In an age where mobile technology is becoming increasingly more important, India stands as a beacon of activity, representing 35% of the next billion mobile connections.
With this growth comes the need for reliable and efficient SMS Gateways for WooCommerce users in India.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best SMS Gateway Services currently available to Indian users who use WooCommerce.
These services will allow you to securely send automated messages from your online store, allowing customers to receive order confirmations or promotional codes in real time.
Related: 7 Popular WordPress Plugins for Online Stores in India
What is an SMS gateway??
An SMS Gateway is a way to send automated text messages from an application or website to mobile phones.
It provides a secure and efficient means of delivering notification messages directly to users’ phones.
With such a capability, you can easily send out information such as order confirmations, special offers, updates, reminders, and more.
Why Should You Use SMS in Your Online Store?
SMS marketing is so popular because people check their mobile phones 96 times a day on average.
This makes it the perfect medium for businesses to reach customers quickly and efficiently.
Not to mention, most people have access to mobile phones these days.
So there’s no need for them to download additional apps or software to receive notifications from companies they engage with.
According to statista.com, the number of smartphone users in India was estimated to reach over 748 million in 2020, with the number of smartphone users worldwide forecasted to exceed 1.5 billion users in 2040.
This technology’s convenience and ease of use have made it one of the most popular communication tools among businesses and consumers.
In addition to providing customers with timely updates about product availability, release dates, discounts, or sales, SMS messages also allow businesses to make personalized offers that can increase customer engagement and loyalty.
You can create automated messages based on customer preferences that are tailored specifically for each individual user.
This helps provide customers with relevant information tailored just for them, making them more likely to purchase from your store in the future.
That said, let’s look at some of the best SMS gateways for WooCommerce in India.
a. Bulkgate
BulkGate is a leading SMS gateway service that offers two-way messaging with customers and personalized and targeted bulk SMS and Viber campaigns.
It also provides admin alerts regarding the stock status and other notifications, such as order confirmations.
The platform allows users to sync their WooCommerce stores with BulkGate’s cloud-based system, making it easy to send messages to customers in real time.
BulkGate also provides analytics tools so businesses can track the results of their campaigns, such as open rate, delivery rate, and click rate.
Additionally, it includes features like scheduling messages ahead of time and adding dynamic content.
With its easy-to-use interface and advanced features, BulkGate is ideal for any business looking to take advantage of SMS marketing in India.
Pricing
The BulkGate SMS Gateway provides an affordable and reliable way to send bulk SMS messages for WooCommerce in India.
With prices starting at a mere €0.0099, customers only pay for the SMS messages they send and do not have to worry about any monthly fees or minimum fulfillment.
This makes it an ideal choice for individuals who occasionally need to send out mass messages and businesses that require large-scale communication with their clients and customers.
b. Twilio SMS Notifications
Twilio SMS Notifications is an efficient way to keep customers up-to-date on the status of their orders.
Customers can opt-in to sms alerts during the checkout process, receiving timely updates as their order progresses through different stages.
You can send sms updates to customers when their order status is updated, such as when it has shipped or been delivered.
This is a great way for merchants to keep customers informed and ensure they have a positive shopping experience.
With Twilio, you will also receive an sms message when a customer places a new order.
This allows for quick and easy communication between the merchant and customer throughout the entire order fulfillment process.
Furthermore, Twilio makes it easy to test what customers will see when they receive a message from you right from your Twilio settings page.
Pricing
Twillio SMS pricing starts at $49/annually for a single site.
This plan offers unlimited messages, webhooks, phone numbers, and contact profiles.
c. YITH WooCommerce SMS Notifications
YITH WooCommerce SMS Notifications is another excellent option to consider when it comes to SMS gateways for WooCommerce in India.
This notification system allows the automatic sending of SMS messages when the order status changes, making sure customers remain informed about the progress of their orders.
YITH also offers a Tinyurl system to insert short links in the message body, ensuring customers easily access additional information.
If you want to use special characters, YITH WooCommerce also provides an additional charsets management feature!
Other features include:
- Ability to extend the length of a single SMS text (default is 160)
- Every SMS can be sent simultaneously to the user and to the shop administrator
- Enable the service for all the users or only for those who request it during the checkout
Among other perks.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, YITH Woocommerce SMS is one of the most affordable options available on the market.
It comes at a price of €59.99 (5270.79 INR) for the first year and renews at €69.99 (6149.40 INR) after that.
The cost includes 1 year of updates and support as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you are unsatisfied with their service.
d. WP SMS – Messaging & SMS Notification for WordPress, WooCommerce, GravityForms
WP SMS is one of India’s best solutions for small businesses looking to keep their customers informed.
These services allow you to easily get your users’ mobile numbers when they subscribe to your newsletters.
You can also send notifications when a new post has been published or when subscribers are completing their subscription process.
WP SMS also provides easy integration with over 200 sms gateways, allowing you to send messages quickly and easily.
You get access to perks like scheduled message delivery, bulk messaging options, and more.
All these features combined make WP SMS Messaging & SMS Notifications one of the best tools for keeping your customers up-to-date on any changes or updates that might affect them or their business.
Pricing
WP SMS is one of the best SMS gateway for Woocommerce In India, offering a free version to use.
With this version, you just need to have an account from one of the services in the list of gateways they support.
You can also upgrade to their Pro version which allows over 250 sms gateways and integration with Woocommerce.
The Pro version is offered at a cost-effective price that makes it worth considering if your business requires additional features such as bulk SMS campaigns and integration options.
e. Texty
Texty is another one of the best SMS gateways for WooCommerce in India.
It integrates with 3rd party SMS providers to add support for text messaging.
This allows you to send out text messages related to product sales and notifications.
With Texty, you can receive a text alert when someone registers on your website or if there are any changes in the status of a product order.
Texty supports popular gateways like Twilio, Vonage, Plivo, and Clickatell.
This allows you to send out promotional and transactional messages.
It also has several advanced features, such as auto-resend functionality and the ability to customize message templates for each customer segment.
Furthermore, it offers analytics reports that help you track the performance of campaigns and optimize them accordingly.
All these features make Texty an ideal choice for businesses wanting to leverage SMS marketing in their eCommerce stores.
f. SMS Alert Order Notifications
SMS Alert Order Notifications is a plugin compatible with WooCommerce.
This plugin requires an account (paid/demo) with www.smsalert.co.in to send SMS notifications for order updates and status changes.
The demo account comes with some free credits so users can test it out before committing to the paid version of the service.
The plugin also offers stock alerts to admins.
Such alerts include when stock is low and when a product is out of stock and abandoned cart reminder messages for customers who have put items in their carts but failed to complete the purchase process.
It also supports multi-lingual messages, custom message templates, and scheduling SMS campaigns in advance for improved efficiency and convenience.
With this useful plugin, you can easily keep your customers updated on their orders while ensuring they never miss any important notifications from your store!
Pricing
SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India offers competitive pricing structures that suit customers’ needs.
The prices are based on a credit system, whereby one SMS is equivalent to one credit, and 5000 minimum credits go for 0.30 INR.
This makes it easy to keep track of costs, as customers can easily calculate how much they would be spending on messages depending on their usage.
g. WPNotif: WordPress SMS & WhatsApp Message Notifications
WPNotif is a great SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India.
It offers some impressive features to make managing your online store easier and more efficient.
With WPNotif, you can easily set up different gateways for different countries, targeting customers from multiple locations.
Additionally, it provides the convenience of setting up SMS templates in multiple languages, making it easy to reach out to customers with customized messages.
Moreover, WPNotif has a smart country code detection feature that allows customers from various countries to use their own country code when sending or receiving messages.
This helps save time and effort as you don’t have to look up the codes for each customer’s location manually.
You can also manage all incoming and outgoing notifications from one dashboard with an intuitive user interface.
Pricing
UnitedOver (plugin authors) offers 6 months of support from experienced professionals and the regular license of WPNotif is priced at $34/lifetime.
h. MoceanAPI Order SMS Notification for WooCommerce
MoceanAPI is an invaluable tool for any online store.
It allows store owners to send automated notifications to customers when their order status changes.
This ensures that buyers remain informed about the current status of their orders and eliminates the hassle of manual updates.
With MoceanAPI, sms content can be customized for different order statuses, allowing store owners to include pertinent information about items, shipping addresses, and tracking details in each notification.
Not to mention, MoceanAPI supports all Woocommerce order statuses, so any change in status can be quickly forwarded to customers via SMS.
This helps build trust with buyers and keep them updated on their orders.
In addition, MoceanAPI also offers advanced customization options such as custom sender ids so customers recognize that messages are coming from your store right away.
Pricing
Moceanapi offers one of the most competitive pricing plans for SMS gateway services.
Upon registration, customers can try out the service with 20 trial sms credits and additional sms credits can be requested and is subject to approval by Moceanapi.
The SMS price starts at €0.0280 per sms, making it one of India’s most affordable text messaging services.
i. WC – APG SMS Notifications
WC APG SMS Notifications is a great tool for WooCommerce store owners in India.
It allows the customer to be notified by SMS when they make their purchase, allowing them to stay updated with their order status.
All messages sent through this gateway are customizable according to the business owner’s needs and preferences.
Moreover, WC APG SMS notifications also support multilingual websites as it is 100% compatible with WPML.
This makes it possible for customers using different languages to get notifications in their preferred language.
In addition, WC APG SMS Notifications also provides detailed analytics of all message delivery rates, helping store owners understand which notifications have been received by the customers and which ones need further optimization.
Finally, this gateway ensures that all messages are delivered safely and securely without any loss of data or privacy breach.
Support multiple SMS gateways such as:
- Adlinks Labs.
- Altiria.
- BulkGate.
- BulkSMS.
- Clickatell.
- Clockwork.
- Esebun Business (Enterprise & Developers only).
- iSMS Malaysia.
- LabsMobile.
- MobTexting.
- Moplet.
- Moreify.
- MSG91.
- MSGWOW.
j. Sendinblue Add-on
The Sendinblue Add-on plugin is a popular choice for WooCommerce customers in India.
This plugin was created by SendinBlue, a company specializing in marketing solutions to businesses.
The plugin allows you to create and send confirmation text messages after key events such as a new order or order shipment.
It also comes with features like segmentation, automation, analytics, and A/B testing that can help you improve customer engagement.
With over 10,000 active installations on WordPress alone, this plugin is definitely one of the most widely used SMS gateway plugins for WooCommerce in India.
The Sendinblue Add-on provides an easy way to integrate your shop with the powerful marketing tools from SendinBlue without needing technical knowledge or coding skills.
Plus, it’s completely free!
k. WP SMS Plugin for WordPress
This is another great SMS gateway to consider if you are looking for a way to send bulk sms messages to all the users of your website or to a user role.
On the pro version of this plugin, it will send automated sms notifications to your WooCommerce store customers about their order statuses.
This plugin also offers a custom function that allows you to easily send any type of message directly from the WordPress admin panel, including international ones.
With its easy-to-use interface and simple setup process, WP SMS Plugin makes an excellent addition for any WooCommerce store owner who wants to keep their customers updated on their orders without having to manage every single one manually.
Pricing
The WP SMS Plugin is a popular choice and it is completely free to use but you will need to signup on Twilio and obtain a number with SMS capability.
This requires additional costs, such as purchasing credits for sending messages, though these prices vary based on your needs.
What To Consider When Choosing an SMS Gateway in India
a. Pricing
Pricing is a key factor to consider when selecting an SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India.
Understand your budget and the types of services you need from the gateway before making a decision.
See, there are three main pricing categories for SMS gateways: pay-as-you-go, monthly subscriptions, and enterprise plans.
Pay-as-you-go gateways offer flexible pricing plans where you only pay for the exact number of messages you send out.
This plan works best if you have sporadic messaging needs or are just starting with SMS marketing.
Monthly subscription plans are best suited to businesses that anticipate sending out higher volumes of messages regularly as they typically provide discounts per message sent out over time.
Finally, enterprise plans offer the most comprehensive feature set and customization options.
These are usually best for larger businesses that need more advanced features like automated campaigns or detailed analytics reporting.
b. Features
When choosing an SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India, consider the features that will best suit your business needs.
- Does the gateway have features such as bulk messaging, two-way messaging and authentication?
- Do you need to be able to send messages with Unicode characters or use other languages like Hindi?
- What about delivery receipts and scheduling options?
All these features can help you run your business successfully.
Other key features to consider are whether the gateway offers international coverage, customer support, and analytics.
International coverage will allow you to reach customers from around the world. Customer support ensures that any issues are addressed quickly and accurately.
Last but not least, analytics allow you to track metrics such as open rates and message delivery times so that you can improve your campaigns over time.
These features can help you get the most out of your SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India.
c. Ease of use
Using SMS gateways is an easy and effective way to reach customers.
All of the top 11 SMS gateway providers offer intuitive user interfaces and helpful support teams, making the process of setting up a gateway simple and straightforward.
These services also come with a range of features that make communication between business owners and customers easier than ever before.
For example, some gateways allow users to set up automated text messages that are triggered by certain actions, such as when orders are placed or products are delivered.
This automation can save businesses time and keep customers informed without any extra effort from staff members.
At the same time, most services allow you to insert dynamic content into your messages, like customer names or order numbers which personalize your messages even more, increasing customer engagement.
d. Reliability
Reliable services ensure that messages are delivered without fail and all customer data is secured.
Therefore, reliability should be taken into account when making a decision about the best SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India.
But how can you tell a good one from a bad one?
It’s simple.
Look for an SMS gateway provider with good uptime and deliverability statistics as well as industry approval from organizations such as GSMA or ISO certifications.
Also, evaluate customer reviews to get an overview of the overall satisfaction with the service provided by the SMS gateways they are considering.
Related: 4 Tips for Choosing Safe and Fast WordPress Plugins in India
Final Thoughts
The use of an SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India is a great way to expand customer reach and benefit from increased sales.
With a variety of options and features to choose from, businesses can find the perfect solution for their needs and budget.
All 11 of these best SMS gateways offer several advantages that make them a great fit for managing customer communications.
Consider the features offered by each provider carefully before making their decision.
You should assess all costs associated with using an SMS gateway, including subscription fees and transactional charges.
Ultimately, selecting a powerful and reliable SMS gateway is essential to keep customers informed about new products or services as well as any changes to pricing or policies.
Using an SMS gateway for WooCommerce in India can help businesses reduce customer churn rate while increasing engagement across all channels.
Related: WooCommerce In India: How To Create An Online Store