ClickSend vs TextMagic (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TextMagic grades higher than ClickSend: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
TextMagic grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ClickSend
Prepaid SMS and MMS sending by app, API or email, with no monthly fee
TextMagic
Pay-as-you-go business SMS and email with a shared inbox
Which one is for you
Pick ClickSend if
- Fits if you send occasional SMS and want no monthly fee
- Works for developers who want an SMS API on prepaid credit
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you send little: $20 buys about 48 US messages
- Skip it if you want one clear price, because the per-SMS rate depends on the size of each top-up
- Watch out: carrier fees apply on top of the per-message rates, and prices exclude taxes
- Watch out: a US toll-free number is $3.44 a month, and a dedicated shortcode $996.73 a month plus a setup fee
- Watch out: the page defaulted to Malaysia, so the figures here are the US view
Pick TextMagic if
- Fits if you send occasional texts and don't want a subscription
- Works for teams with many users, since seats are unlimited
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you send a lot: every text costs 4.9 cents
- Watch out: US local numbers need 10DLC registration, and the page lists a fee
- Watch out: long or non-Latin messages count as several parts
- Tight if you want email: past 10,000 emails it is billed per message
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAClickSendWeak | 2.2GPATextMagicFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo subscription: a $20 minimum top-up and $0.0281 per US SMS, falling with bigger top-ups. The category's figures leave this pay-per-message price out, so it is graded at the middle. | CNo subscription; 4.9 cents a US text from prepaid credit, plus $10 a month for each number after the first. |
| Free plan and trial | DA free trial is offered but its terms are not stated on the pricing page. No free plan. | DA free trial exists, but its length and card terms aren't stated; the 10,000 email credits are a one-off. |
| Features | CIt does SMS and MMS, two-way texting, an API, email to SMS and contact segments, and does that job fully. It is a smaller job than a full chat marketing platform. | BMass texting, automation flows, a shared inbox, chat widget, email campaigns and bring-your-own-number. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You top up credit, add numbers and wire the API. | CNo store rating on record, and US 10DLC registration is yours to finish. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, plus an API and email to SMS. No integrations are listed. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with 8 integrations; no desktop app. |
| Best for | prepaid SMS with no monthly fee | pay-as-you-go business texting |
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: ClickSend and TextMagic. How we grade
Where they differ
- TextMagic also covers shared inbox, workflow automation, email campaigns and live chat.
At a glance
| ClickSend | TextMagic | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $20 minimum top-up, then $0.0281 per SMS in the US | No monthly fee; 4.9¢ per US text, billed from prepaid credit |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial offered ('Start free trial'); its terms are not stated on the pricing page. | Free trial; 10,000 emails included as a one-time welcome bonus |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | ClickSend | Textmagic |
| Price read from | clicksend.com | textmagic.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ClickSend
- There is no subscription tier. The price per SMS depends on how much credit you add in one top-up.
- Additional carrier fees apply on top of the per-message rates, and prices exclude taxes.
- A US toll-free number costs $3.44 a month, and a dedicated shortcode $996.73 a month plus a $996.73 setup fee.
- The page redirects by country and showed Malaysia by default; the figures here are the United States view, shown in USD.
TextMagic
- Cost depends on volume: 4.9¢ per US text, plus $10 per month for each number after its first free month.
- Longer messages cost extra; one part is 160 plain or 70 Unicode characters.
- US 10DLC brand and campaign registration is required for local numbers, and the pricing page lists a fee for it.
- After the first 10,000 emails, email is billed per message at $0.001 at the volumes the page lists.
Key features
ClickSend
- Bulk and two-way SMS
- Send one-off or scheduled texts to contact lists and read replies in the same account. Inbound messages are free.
- SMS API and email to SMS
- Trigger messages from a website or app through the API, or by emailing a gateway address.
- MMS and RCS
- Add pictures, animation or audio to messages. MMS in the US is listed at $0.0364 per message.
- Contact segmenting
- Split contact lists into segments before a send.
- Unlimited users
- The pricing page says there are no extra seat charges.
- Other channels on one balance
- The same credit also pays for voice calls, email, fax and postal letters.
TextMagic
- Mass texting
- Send campaigns and scheduled texts to unlimited contacts, with two-way messaging and delivery reporting included.
- Automation flows
- A flow builder for drip campaigns and message sequences, with follow-ups across SMS and email.
- Shared inbox and chat widget
- Connects SMS, live chat and social channels in one inbox for the whole team, and the page says there is no per-seat charge.
- Email campaigns
- Drag-and-drop and AI template builder with open and click tracking, billed per email after the first 10,000.
- Bring your own number
- Connect an existing Twilio, Vonage, Sinch or Bandwidth account to send from your own numbers at a lower per-text rate.
- Numbers and compliance tools
- Local and toll-free numbers, alphanumeric sender IDs, and guided 10DLC brand and campaign registration for US texting.
Plans
ClickSend
Boost$20
one-time top-up, used as you go
$0.0281 per US SMS when you top up from $20 (about 48 messages).
Growth$100
one-time top-up, used as you go
$0.0200 per US SMS when you top up from $100 (about 266 messages).
Scale$1,000
one-time top-up, used as you go
$0.0129 per US SMS when you top up from $1,000 (about 2,977 messages).
Enterprise$2,000
one-time top-up, used as you go
$0.0092 per US SMS when you top up from $2,000 (about 6,138 messages).
TextMagic
Pay as you go$0
no monthly fee, billed per message from credit
Buy credit and spend it on SMS at 4.9¢ per 160-character text; 1¢ per text via a connected Twilio, Vonage, Sinch or Bandwidth account.
Ways to pay less
ClickSend
- Other savings
25% bonus credit on the first top-up
The pricing page advertises a new-customer promotion of 25% extra credit on a first top-up; terms and conditions apply.
TextMagic
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ClickSend or TextMagic?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ClickSend starts at $20 minimum top-up, then $0.0281 per SMS in the US, and TextMagic starts at No monthly fee; 4.9¢ per US text, billed from prepaid credit.
Which has a free plan, ClickSend or TextMagic?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither ClickSend nor TextMagic has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do ClickSend and TextMagic run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TextMagic lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.