BulkSMS vs Clickatell (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, BulkSMS and Clickatell share a 1.6 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick BulkSMS if
- Fits if you send bulk texts now and then and don't want a monthly plan
- Works for developers who need an SMS API that covers many countries
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a clear price per text, as costs are only estimates until you ask
- Watch out: the credits one SMS uses differ by network
- Pricey if you send in large volumes, since those are quoted by sales
- Skip it if you want a free trial, as only a money-back guarantee is offered
Pick Clickatell if
- Fits if you are a large brand that wants chat commerce and SMS in one platform
- Works for developers who want an SMS API with global reach
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a published price, as platform pricing goes through sales
- Too light for a quick start: the pricing page is an estimate tool, so a country's rate was not captured
- Not for you if you are a small team, since the site says it serves large global brands
- Watch out: only a web platform and APIs are listed, with no mobile or desktop apps
How we grade them
| 1.6GPABulkSMSWeak | 1.6GPAClickatellWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo fixed price is published. Credit packages run from 200 to 50,000, but the pricing page is an estimator and the credits a text uses vary by network. | CNo plan price is published; platform pricing goes through sales and SMS rates come from a calculator, so it sits at the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free. A money-back guarantee on credits isn't a trial. | FNo free plan and no trial on the pages read. |
| Features | CA web platform, SMS API, incoming long numbers and shortcodes, plus RCS and WhatsApp. Larger volumes are a quote from sales. | CBroadcasts, automations, AI chatbots, a live agent inbox and in-chat payments. It is aimed at large brands, and the pages show little for small teams. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Sending from a web account is simple, but the API and number set-up take work. | CNo store rating on record. Platform and API setup with sales involvement. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with an API but no integrations listed. | CWeb platform and APIs only; no separate mobile or desktop apps are listed. |
| Best for | prepaid bulk SMS without a subscription | large brands sending chat and SMS at scale |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: BulkSMS and Clickatell. How we grade
Where they differ
- BulkSMS also covers business texting.
- Clickatell also covers workflow automation, AI agents and chatbots.
In commonWebPublic APISMS marketingWhatsApp messaging
At a glance
| BulkSMS | Clickatell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Celerity Systems (Pty) Ltd | Clickatell |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BulkSMS
- The pricing page shows an estimator, not a fixed price list; the cost per message depends on destination network and credits used.
- The number of credits per SMS varies by network, so message costs are only estimates until you ask for a quote.
- Larger volumes are priced through a quote from sales.
- Customers in South Africa contract with Celerity Systems; others with Celerity Messaging UK.
Clickatell
- No plan prices are published: platform pricing goes through the sales team, and SMS rates come from a country-by-country calculator.
- The pricing page we could read is an interactive estimate tool, so the rates for a given country were not captured.
- The site says it serves large global brands, so small teams may find it heavier than they need.
- Pages read list a web platform and APIs only, with no separate desktop or mobile apps.
Key features
BulkSMS
- Web platform
- Send and receive SMS from an online account in any browser, with two-way messaging.
- SMS API
- A REST API lets a website, application or CRM send messages.
- Incoming numbers and shortcodes
- Long numbers receive replies from customers, and five-digit shortcodes are available.
- RCS and WhatsApp messaging
- RCS business messaging and WhatsApp Business messaging are listed beside SMS.
- Credit packages
- Credits are bought in packages from 200 to 50,000, are valid for 2 years, and carry a money-back guarantee.
Clickatell
- Broadcasts
- Campaigns are defined, personalized and scheduled across countries and time zones, from a web interface or through the API, with sign-up and opt-out management.
- Automations
- A drag-and-drop workflow editor and integration hub build automated self-service journeys, with buttons, lists and catalogs inside chat.
- AI chatbots
- Chatbots can be trained on business-specific information, and Clickatell describes a private model kept in a secure environment.
- Live agent inbox
- A unified inbox lets agents take over chats, transfer them between agents and departments, and use tags, notes and chat history.
- In-chat payments
- Customers can pay inside the chat thread through a hosted checkout page or a one-tap tokenized flow.
Plans
BulkSMS
Pricing could not be confirmed. See bulksms.com.
Clickatell
Pricing could not be confirmed. See clickatell.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BulkSMS or Clickatell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, BulkSMS has no price we could confirm, and Clickatell has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, BulkSMS or Clickatell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither BulkSMS nor Clickatell has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.