The ClickSend Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ClickSend in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
ClickSend
The Insider’s Guide
Prepaid SMS and MMS sending by app, API or email, with no monthly fee
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among SMS and chat marketing tools, read from ClickSend’s own pages.
Made by ClickSend · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from ClickSend’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ClickSend’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 3 of the 31 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade
ClickSend is a business messaging service that sends text messages, picture messages, voice, email, fax and post from one credit balance. Messages go out from a web dashboard, an API or integrations. Customers top up credit and pay per message instead of a subscription.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about ClickSend, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You top up credit, add numbers and wire the API.
- 1
Best for prepaid SMS with no monthly fee
ClickSend sends SMS and MMS by app, API or email from a prepaid balance with no monthly fee.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $20 minimum top-up, then $0.0281 per SMS in the US.
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial offered ('Start free trial'); its terms are not stated on the pricing page.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
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.
- 6
SMS API and email to SMS
Trigger messages from a website or app through the API, or by emailing a gateway address.
- 7
MMS and RCS
Add pictures, animation or audio to messages. MMS in the US is listed at $0.0364 per message.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 3 of 31
That is against the other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace ClickSend you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
ClickSend at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $20 minimum top-up, then $0.0281 per SMS in the US
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial offered ('Start free trial'); its terms are not stated on the pricing page.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- ClickSend
- Category
- SMS & Chat Marketing
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for prepaid SMS with no monthly fee
ClickSend sends SMS and MMS by app, API or email from a prepaid balance with no monthly fee. Per-message prices fall from $0.0281 to $0.0092 only as you add more credit at once, carrier fees come on top, and the trial's terms are not stated.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No 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. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A free trial is offered but its terms are not stated on the pricing page. No free plan. |
| Features | C | It 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You top up credit, add numbers and wire the API. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, plus an API and email to SMS. No integrations are listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who ClickSend is for
- Fits if you send occasional SMS and want no monthly fee
- Works for developers who want an SMS API on prepaid credit
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Small businesses that text occasionally and do not want a monthly subscription
- Developers who need an SMS API with prepaid billing
- Teams that send a mix of SMS, voice and post from one balance
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$20
To start
ClickSend is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $20 minimum top-up, then $0.0281 per SMS in the US.
The category's figures leave this pay-per-message price out, so it is graded at the middle.
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).
Trying it first
Free trial offered ('Start free trial'); its terms are not stated on the pricing page.
Read from clicksend.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on clicksend.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Prepaid SMS and MMS sending by app, API or email, with no monthly fee. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, business texting, sMS marketing.
It does SMS and MMS, two-way texting, an API, email to SMS and contact segments, and does that job fully.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
ClickSend is made by ClickSend.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
3/31
Other SMS and chat marketing tools it is graded above
ClickSend's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 3 of the 31 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 6 of 31) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 8).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 32 SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. ClickSend’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 6 of 31
- DFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 31
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 31
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 31
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 31
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace ClickSend you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 25 of the 31 other SMS and chat marketing tools grade higher.
What you could not
- Texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
- Texts from a business number, registered with the carriers.
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. ClickSend’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
SimpleTexting, EZ Texting, Sinch, Textedly and Clickatell
The 5 tools ClickSend is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
SimpleTexting
Free trial · from $23.20/mo
SMS marketing and two-way texting priced by monthly message credits.
- Only SimpleTexting lists iOS and Android apps.
- SimpleTexting also covers marketing automation and forms.
- 2.2GPA
EZ Texting
Free trial · from $20/mo
SMS, MMS and RCS marketing for US and Canadian businesses.
- Only EZ Texting lists iOS and Android apps.
- EZ Texting also covers marketing automation and qR codes.
- 2.0GPA
Sinch
Paid
Messaging, voice and email APIs plus campaign apps.
- ClickSend also covers business texting.
- Sinch also covers email campaigns, whatsApp messaging and chatbots.
- 2.2GPA
Textedly
Free trial · from $29/mo
Mass texting with every feature on every plan, priced by volume.
- Only Textedly lists iOS and Android apps.
- Textedly also covers marketing automation and review collection.
- 1.6GPA
Clickatell
Paid
Chat commerce platform and SMS APIs for large brands.
- ClickSend also covers business texting.
- Clickatell also covers workflow automation, AI agents, whatsApp messaging and chatbots.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is ClickSend free?
No, ClickSend is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial offered ('Start free trial'); its terms are not stated on the pricing page.
How much does ClickSend cost?
ClickSend lists 4 plans. Boost: $20 one-time top-up, used as you go.
What platforms does ClickSend work on?
ClickSend is available on Web.
Does ClickSend offer any discounts?
ClickSend publicly lists the following: 25% bonus credit on the first top-up.
Does ClickSend have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ClickSend is listed for Web.
Does ClickSend have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ClickSend is listed for Web.
Is ClickSend open source?
ClickSend is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does ClickSend have an API?
Yes. ClickSend offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes ClickSend?
ClickSend is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to ClickSend?
The closest alternatives to ClickSend in our directory are SimpleTexting, EZ Texting, Sinch, Textedly and Clickatell.
How does ClickSend compare with other SMS and chat marketing tools?
ClickSend's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 3 of the 31 other SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, and level with 3.
Could I make my own version of ClickSend?
To replace ClickSend you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ClickSend’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ClickSend's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by ClickSend. Prices change, so check clicksend.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ClickSend, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/clicksend
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "ClickSend: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/clicksend
Know someone choosing between SMS and chat marketing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/clicksend/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded SMS and chat marketing tools after ClickSend, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- SMS & Chat Marketing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 32 SMS and chat marketing tools we grade, compared
- Chatfuel Insider's GuideAI chatbots for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook with a usage wallet2.6 GPA
- Interakt Insider's GuideWhatsApp and Instagram marketing, inbox and chatbots for Indian brands2.6 GPA
- AiSensy Insider's GuideWhatsApp API for broadcasts, retargeting and click-to-WhatsApp ads2.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what ClickSend’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. ClickSend is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ClickSend. Prices and plans change: check clicksend.com before you buy.