Does SMS still convert? Rates by country, cost, and copy that works

Ana Beatriz Castro · 2026-10-07

Delivery and open rates

SMS delivery rates are generally high, ranging from 90% to 98%, depending on the carrier and list quality. The open rate is almost perfect: around 98% of users open SMS messages. To maximize deliverability, use a trusted sender and avoid words that could get flagged as spam, like “free” and “promotion.”

Cost by country

SMS sending costs vary quite a bit by country. Here are some price ranges:

• Brazil: R$ 0,05 to R$ 0,15 per SMS
• United States: US$ 0,01 to US$ 0,05 per SMS
• Europe (general): € 0,05 to € 0,10 per SMS
• United Kingdom: £ 0,03 to £ 0,07 per SMS
• Australia: A$ 0,05 to A$ 0,10 per SMS

These amounts can fluctuate based on carrier agreements or sending volume.

Timing

Sending time can significantly impact response rates. The best times to send SMS are:

• Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Weekends: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Avoid very early or late hours, as this can annoy users and lead to higher opt-out rates.

Short links and tracking

Using short links is essential to save space and make the message look better. Plus, trackable links let you monitor clicks and conversions. Tools like Bitly or TinyURL are useful for creating short links. Always monitor link performance to understand which campaigns are generating the best results.

Opt-out

It’s essential to include an opt-out option in messages to stay compliant with data protection laws, such as Brazil’s LGPD. A simple opt-out message could be: “To stop receiving messages, reply 'STOP'”. This not only helps with compliance, but also improves list quality by removing users who aren’t interested.

Conclusion

SMS is still a powerful marketing tool, especially when used correctly. By considering delivery, cost, timing, short links, and the opt-out option, your campaign can be much more effective.

What open rate have you been seeing in your SMS campaigns?