The numbers don’t lie
SMS has a 98% open rate in South Africa compared to approximately 20% for email. The average SMS is read within 3 minutes of delivery, while emails are often read hours or days later — if at all. For time-sensitive communication, SMS wins decisively.
Response rates
SMS achieves a 45% average response rate compared to 6% for email. Click-through rates on SMS are 19% versus 2.5% for email. For campaigns where you need action — a purchase, a booking, a response — SMS delivers significantly better results.
Cost comparison
SMS costs from R0.12 per message with SMSMessenger. Email marketing platforms typically charge R200–R2,000 per month depending on list size. For small to medium lists, SMS is often more cost-effective when you account for open and response rates.
When to use SMS
SMS is ideal for: time-sensitive promotions, appointment reminders, payment alerts, emergency notifications, OTP authentication and flash sales. The immediacy of SMS makes it the right choice when you need a response within hours.
When to use email
Email is better for: detailed product catalogues, newsletters, long-form content, follow-up sequences and any communication that benefits from images or rich formatting.
The best approach
The most effective marketers use both channels together — email for depth, SMS for urgency. Many SMSMessenger customers use SMS to drive action on email campaigns that haven’t been opened within 24 hours.
Calculate your SMS ROI to see what your campaigns could achieve.
