Best SMS Software for Non-Profits

SMS software has provided thousands of non-profits with increased event attendance, donations, and volunteer turnout.

Using a mass texting service is the easiest way to get started.

We know you’re busy, so we did the research for you and picked out the best services to try out.

Nonprofit text messaging is a powerful tool for organizing and engaging supporters through custom SMS campaigns.

For more tools for your non-profit, check out our roundup of the best grant management tools >>

Best for Small Businesses

SimpleTexting

Easiest platform to use
Have two-way conversations with customers
Good customer support & resources for beginners

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Best for Medium to Enterprise

Textmagic

Easily scale up or down with pay-as-you-go pricing
Convert emails into SMS with their "Email to SMS Gateway"
Team-sharing function for easy collaboration

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Most Integrations

Mobile Text Alerts

Affordable monthly starting cost of $20 (paid annually)
5,000+ integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and more

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What Is a Texting Service for Non-Profits?

A texting service for non-profits is a platform that enables organizations to send and receive text messages to their supporters, donors, and volunteers. This service allows non-profits to communicate effectively with their audience, promote their cause, and raise funds through text-to-donate campaigns.

Definition of a Texting Service for Non-Profits

A texting service for non-profits is a software that provides a range of features, including mass texting, automated text messaging, and two-way messaging. These features enable non-profits to send targeted messages to their audience, engage with them, and build relationships. By leveraging these tools, non-profits can streamline their communication efforts and ensure that their messages reach the right people at the right time.

Importance of Texting Services for Non-Profits

Texting services are essential for non-profits as they provide a cost-effective and efficient way to communicate with their audience. With a texting service, non-profits can send event reminders, promote fundraising events, and share updates about their cause. This helps to increase engagement, build relationships, and ultimately, raise more funds. The immediacy and high open rates of text messages make them an invaluable tool for keeping supporters informed and involved.

11 Best SMS Software for Non-Profits

1. Txt2Give

Best text donation service

Many non-profits and charities rely heavily on donations to keep afloat. Txt2Give is a nonprofit texting service that makes collecting donations through text easy.

This service is mindful of the fact that non-profits are often on a tight budget and has created its pricing structure with that in mind. They offer a free trial for 30 days or until you reach $250 in donations, whichever comes first.

After that, it only costs $19 per month plus a 1% platform fee. With their SMS service, non-profits can enjoy benefits like unlimited keywords, causes, and locations, donation receipts and reminders, an online giving page, and custom report options.

They also offer solutions to automate recurring donations from donors, leading to an average of a 42% increase in donation funds per donor.

Pros

Easy Donation Collection
Budget-Friendly Pricing
30-Day Free Trial
Unlimited Keywords and Causes
Recurring Donation Automation

Cons

Limited Free Trial Duration
Monthly Fee Post-Trial
Platform Fee on Donations

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2. SimpleTexting

Best mobile app

SimpleTexting is one of our favorite SMS services for every industry, and the solutions it has customized for non-profits are one of the reasons why we love it so much.

In addition to already low and flexible pricing, SimpleTexting also offers a 15% discount to all 501c3 non-profits.

Using a special keyword, people can opt-in to receive messages from your organization which will immediately trigger an automatic response welcoming them to the group. From there, you can use API features to integrate other software and streamline all of your organization’s functions.

One of the best ways to use SimpleTexting for your non-profit is for volunteer scheduling. You can send scheduling reminders and have volunteers respond to confirm or re-schedule shifts. Additionally, SMS reminders can be used to enhance attendance at events and boost donations by ensuring supporters and volunteers are informed about upcoming events with customizable frequencies.

Read my review here.

Pros

15% Discount for 501c3 Non-Profits
Special Keyword Opt-In
API Integration
Volunteer Scheduling Features
Mobile App Availability

Cons

Discount Limited to 501c3
Requires Familiarity with APIs
Limited Customization in Templates

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3. EZ Texting

Best for small non-profits

With plenty of integration options and reasonably priced packages, EZ Texting is our pick for small non-profits who want to experiment with SMS marketing.

For starters, monthly pricing for EZ Texting’s services starts at just $19 per month, making it easy for non-profits to start an SMS campaign for less than 20 bucks. Once those donations start flooding in, non-profits can purchase more messages per month for a small fee.

Aside from affordability, EX Texting is… well… easy to use.

I tried this one myself and I found it easy to sign up, pick a plan, and begin messaging customers. They have templates for everything from sign-up forms for new customers to the messages themselves. It’s also easy to generate a QR code, add pictures or videos to your text messages, and create shortcodes for users to opt-in or make use of special promotions. This makes EZ Texting an excellent choice for non-profits looking to leverage text message marketing to engage with their supporters effectively.

Read my review here.

Pros

Affordable for Small Non-Profits
Easy to Use Platform
Flexible Pricing Options
Template Availability
QR Code and Media Options

Cons

Limited Advanced Features
Additional Cost for More Messages
Basic Plan Limitations

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4. ClickSend

ClickSend is a high-quality, easy-to-use SMS option for non-profits.

Non-profits can manage different digital marketing campaigns through a cloud-based application, switching from email, text, fax, and even non-SMS channels like Facebook and WhatsApp easily. This allows non-profits to centralize communication and campaign efforts.

Non-profits can also increase donations by advertising special events and sending time-sensitive, urgent requests.

They also allow non-profits to engage in two-way communication, so businesses can have meaningful conversations with volunteers and collaborators.

Read our ClickSend Review.

Pros

Cloud-Based Application
Multi-Channel Communication
Two-Way Communication
Event and Urgent Request Promotion
Easy Integration with Other Platforms

Cons

Learning Curve for Cloud-Based System
May Require Technical Setup
Limited Customization Options

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5. Text Magic

Best for large non-profits

Text Magic makes everything from managing volunteers to promoting fundraisers easy.

Aside from offering a large variety of traditional SMS options and features, Text Magic offers single sign-on features for larger non-profits. Any of your team members can use secure credentials to log on to your platform safely and manage messaging campaigns.

Text messaging campaigns can be effectively tracked and managed through advanced analytics and reporting, helping non-profits understand metrics such as delivery and response rates.

Advanced analytics and reporting are also an option for non-profits who want to improve their campaign efforts. Using audit logs, role-based access, and SSO features, larger non-profits can keep track of SMS campaigns and save time.

Sending holiday texts, thank yous, and celebrating milestones is a great way to improve your donation campaigns while promoting community bonds.

Read our Text Magic Review.

Pros

Ideal for Large Non-Profits
Single Sign-On Features
Advanced Analytics and Reporting
Audit Logs and Role-Based Access
SSO Features for Security

Cons

Higher Cost for Larger Scale
Complexity in Advanced Features
Requires Technical Proficiency

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6. Trumpia

Trumpia offers automated SMS solutions to political, religious, and charity organizations of all sizes.

Using text keywords, folks can opt in easily. Non-profits can then reach larger audiences and improve attendance at fundraising events as well as increase volunteer retention.

If you already have a business phone number, you can use Trumpia’s easy landline texting option. This gives users the power to text via their already existing landline.

Trumpia offers services beyond SMS, allowing users to create customized workflows tailored to create streamlined communication between volunteers.

Pros

Automated SMS Solutions
Easy Opt-In with Keywords
Landline Texting Option
Customized Workflows
Broad Audience Reach

Cons

Learning Curve for Automation
Setup for Landline Texting
May Require Technical Knowledge

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7. Mobile Text Alerts

Most integrations

Mobile Text Alerts has had over a decade in business to evolve its practices and perfect SMS marketing, making it a great option for non-profits.

Some of the features that non-profit organizations will love include easy 2-way conversations with the audience. Non-profits can take advantage of automated responses to allow for customer interaction 24/7. Bulk texting is also an option to easily notify the masses about your latest donation drives.

Mobile Text Alerts is an excellent texting service for nonprofits, offering various applications such as scaling outreach efforts, automating communication with stakeholders, sending SMS reminders, and launching fundraising campaigns. This service enhances donor engagement and promotes organizational goals through efficient communication strategies.

Mobile Text Alerts has an easy-to-navigate dashboard that can be reached via the mobile app available for iOS and Android systems, making it easy to keep in communication with donors and volunteers no matter where you are.

We love Mobile Text Alerts for all of the convenient integrations that they offer. With integrations for Zoom, WordPress, Gmail, and more, you can seamlessly keep everything in one place.

Read our Mobile Text Alerts Review

Pros

Extensive Experience in SMS Marketing
2-Way Conversation Capability
Bulk Texting for Event Notifications
Easy-to-Navigate Dashboard
Multiple Integrations

Cons

Interface May Feel Dated
Limited Advanced Features
Requires App for Mobile Access

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8. Text-Em-All

Texting, calling, and staying in communication with your community are essential to the success of non-profits. Text-Em-All makes both easy.

It also makes SMS marketing easy. You can easily choose from multiple templates to craft effective SMS communications for all of your audience on your message list or customize personal messages.

Text-Em-All's services enable easy communication with volunteers, keeping your organization running smoothly and everyone up-to-date with important announcements.

By offering automated phone calls or voice messaging services, communication will be more accessible to all of your donors and volunteers. You also have the option to record a voice message when nobody is available.

Pros

99% Deliverability Assurance
Unlimited User and Messages
Automated Phone Calls
Voice Messaging Services
Accessibility Features

Cons

Limited Template Customization
Potential Overuse of Automation
Learning Curve for Voice Services

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9. SlickText

For busy non-profits with a lot on their hands, starting an SMS campaign seems like a huge task to add to the to-do list,

To make this task easier, SlickText offers 1-on-1 account set up to help non-profits get a solid understanding of how it all works and get them started on their first SMS campaign. This means they can use their extensive knowledge of what works for their previous clients to educate new customers on best practices.

SlickText offers a library of SMS templates and options for automation, all designed to make SMS marketing easier for busy non-profits.

ClickText is the perfect solution for your non-profit, offering plenty of integrations with your organization's CRMs and calendars, as well as a fully-functional REST API.

Pros

1-on-1 Account Setup Assistance
Template Library
Automation Options
CRM and Calendar Integrations
REST API for Customization

Cons

Setup Assistance Required
Limited Free Messages
Basic Plan Limitations

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10. SendHub

Simple, automated SMS functions are exactly what SendHub offers to non-profits.

Start by creating easy keywords that allow prospective volunteers to text to join. Then, use SendHub’s capabilities to organize groups based on these keywords and bulk-text potential donors.

With SendHub, non-profits can send SMS messages and make phone calls toll-free from anywhere in the world.

SendHub lets non-profit organizations easily communicate important information to all of their contacts, attaching PDFs, links to their websites and donation collection sites, and even inserting helpful infographics using SendHub’s MMS capabilities.

Pros

Simple and Automated Functions
Keyword-Based Opt-In
Toll-Free Texting and Calling
MMS Capabilities
Easy Contact Organization

Cons

Limited Advanced Features
Basic Interface
Limited Free Trial Options

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11. Textedly

Textedly is another great option with intuitive features perfect for non-profit organizations.

Before making any sort of long-term financial commitment, non-profits can take advantage of Textedly's free 14-day trial with no credit card required.

Features include the ability to send donation requests, event reminders, calls to action, and auto-responder messages. Non-profits can create segments of specific groups to send targeted messages, using pre-made SMS templates from Textedly’s library.

Textedly makes it easy to let existing supporters subscribe to SMS updates and gain new supporters through carefully crafted SMS campaigns.

Pros

14-Day Free Trial
Donation Request Features
Event Reminder Capabilities
Auto-Responder Messages
Segment-Specific Messaging

Cons

Limited Trial Duration
Post-Trial Commitment
Limited Messages in Free Trial

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What Is Nonprofit Text Messaging?

Text messaging for non-profits is a useful way to keep in contact with supporters, donors, and volunteers.

Charities, political organizations, and religious institutions use SMS marketing to communicate important updates, request donations, and send reminders about fundraising events to supporters.

What Are the Benefits of SMS for Non-Profits?

Manage Volunteers & Employees

SMS is a great way to communicate with your whole team.

Things like scheduling, recruiting, communication with current and possible future volunteers, and general administrative tasks are so much easier with SMS software.

Promote Fundraising Events

Have an exciting fun run coming up? Taking your cause to a special event? Holding a party for volunteers and donors?

Let everyone know by sending them a simple text message. This can keep people in the loop and increase attendance for your fundraisers.

Send “Thank You” Messages

Non-profits largely depend on the kindness of strangers. Let donors and volunteers know how much you appreciate them by sending regular “thank you” messages after events or just because.

Check out our full list of ready-to-use SMS templates for Non-profits >>

Key Features of a Texting Software for Non-Profits

A good texting software for non-profits should have the following key features:

Mass Texting: The ability to send text messages to a large number of people at once, ensuring that important information reaches your entire audience quickly.
Automated Text Messaging: The ability to set up automated text messages to be sent at specific times or in response to specific actions, such as a new subscriber joining your list.
Two-Way Messaging: The ability to receive and respond to text messages from supporters, allowing for meaningful interactions and engagement.
SMS Marketing Campaigns: The ability to create and send targeted SMS marketing campaigns to specific groups of people, helping to promote events and initiatives effectively.
Donation Page Link: The ability to include a link to a donation page in text messages, making it easy for supporters to contribute to your cause.
Automated Text Message: The ability to set up automated text messages to be sent to new subscribers or in response to specific actions, ensuring timely communication and engagement.

These features enable non-profits to manage their communication efforts efficiently and effectively, helping to build stronger relationships with their supporters.

How Does Texting for Non-Profits Work?

Texting for non-profits is pretty straightforward if these organizations have the right tools.

All that a non-profit has to do is set up an account with an SMS software company and add their list of contacts, integrating their SMS service with other accounts like Mailchimp or Gmail.

Then, the non-profit can set up automated donation requests, schedule reminder texts about special events, and keep volunteers updated on any fundraising events that may need staffing.

Non-profits can also set up two-way messaging and automate thank-you messages, keeping their community engaged.

Setting Up SMS for Non-Profits

Setting up SMS for non-profits is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few clicks. Here are the steps to follow:

Choose a Texting Service Provider: Select a texting service provider that meets your non-profit’s needs, considering factors such as pricing, features, and ease of use.
Sign Up for an Account: Create an account with your chosen provider and complete your profile setup.
Set Up Your Account: Configure your account settings, including your organization’s name, contact information, and any necessary integrations.
Upload Your Contacts: Import your list of contacts, organizing them into groups to target specific messages effectively.
Create and Send SMS Marketing Campaigns: Develop and send SMS marketing campaigns to promote your cause and raise funds, using templates and automation features to streamline the process.
Use Automated Text Messaging: Set up automated text messages to send event reminders and updates about your cause, ensuring timely communication with your audience.
Engage with Two-Way Messaging: Utilize two-way messaging to interact with your supporters, answering their questions and building relationships.

By following these steps, non-profits can set up SMS and start using it to communicate with their audience, promote their cause, and raise funds. This efficient and effective communication method can help non-profits achieve their goals and make a greater impact.

Uses Cases of SMS in Non-Profits

SoGal

A non-profit dedicated to closing the gap in the diversity of entrepreneurship and venture capital, SoGal needed to find a way to get feedback from members that attended their events.

Using SimpleTexting, they were able to set up automatic text-to-vote surveys to get feedback on how helpful and informative their events were.

In doing this, SoGal was able to easily gather this feedback and determine that their NPS score is 94% positive.

Big Brother Big Sister Foundation

Looking for a way to reduce overhead while boosting donations and reaching as large of a community as possible, Big Brother Big Sister Foundation (BBBSF) turned to EZTexting to mobilize the donor community in a cost-efficient way.

Using SMS outreach, BBBSF was able to see an estimated $200k in savings in 2019.

Additionally, they have seen an increase in donations through these SMS campaigns.

How to Choose the Right SMS Software for Your Non-Profit

If your non-profit is looking to set up SMS software, the first thing you need to do is consider your budget. How much are you willing to spend monthly, or would you rather use a one-time fee, downloadable self-hosted platform?

Then, consider functionality. How many volunteers do you need to communicate with? Do you want two-way communication available to supporters? Do you need a way to schedule volunteer shifts through text? How about collecting donations through messaging?

How comprehensive your SMS software is should also play into your choice. Many SMS companies for non-profits also offer services like analytics and ways to track volunteer and donor interaction and satisfaction.

After considering everything, do a comparative analysis of the many SMS software options available on the market and decide what is right for your non-profit.

Other Uses for SMS Marketing

FAQs

What is the best SMS software for small non-profits?

EZ Texting is the best SMS software for small non-profits.

What is the best SMS software for large non-profits?

TextMagic is the best SMS software for large non-profit organizations.

How can I use SMS for my non-profit?

You can use SMS for sending updates, donation collection messages, and fundraising event notifications. You can also use SMS to communicate between volunteers.