SimpleTexting Review

Why SimpleTexting Is Best for Flexibility 

Of the text message marketing services we reviewed, SimpleTexting stands out for offering small businesses the most flexibility. It includes unlimited custom keywords with all plans, whereas some of SimpleTexting’s more affordable competitors, such as Textedly, set keyword caps even with premium plans. Unlimited custom fields let you collect and organize customer data any way you need. Creating segmented marketing campaigns based on keywords or custom fields is a breeze, and you can easily move customers to different lists — something not many competitors allow.

When it comes to crafting successful text message marketing campaigns, SimpleTexting includes all the features most businesses need to reach their target customers. The Extended Messaging feature is especially useful, giving you the flexibility to send longer texts of up to 306 characters for only two credits. Another highlight is AI Assist, which generates five message options so you can decide which one best fits your brand.

We love how easy it is to use the platform for more than just sending bulk messages. Replying to customers is quick and easy thanks to template replies, multiple team members and assigned conversations. All plans include three users, and you can add more if needed and assign each their own number. Plus, SimpleTexting lets you pause your account, which is great for seasonal businesses.

SimpleTexting is a truly versatile messaging solution. With the fully functional mobile app, you can take care of messaging needs both in and out of the office, which isn’t true on most competing platforms. You can use SimpleTexting for almost any business need, including communicating with employees, engaging customers, sending reminders and soliciting feedback. And, with application programming interface (API) access included with all plans, you can integrate SimpleTexting into your own app.

Usability

It’s in the name: SimpleTexting’s user interface is simple to learn and use. Although SimpleTexting is not our top pick for ease of use — see our ProTexting review to learn why we selected it — that isn’t because SimpleTexting is hard to navigate. Rather, it’s because SimpleTexting’s flexibility, both in its features and the mobile app, is its unique core strength that we think really makes the platform shine.

Pretty much everything you need in a text message marketing platform is visible and accessible from the SimpleTexting homepage. The menu bar on the left displays all of your tools, while the central dashboard shows your active numbers, the number of credits remaining, analytics and a preview of your inbox. 

The SimpleTexting inbox lets you see customer information, assign conversations, add templates and leave notes. Source: SimpleTexting

You can access the SimpleTexting help center from the top-right corner of the screen. There are a number of video tutorials explaining the platform’s features and a handful of webinars, plus a searchable database of how-to articles and general texting information. This is the closest you’ll get to guided training unless you buy more than 7,500 message credits per month. With that purchase, you get one-on-one onboarding support, which we appreciate but would have liked to see with all plans.

SimpleTexting integrates only with Mailchimp and Zapier, so if you want to integrate with your current small business software, you might need to pay extra. All plans also include API access so you can build custom integrations. Alternatively, you can pay extra to have SimpleTexting’s team do it for you, but it isn’t cheap. 

SimpleTexting Features

Fully Functional Mobile App

SimpleTexting is one of the only platforms that provides a fully functional mobile app, which gives you the flexibility of working in the office or on the go. While a few companies offer mobile apps for checking incoming messages and conducting two-way conversations, SimpleTexting includes all of its features. You can send bulk messages, create campaigns, add keywords, segment customers and view analytics. The mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices. 

SimpleTexting’s mobile app gives you full access to the platform, so you have complete messaging capabilities even on the go. Source: SimpleTexting 

Unlimited Keywords and Segmentation 

We understand that small businesses need customer segmentation flexibility, which is why we love that SimpleTexting is one of the few platforms that let you segment customers any way you want. Unlimited custom keywords let you designate your own sign-up words and tether subscribers to these keywords. Many platforms restrict you to one or two, limiting your ability to target specific customers. You can also create unlimited custom fields to collect relevant data, like location or customer preferences. Segmenting messages by custom field or keyword is easy, and you can even edit a subscriber’s segments — something not all platforms allow. 

AI Text Generator 

Similar to other text messaging software leaders, SimpleTexting has introduced artificial intelligence (AI) features to help businesses compose more effective mass marketing messages in seconds. AI Assist studies your past messages and, based on a simple prompt, generates five potential responses tailored to your brand persona. While we love that you get more response options than with most competitors, we would have liked to see an option for selecting the message’s tone.

Customer Communications 

We love that SimpleTexting’s hassle-free inbox improves communication with customers. You can invite new team members, assign conversations and leave notes the customer won’t see. Automated responses to custom triggers quickly give customers the information they need, like store hours or menu options. 

We found the template responses especially useful. If you get the same question frequently, you can store a standard response and easily insert it. With a click-to-text button embedded in your homepage, customers can always reach you. Plus, unlike some competitors, SimpleTexting doesn’t charge for incoming texts.

Web Sign-Up Forms and Widgets 

SimpleTexting gives you tools to customize and embed a text list sign-up form on your website. You can use these tools to generate web forms and images for customers to easily sign up for your texts. Plus, you have the flexibility to customize the form to solicit customer data for messaging segmentation. To incentivize people to subscribe, you can create a “claim discount” button that appears when someone shops on your website. When the person clicks this button, your sign-up image appears. We especially love the mobile sign-up widget that creates visually appealing pop-ups to drive opt-ins. 

The mobile sign-up widget lets you easily create messaging opt-in pop-ups with images for your desktop and mobile landing pages. Source: SimpleTexting

Dedicated Support 

We appreciate that plans starting at 7,500 messages per month include personalized onboarding, which not every platform offers. If you send 50,000 or more messages per month, you also get a dedicated customer success manager who can provide text message marketing tips and help you with your text message marketing strategy. In our reviews and research, we found that SimpleTexting is one of just a few SMS marketing companies that provide dedicated strategic planning support.

Text Campaigns

The best text message marketing services include a campaign tool; an SMS marketing platform isn’t quite complete without one. SimpleTexting’s campaign tool is outstanding. Personalizing messages is a breeze with custom fields tailored to your business. Plus, it’s easy to add messages and create automated sequences based on segments. You can set filters so that only certain campaigns appear, as well as view analytics directly from each campaign. SimpleTexting also lets you export these analytics in a CSV file.

With SimpleTexting, it’s easy to set up a new campaign, send it to segmented lists and schedule it for the right time. Source: SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting Costs

SimpleTexting offers plans based on how many messages you expect to send, and you can always add more credits. We found SimpleTexting’s message costs to be midrange, but low-volume subscribers who need to expand messaging capabilities from time to time might find SimpleTexting gets expensive quickly.

All plans include access to all features, rollover credits, live support seven days a week and three users. Plans with over 7,500 messages also get personalized onboarding, while plans with over 50,000 get a dedicated customer support manager. SimpleTexting offers a 14-day free trial that includes unlimited use of all features, as well as 50 free messages that you can use to text your own number.

Here’s how SimpleTexting pricing breaks down: 

There’s an additional $10-per-month charge for 10-digit-long-code (10DLC) numbers. Adding a team member costs $20 per month, and each additional line costs $10 per month. If you want SimpleTexting to build your integrations, you’ll have to pay $199 per month plus a one-time $1,000 fee.

Companies that pay annually get a 20% discount and the added flexibility of using their messages whenever they want, which can benefit seasonal businesses. Businesses that need a dedicated short code or more monthly texts should contact SimpleTexting for a custom plan.

SimpleTexting Setup

As with most text message marketing services, SimpleTexting arrives pretty much ready to go. You might need 10 minutes or so to add your keywords, contact lists and auto-responders. You’ll also have to wait for your number to be registered, which SimpleTexting handles. For local 10DLC numbers, it should take only a day or so. After that, you’re good to start texting. 

If you need greater customer segmentation, it can take a bit longer to implement all of the keywords and custom fields you plan to use, but the process is relatively hassle-free compared with other providers that offer the same level of customization. You can easily add teammates, including individual numbers, right from the inbox. In most cases, we think your business will have SimpleTexting up and running quite quickly. 

SimpleTexting Customer Service

Compared with many competitors, SimpleTexting provides a larger time window for customer service, and it never costs extra. You can access live chat weekdays from 8 a.m. to midnight ET, or call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Customer service is also available on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, which was rare among the other text message marketing services we reviewed.

You can also access a ton of useful articles, step-by-step videos and guides to new changes. In some cases, these features can solve your problem before you contact live support. If you do reach out, you might receive some links to potentially helpful articles as you await a response. That said, although the SimpleTexting live-chat tool states a typical response time of under five minutes, you might have to wait during busy hours.

Notably, SimpleTexting does not appear to have a customer service email address. However, because SimpleTexting offers more extensive customer service hours than most of the other services we reviewed, the lack of email support may not be significant.

SimpleTexting Drawbacks

Although most text message marketing companies include tools to generate QR codes, SimpleTexting has yet to do so. That places the company behind the curve on what’s rapidly becoming a major SMS marketing tool. With QR codes, your small business can print a graphic that customers can use to preload their texting app with your number and sign-up keyword, but you can’t do this with SimpleTexting.

Another minor drawback is that all outgoing messages use a credit for one-on-one conversations with customers. Although we appreciate that SimpleTexting makes it easy to provide excellent customer service, we think the costs can skyrocket quickly for businesses that do a lot of two-way texting. If you’re looking to minimize two-way-communication costs, read our review of EZ Texting, which doesn’t charge for replies.

In general, we found that SimpleTexting’s plans could end up becoming expensive for small businesses that are on a tight budget and occasionally need to buy more messages. Although monthly plan prices are aligned with the competition, the price to add more text messages is quite high even with SimpleTexting’s cheapest plans.

Methodology

SimpleTexting is one of over a dozen SMS marketing platforms we reviewed. We sat down with company representatives for a guided demo and then tested the platform with a free trial. We also browsed SimpleTexting’s website for additional information and paid close attention to features that provide small businesses with flexibility in how they use the platform, such as keyword availability, segmentation, messaging limits and potential uses. On that front, we found that SimpleTexting hit the marks better than any other brand, which is why we selected it as the best text message marketing service for flexibility.

Overall Value

We recommend SimpleTexting for …

• Small businesses that are seeking a flexible solution that allows for unlimited, easily adjustable customer segmentation.
• Small businesses that are looking for access to advanced features without having to pay for high-volume premium plans. 
• Small businesses that need the versatility to use the platform from anywhere with a fully functional mobile app.

We don’t recommend SimpleTexting for … 

• Small businesses that are looking to keep costs down while conducting one-on-one conversations with a large number of customers. 
• Budget-conscious businesses with fluctuating messaging needs.

Max Freedman contributed to this review.