Top 14 Free and Open Source Bulk SMS Software [Updated]

About 65% of the world’s population sends and receives SMS texts which means people are using their smartphones way too much than ever before. Due to this knowledge, companies everywhere are targeting their consumers via SMS marketing through bulk SMS software.

Right from sending salesmen to emails and now SMS, the marketing scene has taken a much-unprecedented route.

The importance of sending SMS as opposed to email is about getting the immediate responses associated with text messages. And, due to such reasons, SMS services have become an integral part of many businesses.

However, due to the tariffs charged by most SMS providers in the present scenario, most companies may not benefit from the massive sales opportunity.

Today, there are various free and open-source bulk SMS software available in the market from which companies can benefit to keep their promotions and voice getting reached to its audience.

Here are the top free and open-source bulk SMS tools that can be used successfully to prepare and send bulk SMS to various customers/clients.

Top Free and Open Source Bulk SMS Software

Tool #1: Atomic SMS Sender

This is an online application that allows the user to send bulk SMS from their phones or computers. The application can be used to send SMS to over 200 countries and supports over 700 mobile operators. Atomic SMS sender uses demand-based pricing. Their pricing is dependent on the monthly traffic of SMS sent. They offer additional discounts in case there is a large SMS volume to be sent and ten free SMS for the user to their systems.

Key Features

• Ability to send text messages in any language.
• SMS spoofing support for most carries and countries.
• Ability to send unlimited message size.
• SMS sending scheduler
• Offers much-needed text message delivery reports.
• Send a text message in the GSM alphabet and the Unicode alphabet.
• Delivers SMS within a minute
• Supports interfacing with other applications via its API.

Pros

• Easy contact management
• Can schedule messages at anytime
• Live online training and documentation readily available
• Offers unsubscribe feature for the audience to make them feel privileged

Cons

• 2-way messaging is not possible
• MMS and mobile coupons are also not possible
• Sometimes SMSes don’t get delivered on time

Tool #2: My SMS Mantra

My SMS Mantra is a free bulk SMS software that enables the user to send SMS online using an Excel plug-in. All you need is to download and install the Excel plug-in and then stay connected to your clients/customers via SMS.

The pricing depends on the kind of the SMS to be sent – whether it is a transactional or a promotional SMS.

Key Features

• Manage single and bulk SMS sending directly from your excel sheet.
• Has group SMS sending functionality.
• Has customization bulk SMS sending speed of up to 25000/minute.
• SMS delivery reports
• SMS Scheduling (Sending SMS at a designated time)
• Online Address Book
• Online group management
• MIS Reports
• No setup fees, no monthly fees
• Fast delivery to all networks nationwide
• Availability of premium high-speed gateway for priority customers like the commodity or stockbrokers.

Pros

• Seamlessly interfaces with other application through its API
• Easy to set up with no hidden costs
• Has free technical support
• Allows 2-way messaging thanks to its Mantra Communicator

Cons

• The word limit for SMS message too short
• Might lose data put in the software if you face network issues

Tool #3: XtraBulk SMS

XtraBulk SMS is a lightweight, fast, and reliable web-based application for sending bulk SMS. You can host the application on your server and easily connect with any HTTP API or SMPP Server you want. The software is ideal for mobile aggregators, bulk SMS providers, or banks that want to maintain security and privacy.

Key Features

• Customization of the code available.
• Works at the first minute of installation.
• Saves your cost of doing business.
• Free to use, so that you can enjoy 100% of lifetime ownership.
• It is plug-and-play ready with various SMS providers and SMS Gateways.

Pros

• Easily compliant with all the SMS technologies
• Software gets updated regularly

Cons

• Not suitable for small volumes of SMS sending
• Delayed delivery

Tool #4: SMSFlight

SMSFlight provides bulk SMS service for premium SMS gateway. The program also offers free bulk SMS sending services to clients all over India.

If you need to use this software, you have to contact them for a price quotation. But keep in mind that payments are made 100% in advance.

Key Features

• Bulk SMS
• Bulk SMS gateway
• Send more than 1000 SMS per second.
• Instantly shows failed SMS.
• Excel Plug-in is available for sending bulk SMS in a single click.

Pros

• Gives detailed reporting which are downloadable on excel
• Flexible API integration
• Good customer support team

Cons

• Delayed delivery of SMSes if the message is too long
• They take advance payments for their services

5. RapidSMS

RapidSMS is a complete SaaS-based free and open-source bulk SMS software solution for customers who don’t want to purchase any software. 

It offers hassle-free, and quality tested customized SMS solutions. Their pricing is fashioned in three packages – 1-way bulk messaging, 2- way messaging, and ad-hoc campaign – starting from around the US $270. 

Key Features

• Secure and reliable
• Track message history and delivery
• Fast delivery with up to over 100,000 SMS/hour.
• Privacy regulation – compliant with anti-spam laws.
• Allows you to send SMS directly from Microsoft Outlook
• You can send bulk SMS in one go through an Excel add-in.

Pros

• Cloud-based platform
• User-friendly software
• Maintenance-free
• Has a free trial of two weeks

Cons

• Cannot be deployed on the desktop or mobile platforms
• The software takes time to load if there is too much data

Tool #6: FrontlineSMS

FrontlineSMS is an open-source bulk SMS software that enables instantaneous two-way communication to any mobile handset. It’s compact software that you can download for free. However, you have to pay for the messages you send.  You can also use this software to track missed calls.

However, if you want to upgrade from the desktop version, their cloud-based versions are available at various tiers from $25 per month.

Key Features

• Secure to use
• Easy to implement and use
• Fast SMS delivery
• Provides delivery reports

Pros

• Generates delivery reports instantly
• Configurable auto-reply possible
• Cloud-hosted and open API

Cons

• Does not support desktop platforms
• You can’t do drip campaigns

Tool #7: playSMS

If you are looking for free and open-source bulk SMS software to manage your SMS, playSMS can be a good bet. playSMS is a flexible, web-based system that can be customized to fit various services. It can be used as a bulk SMS provider, SMS gateway, personal messaging needs, or group communication.

Key Features

• The software supports multiple database engines.
• Ability to send SMS to both single and multiple mobile phones.
• Send SMS broadcasted to a group of mobile phones or SMS bulk.
• Support sending Unicode, flash, and text messages.
• Supports SMS to email and email to SMS via using polling mailbox.

Pros

• Can handle large volumes of SMS (Up to 500k SMS/month)
• Easy configuration for mass texting

Cons

• Has a simple web-based interface

Bulk SMS services have become an in-house thing for most corporate and business environments. However, as noted before, not all companies can afford pricey bulk SMS software. But, the good news is that more and more open-source bulk SMS software is coming up to fill the gaps in features and functionality.

Tool #8: Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a compelling and dirt-cheap text messaging marketing automation software. The best part is that you also get a full-featured CRM that supports a full sales cycle from lead to deal. In addition to text SMS messages, it also offers messaging and social media marketing functionalities.

Furthermore, you get two options – either send messages in bulk or setup automation workflows. That means you can send an SMS reminder just one day before a specific event.

Key Features

• Supports both individual and bulk text messaging.
• SMS messages can be sent to your clients in over 100 countries
• Provides email marketing, audience segmentation, voice broadcasting, Facebook and Google advertising
• Available in cloud and on-premise versions
• Full source code access is given

Pros

• Cheaper than other competitors
• No hidden or extra costs

Cons

• Can use some work in its user interface
• Its mobile app functionality is quite limited

Tool #9: Jasmin Gateway

Jasmin is a free bulk SMS software with A-grade features made for businesses that have traffic-clogged communication systems. You can easily customize the software features to fit your specific business needs to keep your business growing. It has robust message routing algorithms that are flexible based on your criteria. It comes with several features such as Unicode, SMS management, HTTP client/server, advanced message filtering, etc.

Key Features

• AMQP messaging
• 2-way messaging
• MMS in bulk
• Standard and advanced message filtering
• Supports concatenated SMSes

Pros

• Flexible bill processing
• Long messages support
• Good Web UI

Cons

• Hard to know the reviews of this software
• Does not support drip campaigns

Tool #10: Kannel

Kannel may seem too simple a software if you visit the website, but it is one of the powerful open-source bulk SMS software used for Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and volume SMS solutions. It was primarily developed on Linux-based systems, which justifies the website’s simplicity and can be easily ported to other Unix-like systems. Kannel is famously used for SMS exchange, which serves WAP Push notifications through mobile internet.

Key Features

• Supports push and pull gateway
• Follows SEMA SMS2000 OIS protocol
• Connect easily with HTTP based content gateways
• Handle hundreds of SMSes at one go

Pros

• Can manage more than 1000/second
• Can be easily deployed as an aggregator

Cons

• A too simple user interface to feel like using
• Not actively developed

Tool #11: SlickText

One of the most powerful SMS marketing software is supplied by SlickText, which consists of rick features and is compatible to operate from almost all devices. It makes your mobile marketing and mass text messaging easy to manage for communicating with your targeted audience. It also has a mobile app to help you manage your SMS campaigns remotely from anywhere to keep your business working 24×7.

Key Features

• Message scheduling
• SMS Autoresponders
• MMS marketing
• Business text messaging
• 2-way messaging
• Drip campaigns

Pros

• It has a full-featured mobile app with an easy user interface
• Easily syncs subscriber data
• Allows extended length messaging

Cons

• Mobile app only supports the android platform
• Doesn’t allow you to generate a report

Tool #12: EZTexting

EZTexting is a SaaS company with an SMS marketing software that is easy to navigate and most reliable to connect with your customers. Their open-source bulk SMS software has fantastic features, which work on a permission-based SMS marketing tactic that doesn’t let your messages go to spam. It also has a free trial period of 14 days to help you check out all of its features.

Key Features

• Drip campaigns
• Personalized reminders for message campaigns
• Sign-up forms
• Mobile Keywords
• Text-to-landline 
• Poll builder
• Link shortener

Pros

• Helps you target mobile keywords which are not available with other competitors
• MMS Marketing allows you to display your image pop up in the message

Cons

• No contact management
• Have to send repeating messages from scratch

Tool #13: TXT180

TXT180 is one of the excellent open-source bulk SMS software in the marketplace that will help you focus on the success of customer acquisition. They have one of the easiest to remember shortcodes to increase opt-ins for any kind of SMS marketing campaign. Through this software, you can easily manage your messaging campaigns through a control panel that works as a dashboard for all your running campaigns. It also has a 15-day trial to test out its features matching your business requirements.

Key Features

• Contact management
• Text-to-win
• Scheduled messaging
• 2-way messaging
• Live graph reporting
• Drip campaigns
• Mobile coupons

Pros

• Has message templates to help you design your text
• Its auto-responder works instantly
• Free trial period

Cons

• The text message has to be under the word limit
• Software is a bit complex to navigate through

Tool #14: SpringEdge

Spring Edge has a robust and free bulk SMS software that can be managed easily through a customized platform. Its software allows you to streamline your messaging campaigns to improve efficiency, delivery, and brand awareness. Its instant messaging feature lets you generate critical and complex messages to deliver across all major networks. Spring Edge has a web-based interface, which means you can create cloud-based messaging to send across all your targeted audience.

Key Features

• Web-based user interface
• Instant messaging
• Worldwide coverage
• Track campaign metrics
• Direct technical support 24/7

Pros

• API integration is smooth and best
• Voice SMS and text SMS delivery speed is good
• In-built plug-ins help developers save time
• Servers function well and don’t throw errors

Cons

• Their message templates get disapproved. Have to call customer support to approve the message
• Can’t retain a history of messages generated
• The dashboard could have been more intuitive

These 15 top free and open-source bulk SMS software must be a lot to take in at once. If it is still confusing as to which one might be best for you, here’s a table comparison of the five SMS software that we think are the best depending on your requirements:

Comparison Table of Top 5 Bulk SMS Software

Features	SlickText	EZTexting	Kannel	Jasmin Gateway	TXT180
Bulk Text Messaging	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Drip Campaigns	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
Repetitive Messaging	❌	✅	✅	✅	❌
MMS Messaging	✅	✅	❌	❌	✅
Mobile Keywords	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Email Integration	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅
Reports/Analytics	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Auto-reply configuration	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌

 

Don’t want to buy a software? No worries.

Send Bulk SMS Directly from MS Excel

Check out this video and get started.

Summing it up

Sending messages to masses has become easy due to such SMS marketing software. Gone are the days of handling messaging to targeted audiences manually. Get to reach your audience no matter the size of the targeted group within minutes through these top 15 free bulk SMS software. If you are still confused about which one to get for your specific business needs, then go through our bulk SMS software category that has more software listed for you to browse.

If you have used any of the above mentioned open-source bulk SMS software, please leave your valuable feedback in the comment section below.