View the exclusive Bulk SMS provider table created to help Australian businesses find the best text message provider based on their needs.
The key elements to consider are the bulk SMS prices, reliability, support levels and platform features.
Latest update on 18 February 2025
By Alain Grossbard / Updated: Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
The best 2025 bulk SMS provider list is the following:
Broker Reviewed
Pricing
SMS Functions
Reliability
Customer care service
Overall
SMS Comparison rated Cellcast, Notifyre and Mobile Message as Australia’s best bulk SMS providers in 2025. This was based on the following factors:
The overall rating is based on review by our experts
Below is the latest pricing from the leading Australian SMS provider websites. For this comparison, the best price point was selected within each sending bracket, which differs for each SMS provider. It should be noted that Twilio has a single pricing policy suitable for just a few text messages but expensive for high-quantity customers.
Updated on 19-04-2025. Currency is in AUD $
Overall, Cellcast has some of the most competitive prices, which, combined with its no-contract requirements, is the best value within the vertical.
View Cellcast Review
This is followed closely by SMS Bulk provider Mobile Message.
View Mobile Message Review
Bulk text message pricing varies among SMS bulk providers. The cost of sending a bulk text message can be influenced by several factors, including the volume of messages being sent, the length of the message, and the destination country.
Bulk text message pricing can vary greatly depending on the provider and the features offered. Here are some factors that can affect the cost of bulk text messaging:
Volume: Providers often offer discounts for higher volumes of messages, so it’s essential to consider your expected usage when comparing pricing.
Features: The cost can increase if you require advanced features such as message personalization, delivery reports, or multi-channel support.
Message size: Some providers may charge more for messages that exceed a particular length or include multimedia content.
Destination country: The cost of sending messages to certain countries may be higher due to varying carrier fees.
Duration of contract: Some providers offer discounts for long-term contracts, so consider the time you’ll use the service when comparing pricing.
It’s essential to compare different providers’ pricing and determine which offers the best value for your budget. Some providers offer a free trial or a pay-as-you-go model, which can be a good option for testing the service before committing to a longer-term contract.
Typically, bulk text message pricing is based on a per-message or per-recipient basis.
It’s essential to compare the pricing of multiple SMS gateway providers and consider both the cost per message and the overall cost of your bulk text message campaign to determine the most cost-effective solution for your business.
Remember that the cheapest option may not always be the best. Other factors like delivery speed, reliability, and customer support may just be as important to your business.
Australian SMS providers charge businesses for mass SMS services in four ways: inbound and outbound SMS delivery charges, setup and monthly fees, and feature charges. Combining these four factors, Cellcast was considered the best value provider.
Different SMS Bulk providers offer cost-effective SMS delivery fees, including:
Cellcast and Mobile Message are the most competitive providers based on price for both small-volume and large-volume SMS messaging quantities. The default payment method is prepaid with a credit card, but on request (and at no extra charge), a post-paid option and bank transfer payment method are available.
A 14-day refund policy and a free trial option exist to test the online SMS platform.
Many SMS providers require an Australian business to pay a setup fee or ongoing retainer to commence a provider’s messaging services. However, several bulk providers have no setup fees or contract requirements when opening an account.
The only setup costs are related to creating a dedicated shortcode, which needs to be reviewed. Cellcast charges $320.00 per month for the engagement of dedicated shortcodes and a setup fee of $750.00. A shortcode is a five—to six-digit phone number brands use to communicate with consumers. So, it can be a phone number like 12345 or even 123456.
While this code is unnecessary for bulk SMS gateway services, it’s often preferred in mobile marketing. A shorter sender ID is easier to remember.
Business customers who require premium features pay additional outbound SMS charges in addition to the ones shown above. It should be noted that if an individual receives a text message from a dedicated number and tries to call it, they will get a ‘busy’ tone. A forward service would be needed for this number to go to a customer call centre.
Other premium messaging service charges include MMS, Text-to-speech mobile calls and voice (text-to-speech) landline calls.
Cellcast and Mobile Message are cheap SMS providers. They have no setup fees or monthly fees and offer the choice of prepaid or postpaid payments.
They have competitive pricing for both small and large businesses.
Cellcast and Mobile Message state that they will beat any comparable quote for large volumes, which shows their confidence in their pricing policy (Best Price Guarantee).
When it comes to bulk distribution and the use of reliable gateway service, Notifyre provides a high-speed, premium connection through its direct telecommunication carriers rather than using both direct and hybrid carrier networks. Its gateway routes are Optus, Vodafone, and Telstra.
Here are some of the key features to look for in their bulk SMS gateway:
Message customization: SMS gateway lets you personalize messages with recipient information, such as name and location.
Delivery reporting: The gateway provider offers detailed delivery reporting so you can track the delivery status of your messages.
Scheduling: This SMS gateway allows you to schedule messages in advance, making it convenient for you and your recipients to send them.
API integration: API integration allows you to integrate the platform into your existing systems and workflows efficiently.
Shortcodes and keywords: The SMS gateway provider offers shortcodes and keywords so you can create unique, branded campaigns and track their performance.
Customer support: This SMS gateway provider offers excellent customer support, so you can get help quickly if you encounter any issues.
The SMS Gateway capacity can match major SMS firms, which deliver millions of text messages weekly. Notifyre states that text messages are delivered within seconds with an SMS gateway uptime of 100%, which is a real asset compared to similar bulk providers.
Bulk SMS can be distributed in several different ways, such as:
The Web SMS feature enables businesses to send bulk SMS messages directly from their computers without downloading software. It includes all essential functions for sending text messages and offering individual and mass messaging options. A company must upload its contact lists online to launch mass SMS campaigns, allowing large-scale SMS distributions to begin.
The SMS API may be the perfect solution for businesses utilizing CRM software or messaging platforms. Its easy integration allows companies to automate their communications seamlessly within their existing software. The API supports various programming languages, and a PHP SDK is available on their website.
These e-mail packages, which include free deliverable reports, can also be used to send SMS marketing campaigns or even SMS appointment reminders. No extra software is required to use this method; users forward the message to the number in the subject line.
From the comparison of several reputable SMS Bulk Providers, Notifyre is ranked well for Customer Service. Its head office is based in Queensland, Australia. There is no need to visit the location to set up an account with an 1800 number operating 24/7. This is much superior to other similar types of SMS bulk providers who offer a 1300 number or are available only during business hours from Monday to Friday unless an additional payment is made for out-of-hours service.
It’s worth noting that Notifyre may appear to be a ‘no frills’ provider, but they do have all the services equivalent to those of more premium providers with a lower per-unit text message cost. Their customer service personnel are well trained and will provide all the technical assistance developers need to set up SMS campaigns or an API.
Notifyre, Cellcast, and Mobile Message offer the lowest prices and the best service level agreement (SLA) with a 100% uptime guarantee.
They also have a high-capacity network, ensuring critical time-sensitive text messages are delivered promptly.
A bulk SMS service is a platform that allows businesses and organisations to send large numbers of SMS messages to customers or subscribers in one go. The service typically provides a web-based interface or API that makes it easy to send messages, manage contacts, and track the success of campaigns.
Bulk SMS services are commonly used for a variety of purposes, such as:
Marketing and promotions: Companies can use bulk SMS to send promotions, discounts, and other marketing messages to their target audience.
Customer service: Businesses can use bulk SMS to update customers on orders, appointments, and other important information.
Notifications: Organisations can use bulk SMS to send messages and alerts, such as appointment reminders or emergency alerts.
Surveys and feedback: Companies can use bulk SMS to gather customer feedback and opinions.
Bulk SMS services offer a cost-effective and efficient way to reach a large audience quickly and can be a valuable tool for businesses and organisations of all sizes.
A bulk SMS service provides business SMS solutions through:
Web SMS – Go online to upload contacts and send mass text messages to the list.
SMS API – Integrate CRM software to automate SMS campaigns.
E-mail SMS Gateway – Integrate programs such as MS Office to send text messages.
2-Way SMS – Allow users to respond to messages with customised options.
Some bulk SMS service providers offer SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer). This protocol, used by Australian telecommunication providers, allows text messages to be exchanged between Short Message Service Centres and External Short Messaging Entities. It is level 7 TCP/IP and can minimise the latency of text messages sent. Version 3.3 SMPP is the most widely used within Australia, while version 3.4 has transceiver support, allowing two-way SMS solutions.
At Notifyre, they have used sophisticated IT platforms to make it easy to use from a client’s point of view to generate real business, providing you with accurate results and data. From Bulk SMS Gateways and Email Marketing Tools to Fax, Post, and rich messaging services, their products create ideal marketing platforms used by some of the largest and most trusted brands in Australia and worldwide.
Cellcast provides the latest and most powerful API (Rest API), from high throughput (SMPP API) to basic one (HTTP API). Their software can convert an email to an SMS, Fax, or Voice call (SMTP API) or custom-developed, high-volume batch messaging (FTP API).
Twilio is a blank canvas. They offer a range of APIs, so companies can build SMS messaging, phone number redirection, and dozens of similar features into their apps to do whatever they want. Uber, Airbnb, and Netflix are just a few companies that use it behind the scenes.
While Twilio is mainly aimed at developers, you don’t need to be one to use it. Instead of building your apps, you can use services like Zapier, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM to connect to Twilio’s API directly without needing to do any coding. For example, by connecting your Twilio account to your Zapier account, you can send and receive text messages using your email account or collect texts in Slack or a Google Sheets spreadsheet.
If you want to build your app or something like it, Twilio also offers a few ways to do it with little or no required coding knowledge. Studio is a drag-and-drop app builder for creating SMS surveys and autoresponders. You start with a trigger, like an incoming message or a calendar event. You can then generate reply criteria based on what’s happened. It’s all very intuitive, and the built-in tutorials and project templates make it possible for anyone to get started.
There’s also the CodeExchange, which is in beta at the moment. It’s a library of code samples for essential features like sending text auto-replies, sending SMS receipts for Stripe payments, and even building a video chat app to add to your Twilio account quickly and then tweak to meet your needs without much coding knowledge. As features go, it’s a little beyond most small businesses’ needs—but if you want to cut costs or roll your app-like setup, it makes it possible.
When you sign up for Twilio, you’re asked whether or not you’re a developer. Whichever option you choose, the interface is customized to your needs. If you’re not a developer, you get links to all the information you need to connect Twilio to third-party apps or use Studio so you can quickly get started. CodeExchange currently gets pushed with a big banner on the login screen.
For most use cases, Twilio should be cheaper than the other services if you’re prepared to set it up and run. You can also use it as the text service for your different apps by connecting it to Zapier.
Twilio Price: Since Twilio is more of a platform than an app, its pricing differs slightly from the others on this list. Text messages start at $0.0075/message sent and received, although there’s an additional $0.005/message carrier fee on messages you send. Dedicated phone numbers start at $1 per month.
Bulk SMS, also known as Bulk Messaging, allows many text messages to be delivered through mobile carriers. Due to the 98% open rate of SMS messages, businesses primarily use this method to communicate with existing or prospective customers.
A bulk SMS service is a platform that allows businesses and organizations to send large numbers of SMS messages to customers or subscribers in one go. The service typically provides a web-based interface or API that makes it easy to send messages, manage contacts, and track the success of campaigns.
Notifications: Organizations can use bulk SMS to send messages and alerts, such as appointment reminders or emergency alerts.
Bulk SMS services offer a cost-effective and efficient way to reach a large audience quickly and can be a valuable tool for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Bulk SMS providers’ software allows integration with CRM, e-mail or databases.
To send mass text messages in Australia, you need to:
Connect Bulk SMS software from a text message provider to your PC or Mac.
Import the contacts and set the logic of who will be contacted from the mass messages.
Create custom SMS templates and rules for future messages.
Activate the account to commence the campaign.
Bulk SMS uses a platform provided by a bulk SMS provider to send SMS messages to large groups of recipients. The process typically involves the following steps:
Sign up for the service: To use a bulk SMS service, you must sign up for an account with a provider. During sign-up, you’ll typically provide information about your business or organization and your target audience.
Upload contacts: You’ll need to upload your list of contacts, which can be done via a CSV file or by manually entering the information.
Compose message: Using the provider’s platform, you can compose your SMS message, including text, images, or other media.
Send message: Once your message is ready, you can send it to your entire contacts list or a specific segment.
Track delivery: The bulk SMS provider will typically provide detailed delivery reports that show the status of each message, including which messages were delivered, which messages failed, and why.
Bulk SMS services are designed to be fast, reliable, and easy to use, making it simple for businesses and organizations to reach their target audience quickly and effectively. The cost of bulk SMS services varies depending on the provider, the volume of messages sent, and the features offered.
A bulk-related program can use a specific short coding method to distribute many text messages to mobile phones or mobile devices when required. This can be done within a specified period you have nominated. Because such program platforms can send messages promptly when used, it is highly recommended for large-volume distribution of marketing and communication campaigns.
Many Australian companies also require text messages to be sent overseas. Using an international bulk SMS provider not only provides local support but also utilizes local networks. This maximizes text message delivery ability and reduces the lag between sending and delivering an SMS by headset. Some of the top international text message providers are:
Notifyre (Queensland HQ)
Sinch MessageMedia (Melbourne HQ)
Twilio (San Francisco HQ)
Vonage (San Francisco HQ)
Clickatell (California HQ)
International bulk text message prices vary by region, so don’t expect a universal delivery price. It’s best to request international SMS prices and compare quotes before finalizing the provider for your business.
Using a bulk SMS approach, you can send many text messages at any time, whether nationally or internationally. Bulk SMS is an ideal tool for businesses, large or small, who want to be assured that they can reach their target audiences effectively. Most mobile phone users read their text messages within two minutes of receiving them.
Bulk SMS is a powerful communication tool for businesses and organizations, offering several key benefits:
Reach a large audience quickly: Bulk SMS allows you to reach a large audience with a single message in seconds, making it an effective way to communicate with customers, employees, or subscribers.
Cost-effective: Compared to other forms of communication, such as email or direct mail, bulk SMS is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience.
High open rates: SMS messages have high open rates, with most messages being read within just a few minutes of delivery. This makes SMS a highly effective way to communicate with customers and other stakeholders.
Personalization: Bulk SMS platforms allow you to personalize messages, which can increase the effectiveness of your campaigns. For example, you can include the recipient’s name, location, or other relevant information in your message.
Easy to use: Bulk SMS services have intuitive interfaces and straightforward processes for sending messages and tracking results.
Reliable delivery: SMS messages are delivered over a dedicated network, making them dependable and secure communications even in areas with poor internet connectivity.
Bulk SMS is a versatile tool for various purposes, such as marketing, customer service, notifications, and emergency alerts. By leveraging the power of SMS, businesses and organizations can improve communication with their target audience and achieve better campaign results.
Every SMS service provider in Australia uses an SMS gateway to send SMS from one point to another, whether to individuals, clients, customers, or organisations.
An SMS Comparison Table has been developed to identify and compare the services and products offered by these providers using an independent yet well-analysed SMS Bulk Comparison Table.
The information has been condensed into a clear, easy-to-read table that presents essential details on selection criteria, including message distribution costs, network availability, composing messages to individual or bulk recipients, credit card requirements, availability, and service support.
It is important to note that the table’s information serves merely as a guide since the SMS Gateway provider’s websites may change prices and features at any time without notice. Providers that were considered but ultimately not included in the final shortlist are Clickatell, Burst SMS, SMS Broadcast, and SMS Central.
This table also originally had Burst SMS, SMS Broadcast, and ClickSend, but they did not make the shortlist of five providers. Our site also has a how-to guide and a company guide.
Published by Alain Grossbard
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