MessageDesk vs TextUs (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MessageDesk grades higher than TextUs: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MessageDesk grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MessageDesk
Shared team text inbox that runs on your existing business numbers
Which one is for you
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 TextUs if
- Fits if you recruit or staff and live in an ATS like Bullhorn
- Works for teams sending thousands of texts a month
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you text fewer than a few thousand messages: $299 a month is the floor
- Not for you if you want month-to-month, since every agreement is 12 months
- Watch out: a long text or emoji uses more credits, MMS uses 3, and overage is $0.05 a message
- Too light for support without paying: Pro gets email and ticket support, a named manager is Enterprise only
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAMessageDeskFair | 1.6GPATextUsWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$29 a user a month billed annually ($39 monthly) with a 3-user minimum, so the floor is about $87. Pro is $79 a user, and broadcasts beyond the allotment cost $0.05 a credit. | D$299 a month on a 12-month term for 5,000 messages and 5 numbers. The category's dearest tenth starts at $112, and extra messages cost $0.02 each. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 14-day free trial, but a credit card is required to start. | FNo free plan and no trial on record, and no month-to-month option. |
| Features | CShared inbox, up to 48 numbers, carrier registration, broadcasts and automations on Pro. The open API is listed as coming soon, and big broadcasts need the separate Reach product. | CTexting, campaigns, automation, keywords and an inbox, with Bullhorn, Workday and Greenhouse links. Narrower than it looks: built for staffing, and the listing shows credit rules, not other uses. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect existing numbers and register with carriers, which takes set-up. | CNo store rating on record. A web inbox with a mobile app page, plus integrations to connect to your ATS. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iOS and Android, with Zapier, Twilio, RingCentral, Zoom Phone, 8x8 and Webex listed. The phone apps are marked beta. | BWeb, with a mobile app page and Salesforce, HubSpot, Bullhorn, Workday, Greenhouse and Zapier. |
| Best for | a shared texting inbox on your existing numbers | texting for staffing and recruiting teams |
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: MessageDesk and TextUs. How we grade
Price against what you get
MessageDesk starts at $29 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TextUs starts at $299 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and MessageDesk starts $270 a month lower. Of the other SMS and chat marketing tools on the chart, 3 score higher than MessageDesk for less, and 7 score higher than TextUs for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- MessageDesk also covers workflow automation.
- TextUs also covers marketing automation and whatsApp messaging.
At a glance
| MessageDesk | TextUs | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $29 per user / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly) | $299 per month, 12-month term |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial; a credit card is required to start. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Alderwood Labs Inc. | TextUs |
| Price read from | messagedesk.com | textus.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
TextUs
- Every agreement starts with a 12-month term; month-to-month plans are not offered, though monthly billing is available on a 12-month commitment.
- Messages are bought as credits: a standard text is 1 credit, longer or emoji texts use more, and MMS uses 3.
- Overage past what you bought is billed at $0.05 per message.
- Pro includes email and ticket support; a named Customer Success Manager is Enterprise only.
Key features
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.
TextUs
- Campaigns and automation
- SMS and MMS broadcasts, automated campaigns and keywords, with an AI Rewrite tool inside the Smart Delivery Suite on the Pro plan.
- Inbox
- A shared inbox for one-to-one conversations, which the platform pages position for recruiters, sales reps and customer teams.
- ATS and CRM integrations
- Direct integrations cover Salesforce, HubSpot and applicant systems such as Bullhorn, Greenhouse and Workday, plus Zapier.
- WhatsApp messaging
- WhatsApp messaging is offered as a beta add-on to the Pro plan at $49 per user per month.
- Developer tools and mobile app
- The platform menu lists developer tools and a TextUs mobile app alongside the web inbox.
Plans
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.
TextUs
Pro$299
per month, 12-month term, up to 5,000 messages
5,000 messages and 5 phone numbers a month. Extra messages $0.02 each, extra numbers $49 a month, with a Smart Delivery Suite.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom volume pricing, a named Customer Success Manager, short-code and RCS Branded Sender eligibility. Sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
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.
TextUs
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MessageDesk or TextUs?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MessageDesk starts at $29 per user / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly), and TextUs starts at $299 per month, 12-month term. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, MessageDesk or TextUs?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither MessageDesk nor TextUs has a free plan. MessageDesk has a free trial.
Which platforms do MessageDesk and TextUs run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only MessageDesk 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.