Best SMS Gateway UK Provider: API Pricing & Features [2024]

Billions of SMS and MMS are sent annually in the UK—even with the rise in popularity of messaging apps such as WhatsApp.

And it’s obvious that automation helps make processes as efficient as possible.

Why not combine these two concepts with an SMS API?

You can use an SMS gateway UK provider that lets you automate all the SMS you need.

Try it for free today. (Just ask about getting enabled to send to the UK.)

Not quite ready to try it out yet?

No worries!

In this article, you’ll discover everything you need to know about getting started with an SMS gateway for the UK.

So enough of my waffling about.

Let’s jump in…

SMS Gateway UK Features

SMS gateways give you a whole host of features to help with sending SMS to phone numbers in the UK.

All of these features are accessible programmatically or via an out-of-the-box online dashboard.

(Note that you’ll want to make sure the SMS API/software service you choose actually can send to phone numbers in the UK—some services may be country-specific.)

1. Mass messaging to UK phone numbers: You can use an SMS gateway to send out mass text messages to UK phone numbers. Each recipient will receive the message as if it were individually sent to them, so no need to worry about recipients seeing each others’ numbers, or about getting caught up in a group text.
2. Individual messaging: In addition to mass messaging, an SMS API lets you have individual 1-on-1 conversations with UK phone numbers, which means you can interact with people on a more personal basis.
3. Automated messaging: An SMS gateway allows you to set up automated messaging processes to help you make the most out of your SMS efforts. Really, automating your flows is the only way to go if you’re wanting to grow in a way that’s feasible—and if you want to save time rather than having to do everything manually.
4. Personalization: With an SMS gateway, you can include personalized variables (such as your recipients’ names) in your messages, so that each individual recipient receives a personalized message. And it’s obviously well known that personalization can help your messages get more engagement.
5. SMS analytics and reporting: Another key component of an SMS gateway is the ability to view analytics and reporting on the messages you send, which helps you evaluate the success or failure of your efforts—you can see if your message was delivered and other data such as link clicks and opt-outs.
6. API integration capabilities: With an API, you have almost endless possibilities for how you can integrate with your current services, because you can program whatever integration you’re wanting to set up.
7. (Bonus!) iMessage capabilities: Mobile Text Alerts’ SMS API now offers a new beta feature that allows you to send iMessages on a mass scale. This means you can reach people via the more user-friendly process of iMessage rather than having to rely on SMS for everything. (To be a beta tester for this feature, contact us and make a request.)

These features + more help make using a UK SMS API an ideal solution for trying to reach people in the UK.

SMS Gateway UK Case Studies / Examples

So how can businesses actually use an SMS gateway?

Here are some examples of ways a business could use SMS in the UK.

Retail—Getting More Sales

Let’s say you’re a UK-based fashion retailer.

You could use an SMS gateway to send out personalized promotional offers, inventory updates, and exclusive discounts via SMS.

This implementation could lead to a significant increase in customer engagement and sales since you’ll be engaging with people via a means they actually see and pay attention to.

“

Laura, your favorite summer dress is back in stock! Use code SUMMER25 to get 25% off. Offer ends tonight at midnight. Shop now: [link]

Healthcare—Decreasing No-Shows

Now let’s say you’re a healthcare provider in the UK.

You’re getting frustrated with how many people simply neglect to show up to their appointments.

You decide to implement an SMS reminder system to help get more people to show up.

And it works!

Your no-show rate decreases as expected, and the appointment experience improves all around.

(NOTE: Be careful about privacy laws when sending messages regarding healthcare.)

“

Hello John, this is a friendly reminder about your upcoming appointment with Dr. Smith at City Hospital tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Please reply CONFIRM to keep this slot.

Logistics—Giving Customers a Better Experience

What if you were a logistics company trying to provide delivery services across the UK?

You could integrate an SMS gateway into your tracking system to provide real-time delivery updates to customers.

By sending automated SMS notifications at key milestones, such as package pickup, en-route updates, and successful deliveries, you could significantly reduce customer inquiries and improve the overall experience for your customers.

“

Your package (Tracking #ABC123) has been picked up and is on its way. You can track your delivery status here: [link]

Financial Services—Protecting Your Customers with Better Security

If you were offering financial services in the UK, you’d want (and in some cases may be required to have) a way to implement two-factor authentication for customers accessing their accounts. Or a secure way to notify customers about recent transactions or account balances or suspicious activity.

And this can be accomplished by way of an SMS gateway.

“

Verify your identity for this online transaction with the one-time code: 548972. Do not share this code with anyone.

Hospitality—Communicating Clearly with Guests

Suppose you’re a fancy-schmancy UK-based hotel chain and you want a way to get in touch with your guests and give them a voice.

SMS is the way to go—after all, it reaches them right in front of their faces, on their phones.

You could send a welcome message when they check in, a reminder of checkout time, links to room service options, and two-way communication with a concierge.

“

Welcome to The Grand Palace Hotel, Laura! We're delighted to have you here. Our concierge team recommends trying the famous afternoon tea service during your stay.

Event Management—Increasing Attendance and Engagement

Maybe you’re hosting some kind of event—whether that’s an in-house social gathering for your employees, or a customer appreciation outing, or perhaps you’re actually an event service and hosting events is your business.

SMS helps you promote your events and remind people to attend.

A simple text message can go a long way in convincing or reminding someone to participate in your event.

“

Hi Sarah! This is a reminder that the Tim Hughes benefit concert is happening this Saturday at St. Mark’s Church. Doors open at 6 PM, and the show starts at 7. Attendance is free but free will donations are welcome and will be collected at intermission. Have a great time!

SMS Gateway UK API Pricing

So what does using an SMS gateway to send messages to the UK actually cost?

Well, there’s good news and bad news.

The bad news is that there’s no clear-cut answer, because different services will vary—and the amount you pay will also vary depending on the volume of your messaging.

The good news is that the pricing structures out there are not complicated, so you shouldn’t have a hard time figuring them out.

(For Mobile Text Alerts’ part, messaging to the UK starts at $.06 per message on a pay-per-text basis, which translates to £​​.047 or €5.56. These messaging rates can be lowered if you’re needing to send large volumes of messages.)

Here are some common threads…

Pay-as-you-go

This is the model that Mobile Text Alerts follows for messaging to the UK.

In this model, you pay for the amount of messages you need or use, although there may be a minimum monthly fee required.

The pay-as-you-go method can be ideal because it doesn’t require you to know how many messages you’re going to send and it means you’re not wasting money on messages you don’t need.

Subscriptions

Many SMS services operate on a subscription basis.

With this model, you’ll pay monthly or annually on a recurring basis for a certain allotment of messaging credits per month.

Your recurring payments will continue until you cancel your subscription.

Unused messages may or may not rollover to subsequent months (depending on the messaging provider).

The subscription model has the benefit of being more predictable and may help you secure lower messaging rates for a longer period of time (since with a pay-as-you-go model, rates could theoretically increase at any time).

However, you may not find a subscription plan that fits perfectly with your needs.

High Volume Discount Pricing

SMS services typically have custom discount-pricing plans available for high volume senders.

How these plans operate may vary depending on the situation, but often they include the ability for you to send as many messages as you need at a fixed discounted rate and then to be billed for your messaging activity after the fact.

(This is different from regular SMS plans which typically require you to pay in advance for the messages you’ll send.)

These levels of plans need to be worked out individually with a sales representative who can custom-tailor a plan to meet your needs.

You can contact a Mobile Text Alerts sales rep here.

Additional Fees

Make sure you’re aware of any additional fees you may be required to pay—such as maintenance fees, phone number fees, registration fees, and short code application fees.

And if you’re viewing pricing and fees on an SMS service provider’s website, make sure you’re viewing pricing for the UK, because the prices they advertise may be for other countries.

SMS Gateway UK Provider Comparison

There are so many providers out there that can offer SMS API services to the UK—how do you choose?

Here’s a breakdown of some of the providers and what customers are saying about them…

Mobile Text Alerts

Positive comments

“

When looking to create a small list for our business to check-in on investors, we were looking for an interface that was easy to use, and easy to personalize. So far, it's been precisely what we've looked for. The price has been fair, and the customer response team was prompt in addressing any issues I had. I highly recommend.

“

I like how easy it is to add subsribers, it is very intuitive. Also the reporting tools are great because you can see [when] carrier rejected the message, etc. Easy to implement and integrate as well. Customer support is nearly immediate with the chat bar on the right. I use it frequently.

“

User friendly system that was easy to implement within our company. Just like sending text messages from your phone!

Negative comments

“

A little out dated design compared to some of the other platforms.

“

I didn't quite understand how some components worked, as it didn't seem intuitive to me.

The SMS Works

The SMS Works has limited online reviews, but here’s a sample of one of their reviews:

“

We’re sending over a million texts a year via The SMS Works and have found the service to be fast, reliable and cost effective. On the rare occasion we’ve had an issue, they have provided great customer support. Highly recommended.

ClickSend

Positive comments

“

The API (Zapier, Make.com) is excellent and it's easy to automate updating your lists. This elimiantes manual updates. Easy to register the number (as is now requreired). Customer support is the absolute best!

“

What I like the most about ClickSend is that it's very easy to use. It just take few seconds to singup and start using it. And it also has lots of features. And their customer support is also great with that live chat.

Negative comments

“

What I like the least about ClickSend is their pricing. I used their service to send SMS, but it's too expensive compared to the local providers I know.

Vonage

Positive comments

“

The Vonage API has an extended features to manage SMS, Voice Calls using the API provided by Vonage API. The API always has a quick delivery response & transition routes.

“

The documentation is very easy for our developers to understand and integrate within our platform. When we have questions or need assistance, we are able to get direct support.

Negative comments

“

The Vonage dashboard looks clumsy and it always makes me feel difficult about integrating the API. It can be much easy & the User Experience should be simplified.

SMS.to

Positive comments

“

The most efficient thing about using SMS.to was its easy to use APIs which helped us in fast and easy integration along with easy to use dashboard to send automated SMSs. Another thing is its strong documentation and tech and support teams readyness to help as and when required

Negative comments

“

Pricing is one of the key concerns for the product if you are just starting up as they give discounts on bulk SMSs only. Also, there is discomfort with no local support and your issues might get unresolved for good number of days.

How to Choose an SMS Gateway Service for the UK

When evaluating SMS gateway services and APIs to send messages to the UK, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind…

Confirm UK Capabilities

Not all SMS services actually offer delivery to the UK.

So when evaluating services, you’ll need to make sure that the service you’re looking at can truly send messages to UK phone numbers.

Some services are country-specific, while others offer services to a variety of countries.

Mobile Text Alerts offers SMS services to nearly any country across the globe.

Check on Deliverability

In the realm of SMS, deliverability is becoming more and more of a concern as mobile carriers crack down on their own regulations.

So you’ll want to choose a service that walks you through deliverability best practices and makes sure you’re getting the best delivery possible.

Expect Swift and Knowledgeable Support

Some SMS services may cost less but have little support available when you need it.

It can be worth it to invest a bit more in order to get the right support—particularly in light of the potential delivery issues mentioned above.

Not only should a support team respond quickly, they should be knowledgeable about the product as well as deliverability best practices.

Review API Documentation

If you’re going to use an SMS service’s API to connect to your other services, the API documentation should be readily available for review.

You or your developer should review the documentation to make sure the service is able to accomplish the integrations and processes that you’re hoping to implement.

And you can make sure the implementation is something that will be easy to get set up.

Evaluate the Online Platform (If Applicable)

If you’re just going to be accessing SMS services via API, this may not be applicable.

But if you’re going to be using a service’s online platform offering, you’ll want to at least take a look at the platform and try out some of the features.

You don’t want to invest money into an online platform that ends up being clunky and frustrating—instead, look for something smooth and user-friendly.

Consider Pricing

This goes without saying but we’d be remiss not to mention pricing.

Of course, you’ll need to evaluate your budget and determine how much you’re willing to allocate to an SMS service.

Just keep in mind that the higher the budget you’re willing to commit, the better service you’ll likely receive.

(If there are inexpensive services, usually they’re “cheap” for a reason.)

How to Integrate a UK SMS Gateway

When it comes to a discussion of integrating an “SMS gateway,” it’s usually in reference to implementing via an SMS API.

Here’s how the process works with Mobile Text Alerts:

• Step 1: Get an online account
• Step 2: Determine a custom UK plan with sales
• Step 3: Generate an API key in your online dashboard
• Step 4: Make the API requests that you’re wanting to make according to the online API documentation
• Step 5: Monitor results via the API or via the online dashboard

If you prefer to implement SMS processes via the online dashboard, you can do that instead—or you can use a combination of both online dashboard and API.

The process for using the dashboard is as follows:

• Step 1: Get an online account
• Step 2: Determine a custom UK plan with sales
• Step 3: Get subscribers loaded into your database
• Step 4: Start sending messages online, or set up automated workflows
• Step 5: Monitor results via the online dashboard

Implementation really comes down to understanding the API documentation and moving forward from there.

SMS Gateway UK Compliance Concerns

In the UK, there are three primary laws you’ll want to keep in mind:

• The Data Protection Act (DPA)
• The General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR)
• The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)

Per Esendex, “Under the DPA, businesses can only keep customers’ data if they’ve had permission to do so, and even then can’t hold onto it for longer than necessary.”

GDPR regulations mean that you must either have direct consent to process people’s data, or you must have “legitimate interests” according to the GDPR’s standards. (Your safest option is to make sure you get direct consent before sending people messages rather than depending on “legitimate interests.”)

You’ll want to make yourself familiar with the PECR standards as well, to make sure you’re storing and processing data correctly for marketing purposes.

In addition to those concerns regarding legal compliance, you’ll also want to keep in mind that mobile carriers have their own regulations and standards as well.

And if you don’t abide by the mobile carriers’ standards, you may find your messages not getting delivered at all.

Below are some practical tips to help you keep in line with marketing standards…

Always Get Consent

Your safest option when engaging in SMS marketing is to always always always get consent from your recipients before sending them marketing text messages.

Consumers are less tolerant of text messages that they deem as “spam” than they are of other types of messaging, so even if consent wasn’t a legal requirement, it would be a good idea.

That way, you don’t get yourself into trouble—and you don’t irritate your audience.

Avoid Questionable Content

Mobile carriers monitor message content and if there is any content they deem “questionable” they will block that content from being delivered.

What’s considered “questionable” is any content related to SHAFT (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, and tobacco), as well as content related to marijuana, CBD, loans, gambling, “work from home” opportunities, mystery shopping, or other similar topics.

Ask for Help from Your SMS Provider

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your SMS provider’s team.

While they can’t give you official legal advice, they can give you general best practices and should be fairly knowledgeable about how to stay out of trouble and get the best message delivery possible.

FAQ

Here are answers to some other general questions regarding SMS gateway services for the UK.

SMS Gateway UK Benefits?

Using an SMS gateway for the UK via an SMS API offers several communication benefits for your business:

• Reach people in the UK via their mobile phones – Since people are inundated with emails and other communication channels, SMS is actually one of the best ways to reach people in the current climate.
• Integrate with your current workflows – Using an SMS API will allow you to incorporate your SMS gateway UK services into your current communication flow in ways that make sense for your business.
• Enjoy the flexibility to grow – If you’re manually taking action, there’s not much room to scale, but if you access an SMS gateway via an API, you can program and automate things so that you don’t need to manually be involved.

Ultimately, SMS is a channel you should at least explore as a way to reach your UK audience. And the best way to use it is to program services so that they are integrated with your current business and workflows.

How to Do Mass Text Messaging in the UK?

To engage in mass text messaging in the UK, here’s what you’ll need to do…

1. Find an SMS service that supports UK messaging – Not all services may support messaging to the UK, so you’ll need to find a service that does. (See the list under the “SMS Gateway UK Provider Comparison” section above for a starting point.)
2. Get consent from your recipients – Unless you can prove “legitimate interests” (per the “SMS Gateway UK Compliance Concerns” section above), you’ll need to get your audience to opt in to receive your messages. For example, one way you can get consent is using a customizable web sign-up form that comes for free with your Mobile Text Alerts account.
3. Set up automated messages or submit one-off messages via online dashboard or API – Depending on the SMS provider you choose, you’ll be able to send messages via an online dashboard and/or via an SMS API. If using an online dashboard, you can simply log in and set up your messages directly within the dashboard. If using an SMS API, you can follow the service’s API documentation to programmatically create and send out your messages.
4. Honor opt-outs – If people want to be unsubscribed from your SMS list, make sure you honor that. Thankfully, most SMS services will automatically remove your subscribers if they reply back with the word STOP, so you can give your audience the instructions to “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Can You Send SMS to Other Countries?

Most private phone plans do not allow sending SMS to other countries.

You can, however, get phone plans that allow for texting other countries.

If you’re wanting to send mass text messages internationally, it’s typically best to get an SMS gateway service that allows you to text other countries without needing to use your own phone number.

While some SMS gateway services are specific to certain countries, others, such as Mobile Text Alerts, allow for sending to most countries across the world.

How Much Does an SMS Gateway for the UK Cost?

The cost varies depending on the service you choose and your level of traffic.

As a point of reference, Mobile Text Alerts starts at $.06 per message on a pay-per-text basis, which currently translates to £​​.047 or €5.56 per message.

You may be able to get lower custom pricing based on your needs (particularly if you have a high-volume use case).

You can contact sales and let them know about how many messages you’re expecting to send per month, to get a quote for approximately how much it might cost.

When evaluating the cost to send SMS, keep in mind that most of your audience likely won’t actually sign up to receive your texts—but that you don’t need as big of an audience to make an impact because the read rates are higher than some other communication channels (such as email).

Try an SMS Gateway Provider for the UK Today

A UK SMS API service could be a huge asset to your business as you try to reach folks across the British Isles and beyond.

You can go ahead and try it today to get a feel for how it would work for you!

Contact sales and ask to be enabled for a trial account to the UK today.