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SMS Platform Reference

skills/sms/references/platforms.md

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SMS Platform Reference

Deep-dive on the major SMS marketing platforms — features, pricing, A2P 10DLC support, and integration paths.

Pricing is approximate and changes regularly. Always confirm at the vendor's site before committing.

Klaviyo SMS

Best for: DTC ecom brands already using Klaviyo for email.

Key features

  • Native integration with Klaviyo email and segmentation
  • Shared subscriber profile across email + SMS
  • Built-in A2P 10DLC registration
  • Flow builder shared with email flows
  • Conversational SMS (two-way) supported

Pricing

  • Bundled with Klaviyo plans, billed per SMS credit
  • US: ~$0.0075–$0.015 per SMS; MMS ~$0.04
  • Free tier: 150 SMS credits/month on lower email tiers

Integration paths

  • Direct Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento integration
  • API for custom platforms
  • MCP server available

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC registration handled in-platform
  • Toll-free and short code provisioning available (short code adds $1,000+/mo)
  • Quiet hours enforced per recipient time zone (configurable)

Watch out for

  • Email + SMS combined billing can spike fast on large lists
  • Short code costs are real overhead; only worthwhile for 100K+ active SMS subscribers

Postscript

Best for: Shopify-native DTC brands wanting SMS-specific tooling and onboarding support.

Key features

  • Deep Shopify integration (the deepest of any SMS platform)
  • Strong abandoned cart and browse abandonment automations
  • AI Reply (auto-reply trained on brand voice)
  • Conversational SMS / live agent
  • Audiences pulled from Shopify customer data

Pricing

  • Tiered plans: Starter (free, 1K msgs/mo), Growth ($100+/mo), Professional, Enterprise
  • Pay-per-send adds on top: ~$0.015 per SMS, ~$0.04 per MMS

Integration paths

  • Shopify-first; limited support for non-Shopify
  • API + webhooks available

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC handled in-platform
  • Strong opt-in compliance tools (popup builder, keyword opt-in)
  • Quiet hours enforced

Watch out for

  • Steep cost increase past Starter tier
  • Less useful if you're not on Shopify

Attentive

Best for: Mid-market and enterprise DTC brands wanting full-service SMS.

Key features

  • Full-service: dedicated CSM, copy support, strategy
  • Conversational SMS at scale
  • Concierge sales-via-SMS
  • Strong analytics and attribution
  • Identity resolution (matching anon site visitors to phone numbers)

Pricing

  • Custom contracts; typically $1K–$10K+/mo + per-send fees
  • Annual contracts standard
  • Pricing rarely makes sense for <50K SMS subscribers

Integration paths

  • Shopify, BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, custom
  • Robust API

Compliance

  • Full A2P 10DLC managed
  • Best-in-class compliance tooling and audit support
  • Short code provisioning included on most plans

Watch out for

  • Contract terms can lock you in for 12+ months
  • Overkill for early-stage brands

Twilio

Best for: Custom builds, transactional SMS, B2B SaaS embedding SMS into products, developers.

Key features

  • Raw SMS API
  • Pay-per-send pricing, no platform fees
  • Massive global coverage (200+ countries)
  • Programmable Voice, WhatsApp Business, RCS available alongside
  • Studio (visual flow builder) for non-code automation

Pricing

  • US 10DLC SMS: $0.0079 per message
  • US toll-free SMS: $0.0079 per message
  • US short code SMS: $0.0079 per message + $1,000/mo lease
  • MMS: ~$0.02
  • Carrier surcharges layered on top (~$0.005 per US 10DLC)
  • A2P 10DLC registration: ~$15 brand + $10/mo per campaign

Integration paths

  • API-first (REST + SDKs in Node, Python, Ruby, Go, etc.)
  • No native ecom integrations — you build them

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC registration in-platform but you do the work
  • TwilioSendGrid (separate product) handles email-side compliance
  • Quiet hours and STOP/HELP handling must be implemented by you

Watch out for

  • You're responsible for compliance — no hand-holding
  • No native segmentation, deliverability dashboards, or marketing UI
  • Best paired with Customer.io, Segment, or a custom orchestration layer

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Best for: EU-based brands, email + SMS combo, SMB-friendly.

Key features

  • Combined email + SMS + WhatsApp on one platform
  • EU-headquartered, GDPR-native
  • Generous free tier for email; SMS pay-per-send
  • Marketing automation flows
  • CRM included

Pricing

  • Free tier: 300 emails/day; SMS pay-per-send
  • US SMS: ~$0.015 per message
  • EU SMS: varies by country, ~€0.04–€0.07

Integration paths

  • Direct integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Magento
  • API + Zapier
  • MCP server available

Compliance

  • GDPR + ePrivacy built-in
  • A2P 10DLC for US (less polished than dedicated US platforms)

Watch out for

  • US SMS features lag behind Klaviyo/Postscript
  • Best if you're EU-first or already on Brevo for email

SimpleTexting

Best for: SMB, services businesses, simple campaign blasts, low-volume.

Key features

  • Easy-to-use UI
  • Keyword opt-in for grassroots list building
  • Built-in landing pages for opt-in
  • Simple automation

Pricing

  • Plans start ~$30/mo for 500 credits, scaling up
  • US SMS only

Integration paths

  • Zapier, Make, native to a few apps
  • API available but basic

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC handled
  • TCPA tooling

Watch out for

  • Limited automation depth vs Klaviyo/Postscript
  • Best for low-complexity, low-volume use cases (gyms, salons, real estate)

Plivo

Best for: Custom SMS builds where per-send cost matters; Twilio-style API at a lower price point.

Key features

  • Direct Twilio competitor with similar surface area
  • Powerpack for bulk sending with sticky sender across number pools
  • A2P 10DLC handled in-platform
  • WhatsApp, voice available alongside SMS
  • SDKs for major languages

Pricing

  • US 10DLC SMS: ~$0.0055/msg (typically 20–30% under Twilio)
  • US short code SMS: similar + monthly lease
  • MMS: ~$0.02
  • Phone number rental: ~$0.80/mo local, ~$1/mo toll-free

Integration paths

  • API-first (REST + SDKs)
  • No native ecom integrations — you build them

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC managed in-platform
  • Compliance plumbing (STOP/HELP, quiet hours) is your responsibility — same model as Twilio

Watch out for

  • Smaller ecosystem than Twilio (fewer ancillary products, integrations, community resources)
  • WhatsApp tooling less mature

AudienceTap

Best for: DTC brands wanting AI-forward creative tooling or on-pack QR opt-in as a primary acquisition channel.

Newer platform — verify current capabilities, pricing, and API surface before committing.

Key features

  • SMS + email on one platform (similar combined model to Klaviyo)
  • AI creative generation (SMS copy, subject lines, image variants)
  • On-pack QR code opt-in: insert cards in shipped orders that drive SMS list growth
  • Shopify, BigCommerce, headless commerce integrations
  • A2P 10DLC managed in-platform
  • Identity resolution and segmentation

Pricing

  • Tiered by subscriber count + send volume
  • Per-send pricing comparable to other DTC SMS platforms

Integration paths

  • API access on Growth+ tiers
  • Direct ecom integrations
  • Webhooks for events

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC handled in-platform
  • TCPA tooling — verify enterprise-scale depth before committing for large lists

Watch out for

  • Newer entrant — fewer reference customers, less battle-tested at high volume than incumbents
  • Some features rolled out recently — confirm what's GA vs beta before relying on them

Customer.io

Best for: B2B SaaS, behavior-based automation, multi-channel orchestration (email + SMS + push).

Key features

  • Trigger SMS off product events (signup, milestone, churn risk)
  • Powerful audience segmentation
  • Workflow builder
  • Real-time data sync via API/webhooks

Pricing

  • Plans start ~$150/mo, scaling with profile count
  • SMS via Twilio integration or native (varies)

Integration paths

  • API-first
  • Direct integrations with Segment, Heap, Mixpanel, etc.

Compliance

  • A2P 10DLC via Twilio if using native integration
  • Granular subscription/consent management

Watch out for

  • Less ecom-tailored than Klaviyo/Postscript
  • Best for product-led SaaS or apps with deep event tracking

Quick selection table

Stack / GoalRecommendedWhy
Shopify ecom, already on KlaviyoKlaviyo SMSOne platform, one subscriber profile
Shopify ecom, SMS-first focusPostscriptDeepest Shopify + SMS-specific features
Mid-market ecom, want concierge supportAttentiveFull-service team + tooling
Custom platform, B2B SaaS, transactionalTwilioAPI-first, full control
Custom build, cost-sensitivePlivo~20–30% cheaper than Twilio per send
DTC wanting AI creative or on-pack QR opt-inAudienceTapAI-forward; insert-card opt-in is unique
EU-based SMBBrevoGDPR-native, EU-friendly pricing
Local services SMB, simple campaignsSimpleTextingEasy UI, low overhead
Product-led SaaS with event trackingCustomer.ioBehavior-based triggers

A2P 10DLC: what your platform should handle

Whatever you pick, confirm your platform handles:

  • Brand and campaign registration with TCR
  • Sample message text aligned with what you actually send
  • Opt-in flow documentation submitted to carriers
  • Trust score visibility (and a path to improve it)
  • Throughput appropriate to your list size and send frequency
  • STOP/HELP keyword handling
  • Quiet hours by recipient time zone
  • Suppression list management
  • Consent record retention with timestamps

All major platforms above handle these. Twilio does the lowest-level work and pushes more responsibility onto you.