Text messages get read. Open rates on SMS run well above email, and customers reply to a text far more readily than they pick up a call from an unknown number. That is why most small businesses now run at least some of their customer communication — appointment reminders, order updates, quick check-ins — over text.
The platforms that do this well differ more than they look on a features page. Some are built purely for marketing blasts, some for two-way conversations tied to a phone number, and some bundle texting into a full business phone system. Here are eight worth considering, and what each one actually suits.
How we compared these
We looked at each platform's two-way messaging quality, automation and template tools, whether it texts from a real business number, contact and compliance handling, and pricing at typical small-business volume.
Why trust this list: we cross-checked vendor pricing and feature pages directly, and weighed them against patterns in G2 and Capterra reviews — particularly complaints about deliverability, hidden fees and support response time, which rarely show up on a marketing page.
Quick comparison
Platform
Starting Price
Best For
Calilio
From $12/user/mo
Texting bundled into a full business phone system, same number for calls and texts.
EZ Texting
From $25/mo
Straightforward SMS marketing blasts and keyword opt-ins.
SimpleTexting
From $39/mo
Simple bulk campaigns with an easy-to-learn interface.
Podium
Quote-based pricing
Texting tied closely to review generation and local reputation.
Textline
Quote-based pricing
Team-based two-way conversations with shared inboxes.
SlickText
From $29/mo
Keyword-based opt-in campaigns for retail and events.
Salesmsg
From $25/user/mo
Sales teams texting from an existing CRM-linked number.
Twilio
Usage-based
Developers building fully custom texting workflows.
The 8 platforms, in detail
1. Calilio
Texting from the number your customers already call
Calilio bundles two-way business texting into the same phone system you already use for calls, so customers reach one number instead of learning a second app or line. Bulk campaigns support CSV, CRM and manual contact import, with message scheduling and automatic duplicate-number prevention built in.
Texting is included with Calilio's phone plans rather than sold as a separate product, which keeps billing and reporting in one place.
What Works
✓Same number for calls and texts, no second app
✓CSV, CRM and manual contact import for campaigns
✓Bulk SMSfor promotions, reminders, and alerts to multiple contacts
✓Scheduling built into the campaign builder
What to Watch
✕Requires a Calilio phone plan, not a standalone product
✕Not the fit if you only need texting, nothing else
✕Newer to the category than dedicated SMS marketing tools
✕Advanced segmentation is lighter than pure marketing platforms
Pricing:
Included from $15/user/month ($12 billed annually) on the Standard plan.
Verdict:
The natural choice if you already run calls through Calilio and want texting on the same number.
2. EZ Texting
A veteran SMS marketing platform built for blasts
One of the longest-running SMS marketing platforms, built around keyword opt-ins, list segmentation and template-based blasts. It suits businesses running promotions or announcements more than ongoing two-way conversations.
What Works
✓Mature, well-tested keyword opt-in system
✓Strong template library for common campaign types
✓List segmentation for targeted blasts
✓Established brand with a long track record
What to Watch
✕Built for one-to-many, not two-way conversations
✕Credits consumed per segment — long texts use more
✕Less useful for a support or sales team texting individually
✕No native calling to pair texting with
Pricing:
Starts at $25/month, includes 500 monthly credits and 1 user. Overage credits cost $0.04 each. SMS uses 1 credit per message, while MMS uses 3 credits. Incoming messages are free.
Verdict:
A safe pick for scheduled promotional blasts, less suited to ongoing customer conversations.
3. SimpleTexting
An easier on-ramp into SMS marketing
Similar territory to EZ Texting, with a reputation for an easier learning curve and a clean campaign builder. Good for a small team sending occasional blasts without needing much onboarding time.
What Works
✓Simple, fast campaign setup
✓Clean interface with a short learning curve
✓Good documentation and support for beginners
✓Solid list management and opt-in tools
What to Watch
✕Credits expire monthly and don't roll over
✕Fewer advanced automation options than larger platforms
✕Primarily one-to-many, not built for team inboxes
✕No calling feature to pair with texting
Pricing:
Entry plans start at $39/month, plus a $4 one-time carrier registration fee. This cost includes one local number and 500 messaging credits.
Verdict:
Best for a small team new to SMS marketing that wants to get moving quickly.
4. Podium
Texting as part of a reviews and reputation platform
Podium's texting sits inside a broader local-reputation platform — review requests, webchat, and payments alongside messaging. It fits businesses whose main goal is generating and managing reviews, with texting as part of the customer touchpoint.
What Works
✓Texting tied directly to review request workflows
✓Webchat and payments bundled into the same platform
✓Strong for local businesses managing reputation
✓Unified view of customer interactions
What to Watch
✕The highest entry price in this list by a wide margin
✕Overkill if texting is genuinely your only need
✕Reviews focus means texting features are secondary
✕Contract terms can be less flexible than smaller tools
Pricing:
Core starts at $399/month and includes 4 users and 250 bulk marketing texts per month. Pro starts at $599/month and adds AI-powered text features.
Verdict:
Worth it if reviews and reputation matter as much as texting — expensive otherwise.
5. Textline
Shared team inboxes built for group texting
Built around team inboxes — multiple people texting from one shared business number, with assignment and internal notes. Suits support or sales teams handling texting as a group rather than one person.
What Works
✓Shared inbox with conversation assignment
✓Internal notes for team context on a thread
✓Built for support and sales team workflows
✓Clear ownership of who is handling each conversation
What to Watch
✕Priced per user, so cost climbs with team size
✕Less focused on one-to-many marketing blasts
✕No calling feature bundled in
✕Best value only at genuine team scale
Pricing:
Essentials starts at $149/month and includes 3 agents, while the Pro plan costs $349/month and includes 5 agents. Additional agents cost extra on both plans.
Verdict:
A strong fit specifically for teams, not for a single person texting alone.
6. SlickText
Keyword opt-ins for retail and event campaigns
Focused on keyword-based opt-ins, commonly used by retail and event businesses running "text JOIN to 12345" style campaigns. Strong on list-building tools, lighter on two-way conversation features.
What Works
✓Purpose-built keyword opt-in campaigns
✓Good list-building and growth tools
✓Popular with retail and event use cases
✓Straightforward campaign scheduling
What to Watch
✕Lighter two-way conversation tools than team-inbox platforms
✕Less suited to ongoing customer service texting
✕No CRM-depth integrations for sales teams
✕No calling feature bundled in
Pricing:
Starts at $29/month with monthly billing, or $24.17/month when billed annually with two months free.
Verdict:
Good for building an opt-in list fast around a single campaign or event.
7. Salesmsg
Texting logged straight into your CRM
Aimed at sales teams, with tight integrations into CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce so texts log against the right contact record automatically. A natural fit if your team already lives inside a CRM and wants texting layered on top rather than a separate app.
What Works
✓Deep integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce
✓Texts automatically log against CRM contact records
✓Mass broadcasts, scheduled texts, auto-replies, and automated drip sequences
✓Team visibility into contact-level texting history
What to Watch
✕Value depends heavily on already using a supported CRM
✕Priced per user, scales with sales team size
✕Less useful outside a CRM-centric workflow
✕No calling feature bundled in
Pricing:
Starts at $25/user/month and includes 1 user seat and 1 phone number. Additional users cost $10/month each, while additional phone numbers cost $5/month each
Verdict:
Makes the most sense for a sales team already living inside HubSpot or Salesforce.
8. Twilio
A developer platform, not an off-the-shelf app
Not an out-of-the-box texting app but a developer platform for building one. Right for businesses with engineering resources who want a fully custom texting workflow rather than an off-the-shelf interface.
What Works
✓Complete flexibility to build a custom workflow
✓Scales to very high message volumes
✓Extensive API and developer documentation
✓Used widely, so hiring for it is easier
What to Watch
✕No ready-made interface — every feature is something you build
Twilio uses pay-as-you-go pricing. SMS/RCS costs $0.0083 per message, while MMS costs $0.022 to send and $0.0165 to receive, plus applicable carrier fees. You also need to rent a Twilio phone number to send texts. A local number costs $1.15/month, while a toll-free number costs $2.15/month.
Verdict:
Only worth it if a packaged product genuinely can't fit your workflow.
How to choose
Five common situations and where to start.
If this is you
You already have a business phone number and want to text from it.
Start with
Calilio
Texting lives in the same app as your calls, so there is no second number for customers to learn.
If this is you
You run occasional marketing blasts and nothing else.
Start with
EZ Texting or SimpleTexting
Built specifically for one-to-many campaigns with easy list management and templates.
If this is you
Reviews and local reputation are your main goal.
Start with
Podium
Texting here is one piece of a broader review-and-reputation toolkit, priced accordingly.
If this is you
Multiple team members need to share one texting inbox.
Start with
Textline or Salesmsg
Both are built around shared conversations and assignment, not solo use.
If this is you
You need something highly custom or developer-built.
Start with
Twilio
The building blocks for a bespoke texting workflow, at the cost of needing engineering time to build it.
Compliance basics
✓
Get explicit opt-in first
Written or checkbox consent before texting anyone — this is a legal requirement in most regions, not just good practice.
✓
Register for A2P if texting at real volume
US carriers require application-to-person registration for business texting; unregistered numbers get filtered or blocked.
✓
Always include an opt-out
A visible way to reply STOP and be removed immediately — most platforms handle this automatically once configured.
✓
Keep records of consent
Should a complaint arise, being able to show when and how someone opted in protects the business.
The bottom line
The right texting platform depends on the shape of your communication, not a single "best" product. Marketing-only businesses are well served by EZ Texting or SimpleTexting; teams already living in a CRM will prefer Salesmsg; and anyone who wants texting to just be another way customers reach the number they already call is better off with it bundled into their phone system.
Whichever you choose, get opt-in and compliance right from day one — it is far easier to build correctly than to fix after a complaint.
Text Customers from the Number They Already Call
Bulk campaigns, CSV and CRM imports, and scheduled sends — all inside Calilio's business phone system. From $12 per user per month, with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
What is the best text messaging service for a small business?
It depends on what you already use daily. Calilio suits businesses that want texting inside the same number they already call from. Podium suits businesses focused on reviews. EZ Texting and SimpleTexting suit pure marketing-blast use cases. There is no single best platform — match the tool to the workflow you actually run.
Do I need a separate business number to text customers?
Not necessarily. Several platforms, including Calilio, let you text from your existing business phone number rather than issuing a new one, so customers see the same number they already call rather than an unfamiliar shortcode or second line.
How much do business texting services cost?
Entry plans generally run from about $20 to $50 per month for small message volumes, with per-segment or tiered-volume pricing above that. Platforms bundled into a phone system, like Calilio, often include texting in the same per-user price rather than charging separately for it.
Is business texting legal without special registration?
Sending a small number of one-to-one texts is generally fine with proper consent. Higher-volume business texting in the US requires A2P 10DLC registration with carriers; most established platforms handle this registration process for you as part of onboarding.
What is the difference between SMS marketing and business texting?
SMS marketing tools are built for one-to-many campaigns — promotions, blasts, announcements. Business texting platforms, including Calilio, are built more around two-way conversations tied to a real phone number, closer to how a customer would text a person than a broadcast list.
Can I use the same platform for texting and phone calls?
Yes, and it is often simpler to. Platforms like Calilio combine calling and texting under one business number and one app, so a conversation that starts as a call and continues as a text stays in the same thread.
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