List of UK bulk SMS providers
There are probably over 500 bulk SMS providers, globally.
These range from large multinational companies like Twilio and Vonage, down to regional companies like Esendex and Bulk SMS, right down to smaller companies operating predominantly in just one country.
There’s a huge choice of potential companies to choose from.
We recommend choosing a bulk SMS company that has its headquarters in the same country as you.
Here are the main reasons for that.
Why choose a local bulk SMS company?
1. Local knowledge of SMS regulations and restrictions
A UK bulk SMS company fully understands all the SMS rules and regulations that apply where you are. They will be able to advise you on all the details that other companies are unlikely to be aware of.
For example, in the UK, The mobile network BT/EE, has restrictions on what you can set as the sender ID of a business text.
All Uk networks have recently introduced sender ID restrictions aimed at reducing SMS fraud and scams. If you intend to use certain brand names as your sender ID, you are required to have a letter of authorisation from the brand, giving you the authority to use it.
If you attempted to send a text with the sender ID set as a major bank name like HSBC, then your text will automatically be blocked.
Other countries, like France for example, forbid sending bulk SMS between certain times in the evening.
The UK is lucky enough to have some of the lightest touch regulations for sending bulk SMS. You don’t need to register anything in advance and there are very few restrictions on the message content.
2. Lower pricing
Local or UK based SMS providers can get much better volume discounts due to their large domestic SMS volume. Those savings are typically passed on to customers.
A UK based bulk SMS company is unlikely to be able to offer low rates for Spain, for example. They simply won’t have the volume to negotiate low rates.
3. Bulk SMS prices quoted in your currency
If you’re in the UK, and you use a UK based SMS provider, you’ll be paying for the service in British pounds rather than US dollars or Euros.
The price you pay per bulk SMS sent, won’t be subject to currency fluctuations.
4. Better support
As well as being more knowledgeable, a local or UK based SMS marketing company has support available during your office hours. Large US companies like Twilio sometimes struggle to offer timely support to their non-US customers.
5. More reliable bulk SMS delivery
As you’ll be using the supplier’s primary route, deliverability is likely to be far more reliable, using tier 1 bulk SMS routes, rather than less reliable grey routes.
6. Data Security and Privacy
UK providers are subject to stringent UK data protection laws, which means they are likely to have robust data security measures in place. This helps ensure that your customers’ data is handled securely and responsibly.
They are also likely to have their servers based in the UK which is sometimes a requirement for for some customers.
List of UK based bulk SMS providers
Below is a list of bulk SMS vendors that have their head office in the UK. )There are fewer of them than we expected.)
Please note that it’s not a comprehensive list. Please let us know if there are any missing.
We’re defining a bulk SMS company as a provider that has a web based SMS platform allowing customers to send SMS messages to either individuals or a list of contacts. No specific technical knowledge is required and the suppliers may or may not have an SMS API available as well.
Please note that all the bulk SMS vendors visited charge for failed SMS. You have to pay for all messages submitted, even messages that are not delivered.
Which UK bulk SMS company is the best?
Which company is right for you will depend on so many different factors.
All the companies above have a solid SMS marketing platform, using tier one routing for all their SMS traffic.
Price will always be a key consideration and there’s quite a range here. For a typical 1000 text message bundle, you can pay from 3.2 pence, right up to 6.3 pence per text.
All bulk SMS companies have a wide variety of tools and functionality, so choose one that fits your requirements. None of them require any specific technical knowledge, so can be easily used by non-IT folk.
Free SMS trials are available for all of the SMS companies, so you can test the product, reliability and support before deciding which is best for your organisation.
The SMS Works will be launching a bulk SMS marketing platform in Autumn 2024. We’ll be drawing on all the best features and tools that you’ll need and of course we’ll deliver a great product and service at a very competitive rate.
