Title: RCS vs SMS: Which is best for your business?
URL: https://www.infobip.com/blog/rcs-vs-sms-which-is-best
Ever since the first text message was sent 30 years ago, SMS has been the leading messaging channel. Considering that over 5.8 billion people own mobile phones globally, and every handset can send and receive SMS by default, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
16 million SMS messages are sent every minute worldwide, and 90% of consumers read texts within the first 3 minutes of receiving them. Replacing SMS with another messaging channel feels impossible.
However, RCS has been winning fans over the last couple of years as a leading customer communication channel. Its success stems from combining the reliability of SMS with rich functionalities that enable users to send high resolution images, videos, files, and more.
On the go? No worries. Just press play for the generated audio version of this blog to get clear insights on SMS vs RCS and what they mean for your customer engagement.
550% total global growth in RCS messages on Infobip's platform in 2024
Since Apple started supporting RCS on its devices with the release of iOS 18 in September 2024, the number of people who can now receive RCS messages has skyrocketed.
Research by Omdia predicts that RCS traffic will quadruple over the next five years, from 1.5 trillion messages in 2024 to more than 6 trillion messages in 2029. As a result, A2P RCS will generate revenues of $4.2 billion by 2029.
With brands worldwide already achieving significant success using RCS for business messaging, many business leaders are evaluating how to extend their use of the channel and how much of their SMS traffic to transfer.
Our many years of experience helping businesses get the best of both SMS and RCS have prepared us to explain the pros and cons of each channel and which is better suited to particular use cases. We can help you offer your customers the best possible experience and optimize your communication costs.
## What is SMS? The standard for texting
SMS (Short Message Service) is a messaging service available on all phones worldwide. It allows users to communicate with each other or with businesses using short text messages (up to 160 characters) over a cellular network.
Developed in the 1980s, SMS is limited to text-only communication, excluding rich media like emojis, images, and videos.
SMS is one of the most reliable methods of sending messages because of its reach and availability on all mobile phones worldwide (that are connected to cellular data).
Businesses around the world use SMS as a staple channel in their communication strategy to reach customers dependably anywhere.
## What is RCS? Is it the future?
RCS stands for Rich Communication Services. It is an IP-based messaging service provided to users through their operator networks designed to provide a richer and more interactive messaging experience, similar to that of popular messaging apps like WhatsApp or iMessage.
It can be used for both person-to-person (P2P) and application-to-person (A2P) communication. In conversation, you might hear RCS referred to as RCS chat or RCS texting.
Within A2P communication, it’s formally known as RCS for Business and can deliver branded, 2-way, and interactive mobile experiences for consumers.
Other notable features include multimedia message capability, suggested reply buttons, barcode delivery, click-through options, and carousel messages with multiple images.
These attractive features are included natively on consumers’ phones without downloading an app, leading to a steady rise in RCS adoption.
### What devices support RCS?
Since the release of iOS 18 in September, iPhone users can now join Android phone users in using RCS messaging. Previously, Android and Apple users would have had to use SMS or MMS to share messages and multimedia.
RCS now offers iMessage-type messaging features between Apple and Android users such as:
- Read receipts
- Typing indicators
- High-quality media (photos, videos, etc.)
When an RCS message cannot be delivered, SMS can be configured as a fallback option to ensure that messages always reach the end user.
### Is RCS secure?
Messages sent between end-users and businesses are encrypted in transit between RBM agents and Google servers, as well as between telecom operators and users’ devices.
Messages received on users’ mobile devices are encrypted using any device-wide encryption that users have configured, and Google uses on-device security models to protect message data.
In summary, RCS messages are just as secure as SMS when all available security features are applied by operators.
### How many people use RCS now?
According to a Mobilesquared report, as of June 2024, before RCS was supported on Apple devices, there were 1.5 billion RCS for Business users worldwide, more than double the number than at the beginning of 2022.
We saw this spike in numbers on our own platform with the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, India, and Japan leading the way in terms of growth.
Carrier support is crucial to the adoption of RCS because messages go through the carrier’s servers, not Apple’s, like they do with iMessage. This means that a lot of people around the world are still waiting for their carriers to start supporting RCS.
### Carriers that already support RCS on iPhones
RCS messaging is available in the following countries for P2P and A2P messaging depending on the carrier. Here’s a quick guide on where it is supported:
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **BASE** Available Unavailable **Orange** Unavailable Unavailable **Proximus** Available Unavailable **Telenet** Available Unavailable
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **Bouygues Telecom** Available Available **Coriolis** Unavailable Unavailable **Free Mobile** Available Available **Lycamobile** Unavailable Unavailable **NRJ Mobile** Unavailable Unavailable **Orange** Available Available **SFR** Available Available
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **O2** Available Available **Deutsche Telekom** Available Available **Vodafone** Available Available
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **Telefonica Movistar** Available Available **Orange** Available Available **Pepephone** Available Unavailable **Vodafone** Available Available **Yoigo (Masmovil)** Available Available
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **3** Available Available **EE / BT** Available Unavailable **Lycamobile** Unavailable Unavailable **O2** Available Available **Sky** Unavailable Unavailable **Vodafone** Unavailable Unavailable
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **KDDI** Available Available
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **Bell** Available Unavailable **Eastlink** Unavailable Unavailable **Fido** Available Unavailable **Fizz** Unavailable Unavailable **Freedom Mobile** Available Unavailable **Rogers** Available Unavailable **SaskTel** Available Available **Telus** Available Unavailable **Videotron** Available Unavailable **Virgin Mobile** Available Unavailable
**Carrier** **P2P** **A2P** **AT&T** Available Unavailable **C Spire** Available Unavailable **Google Fi** Unavailable Unavailable **Spectrum** Available Unavailable **T-Mobile** Available Available **TracFone / Straight Talk** Available Available **US Celluar** Available Unavailable **Verizon Wireless** Available Available **Cellcom** Available Available **Ultra / Mint** Available Available **Family Mobile / TFW Simple** Available Available **T-Mobile MVNO bundle** Available Available **KDDI** Available Available
*Orange France, Sasktel and LUM in Canada, and KDDI Japan will be available with the release of iOS 18.4 in April 2025.
*List updated in April 2025
### What are the unique benefits of RCS for Business?
Because of its many features and app-like experience, businesses can benefit in multiple ways if they include RCS messages in their communication strategy. Let’s have a look at some of the options that RCS offers for creating visually appealing, attention-grabbing messages that can result in more clicks and a higher conversion rate:
#### Custom branding
RCS messages can deliver branded experiences by embedding RCS-enabled brand elements such as logo, brand name, and corporate colors on screen. Businesses can keep messages consistent with their brand, making it much easier to capture consumers’ attention in their message inboxes.
#### Verified sender
According to the GSMA’s Universal Profile standard, all senders need to be registered and verified by the RCS service provider, assuring authentication, fraud prevention, and reliable communication for brands and their customers. Verification gives consumers trust in the messages they receive, which is essential for important content and increasing response rates.
#### Rich media cards
Including rich content such as images, GIFs, audio and video files, documents, and location information in offer messages is visually appealing and increases the chances of recipients clicking through and interacting with the offer, resulting in a conversion.
#### Extended metrics
Detailed campaign metrics, such as tracking messaging performance such as open/seen rate, CTRs, and interaction with the message, help in planning future activities to improve conversion rates over time and optimize future communications.
#### Longer messages
RCS messages are not limited to 160 characters so instead of sending multiple messages with the associated costs, businesses can send one longer message to their customers.
#### Uses the customer’s phone number
RCS for Business allows businesses to leverage their existing customer data without the need for additional contact information, only a phone number. When an RCS message cannot be delivered, SMS can be used as a fallback option.
### Using RCS for two-factor authentication (2FA)
All the rich features of RCS, as described above, make it an excellent option for sending OTPs as part of a 2FA solution.
Here are some of the advantages of using RCS for OTP delivery:
### Enhanced UX
RCS supports rich media content such as images, videos, buttons, and carousels, allowing for a more engaging and interactive user experience. This can be particularly useful for delivering OTPs that require additional context or instructions.
### Improved security
RCS can provide end-to-end encryption, which ensures that the OTP is transmitted securely between the sender and recipient. This enhances the overall security of the OTP delivery process, reducing the risk of interception or unauthorized access.
### Delivery confirmation
With RCS, you can receive delivery and read receipts, allowing you to confirm whether the OTP has been successfully delivered and viewed by the recipient. This adds an extra layer of reliability to OTP delivery that you don’t always have with other channels.
### Dynamic OTPs
RCS supports dynamic content generation, enabling the creation of dynamic OTPs that change with each message. This can enhance security by preventing OTP replay attacks, where intercepted OTPs are reused by attackers.
### Branding and customization
RCS allows businesses to customize the appearance and branding of their messages, including logos, colors, and fonts. This helps establish brand consistency and recognition, reinforces the legitimacy of the OTP message, and reduces the chances of phishing or other fraud attempts.
### Integrate with other features
RCS can integrate with other native phone features, such as contact lists, calendars, and location services. This allows for additional functionality, such as automatically populating OTP fields or providing contextual information based on the user’s location.
## RCS vs SMS and MMS comparison
Sending an SMS doesn’t require an Internet connection (WiFi or mobile data), all you need is a cell signal, but you cannot send images, videos, GIFs, or other multimedia content. However, SMS is reliable and excellent for sending notifications, reminders, and OTPs.
MMS is considered the next generation of SMS. It allows sharing of multimedia documents, images, or videos and is often used to send coupons, discounts, and proof of delivery.
RCS is the next evolution of these messaging channels provided through MNOs. It takes engagement to the next level with OTT features such as verified sender, custom branding, cards, carousels, group chats, suggested actions, and analytics. It is commonly used for sending automated notifications, interactive promotional campaigns and guiding customers through the onboarding process.
SMS MMS RCS **Device compatibility** Android and Apple devices Android and Apple devices Android and Apple devices **Message features** Sending texts, delivery reports Sending text, images, videos, files (limited file support), branding, delivery/seen reports Sending text, images, videos, carousels, files, quick replies, URL preview, delivery/seen reports **Internet connection** No Yes Yes **Character limit** Yes, 160 Yes No **Media support** No Images, videos, limited files Rich media, carousels, files, quick replies **Security** No encryption No encryption Encryption in transit **Delivery/Read reports** Delivery only (limited) Delivery/seen reports Delivery, seen, clicked, typing indicators **Branding/Verification** No No Verified sender, branding **Usability** Simple, universal Simple, less universal Feature-rich, requires WiFi or Mobile data **Advanced features** No No Google Wallet, Calendar, Location, Dial Number, AI
## What can SMS and RCS offer your business?
Both RCS and SMS can be valuable for your business, but choosing the right channel depends on your needs and preferences. Many businesses include both RCS and SMS in their strategic messaging plans. A combined strategy ensures you're covering all your bases and maximizing your reach.
### SMS use cases
While RCS offers exciting new possibilities, SMS remains a powerful tool for certain applications. SMS continues to be a reliable and effective channel for sending alerts, appointment reminders, and time-sensitive notifications. Just a couple examples include:
### Branch: 89.2% delivery rates for key SMS messages
Branch is a personal finance app based in Nigeria that provides access to instant loans for mobile phone users. When they were searching for a provider the most important requirement was the reliable delivery of messages during the application process. However, the cost effectiveness of the messaging solution was also important.
Given the widespread use of SMS and strong cellular coverage in Nigeria, it was the ideal channel. Branch partnered with Infobip to send OTPs via SMS to verify user identity and ensure loan applicants are who they claim to be.
The consistently high delivery rates of 89.2% for key SMS messages have enabled Branch to streamline the loan application process.
### Yousign: over 97% delivery rate of OTPs
Yousign uses SMS messages to send one-time PINs (OTPs) to validate customer identity before document signing. For customers without mobile access, a Text-to-Speech (TTS) failover is in place, delivering OTPs via voice call to landlines.
This dual approach results in an impressive OTP delivery rate exceeding 97%. Yousign's entire platform, including this authentication process, is accessible through a single, unified API. The message status reports provide valuable delivery insights, enabling Yousign to continuously optimize and improve its service.
### Avon Morocco: 50% more sales representative activations
Avon Morocco needed to adapt their sales model to the digital age, attract younger representatives, and find a reliable messaging service. They launched an internal application, "Avon Grow," and used Infobip's SMS service to drive traffic to the app.
Infobip's SMS service allowed for personalization, tracking, and targeted messaging, which was integrated into Avon's existing platform. The SMS service also enabled Avon to segment profiles, send tailored communications, and use real-time reporting to improve targeting
They have witnessed a 50% increase in representative reactivations, with up to 10% of these from personalized offers.
### RCS use cases
The key is to define the right use case for each that will deliver desirable results and positive ROI. For promotional messages, we have seen significant gains for businesses shifting from SMS to RCS for Business. Just a couple of examples include:
### Club Comex: x10 increase in click-through rate
A great example is Club Comex, the loyalty program of one of the largest paint manufacturers and distributors in Mexico. They are RCS pioneers, having used SMS messaging campaigns to deliver offers and information directly to their members over the years.
Club Comex’s customers were more engaged with the rich interactive content they received via RBM. The campaigns included images, videos, and buttons, resulting in a ten-fold increase in click-through and a 115% increase in revenue over their previous SMS marketing campaigns.
### Digitaleo: 17 times more engagement
The potential of RCS to engage the audience and bring more interactions in the customers’ communication is also recognized by the marketing platform companies that work with clients who are looking for new ways to reach their customers.
Digitaleo collaborated with Infobip to run a Black Friday campaign in France for their customer Bodemor Auto, using RCS Business Messaging to showcase new deals. The outcome was 17 times more engagement with the RCS campaign than SMS.
### Telecom Deutschland: 2x higher campaign results
One of the telecoms that is well aware of their customers’ preferences is Telekom Deutschland, a world-leading integrated telecommunication company, who knew they needed a more advanced digital channel than SMS to promote a Spotify Premium offer to their subscribers.
They sent two RCS campaigns to their customer base and compared to SMS, it performed 2x better – leading to customers engaging with the chatbot and subscribing to Spotify.
They measured the campaign’s success in two ways: it increased the conversation rate, which they couldn’t achieve with cross-sell and up-sell SMS campaigns, and it demonstrated all of the channel’s rich capabilities.
## Tips to engage customers with SMS
### Personalize and provide value
Generic messages are easily ignored. Tailor your SMS content to individual customer preferences and past interactions. Offer exclusive deals, personalized recommendations, or timely updates that genuinely benefit the recipient. For example, sending a reminder about an item they left in their online cart, or a discount on a product they've previously purchased.
When doing so, have your SMS messages short and to the point. Avoid lengthy paragraphs and focus on delivering your message clearly. Include a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) that tells customers exactly what you want them to do.
### Respect timing and consent
Only send SMS messages to customers who have explicitly opted in to receive them. Respecting customer consent is crucial for building trust and avoiding legal issues. Pay attention to the timing of your messages. Avoid sending them during late-night or early-morning hours. Consider the best times that your target audience would be most receptive to receiving messages.
[ Discover the best time to send SMS marketing messages ](https://www.infobip.com/blog/the-best-time-to-send-sms-marketing)
### Integrate SMS with other marketing channels
Don't treat SMS as an isolated channel. Integrate it with your email marketing, social media, and other efforts. Use SMS to supplement your other campaigns, such as sending reminders about email promotions or providing links to social media posts. For example, send a text message reminding people that an email with a special coupon has been sent to them.
[ How to run a successful SMS and Email marketing campaign ](https://www.infobip.com/blog/sms-email-marketing)
## Tips to engage customers with RCS for Business
With its many rich features and a reliable network, RCS is an ideal channel to create rich, engaging marketing campaigns. Below we’ve outlined ways you can use the channel to increase conversions, ROI, and engagement.
### Automate with chatbots
One of the many benefits of RCS as a channel is that it enables businesses to launch chatbots that can communicate with customers.
From frequently asked questions to product suggestions, building an RCS chatbot can minimize workloads for your employees and boost response, satisfaction, and time-to-resolution metrics.
An important aspect, however, is to set up a solution that enables you to be present on the channel alongside your chatbot. This way, your employees can take over the conversation if a customer has in-depth questions the chatbot can’t answer.
### Segment your customers
Although engaging new customers and prospects is a key component to long-term business success, we can’t forget about existing customers. Especially ones that might be on their way out the door.
You can use RCS to re-engage inactive customers or ones that are close to abandoning your brand.
Use these segments to set up targeted, personalized campaigns that offer solutions to the customers’ pain points.
Once you have a reliable provider with an in-depth solution, you can use the customer insights you have at hand to segment customers based on:
- demographics
- loyalty status
- preferences
### Find a reliable provider
Implementing RCS as a channel is a good first step – but to ensure a successful campaign, you need an experienced, reliable provider.
Oftentimes, business leaders have a good idea of what they want their campaign to achieve, how they want it to appear, and who they want to target. However, designing the messages, programming the channel, and running the campaign often requires someone with experience and knowledge of best practices.
Finding a provider with a reliable platform can help prevent downtime, undelivered messages, skewed metrics, and other instances that could cause a ripple effect of negative outcomes.
It’s also important to ensure the provider doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather a flexible one that can be set up according to your business needs.
[Juniper Research Leaderboard 2024]
## Infobip is the leading global RCS Business Messaging player.
[ Contact us ](https://www.infobip.com/contact)
[ Check out the report ](https://cdn-web.infobip.com/uploads/2024/10/Infobip-RCS-Leaderboard-Reprint-2024.pdf)
## Find a solution no matter your messaging strategy
The real question many businesses ask is: Is RCS better than SMS? Ultimately, the "best" messaging strategy isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. It's about understanding your audience, your business goals, and the unique strengths of each channel.
For example, RCS empowers businesses to create rich, engaging experiences, while an easy-to-integrate SMS API provides a reliable solution for simpler but equally important notifications (think fraud alerts or delivery updates). The key takeaway? Find a solution, no matter your messaging strategy.
The key takeaway? Find a solution, no matter your messaging strategy.
Learn from experts how RCS complements SMS to deliver richer, more engaging customer experiences:
[ Watch the video now ](https://youtu.be/xNG9VTpLlLc)
## RCS vs SMS FAQs
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next-generation messaging protocol designed to upgrade traditional SMS. When comparing RCS vs SMS message, the core difference is that RCS supports a range of advanced features SMS cannot, and the exact capabilities depend on the level of RCS implementation:
- **Basic** – A one-way, branded message. While limited to 160 characters like SMS, it includes enhancements such as a verified sender name and URL previews.
- **Single** – Supports the delivery of rich cards, carousels, reply options, and suggested action buttons. Messages can contain up to 3,072 characters.
- **Conversational** – Enables two-way, interactive messaging. It’s suitable for use cases like customer support, appointment scheduling, and personalized product recommendations.
Unlike SMS, which works over the cellular network, RCS uses an internet connection - mobile data or Wi-Fi.
RCS is now supported on nearly all modern Android devices and, since iOS 18, on iPhones as well. Availability depends on both the device's operating system and the mobile network operator's support for RCS. While coverage is rapidly expanding, not every carrier or region offers full RCS support yet. SMS remains universally available, but RCS deliverability can vary depending on carrier and device updates. Businesses should check carrier support and consider SMS fallback for maximum reach.
If a recipient's device or carrier does not support RCS, or if RCS is disabled, the message typically falls back to SMS (or MMS for media). This ensures that the message is still delivered, though rich features like images, interactivity, and branding are lost in fallback mode. Many business messaging platforms automate this fallback process, so the recipient gets the message in the best format their device supports.
Yes, RCS enables businesses to send highly branded and interactive messages. Features include:
- Custom logos, brand names, and corporate colors
- Rich media cards with images, videos, and carousels
- Verified sender profiles for trust and security
- Quick-reply buttons, suggested actions, and clickable CTAs
- Real-time analytics on message delivery and engagement
These capabilities transform messages into app-like experiences, driving higher engagement and conversions compared to traditional SMS.
RCS offers significant security improvements over SMS:
- SMS: Sent as plain text, with no encryption. Vulnerable to interception, spoofing, and tampering.
- RCS: Messages are encrypted in transit, and many implementations (like Google Messages) offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for one-on-one chats. RCS also supports sender verification and digital certificates, reducing the risk of phishing and spoofing. E2EE is not yet universal for all RCS clients or group messages.
Yes, RCS requires an active internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) to send and receive messages. Unlike SMS, which works over the cellular network even without data, RCS relies on IP-based delivery. If no internet is available, messages may revert to SMS if fallback is enabled.
RCS messages achieve a 72% open rate, which is significantly higher than typical email open rates of 20–30%.
In addition to high open rates, RCS supports rich, interactive features such as buttons, carousels, and multimedia content that encourage greater user engagement and faster responses. While SMS still maintains very high open rates (around 98%), the richer experience offered by RCS leads to deeper engagement and longer interaction times.
RCS does not have a practical character limit for messages, except in the basic format. While SMS restricts messages to 160 characters (with longer messages split into segments), RCS allows much longer messages, often thousands of characters, making it suitable for detailed communications and rich content delivery.
- SMS: Typically billed per message segment (each up to 160 characters), with costs varying by country and carrier.
- RCS: Usually billed per message, regardless of length, and can include rich media and interactive elements at no extra segment cost. The cost may be higher than SMS, but it's balanced out by higher engagement and conversion rates.
RCS is widely considered the future of business messaging:
- Rapidly growing adoption, especially since support from both Android and iOS devices
- Expanding carrier and device compatibility worldwide
- Advanced features that compete with or exceed OTT apps (like WhatsApp and iMessage)
- Improved security, branding, and analytics capabilities
- Flexible fallback to SMS ensures broad and consistent reach
This isn’t a completely like-for-like comparison as iMessage is limited to communication between Apple devices only. RCS, as we have learned, can now be sent between both Apple and Android devices. However, it is still worth seeing how they stack up in terms of features and security.
RCS vs iMessage
### RCS capabilities
- **Device compatibility**: Android and iOS 18 or later on Apple devices
- **Fallback option**: SMS when RCS is not available
- **Encryption**: Messages are end-to-end encrypted between Android devices
- **Message features**: Images, video, and other rich media, typing indicators, and read receipts
RCS vs iMessage
### iMessage capabilities
- **Device compatibility**: Just Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook)
- **Fallback option**: SMS when iMessage is not available
- **Encryption**: End-to-end encrypted
- **Message features**: Images, video, and other rich media, typing indicators, read receipts**,** and reactions (heart, thumbs up, etc.)
Read our guide and find out the differences and similarities between RCS and other messaging channels:
There is no RCS without a network connection. Aside from that, telecom operators account for a massive chunk of channel adoption. They should lead by example to show other businesses the benefits of incorporating RCS in their communication efforts.
Also, it is a good opportunity for them to recover revenue lost to ‘other’ OTTs once RCS is popularized. One of the ways to drive the adoption is to use the channel for campaigns aligned with their marketing strategy.
Recently we surveyed 3,000 telecom users worldwide to get insights into their expectations and satisfaction with the service they receive from their operators. The findings are presented in our eBook, but for the purposes of this blog, we’ll highlight a particularly interesting finding.
When it comes to receiving promotional messaging, Email is still popular among customers of all age groups, and is followed by SMS. Social media is increasing in popularity among the 18-29 and 30-39 age groups with 27% and 26% asking for it respectively. That increase opens up space to take SMS to the next level with other channels that offer richer communication experiences. RCS for Business is definitely one that can be a core component of future B2C communication strategies.
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This blog is regularly updated as news and features around RCS and SMS are released. The latest update was in February 2025 and included the most recent information on global RCS and SMS trends.
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