Text Message Marketing
Top Companies in 2026
Podium vs Salesmsg
Press [Add to Compare] to Edit, Add or Remove Vendors
- Centralized inbox for texts, reviews, and payments
- Strong tools for gathering and managing reviews
- AI tools for message drafting and automated replies
- List-building tools like QR codes and text-to-join
- SMS payment links for faster customer checkout
- Unified calling and texting
- Shared inboxes with internal notes
- Browser extension and mobile app access
- Custom API for tailored workflows
- Organized inbox management tools
- No public pricing; all plans require a sales quote
- Unclear cancellation and refund terms
- Some reports of slower support responses
- Limited audience segmentation capabilities
- Basic analytics with minimal customization
- No built-in email or multichannel messaging options
- Mobile app missing several desktop workflow features
Podium was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah. They first entered the market as a communication and reputation tool for local businesses, then expanded into messaging, payments, automation, and text message marketing as more companies needed faster ways to reach customers. Their platform brings texting, reviews, webchat, and payments into one dashboard, giving teams a simple way to manage conversations and follow-ups. Key features include AI-assisted message creation, automated sequences, list-building tools such as QR codes and text to join, and the ability to send secure payment links by text. Customer feedback varies across platforms. Many users highlight the convenience of keeping all communication in one place and note that texting often leads to faster replies compared with email. Others mention concerns about pricing transparency, long contracts, and slower support responses. Podium holds a B rating on the Better Business Bureau website, and they have earned recognition on industry lists like the Forbes Cloud 100.
Salesmsg is a business messaging provider founded in 2017 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida. They offer a platform built around SMS, MMS, and calling, giving companies a centralized way to manage conversations across sales, support, and customer engagement. Their service includes two-way texting, broadcast messaging, text-enabled landlines, unified calling and texting, shared inboxes, automation tied to CRM activity, and strong integrations with tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. They also provide mobile apps, a Chrome extension, and an API for teams that need flexible access or custom workflows. Salesmsg maintains a strong reputation in the industry, holding an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and earning repeated placement on the Inc. 5000 list. Customer feedback often highlights ease of use, dependable support, and practical workflow features, while also noting areas where the platform is more limited, such as segmentation depth and analytics customization. Their credit-based pricing model, 14-day free trial, and 30-day money-back guarantee make it relatively easy for new users to evaluate the service. Altogether, Salesmsg presents a communication-focused platform that appeals to businesses looking to strengthen responsiveness and streamline their messaging processes.
- Pricing : Custom quote
- Free Trial : 14 days, includes full platform access
- Customer Experience : Good
- AI Features : Available (review replies and message suggestions)
- International Messaging : Available (US & Canada)
- BBB Rating : B
- Text-to-Pay : True
- Pricing : Starts at $25/month for 500 messages
- Free Trial : 14 days
- Customer Experience : Good
- AI Features : Available
- International Messaging : Available
- BBB Rating : A+
- Unified dashboard for messaging, reviews, payments, and chat
- AI assistant for replies and after-hours conversations
- Built-in text-to-pay tools that streamline billing
- Automated review workflows that boost online visibility
- Text-enabled landlines
- Deep HubSpot integration
- Attachment support for PDFs, images, and files
- Automated messaging tied to CRM activity
- Android Mobile App
- iOS Mobile App
- Role-Based Permissions
- Team Inbox
- Android Mobile App
- iOS Mobile App
- Role-Based Permissions
- Team Inbox
- Bank Transfers
- Cryptocurrency
- Major Credit Cards
- Pay-as-You-Go Pricing
- PayPal
- Renewal Reminders—Undisclosed
- Bank Transfers
- Cryptocurrency
- Major Credit Cards
- Pay-as-You-Go Pricing
- PayPal
- Renewal Reminders
- API Access
- App Integrations (e.g., CRM, Zapier)
- Workflow Automation
- API Access
- App Integrations (e.g., CRM, Zapier)
- Workflow Automation
- 24/7 Support Availability
- Community Forum
- FAQs
- Help Center / Knowledge Base
- Live Chat
- Phone
- 24/7 Support Availability—Undisclosed
- Community Forum—Undisclosed
- FAQs
- Help Center / Knowledge Base
- Live Chat
- Phone
- AI-Powered Messaging
- Bulk SMS
- Compliance Tools (TCPA, A2P 10DLC, GDPR)
- Contact Segmentation
- Drip Campaigns
- Exportable Reports Reports
- Keyword Shortcodes
- MMS Support
- Opt-In Tools (e.g., Keywords, Web Forms)
- Real-Time Analytics
- Scheduled Campaigns
- Text-to-Pay Support
- Two-Way Messaging
- UTM Tracking
- AI-Powered Messaging
- Bulk SMS
- Compliance Tools (TCPA, A2P 10DLC, GDPR)
- Contact Segmentation
- Drip Campaigns
- Exportable Reports Reports
- Keyword Shortcodes
- MMS Support
- Opt-In Tools (e.g., Keywords, Web Forms)
- Real-Time Analytics
- Scheduled Campaigns
- Text-to-Pay Support—Undisclosed
- Two-Way Messaging
- UTM Tracking—Undisclosed
Podium vs. Salesmsg
Choosing between Podium and Salesmsg can feel tricky if you want a texting platform that fits your communication style, workflow, and customer engagement goals. Both tools offer strong messaging capabilities, but are built for slightly different needs. This comparison breaks down their service range, security, pricing, and overall value so you can decide which one supports your business the best.
Service range
Podium focuses on helping local and service-based businesses manage conversations, reviews, and payments all in one place. Their messaging tools center on two-way SMS, webchat-to-text, automated reminders, and a unified inbox that blends texts with inquiries from Facebook, Google, and Instagram. They also offer review generation, mobile payments, and light CRM-style features that help teams follow up faster. Their automation tools are mostly designed around customer touchpoints, such as appointment reminders, missed-call texts, and review prompts, with integrations that tie in with CRMs, scheduling platforms, and payment processors.
Salesmsg approaches text messaging as a dedicated communication engine for sales and support teams. They offer two-way SMS and MMS, shared team inboxes, call forwarding, voice calling, shortcodes, long codes, and advanced automation through tools like HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Keap, and Zapier. Their workflow builder is much more flexible than Podium’s, allowing users to create detailed branching sequences, drip campaigns, and conditional logic based on contact behavior. They also support multi-user routing, message tagging, and a browser calling feature that lets teams manage outbound and inbound communication from one dashboard.
Security and compliance
Podium maintains industry-standard security practices, including data encryption and role-based permissions across their platform. They help users stay compliant with opt-in and opt-out rules by offering templates and automated response flows that follow TCPA guidelines. Since they handle payments, they also operate with PCI-compliant processes. Their review and messaging workflows encourage ethical communication that aligns with carrier policies and local consent requirements.
Salesmsg provides strong compliance-focused tools designed for businesses sending high-volume or automated messaging. They include built-in opt-in management, audit trails, message throttling, and carrier-friendly sending practices to prevent filtering. Their platform supports required TCPA consent, automated STOP keywords, and verified sending numbers. They also work with A2P registration, ensuring businesses maintain proper brand and campaign approval. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and they allow admins to control user permissions to protect sensitive customer information.
Pricing
Podium uses a tiered pricing model that bundles texting with reviews, webchat, payments, and CRM-like tools. Their pricing typically starts around $249 per month for the base plan, with higher tiers reaching $399 per month or more, depending on features and locations. Costs increase as you add team members or additional locations, which works well for local businesses that want an all-in-one engagement suite. Companies that only want texting often find Podium a higher investment than platforms that focus on messaging alone.
Salesmsg offers straightforward per-user pricing that starts at $25 per user per month with included messaging credits. Additional credits can be added as needed, and higher message volumes bring the price per text down. This structure makes Salesmsg a cost-friendly option for teams that send frequent SMS and MMS messages or rely on deep integrations with CRM and marketing tools. Since their pricing centers on messaging instead of bundled extras, most businesses get more control over their monthly budget, especially in multi-user or high-volume environments.
Conclusion
Podium is a great choice for local and service-based businesses that want a unified platform for messaging, reviews, and payments. Salesmsg is a stronger fit for sales and support teams that need flexible automation, deep integrations, and scalable texting. Both are powerful, but your ideal pick depends on whether you want an all-in-one customer engagement suite or a dedicated messaging engine. Take a moment to review your workflow, daily communication needs, and growth plans before choosing the platform that will support your goals the best.