MessageDesk vs SimpleTexting (2026): which should you pick?

Pick MessageDesk if

• Fits if a team of three or more answers customer texts from one number
• Works for US and Canada firms keeping their landline or VoIP number

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you're one person, as Team has a 3-user minimum
• Watch out: cell phone numbers don't work, only landline, VoIP and Twilio
• Skip it if you want a card-free trial, since this one needs a card
• Tight if you broadcast a lot, because that's the separate credit-based Reach product
• Watch out: the phone apps are beta and the open API is not out yet

Pick SimpleTexting if

• Fits if you're a small US business sending promotions and reminders by text
• Works for churches and nonprofits, with 15% off monthly plans

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if your customers are on WhatsApp or Instagram rather than plain texts
• Pricey if your team is big, as each user past 3 costs $20 a month
• Tight if you downgrade, as rolled-over credits are lost when you do
• Watch out: a local number adds $10 a month and $4 to register, and carriers add about $0.0025 per US text
• Pricey if you want a dedicated short code, from $1,000 a month with 6 to 8 weeks to set up

MessageDesk

• Team has a 3-user minimum, and the monthly price is on an annual contract billed monthly.
• It supports 10-digit US and Canada numbers; landline, VoIP and Twilio numbers work, cell phone numbers do not.
• The iOS and Android apps are marked beta, and the open API is listed as coming soon.
• Mass broadcasts live in a separate credit-based product, Reach, billed at $0.05 per credit beyond your allotment.

SimpleTexting

• A local number adds a $10 monthly carrier fee and $4 one-time registration; carriers also charge about $0.0025 per US message, passed on without markup.
• Extra users cost $20 a month each beyond the 3 included, and extra numbers $10 a month each.
• A dedicated short code starts at $1,000 a month and takes 6 to 8 weeks to set up.
• Rollover credits are lost if you downgrade your plan.

MessageDesk

Shared team inbox

Assign, label, comment on and mention teammates in text threads, with block and scheduling tools.

Keep your phone provider

Host or port landline and VoIP numbers, or connect Twilio; the vendor says it does not work with cell phone numbers.

Carrier registration included

10DLC registration is part of the plans, with no setup or number fees listed.

Broadcasts and Relays

Pro adds text broadcasts of up to 100 people and Relays, the product's automations.

Roles and permissions

Custom roles and permissions arrive on Pro; Enterprise adds multiple inboxes and custom single sign-on.

Compliance posture

The vendor says it is AICPA SOC 2 certified and lists HIPAA among its security pages.

SimpleTexting

Mass texting and MMS

Send campaigns to segments of unlimited contacts, with picture messages at 3 credits each and longer 306-character texts at 2.

Two-way messaging

Customers can reply and the team answers one to one; incoming SMS replies are free and incoming MMS cost 1 credit.

Keywords, forms and pop-ups

Unlimited text-to-join keywords, plus opt-in forms and website pop-ups that add people to your list.

Auto-replies and drip campaigns

Automatic replies and scheduled sequences of texts that go out after someone joins a list.

AI Assist

A message generator that drafts campaign texts, included on every plan.

Rollover credits

On monthly plans, unused plan credits roll over to the end of the following month; yearly plans get all credits up front.

MessageDesk

• Team$29

  per user / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly)

  Minimum 3 users. Shared inbox, up to 48 numbers, unlimited 1-on-1 texting and carrier registration.

• Pro$79

  per user / month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly)

  Adds broadcasts to up to 100 people, custom roles, multi-line opt-out, Relays automations and Zapier.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Adds priority support, multiple inboxes and workspaces, custom SSO, custom integrations and dashboards.

SimpleTexting

• 500 credits$23.20

  per month for 500 credits, billed annually ($29 billed monthly)

  All features, 3 users, unlimited contacts and keywords. Extra credits 5.5¢ each. An SMS uses 1 credit, a 306-character text 2 and an MMS 3.

• 1,000 credits$39.20

  per month for 1,000 credits, billed annually ($49 billed monthly)

  Same features with twice the credits; extra credits 5¢ each.

• 3,000 credits$87.20

  per month for 3,000 credits, billed annually ($109 billed monthly)

  Same features; extra credits 4¢ each. The 2,000-credit step is $63.20 billed yearly ($79 monthly).

• 7,500 credits$183.20

  per month for 7,500 credits, billed annually ($229 billed monthly)

  Same features; extra credits 3.5¢ each. The 15,000-credit step is $319.20 billed yearly ($399 monthly).

• 50,000 credits$719.20

  per month for 50,000 credits, billed annually ($899 billed monthly)

  Same features; extra credits 2¢ each. The 25,000-credit step is $439.20 billed yearly ($549 monthly).

• CustomCustom

  Plans for more than 50,000 texts a month or a dedicated short code, built with the sales team.

MessageDesk

• Annual discount

  Yearly plans cost less per seat

  Billed annually, Team is $29 and Pro is $79 per user a month, against $39 and $99 on the monthly-billed view.

SimpleTexting

• Annual discount

  Save 20% with yearly billing

  SimpleTexting's pricing page says yearly plans save 20% and deliver the year's credits up front: 500 credits a month is $278.40 a year against $29 a month.

• Nonprofit

  15% off for nonprofits and churches

  Nonprofits, churches and other tax-exempt organizations get 15% off any monthly plan, according to the pricing page FAQ.