In 2025, SMS marketing still delivers an impressive 98% open rate. That’s a rate far beyond what most digital channels can touch. While social media algorithms shift and inboxes overflow, text messages continue to cut through the noise with speed and precision.
If you’re running lean or looking for a direct line to your customers, SMS is a tool you can’t afford to ignore. It’s not flashy, but it works, especially when you’re aiming for real engagement instead of just impressions.
In this article, we’ll walk through SMS marketing statistics that explain why this “old-school” channel remains a high-performing asset in modern campaigns. Whether you’re new to texting or fine-tuning a mobile strategy, these numbers will give you a clearer picture of how powerful SMS can really be.
Editor’s Choice:
- With a 98% open rate and 80% of texts read within 5 minutes, SMS remains one of the most immediate and effective ways to reach customers.
- Nearly 80% of people want promotional messages via SMS.
- Behavior-based texts like abandoned cart reminders drive significantly more clicks and conversions than one-off campaigns.
- With people checking their phones 200+ times a day and spending hours on screens, SMS taps into natural behavior.
- 72% of consumers have made a purchase after receiving a text from a brand.
SMS Marketing in 2025: Why It Still Delivers
Messaging apps dominate headlines, but SMS continues to outperform where it counts.
As of 2024, there are approximately 8.31 billion active mobile phones worldwide. That includes both smartphones and feature phones, which means most people are reachable via text, even without an internet connection.
SMS also delivers speed. 80% of recipients read texts within 5 minutes, compared to hours or even days for emails. It’s instant, personal, and incredibly effective.
Despite the buzz around social media ads and influencer marketing, most consumers still prefer direct communication. Nearly 80% want offers sent via SMS, not buried in an inbox or feed.
The bottom line is that SMS is not outdated. It’s just underused. In 2025, it is a competitive advantage waiting to be claimed.
Consumer Behavior & Mobile Habits
Before diving into tactics, it’s worth looking at how people actually use their phones. The way consumers engage with their devices and how they prefer to be communicated with by brands shape the success of any SMS campaign.
Let’s unpack the patterns behind mobile behavior and what they reveal about customer preferences in the stats below.
1. 41% of consumers would rather receive brand update texts than emails.
(Kixie)
One method for reaching and retaining customers who prefer online purchasing is to provide and receive brand updates. Companies can supply that through email or text messages.
About 41% of consumers say they prefer getting brand updates by SMS rather than email. Around 66% of respondents preferred text notifications for service updates. On the other hand, 86% of professionals preferred email for business communications.
2. Americans check their mobile phones an average of 205 times.
(Reviews.Org)
In the US, people check their phones over 200 times daily, or nearly every five minutes. According to data, 45% of survey participants would give up having sex rather than their phones, and 3/4 of Americans even use their phones while using the restroom.
3. The total number of mobile phones worldwide exceeded 8 billion.
(BankMyCell)
Globally, there are 8.31 billion basic and smartphones in 2024. Even younger generations already have their mobile phones.
Also, 7.3 billion individuals worldwide own a messaging-capable phone, including both smart and basic phones. That means 92% of the world’s population can receive SMS marketing.
4. Over 3 out of 4 clients want businesses to send offers via SMS.
(SMS Comparison)
SMS marketing statistics for 2022 show that nearly 80% of consumers like receiving offers via text. Companies should notify their clients about upcoming sales or discounts via mobile messaging.
5. Shoppers are 24% more likely to click automated, offer-driven texts than one-off campaign messages.
(Omnisend)
Omnisend looked at 175 million SMS sends in 2023 and found that automated, behavior-based texts (like abandoned cart reminders or back-in-stock alerts) get an average click-through rate of 9.4%, compared to 7.6% for regular one-off messages. That’s a 23.7% bump.
Conversions follow the same pattern. Automated texts convert at a rate of 0.28%, which is more than twice the 0.13% rate of standard campaigns.
The same report makes it clear which routine messages lose the engagement race:
- Feedback requests
- Order or shipping confirmations
- Generic product updates
Because those messages sit inside the lower-performing “campaign” bucket, they rarely approach the CTR or conversion figures delivered by triggered offers.
6. 80% of people check their texts within five minutes.
(SimpleTexting)
29% of people open a text within one minute, and 51% do it within five. However, four out of five people will likely see your message almost immediately. If your content is time-sensitive, SMS is still one of the fastest ways to get it in front of someone.
7. Around one in three consumers want a real person to reply to their texts.
(OptiMonk)
31% of customers say they appreciate knowing there’s an actual human on the other end of a text message. That tells us that while automation helps speed things up, many people still value that human touch.
8. 72% of consumers have purchased after receiving a text from a brand.
(Klaviyo)
Nearly three out of four shoppers took action after getting a marketing text. The numbers vary slightly by region. 74% in Europe, 72% in North America, and 69% in the APAC region. However, the takeaway is clear: SMS is not just for engagement. It directly drives sales.
Mobile Reach & Demographic Preferences
It’s one thing to say SMS marketing works, and it’s another to understand who you’re actually reaching and how often they’re on their phones.
This section breaks down the sheer scale of SMS reach across the globe and digs into how different age groups and demographics interact with their devices.
9. There are roughly 5.81 billion unique mobile users worldwide as of 2025.
(DataReportal)
Recent data from April 2025 shows that around 5.81 billion mobile users are in the world. That means 70.7% of the global population uses a mobile phone. The vast majority of these users (about 87%) are on smartphones.
| Did You Know? With almost 6 billion people using mobile phones worldwide, it’s no surprise that screen time is way up. In 2025, Millennials spend an average of 6 hours and 42 minutes per day on screens (including phones, tablets, and computers). Baby Boomers clock in at around 4 hours and 30 minutes daily. That’s nearly a third of their waking hours spent interacting with digital devices. |
10. Around 72% of people aged 44 and under prefer contacting businesses via SMS.
(Textback.ai)
Recent data shows that 72.3% of women and 61% of men under 44 would rather hear from businesses via text than through other channels. It’s especially true for things like appointment reminders, delivery updates, customer service questions, and even promotions.
This age group is made up mostly of Millennials and younger Gen X. They value speed, convenience, and low-pressure communication. Texting checks all three boxes. It’s immediate, doesn’t require small talk, and fits naturally into their daily routines.
Texting vs. Email: Who’s Winning the Big Marketing Battle?
We’ve all heard the lines: “Email’s great for details,” “Texts feel intrusive,” and “Nobody opens marketing emails anymore.”
However, what’s true in 2025? In this section, we’ll compare how texting stacks up against email when it comes to open rates, response times, and how people actually prefer to hear from brands.
11. About 64% of clients prefer to make reservations via SMS.
(SlickText)
As texting continues to be a key part of everyday communication, many customers now expect the same convenience when dealing with businesses. Recent stats reveal that 64% of people would rather book or change appointments by text than through a call or email.
Text messages are quicker, more familiar, and easier to respond to than email. While 124.5 billion business emails are sent daily, most go unopened. In contrast, 98% of text messages are opened, and most are read within three minutes.
12. About 60% of businesses say the most significant advantage of SMS is fast delivery.
(LLCBuddy)
Speed is the top reason companies continue to rely on SMS in 2025. According to recent surveys, 60% of businesses rank immediate delivery as the most valuable benefit of using text messaging to communicate with customers.
This makes sense. SMS messages are opened 98% of the time, and most are read within three minutes. That kind of near-instant visibility is tough to beat, especially compared to email, where messages often sit unread or get filtered out entirely.
The Future of SMS in Business Strategy
The stats make it pretty clear that SMS is gaining ground. But what does that mean for long-term strategy?
In this section, we’ll look at how businesses are starting to treat SMS not just as a support tool or promo channel, but as a core part of how they build loyalty, boost conversions, and stay top-of-mind.
13. 59% of consumers respond to promotional text messages.
(EZ Texting)
More than half of people now reply to promotional texts, a significant increase from past years. Including your brand name in messages helps build trust, making it easier for recipients to tell real offers from spam.
That simple move of identifying who you are can make a big difference in whether someone opens your message and replies.
14. 28% of loyalty program members report increased engagement from personalized SMS.
(ProTexting)
Personalized SMS messages (like points updates, reward alerts, and exclusive offers) are not just more relevant, they’re more effective.
According to 2025 data, 28% of customers in loyalty programs report that these types of texts directly increase their engagement with a brand. It’s a clear sign that timely, tailored communication keeps people engaged and attentive.
Unlike email or app notifications, SMS is less likely to be missed. When used to support loyalty programs, it becomes a simple yet powerful way to remind customers of what they’ve earned and why they should return. It’s about sending the right ones at the right time.
| Did You Know? A brand can lose 54% of its customer base due to a lack of customer engagement. That said, look into offering SMS loyalty programs if you haven’t. Based on the stats, this tactic is effective and should be part of a company’s retention strategy. |
15. Users are 4.5x more likely to respond to a text than an email.
(ProTexting)
SMS response rates outperform email significantly. While typical email response rates hover around 6–8%, SMS response rates reach up to 45%. This shows users are 4.5 times more likely to reply to a text message than an email.
That kind of engagement makes SMS an especially valuable channel for time-sensitive outreach, reminders, and customer service.
16. 60% of consumers want to reach support via messaging.
(Textmagic)
Recent findings indicate that over 60% of customers prefer texting for customer support, whether it involves asking a question, receiving updates, or resolving an issue. This expectation aligns perfectly with SMS’ strengths: speed, convenience, and clarity.
17. 84.8% of consumers want to receive appointment scheduling notifications via text.
(Text Request)
Most people don’t want to be called or emailed about appointments. They want a simple text.
According to a 2025 report, 84.8% of consumers prefer to get scheduling messages and reminders via SMS. It’s direct, fast, and easy to act on, which explains why more businesses are switching to text-first communication.
18. SMS users are projected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028.
(Ericsson)
Global mobile subscriptions are projected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028. This growth is driven by mobile adoption in emerging markets, as well as the continued use of SMS for transactional and marketing purposes across all regions.
As smartphone and basic mobile phone usage continues to expand, SMS remains one of the most scalable and cost-effective ways to reach a global audience. With billions of users engaging and joining every year, SMS is poised to stay relevant for years to come.
| Did You Know? On average, a person uses their phone about 58 times per day. This is one of the reasons why mobile devices generate up to 70% of web traffic. |
Wrap-Up
As the statistics above show, SMS marketing is cheaper, has a broader reach, and enjoys a better open and response rate than many conventional marketing channels, like email.
Ultimately, a well-defined, persistent SMS marketing campaign can help brands gain an automatic edge over the competition. Businesses should start using text messages to their full potential and leverage the power of SMS marketing.
FAQs on SMS Marketing
Why use SMS for marketing?
Businesses can use SMS tracking to see how many individuals received the message, how many opened it, and how many responded. It offers many advantages over other marketing methods, like phone calls or emails.
How does SMS mobile marketing work?
The brand must get permission first to send texts to a customer. After that, SMS marketing is carried out by sending market offers and promotions. Companies also use it to inform customers of ongoing sales and updates regarding the brand.
Why is mobile marketing so powerful today?
Mobile marketing enables businesses to reach out to highly targeted client segments and engage them in relevant marketing initiatives. Companies can reach their consumers anywhere, anytime, making mobile marketing the quickest approach to engaging with them.
Sources
Timeline Of The Article
-> V1 – Yearly Overhaul: 03-01-2020
-> V2 – User Suggested Edits: 16-06-2020
-> V5 – User Suggested Edits: 11-06-2021
-> V7 – Expert Evaluation Edits: 17-02-2022
Muninder Adavelli is a core team member and Digital Growth Strategist at Techjury. With a strong background in marketing and a deep understanding of technology's role in digital marketing, he brings immense value to the TechJury team.