Email marketing has long been a staple in the digital marketing toolbox, but its effectiveness is slowly waning. Open rates are declining, engagement is dropping, and the rise in unsubscribes makes it clear that email alone can no longer deliver the results it once did. To make matters worse, recent changes in Apple’s iOS have made it harder to collect data, limiting insights into customer behavior.
In today's crowded digital landscape, customer inboxes are flooded with promotional content, discount codes, and newsletters—most of which they don't remember signing up for. It's become increasingly difficult for brands to cut through the noise and capture attention through email. However, as mobile usage continues to rise, brands must meet their customers where they spend the most time: on their smartphones. That’s where SMS marketing comes into play.
Why SMS Marketing is the Future of Ecommerce
With SMS marketing boasting an impressive 98% open rate, it's clear that this channel offers unparalleled potential for reaching customers. People are spending significant time on their phones, making SMS one of the few marketing tools that guarantees visibility. In a world where email open rates hover around 20%, SMS marketing allows brands to bypass cluttered inboxes and deliver messages directly to the device customers always have with them.
Unlike email, SMS offers immediacy and intimacy, making it an ideal medium for time-sensitive offers, personalized promotions, or even transactional updates like shipping notifications. This makes SMS marketing a powerful tool in an ecommerce brand's strategy, especially those using Shopify as their ecommerce platform.
However, in order to leverage SMS marketing effectively, it’s essential to choose the right platform that integrates seamlessly with Shopify. Below, we'll dive deep into the best SMS marketing apps for Shopify to help you find the one that suits your business needs.
Postscript: Best Overall for Shopify Brands
Postscript is the leading SMS marketing app for Shopify users, designed specifically to help brands create personalized and engaging customer experiences. With over 6,000 customers, Postscript has become the go-to tool for Shopify-based businesses looking to maximize their SMS marketing efforts.
Key Features of Postscript
Conversational Commerce: Enables brands to engage in two-way, personalized conversations with customers, allowing for real-time interactions that build trust and rapport.
Compliance Built In: Postscript is fully compliant with TCPA and CTIA guidelines, protecting your business from legal pitfalls.
Powerful List Growth Tools: Postscript makes it easy to grow your SMS subscriber list with popups, landing pages, and QR codes for both online and in-person acquisitions.
Advanced Segmentation: You can target customers using historical data pulled directly from Shopify, allowing for hyper-personalized messaging.
Automation Capabilities: Automate text messages based on triggers such as abandoned carts, post-purchase follow-ups, or shipping updates.
Deep Shopify Integration: Syncs seamlessly with Shopify and other popular apps like Klaviyo, Gorgias, and Recharge.
Pros of Postscript
Highly specialized for Shopify, ensuring seamless integration and access to Shopify-specific customer data.
Advanced segmentation features with 35+ filters enable targeted, personalized messaging.
Strong customer support, including managed services for SMS strategy and copywriting.
Cons of Postscript
Limited to Shopify users, so if you’re on another platform, Postscript won’t be the right fit.
Lacks native analytics for popups.
Klaviyo SMS: Best for Multi-Channel Marketing
Klaviyo is a leading email marketing platform that now offers SMS marketing features. For Shopify brands already using Klaviyo for email, the addition of SMS allows you to manage both channels from a single platform. However, while Klaviyo excels at email marketing, its SMS features are still developing.
Key Features of Klaviyo SMS
Multi-Channel Campaigns: Seamlessly integrate SMS with email marketing campaigns to create a unified customer experience.
Personalized Messaging: Use Klaviyo's advanced segmentation and conditional logic to send highly targeted text messages.
A/B Testing: Optimize your campaigns by testing different messaging strategies.
Unified Analytics: Track the performance of both SMS and email campaigns in one place.
Pros of Klaviyo SMS
Combines email and SMS marketing, saving time and providing better visibility into overall performance.
Easy to set up for existing Klaviyo email users.
Cons of Klaviyo SMS
Klaviyo’s SMS features aren’t as robust as its email marketing capabilities.
Lags behind in terms of SMS-specific compliance and integrations compared to dedicated SMS platforms.
SMSBump: Best for Yotpo Users
Recently acquired by Yotpo, SMSBump is another popular option for Shopify users, especially those already using Yotpo’s suite of marketing tools. With over 90,000 users, SMSBump offers solid SMS marketing features, but its real strength lies in its integration with Yotpo, particularly for businesses that want to combine SMS with reviews, loyalty programs, and more.
Key Features of SMSBump
Dynamic Segmentation: Segment users based on behavior, location, and product preferences.
Advanced Automation: Set up abandoned cart reminders, reactivation messages, and more.
Yotpo Integration: Ideal for businesses already using Yotpo, enabling SMS to support reviews, loyalty programs, and other Yotpo features.
Pros of SMSBump
Tight integration with Yotpo, making it a great choice for businesses looking to create a more holistic customer engagement strategy.
Affordable pricing model that scales with your business.
Cons of SMSBump
Lacks the brand recognition and adoption seen in some other major SMS platforms.
Compliance features are not as robust as those offered by competitors like Postscript or Attentive.
Attentive: Best for Compliance and Multi-Industry Use
Attentive is a well-established SMS marketing platform that serves businesses across a range of industries, including ecommerce, retail, and entertainment. While Attentive doesn’t have a native Shopify integration, it’s still widely used by Shopify merchants due to its strong focus on compliance and list-building tools.
Key Features of Attentive
Built-In Compliance: Fully adheres to TCPA and CTIA standards, ensuring your SMS marketing campaigns are legally sound.
Audience Manager: Build and segment customer profiles based on real-time data.
A/B Testing: Test different SMS campaigns to find the most effective messaging.
Pros of Attentive
Strong focus on legal compliance, making it ideal for larger brands that need to adhere to strict regulations.
Supports a wide range of industries beyond ecommerce, making it a versatile choice for multi-industry brands.
Cons of Attentive
No native Shopify integration, limiting access to valuable historical Shopify customer data.
Complicated pricing structure with hidden fees.
Choosing the Right SMS Marketing App for Shopify
The best SMS marketing app for your Shopify store will depend on your business’s specific needs and goals. If you’re looking for an SMS-first platform with deep Shopify integration, Postscript is the clear leader, offering a range of advanced features and compliance protections tailored specifically for Shopify users. For brands seeking a unified platform for both email and SMS marketing, Klaviyo offers a compelling all-in-one solution, though its SMS features are still maturing. SMSBump is a great fit for those already using Yotpo, while Attentive is ideal for brands that prioritize compliance and cater to multiple industries.
Ultimately, the most successful brands will use SMS marketing to deliver personalized, timely, and relevant messages that build stronger relationships with their customers.
SMS marketing is a powerful tool for any e-commerce business looking to drive engagement and sales. From higher open and response rates to faster delivery, SMS provides a direct and personal way to reach your customers. With these top Shopify apps, implementing SMS marketing has never been easier.
If you’re ready to see the benefits of SMS marketing for your business, now is the perfect time to get started. And if you're still struggling with customer conversions, tools like Adoric can help you transform visitors into paying customers with smart popups and personalized experiences.
Why SMS Marketing is a Game-Changer for E-Commerce
SMS marketing has emerged as one of the most effective channels for driving business growth, particularly for e-commerce brands. With higher open rates, faster delivery times, and an overall higher engagement rate than email marketing, SMS provides businesses with a unique opportunity to connect with their audience directly.
Statistics show that around 90% of SMS messages are opened within the first 3 minutes of being received. That’s a significant edge over email, where messages often go unopened for hours or even days. If you're already familiar with the basics of SMS marketing, you’re one step ahead of your competitors.
Here’s why SMS marketing stands out:
Fast Delivery
Text messages are delivered almost instantly. As soon as you hit “send,” your message reaches your recipient's phone within seconds. This immediacy is especially useful for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, or urgent notifications like cart abandonment reminders.
Higher Open Rate
SMS campaigns boast significantly higher open rates than email. Opening a text message is simple—it takes just one tap. In contrast, emails often get buried under spam or clutter, and around 35% of them go unread. With SMS, your message is much more likely to be seen.
Higher Response Rate
The quick open rate of SMS translates to a higher response rate. On average, SMS marketing sees response rates as high as 45%. Because of its informal nature, SMS feels personal and encourages customers to respond more promptly than they might to an email.
Now that we’ve established why SMS marketing is effective, let’s dive into some of the top Shopify SMS marketing apps that can help you implement it seamlessly into your business.
Top Shopify SMS Marketing Apps
1. Firepush
Firepush is a versatile app that integrates SMS, email, and web push notifications to create a seamless marketing experience. One of its best features is its ability to send automated messages like abandoned cart reminders, delivery updates, and welcome texts. This helps you not only recover lost sales but also keep your customers engaged.
Firepush integrates with other popular Shopify apps like Privy and Loox. It’s especially effective for reducing cart abandonment, which is a major challenge for most online retailers. With features like unlimited SMS on the pro plan, Firepush makes it easier to maintain regular communication with your customers.
Pricing: Free to install with up to 60 SMS credits. Paid plans start at $1.
2. SMSBump
One of the most widely used SMS marketing tools on Shopify, SMSBump boasts a 4.8-star rating from over 2,000 reviews. It’s trusted by more than 90,000 businesses to automate SMS campaigns and improve customer engagement.
With SMSBump, you can easily recover abandoned carts, promote flash sales, and send personalized messages based on customer behavior. The app also integrates with a host of other marketing tools like Klaviyo and ReConvert, allowing you to create more targeted and effective campaigns.
Pricing: Free to install, with paid plans starting at $19 per month.
3. SMS, Whatsapp Marketing by TCW
Developed by Shipway, SMS, Whatsapp Marketing by TCW offers an omnichannel approach to customer communication. It allows you to reach your customers via both SMS and WhatsApp, giving you greater flexibility. The app supports over 220 countries, making it ideal for businesses with a global reach.
Automated follow-ups via WhatsApp can help you recover abandoned carts and complete transactions, which is a key feature for businesses looking to reduce their cart abandonment rate.
Pricing: Free to install, with premium plans starting at $49 per month.
4. Postscript SMS Marketing
Postscript is one of the most trusted SMS marketing platforms for Shopify stores, offering features like customer segmentation, detailed analytics, and easy opt-out options. It’s highly compatible with other Shopify apps, making it a great choice if you already use tools like Klaviyo or Privy.
With Postscript, you can send targeted messages based on customer preferences, increasing your chances of making a sale. It also provides detailed reporting so you can track the success of your campaigns and optimize them over time.
Pricing: Free for the first 30 days, with plans starting at $100 per month.
5. Automizely SMS Marketing
Automizely offers a no-cost SMS marketing tool that’s perfect for businesses just starting with SMS marketing. With no hidden charges, the app is TCPA and GDPR compliant, ensuring your campaigns meet privacy and data protection regulations.
The app excels in cart recovery and customer engagement. You can send automated reminders to customers who abandon their carts, helping you recover lost sales.
Pricing: Free with 24/7 customer support.
6. Cartloop SMS Marketing
Cartloop stands out by offering real-time, two-way SMS conversations with your customers. This personal touch builds stronger relationships and increases engagement. The platform is designed to help businesses recover abandoned carts, run promotional campaigns, and gain deeper insights into customer behavior.
The pay-for-results model is appealing, as you only pay for messages that lead to a positive outcome for your business.
Pricing: Plans start at $99 per month.
7. Omnisend
Omnisend is an all-in-one marketing platform that covers SMS, email, and web push notifications. It’s highly rated on Shopify and trusted by over 70,000 businesses to scale their marketing efforts. Omnisend integrates smoothly with Shopify and is incredibly easy to set up.
With features like automated SMS campaigns, customizable templates, and live chat, Omnisend is a great option for businesses looking to simplify their marketing.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $16 per month.
8. Octane AI: Quiz Growth Tools
Octane AI focuses on gathering customer data via quizzes, which can then be used to improve your SMS campaigns. This method of zero-party data collection helps you understand your audience better, allowing you to send more personalized messages that drive conversions.
Pricing: 14-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $50 per month.
9. Messent SMS Marketing
Messent is ideal for small businesses looking to grow through scheduled and automated SMS campaigns. It allows you to send location-based messages and take time zones into account, which is especially useful for businesses with international customers.
Pricing: Free to install.
10. Recart: SMS & Messenger
Recart helps you engage your customers via both SMS and Facebook Messenger. With over 13,000 Shopify merchants using the platform, it’s a proven tool for recovering abandoned carts and sending personalized messages that convert.
Pricing: Free 14-day trial, with paid plans starting at $29 per month.
