How we make this list: we compare vendor pricing pages, product documentation and plan limits, and print the month we checked each price. We don’t accept payment for rankings.
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Klaviyo is the best free SMS marketing software in 2026 because its free plan is the only one here that includes SMS credit: $5 of mobile messages a month, with 250 profiles and 500 emails. The other six tools offer a 14-day trial or pay-as-you-go texting instead of a free plan, and paid plans start at $20 a month.
Key takeaways
Only 1 of 7 tools here has a free plan that includes SMS sends: Klaviyo, with $5 of mobile credit a month. The other 6 offer a 14-day trial or pay-as-you-go texting (Nov 2026).
Klaviyo ranks first because its free plan covers 250 profiles, 500 emails a month and $5 of SMS credit, with no card required.
TextMagic is the closest thing to free after Klaviyo: no monthly fee, and you pay $0.049 per US text from prepaid credit.
The cheapest monthly plans start at $25 a month (EZ Texting and Salesmsg, 500 credits each); the $29 tools give you the same 500 credits.
A 14-day trial is not a free plan. The five monthly tools offer trials that all end after two weeks, and you pay the monthly price to keep sending; TextMagic has no trial and no monthly fee, you top up prepaid credit instead.
Most lists of the best free SMS marketing software hide an awkward fact: almost none of these tools has a free plan that covers texting. One does. Klaviyo's free plan includes $5 of mobile messages a month, while the rest of the tools in this list give you a 14-day trial or charge per message. This guide ranks the 7 best free SMS marketing software options in 2026 by what you can actually send without paying, with the paid price next to each one.
Klaviyo is the only tool in this list with a free plan that covers texting. The free plan includes up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends a month and $5 of mobile messages a month, with no card required. Email and SMS share one customer profile, so an abandoned-cart flow can start by email and follow up by text, and the same segments drive both channels.
The catch is how far $5 of SMS credit goes. It covers only a handful of texts a month, and once you pass 250 profiles or 500 sends, sending stops until the next cycle or until you upgrade. Paid Email starts at $20 a month for 251 to 500 profiles, and SMS is billed per message on top of that, with rates that vary by country.
What we like
Free plan includes $5 of mobile messages a month, 250 profiles and 500 emails (Nov 2026).
Email and SMS share one customer profile, so flows can mix both channels.
Paid Email starts at $20 a month for 251 to 500 profiles, the lowest monthly entry here.
Watch out for
The $5 mobile credit covers only a handful of texts a month.
SMS is billed per message on top of the email plan, and rates vary by country.
Costs rise with active profiles, so a growing list can push the bill up fast.
Starting price$0.049 per SMS in the US (pay-as-you-go)
Free planNo
Free trialFree test balance
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
TextMagic skips monthly plans and charges per message. You buy prepaid credit, which never expires, and pay $0.049 per US text, with inbound texts free and MMS at $0.08 a message. The same account covers email campaigns and a shared inbox for SMS, email and chat, and it works in more than 190 countries, which no other tool here matches.
The catch is the fixed monthly cost that sits behind the per-message rate. A US number costs $10 a month after the first free month, and 10DLC campaign registration costs another $10 a month, so a US sender pays $20 a month before sending a single text. At $0.049 a text, high-volume sending also costs more than a $25 monthly plan.
What we like
No monthly fee: pay $0.049 per US text from prepaid credit that never expires (Nov 2026).
Inbound texts are free, and MMS costs $0.08 a message.
Works in 190+ countries from one account, with email and chat in the same inbox.
Watch out for
A US number and 10DLC campaign registration cost $10 a month each after the first free month.
At $0.049 a text, high-volume sending costs more than a $25 monthly plan.
No free plan, only a free test balance to try the service.
Starting price$25/month (Launch), or $20/month billed an…
Free planNo
Free trial14 days
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
EZ Texting is built for simple mass texting in the US and Canada: campaigns, keywords, contact lists and a team inbox, with live chat support on every plan. Launch starts at $25 a month for 500 credits, which ties Salesmsg for the cheapest monthly plan in this list, and annual billing drops it to $20 a month. Incoming messages are free on every plan.
The catch is the trial. You get 14 days with no card, and you can import contacts and send test texts to your own phone, but sending to your contacts starts only when you pick a plan. Launch also carries a $5 monthly telecom fee on top of the $25, and each plan includes only one user seat.
What we like
Launch starts at $25 a month for 500 credits, the cheapest monthly plan here (Nov 2026).
14-day trial with no card, and test texts can go to your own phone.
Incoming messages are free on every plan.
Watch out for
No free plan: the 14-day trial ends, and sending to contacts needs a paid plan.
Launch carries a $5 monthly telecom fee on top of the $25 plan price.
Each plan includes only one user seat; extra seats cost more.
Salesmsg puts two-way SMS, MMS and calling in one shared inbox, which suits teams whose texting lives inside a CRM. Texts and calls attach to the contact record in HubSpot or Salesforce, and AI agents can handle SMS conversations for lead qualification, meeting booking and re-engagement. Basic starts at $25 a month for 500 credits, and every plan includes unlimited contacts.
The catch is the shared credit pool. One credit covers one SMS segment or one voice minute, so calls drain the same budget as texts. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and the base plan includes one number and one user seat, so a bigger team pays for extra seats and numbers.
What we like
SMS, MMS and calling in one shared inbox, tied to your CRM (Nov 2026).
Unlimited contacts on every plan, so the bill follows message volume.
AI agents qualify leads and book meetings by text.
Watch out for
Calls draw from the same credit pool as texts, so calls can drain the SMS budget.
No free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Base plan includes one number and one seat; extra seats and numbers cost more.
Starting price$29/month (toll-free, 500 credits) or $39/…
Free planNo
Free trialFree trial (no credit card)
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
SimpleTexting runs one plan with every feature included, priced by monthly credits. It starts at $29 a month for 500 credits on a toll-free number, or $39 with a local number, and unused credits roll over for 30 days. The 14-day trial needs no card and includes an AI writing assistant, and every plan includes three user seats.
The catch is the narrow focus. SimpleTexting works only in the US and Canada, so it is no use for an international list. There is no free plan, and the $29 entry buys the same 500 credits that EZ Texting and Salesmsg sell for $25, so you pay $4 more a month for the simpler setup.
What we like
One plan with all features included, priced by credits (Nov 2026).
14-day trial with no card, plus an AI writing assistant.
Unused credits roll over for 30 days, and three user seats are included.
Watch out for
US and Canada only, so no use for an international list.
No free plan, only a 14-day trial.
$29 buys 500 credits, while EZ Texting and Salesmsg sell 500 credits for $25.
SlickText is built around list growth: keywords, contests, pop-ups and workflows sit next to mass texting, and every plan includes every feature, with unlimited contacts and rollover credits. Plans start at $29 a month for 500 credits, and annual billing gives two months free. The 14-day trial opens all features with no card required.
The catch is the same as SimpleTexting: SlickText works only in the US and Canada, and there is no free plan. Carrier fees also pass through on top of the plan price, and MMS costs three credits a message, so a picture-message campaign burns through the 500-credit allowance fast.
What we like
Every feature on every plan, with unlimited contacts and rollover credits (Nov 2026).
List-growth tools such as keywords, contests and pop-ups are included.
14-day trial with all features and no card, and two months free on annual billing.
Watch out for
US and Canada only, so no use for an international list.
No free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Carrier fees pass through, and MMS costs three credits a message.
Textedly keeps pricing flat and simple: 14 tiers that differ only by message volume, with every feature on every plan. Basic starts at $29 a month for 500 messages, incoming messages are free, and annual billing adds 20% more messages at the same price. The trial gives 50 messages and one keyword with no card, which is enough to test a first campaign.
The catch is the trial size and the surcharge. Fifty messages is a small test, and every paid plan adds an $8 monthly telecom surcharge, so the $29 Basic plan costs at least $37 a month before tax. There is no free plan, and the flat tiers give you no way to pay less in a quiet month.
What we like
Flat pricing: 14 tiers that differ only by message volume (Nov 2026).
All features on every plan, with unlimited contacts and free incoming messages.
Annual billing adds 20% more messages at the same price.
Watch out for
No free plan: the trial gives only 50 messages and one keyword.
An $8 monthly telecom surcharge applies to every paid plan.
Flat tiers give no way to pay less in a quiet month.
Sources used: vendor pricing pages and vendor FAQ pages, checked Nov 2026.
Criterion
Weight
What we looked at
What you can send without paying
40%
We ranked by what each tool lets you send before you pay: real SMS credit on a free plan, a trial allowance, or pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee.
Trial terms
30%
We checked how long each trial runs, whether it needs a card, and what it lets you do before the bill starts.
Price after the trial
30%
We noted the paid starting price and the message allowance, so you can see what the first paid month costs.
Is there really free SMS marketing software?
Yes, but only one tool in this list qualifies. Klaviyo's free plan includes $5 of mobile messages a month for up to 250 profiles, which covers a small test list or a few dozen texts. The other tools offer a 14-day trial or pay-as-you-go texting, and both stop being free once you start sending in earnest. A trial is a way to try a tool, not a free plan.
What does a 14-day free trial actually let you do?
It depends on the tool. EZ Texting, SlickText, SimpleTexting and Salesmsg open the full platform for 14 days with no card, so you can import contacts, build a campaign and send test texts to your own phone. Textedly's trial gives 50 messages and one keyword instead of a time limit. In every case the trial ends, and you pay the monthly price to keep sending.
How much does SMS marketing cost after the trial ends?
The cheapest monthly plans in this list are $25 a month: EZ Texting Launch and Salesmsg Basic, each with 500 credits. SimpleTexting, SlickText and Textedly start at $29 a month for 500 credits or messages. Klaviyo's paid Email plan starts at $20 a month, and TextMagic has no monthly fee at all: you pay $0.049 per US text. Add number rental and carrier fees on top where they apply.
What is the cheapest way to send a few texts a month?
Start with Klaviyo's free plan if you have a small list: $5 of SMS credit a month costs nothing. If you do not want a monthly plan, TextMagic charges $0.049 per US text from prepaid credit, but a US number and 10DLC registration add $10 a month each after the first free month. For under 100 texts a month, Klaviyo's free credit is the cheapest route; above that, compare TextMagic's per-message cost with a $25 plan.
How should I run a best free SMS marketing software comparison?
Test at your real workload, not at the headline offer. Count the texts you send in a month, then check each tool's free credit or trial allowance, the paid starting price, and the extras such as number rental and carrier fees. A tool with a 14-day trial and a $29 plan costs more in month two than a $25 plan, and a pay-as-you-go tool wins only while your volume stays low.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free SMS marketing software?
Klaviyo is the best free SMS marketing software because its free plan is the only one here that includes SMS credit: $5 of mobile messages a month, with 250 profiles and 500 emails. The other tools offer a 14-day trial or pay-as-you-go texting, so they cost money once you start sending in earnest.
Is Klaviyo SMS really free?
Yes, within tight limits. Klaviyo's free plan covers up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends a month and $5 of mobile messages a month, with no card required. Once you pass 250 profiles or 500 sends in a month, sending stops until the next cycle or until you upgrade to a paid plan from $20 a month.
Does TextMagic have a free plan?
No, TextMagic has no free plan. You can open a free account with a test balance to try the service, then you buy prepaid credit and pay per message. A US text costs $0.049, inbound texts are free, and a number costs $10 a month after the first free month.
Which SMS tool has the cheapest starting price?
Klaviyo's paid Email plan starts at $20 a month for 251 to 500 profiles, the lowest monthly price here. Among the trial tools, EZ Texting and Salesmsg start at $25 a month for 500 credits, while SimpleTexting, SlickText and Textedly start at $29 a month. TextMagic has no monthly fee and charges $0.049 per US text instead.
Do these SMS tools work outside the US?
TextMagic covers more than 190 countries from one account. SimpleTexting, SlickText and EZ Texting focus on the US and Canada. Klaviyo and Salesmsg send in more markets, so check your country on the vendor's site before you sign up.
What is 10DLC and why does it matter?
10DLC is the US system that registers businesses to send texts from long-code numbers. Carriers use it to cut spam, and unregistered traffic gets filtered or blocked. Registration usually costs $10 a month per campaign on tools such as TextMagic, and some tools include it in the plan price. Expect a short approval wait before your first campaign goes out.
Can I send SMS for free with a trial?
Yes, for 14 days. EZ Texting, SlickText, SimpleTexting and Salesmsg open the full platform for a 14-day trial with no card, and Textedly gives 50 messages and one keyword. You can send test texts during the trial, but the trial ends after two weeks or after the message allowance runs out. After that you pay the monthly price to keep sending, so a trial is not a free plan.
Final verdict
Pick Klaviyo if you want the only real free plan here, with $5 of SMS credit a month for a small list.
Pick TextMagic if you text irregularly or in many countries and want no monthly fee.
Pick EZ Texting if you want the cheapest monthly plan for simple mass texting.
Pick Salesmsg if your sales team texts and calls from one inbox tied to a CRM.
Pick SimpleTexting if you want every feature on one simple plan for a US or Canadian business.
Pick SlickText if you want to grow a text list with every feature on every plan.
Pick Textedly if you want to launch mass-text campaigns fast with flat, volume-based pricing.
Looking for the best SMS marketing software? We compared 10 options on pricing, free plans, key features and trade-offs so you can pick the right one fast.
