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Dialpad SMS: How it works and its limitations

Dialpad SMS

So you love how your virtual number connects you to your customers — but you’re not sure you love your virtual number provider. And whether you’re an existing Dialpad customer or considering it as an option, you’re not sure if its text messaging services are enough to meet your needs.

Dialpad may be a popular VoIP phone, but its SMS features aren’t exactly robust compared to other providers. They’re not only expensive but also limited and hard to scale. That’s why many Dialpad users move on to better VoIP systems.

Here’s everything you should know about Dialpad SMS, including its prices, features, and limitations. We’ll also go over an alternative that offers a better bang for your buck (plus many other features).

Can you send text messages with Dialpad? 

Dialpad supports SMS messaging, but only in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Keep in mind that text messaging in the UK requires an add-on, with the exact cost requiring a sales quote.

Notice that we only mentioned SMS here — because MMS is only supported for numbers in the US and Canada. So if you’re outside North America, sending SMS or MMS messages will be inconvenient or impossible. 

And we haven’t even covered Dialpad’s cost per message yet. . .

💡Related: Pros and cons of Dialpad businesses need to know

How much does Dialpad charge for SMS? 

Dialpad’s pricing plans start at $15 per user per month for SMS, MMS, and team messaging. But that doesn’t include unlimited texting. Dialpad to Dialpad messages are free and unlimited, but outbound SMS/MMS to non-Dialpad numbers require extra fees.

Here’s a quick look: 

Monthly message allowance (with A2P registration)250 outbound messages per Dialpad Connect user (requires A2P 10DLC registration)
Per message cost (with A2P registration)$0.008 per SMS, $0.024 per MMS
Per message cost (without A2P registration)$0.016 per SMS, $0.048 per MMS

So, for Dialpad users who haven’t registered for A2P 10DLC, it costs $0.016 per outbound SMS and $0.048 per outbound MMS. Registered users pay around half this cost: $0.008 per outbound SMS and $0.024 per outbound MMS.

If you’ve completed SMS registration and gotten approved, Dialpad will cover the first 250 outbound messages per month for each of your Dialpad Connect users. Once you exceed your limit, though, messages won’t be sent unless you add more SMS credits to your Dialpad account.

This is a fairly steep price for basic messaging services, especially if you plan to send more texts as your business grows. And considering VoIP providers like OpenPhone offer unlimited texting on every plan, it feels like an unnecessary expense.

5 key reasons businesses move on from texting with Dialpad

Here are five other Dialpad texting limitations to keep in mind:

1. Toll-free numbers can’t send or receive text messages

Dialpad allows you to purchase 1-800 numbers for phone calls, but there’s no way to send text messages with toll-free numbers. Plus, you have to be in the US or Canada to purchase toll-free numbers in the first place. This is a huge limitation if you want to make it easier for international customers to text your business.

Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. While Dialpad offers one number per user on your account, this only applies to local numbers. This means you can’t purchase toll-free numbers unless you upgrade your plan, and even then, you’ll have to pay steep prices ($15 per month) for every toll-free number you add.

2. International texting requires plan upgrade

Like purchasing additional numbers, international texting with Dialpad requires the Pro plan, which costs $25 per user per month. Keep in mind there’s a three-seat minimum, though, which means the least you’ll pay is $75 per month.

This doesn’t include Dialpad’s international texting rates, which may be more expensive than its competitors. Be prepared to spend up to $0.17 per message, depending on the country and number you want to reach.

Fine with paying for international texting? Keep in mind that it’s not supported for US numbers. This won’t do you any favors if you’re trying to build familiarity in international markets.

3. Limited ways to save time texting 

There aren’t many texting automations available with Dialpad. There are tools like auto-replies available, but they come with a few caveats. For example, you can’t set them up on shared numbers or write anything longer than 320 characters. This isn’t ideal if you’re working with a team or trying to send more information to your customers.

What about features like scheduled text messages? You’ll first need to upgrade to access Dialpad’s API, webhooks, and Zapier integration. These allow you to set up workflows using third-party tools — but there’s no way to natively schedule SMS messages in the Dialpad app.

4. You can’t add more than one phone number unless you upgrade

Having a local and toll-free number for your business can help you build a local presence and provide a way for customers to contact you without long-distance rates. But as we mentioned, Dialpad doesn’t make this easy — you can’t purchase additional numbers unless you upgrade to the Pro plan.

This isn’t the best deal, considering Dialpad alternatives offer the option to purchase additional numbers on every plan.

5. No way to send bulk text messages

There’s no way to send bulk or mass texts with Dialpad. The best you can do is upgrade for third-party integrations (think Zapier, Salesforce, and Slack), then automate messages based on customer triggers. This, however, requires extra legwork — there’s no way to configure bulk texting workflows through Dialpad’s desktop or mobile apps.

Want to get around this by sending group messages? No dice: you can only have 25 Dialpad users in the same thread or a max of 10 if you add non-Dialpad users.

These are major drawbacks for growing businesses, especially if you manage more than one type of SMS campaign.

Why OpenPhone is the best texting alternative to Dialpad

OpenPhone mobile and desktop apps

Is Dialpad the really best option for business SMS? You be the judge. But if you hate the idea of giving up key texting features — not to mention paying extra for outbound messages — then it’s time to switch to a better VoIP provider. And for many Dialpad users, that’s OpenPhone. 

OpenPhone fills the gap that Dialpad’s texting leaves behind with the power to send SMS and MMS from anywhere with a WiFi connection. Unlike Dialpad, you’ll get:

  • Unlimited outgoing texts on every plan, no matter where you live. We only charge for messages set up through automations ($0.01 per segment through our API and $0.01 per message via Zapier and Make).
  • The ability to text on local and toll-free numbers. You can easily maintain a professional presence while expanding into markets and building more trust.
  • Auto-replies, scheduled messages, and text message templates, all of which can help you save time. You can set these up in-app or use Zapier, Make, or our SMS API to further customize your workflows.
  • A way to send international texts from any plan. You can browse our rates at any time, so you’ll always know what to expect on your bill.
  • The option to add new phone numbers (local, vanity, and toll-free) to any plan. No need to upgrade for the ‘luxury’ of accessing additional numbers.
  • The ability to send bulk texts using Google Sheets and Zapier. That way, you don’t have to manually queue up texts and can send automated messages even while you sleep.

The cherry on top? You can try OpenPhone for free with a seven-day trial.

Then, when you’re ready, learn how to port your Dialpad number to OpenPhone.

FAQs

Can you do business text messaging from a computer with Dialpad?

Yes, you can send SMS messages from your computer with Dialpad. However, SMS is only for customers in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK (the latter requires an add-on). You’ll also have to pay for every outbound message once you exceed Dialpad’s 250 texts per user limit and give up critical SMS features like bulk text messaging.

Is SMS the same as a text message?

Yes. SMS stands for ‘Short Message Service,’ which includes any text message that’s 160 characters or less.

What are triggered messages via SMS?

Triggered messages require specific conditions to be met (usually an action) before they are sent. For example, after a customer fills out a form on your website, it might trigger an appointment reminder SMS. You could also use tools like auto-replies, which respond to missed calls, texts, and voicemails with templated messages.

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