Mass texting, or SMS (Short Messaging System) are generally 160-character–long messages that are sent, as the name would suggest, en masse. We love SMS because it boasts a 99% open rate, and users are more likely to respond. And with the advent of numerous SMS tools, so too comes the advent of free mass texting for nonprofits. Well, free-ish.
Why should your nonprofit be using mass texting?
Roughly 90% of cell phones in the U.S. have unlimited texting and 97% of US adults text (Pew Research, 2015 SMS stats, and 2018 stats). However, regardless of your nonprofit status, it costs money to send bulk SMS/text messages ($.03-$.01 per text depending on your plan). The FCC is also a lot more strict about SMS spam versus email, so you have to do it the right way (here are 5 ideas to get your organization started with mass texting). That said, there are plenty of tools that nonprofits can use that are either free or budget-friendly.
Our favorite free (and cheap) mass texting tools for nonprofits
Before you get started on those ideas for using SMS, you’ll need to choose your tool(s). We’ll break down tools that you can use for free/low-cost mass texting, text-to-give fundraising, tools for larger budgets, and tools if you have a developer Note that the following lists were chosen based on upfront pricing and reputation.
While there are tons of tools, we list resources by price and drop-off after the top 5 to help our audience focus on relevant options. Please don’t contact us about getting on this list if the tool isn’t upfront about pricing.
Important note about shared shortcodes
A big change to shared shortcodes by carriers was made in March of 2021 that no longer allows these. This means that multiple keywords can no longer be used on one shortcode (a five-digit number) by different organizations (More details from Digital Commerce 360). Big picture this means that each SMS provider has shifted how they allow organizations to share a longcode (seven-digit number) or buy shortcodes.
Free and low-cost mass texting tools
These online SMS providers allow you to send messages for a fee and receive bulk text messages for free as long as they have opted in. These are generally shared short or long codes that use keywords to organize conversations of multiple organizations that use the platform.
This is our updated list organized by price, features may vary:
1. Twilio.org
Pricing volume discounts, $.0075 per message sent, $500 in-kind grants for nonprofits available (https://www.twilio.org/benefits/). Twilio studio allows for custom message flows but requires some knowledge of platform to customize.
2. ExpertTexting
Pricing based on $0.0083 per message – so $8.30 for 1,000 messages, unlimited keywords (pending availability). No cost to receive texts.
3. MoboMobix
Pricing starts at $50/month for 2,000 messages. No cost to receive texts
4. Textmarks
Low-cost texting, simple web interface with pricing starting at $199/month for 3,500 messages Credits are used to send and receive messages.
5. Ez Texting
Easy to use texting provider, that offers a 14 day Free Trial, and plans starting as low as $19 / month. No cost to receive texts. Allows dedicated longcodes for users.
6. SimpleTexting
Low-cost texting platform starting at $45/month for 1,000 messages. No cost to receive texts.
7. Burst SMS
Pricing volume discounts available, $0.016 per message sent, free to receive messages.
Text-to-give/Text-to-donate/Text-to-pledge tools
These tools are narrow focused tools that let nonprofits collect donations through texting either via pledge, mobile webform or through direct from mobile bill. Note that giving through cell phone carrier is organized through the Mobile Giving Foundation. Organized by pricing.
1. GiveLively.org
FREE. This is not a typo, they offer free text-to-donate tool with keywords against the shortcode 44321. We didn’t believe this so we did a podcast interview with the CEO of Give Lively.
2. Give by Cell
Allows for text-to-give through the Mobile Giving Foundation ($675 fee) that deducts from the user’s phone bill. Pricing starts at $149/month for just this service.
3. @Pay
Pricing starts at $0/yr and 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. They focus on a seamless and efficient giving experience that lets donors give with two clicks, one to send a text with the donation amount and the other to confirm the payment.
4. Txt2Give
Pricing starts at $25/month + 1% donations or $60/month + 0% fee.
5. Qgive
Pricing starts at $0/yr + 3.95% + $0.30 per transaction.
6. mGive
Pricing starts at $499/year + 2.9% donation + $0.30 per transaction.
7. SecureGive
Pricing starts at $69/month + “competitive processing fees”.
High-End SMS Services
These providers allow for more dynamic segmenting, messaging, and tools for advocacy. Note that carriers do not charge platforms to receive messages so any cost associated with receiving messages is being added by the vendor.
1. Textit.in
Visual interface for structuring texts, pricing starts at $20 for 1,000 credits. Note that credits count for sent AND received texts, most platforms are free to receive messages.
2. Trumpia
Pricing starts at $250/month for 10,000 credits (sent and received count as credits).
3. CitizenInsights
Offers guided surveying for organizations. Has fixed $99/month for 2,500 sent messages, with customizable message flows.
4. Smart as a Fox
Pricing starts $450/month for 5,000 sent messages and includes unlimited keywords for a shared shortcode (free to receive). They also have great activism click-to-call, VoIP #s and segmentation for message targetting.
Call for pricing providers
Upland, MobileCause, Clickatell, mblox
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Mass-Texting Platforms
This section is more for nonprofits with in-house or on-call developers: These tools require configuration, but they also allow you to go bananas with creating your own platform.
1. Twilio
An open API that allows you to build SMS into your app or product. This is the tool we used to build our SMS data tool for Google Analytics.
2. RapidPro
Open-source SMS/messaging tool that helps organizations create messaging applications and visual flows for messaging.
3. RapidSMS
Open-source SMS platform focusing on data collection.
4. Spoke
Open-source P2P texting platform great for managing field work that uses Heroku, AWS, and Twilio. Operating Spoke can range in cost from $2,800/year for 10,000 conversations/month, to $24,000/year for 100,000 conversations/month. Awesome work by MoveOn.org to make this tool open for the good guys.
5. FrontlineSMS
Can cost as little as $200 per month. They specialize in custom conversation logic, custom integrations, international SMS or Whatsapp connectivity.
6. Callhub
More built for voice messaging, they offer mass texting for $.05 per message sent, $.03 for messages received and $25/keyword. Charge of $3,000 for 3 months of access to a custom shortcode.
Text Messaging and SMS Glossary
Your go-to glossary for all the terms you’ll need to know when using these text messaging tools.
- Short-Code: A five-digit phone number that can be used to send or receive text messages. Commonly used for marketing because it is easy to remember. Organizations can no longer share these but can pay for unique codes through the Common Short Code Administration.
- Long-Code: A seven-digit number that may be used to send and receive text messages from. If you have a phone, you have one of these. And, if you’re looking for a good time call 867-5309.
- Shared long/short-code: A shared code means that the provider uses one registered number and allows multiple organizations to use it. They manage the conversations through keywords that people use to opt-in and initiate conversations. IE TextMarks uses the shared code 41411, and then let’s people park keywords that may be texted into it.
- Keyword(s): The words used in the message of a text that are sent to a long-code used to channel and organize the conversation. These are super flexible ways to channel people to opt-in to messaging, track unique campaigns, organize multiple conversations on a shared short-code. IE Text “ThumbWars” to 38383 to opt-in to text messages from DoSomething.org about safe driving.
- MMS: Stands for Multimedia Messaging System, this similar to texting but is for messaging that includes pictures/videos/audio and extends the SMS core messaging. This commonly costs extra and depends on the recipient’s phone plan and software.
- Unlimited Texting: A common plan that allows people to send/receive unlimited texts. Note that 10% of people don’t have this and will be charged per text, which is why Mobile opt-in rules must be followed.
- Mobile opt-in: A message exchange that allows users to register to receive messages over SMS. Requires a message the covers the following:
- {who and what the organization is} Alerts! Msg&data rates may apply. {Message frequency} Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel.
- Web opt-in: A form that allows people to register to receive text messages and “opt-in” to messaging – required by the FCC.
- Carrier: Phone companies like Sprint, AT&T, Virgin, Verizon, etc.
- ASP: Approved service providers. The Mobile Giving Foundation has a list of ASPs and manage giving relationships with carriers.
Now that you have the tools and the terms, it’s time to get started! Have you seen some awesome nonprofit mass-texting campaigns? Share them with us at @WholeWhale.