • Multiple keywords that help you build different subscriber lists
  • Can run surveys, polls, competitions, and sweepstakes via SMS
  • Marketing analytics and reporting
  • Two-way messaging and mass texting
  • Rollover credits
  • AI-powered automated responses

Pricing: Starting at $29/month for 500 SMS credits and $10/month for a local number (toll-free numbers are free). You can see the full breakdown of pricing on their website based on your needs:

5. Emitrr—Best for deep CRM integrations

Emitrr SMS app

Emitrr is an SMS and customer communication software that provides essential texting features, including two-way texting, mass/bulk texting, MMS messaging, and recurring texts.

The platform uses an affordable volume-based pricing model and integrates smoothly with over 500 third-party CRM, EHR, and PMS tools. Emitrr is also TCPA and HIPAA-compliant, ensuring robust security measures. 

Pros

Cons

  • Plethora of texting features
  • HIPAA compliant
  • Comes with VoIP, appointment scheduling and reviews & reputation management functions
  • Rated 5/5 for customer service
  • Only offers services for the US and Canada

Top Emitrr features:

  • Schedule messages to send at a later date
  • Bulk messaging, automated SMS, and voice call functionalities
  • Two-way SMS and MMS messaging
  • Automatically syncs data from your CRM (EMR/PMS/Scheduling platforms)
  • Local and toll-free numbers
  • Built-in opt-in and double-opt-out features
  • Webchat to text messages
  • Conduct pre/post-stay surveys via text messages
  • Send 1,000 text messages simultaneously
  • HIPAA compliant texting 
  • VoIP phone system

Pricing: Starts at $149/month.

6. Textmagic—Best for non-technical users

textmagic sms platform

Textmagic is a business text messaging service that lets you quickly send notifications, alerts, reminders, and marketing text messages. It simplifies workflow management with SMS autoresponders, AI-powered responses, and pre-built analytics. Textmagic features two-way communication, offers full access to its SMS API, and integrates with 1,000+ apps via Zapier for no-code automations. Additionally, its pay-as-you-go model keeps it cost-effective, especially for small businesses.

Pros

Cons

  • Intuitive UI with no development experience needed
  • Ability to quickly import your contacts and start seeing messages
  • Easy-to-use SMS templates and autoresponders
  • For larger businesses, the pay-as-you-go pricing might get expensive fast, but new updates have made this much more efficient
  • Every Textmagic account in the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico must buy and verify a dedicated toll-free or 10DLC number

Top Textmagic features:

  • Can send and receive texts, SMS, MMS messaging (certain countries), and SMS attachments
  • Email-to-SMS functionality to send text messages directly from your inbox
  • Mass texting and two-way messaging
  • Real-time reporting
  • SMS templates and autoresponders that save time
  • Schedule messages for a later time and date
  • Built-in automation and segmentation
  • Carrier lookup and number validation

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go, with texts starting at $0.049/message and numbers at $10/month (note: UK numbers start at $4.10/month). Volume discounts available with monthly plans. 

Have a look at the full pricing breakdown from Textmagic:

Automate SMS reminders

Keep your clients in the loop by automatically sending SMS confirmations and reminders for every appointment.

Start free trial now
YouCanBookMe SMS notifications

7. Salesmsg—Best for local businesses in the US and Canada

salesmsg sms platform

Salesmsg is a cloud-based SMS service that lets you send, receive, and manage text conversations via web or iOS and Android apps. It provides extensive integration options for efficient messaging and calls from a single number, making it helpful for real-time lead generation and boosting speed to lead. Additionally, Salesmsg facilitates collaboration by allowing team members to share texting features and offers analytical tools to track campaign progress.

Pros

Cons

  • Clean, easy-to-navigate UI
  • Can share inbox with team members at no additional cost
  • Integrates with many third-party tools, including CRMs such as Hubspot and Pipedrive
  • Only offers services for the US and Canada
  • Web app might be simplistic for developers or experienced marketing teams

Top Salesmsg features:

  • Desktop and mobile apps
  • Schedule messages to send at a later date
  • Bulk messaging, automated SMS, and voice call functionalities
  • Two-way SMS and MMS messaging
  • Call-forwarding
  • Local and toll-free numbers
  • Built-in opt-in and double-opt-out features 

Pricing: Starts at $25/month for 500 messages. If you go above that within a month, it will cost you 4¢ per additional credit.

8. OpenPhone—Best for integrating phone calls and texts

openphone

OpenPhone is a VoIP business phone system that combines calls, texts, voicemails, and contacts in one app. The platform supports SMS and MMS messaging, allowing for exchanging text, images, videos, and other multimedia content. With features like call routing, auto-attendants, and team collaboration tools, OpenPhone streamlines communication workflows for teams of all sizes.

Pros

Cons

  • Seamless text and voice integration
  • Modern and sleek interface
  • Handy AI-suggested message responses
  • Limited features in the lower-priced tiers
  • Additional fees for sign-up and messaging

Top OpenPhone features:

  • Schedule messages to send at a later time or date
  • Create and save message templates
  • Group messaging and auto-replies
  • Teammates can text one contact simultaneously
  • Call logs, recordings, voicemails, and texts appear in one seamless conversation
  • Send photos, videos, audio, gifs, and files 
  • Text and calls via phone and desktop

Pricing: Starting at $19/month, with additional messaging and carrier fees when billed monthly.

9. EZTexting—Best for multimedia messaging

ez texting sms marketing platform

EZTexting is a text marketing solution catering to companies in the US and Canada that want to set up SMS communication quickly, including mass messaging capabilities. All EZTexting plans include unlimited incoming messages, phone and chat support, image editing tools, and growth tools but differ in terms of users, keywords, and numbers allowed. The platform stands out for its clear instructions, extensive help resources, user-friendly dashboard, and straightforward setup. 

Pros

Cons

  • Excellent user onboarding and help resources for non-technical users
  • Intuitive UI and comprehensive SMS toolkit
  • Easy set-up and management of contacts, with straightforward tracking
  • Only supports texting to numbers from US and Canada
  • Pricing plans lack flexibility, potentially leading to higher costs

Top EZTexting features:

  • Free two-way texting
  • Mass texting and text forwarding
  • AI tools for drafting texts and responses
  • Team inbox to help ease collaboration
  • Design tools powered by Shutterstock for MMS messages
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Mobile and desktop app

Pricing: Starting at $25/month with 500 texts per month. This also includes the cost of a local textable number. 

10. Textedly—Best for long SMS messages

textedly sms platform

Textedly provides comprehensive business texting service and seamless integration with popular tools like Slack and Mailchimp. Plans include free incoming messages, mass group texting, toll-free numbers, and two-way SMS, with varying message limits and custom keywords. The platform supports omnichannel communication, is favored for bulk messaging, and has a clean interface with user-friendly analytics.

Pros

Cons

  • Intuitive interface lets you quickly start texting without tutorials
  • Unique Instagram texting feature 
  • Ability to send longer texts (over 455 characters)
  • No mobile app
  • Monthly plans may not be flexible enough for smaller businesses

Top Textedly features:

  • Secure SMS payments
  • Unlimited contacts and free incoming messages
  • Messaging analytics
  • Schedule group and single texts
  • Voice services
  • Mass and two-way texting
  • SMS keywords to sign up for campaigns
  • SMS templates

Pricing: Textedly offers a free plan with 50 text messages included per month. Their paid tiers start at $26/month with 500 text messages when billed monthly.

FAQ about best SMS apps for small businesses

How do I set up text messaging for my business?

To set up text messaging for your business, you’ll first need to choose an SMS app. Consider factors such as pricing, features, and integrations to select the best fit your needs. Next, you’ll need to create an account and provide a payment method. Once you go through a quick setup, you’ll either have to input your own contacts list or start collecting phone numbers from your customers via the SMS tool you chose. Once your recipients are all set, you can start drafting and scheduling your texts.

How can I send mass texts for free for business?

Unfortunately, no apps on the market will allow you to send mass texts for free. However, many SMS service providers (including the ones listed above) offer affordable pricing plans based on the number of messages you send, making them cost-effective options for businesses of all sizes. 

What is the app that sends SMS without needing a phone number?

With YouCanBookMe’s SMS app, you can send text messages without using your personal phone number or purchasing a new one. YouCanBookMe will send your SMS messages for you through a region-specific number based on the recipient’s location. All replies will go directly to your email inbox. 

 

Ready to book more meetings?

business-page@2x
FREE Unlimited Meetings with the Most Customisable Online Scheduling Tool
Get YCBM Now Get YCBM Now
No Credit Card Required

Get started today

Join thousands of coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs who use YouCanBookMe to power their business. Get your first booking in a few minutes.

Create your own booking page
14 day free trial No credit card required