Text Message Marketing
Top Companies in 2025
Podium vs Textedly
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- 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
- Unlimited contact storage without increasing plan costs
- Free incoming messages that support affordable two-way communication
- Flexible billing with monthly and annual options
- Simple, intuitive interface suitable for users with little technical experience
- Integrations with major tools like Zapier, Salesforce, and Mailchimp
- No public pricing; all plans require a sales quote
- Unclear cancellation and refund terms
- Some reports of slower support responses
- Extra fees for additional keywords, message credits, and telecom registration
- No widely advertised money-back guarantee for annual plans
- Noticeable price jumps between message tiers
- Reports of slow or inconsistent support responses during technical issues
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.
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Textedly provides a cloud-based SMS and MMS marketing service designed for businesses that need fast, reliable communication. Their platform includes bulk text messaging, automated workflows, unlimited contact storage, and tools for managing two-way conversations. They also offer features such as text-to-pay, review-request prompts, advanced scheduling, and integrations with platforms like Zapier, Salesforce, and Mailchimp. Users often highlight the platform’s ease of use, flexible setup, and ability to support a wide range of communication needs. Reviews across major software sites show strong satisfaction with its everyday performance, while feedback on billing and support availability varies by user experience. The company has also undergone structural changes, including an acquisition by Inunity and the merger of Texting Base into the platform, which has expanded its capabilities.
- 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
- Free Trial : No fixed days; includes 50 messages and one keyword
- Customer Experience : Fair
- AI Features : Available (AI-assisted message drafting, AI suggestions for campaign text)
- International Messaging : Unavailable/Restricted (platform access appears limited in some countries; international logins are sometimes blocked)
- BBB Rating : 1.36
- 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
- Large-scale messaging capacity that supports sending to thousands at once
- Automation tools that allow scheduled, recurring, and drip-based message flows
- Text-to-pay and review-request features that extend SMS use beyond marketing
- Unlimited contacts included on every plan, supporting unlimited subscriber growth
- 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
- Text-to-Pay—Undisclosed
- Bank Transfers
- Cryptocurrency
- Major Credit Cards
- Pay-as-You-Go Pricing
- PayPal
- Renewal Reminders
- Text-to-Pay—Undisclosed
- 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
- Community Forum
- 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
- Two-Way Messaging
- UTM Tracking
Podium vs. Textedly
Podium and Textedly are two well-known names in business texting, but they serve slightly different needs depending on whether you want a full customer-communication hub or a straightforward SMS marketing tool. This comparison breaks down their features, compliance tools, pricing, and overall value so you can choose the platform that aligns best with your goals. Keep reading to see which service gives your team the right mix of automation, ease of use, and scalability.
Service range
Podium is designed as an all-in-one communication and reputation management platform. Their texting tools focus heavily on two-way conversations, review generation, web chat, payment collection, and appointment messaging. They integrate deeply with CRMs, POS systems, dental/medical tools, and home-services software, giving local businesses a centralized place to manage leads, messages, and reviews. Their automations revolve around customer journeys such as missed-call text-back, lead follow-up, payment reminders, and review requests. Podium also supports multimedia messaging, contact syncing, and analytics tied to customer actions across multiple channels.
Textedly takes a more streamlined marketing approach. They offer bulk SMS and MMS, keyword-based opt-ins, drip campaigns, mass alerts, and promotional texting tools without the added reputation or payment features Podium is known for. Their platform focuses on list growth, scheduled messaging, autoresponders, landing pages for SMS signups, and a simple dashboard for managing campaigns. Textedly also provides strong broadcast capabilities for organizations that want to reach large audiences quickly. Integrations are available through Zapier, API, and popular CRMs, but the ecosystem is lighter than Podium’s more enterprise-leaning options.
Security and compliance
Podium prioritizes secure communication because they work with regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and home services. They run encrypted data transmission, offer role-based permissions, and support HIPAA-compliant messaging for eligible plans. Podium also includes built-in compliance guardrails around opt-in, opt-out, and A2P 10DLC requirements. Their automation flows help businesses stay aligned with TCPA standards by logging consent and ensuring messages are sent during appropriate hours.
Textedly also follows industry compliance standards and provides tools for opt-in, opt-out, and keyword-based consent collection. They support A2P 10DLC registration, sender verification, and proper disclosure practices for compliance with TCPA rules. While they offer secure data handling and standard encryption, they do not position themselves as a regulated-industry platform in the way Podium does. Their compliance tools are solid for marketing and outreach, but less tailored to industries that require advanced privacy protection.
Pricing
Podium’s pricing reflects its broader toolset. Their plans are structured around bundled communication features, starting with Essentials and moving up to Standard and Professional tiers. Pricing is custom-quoted based on the business size, team count, and add-ons such as payments or reviews. Because Podium includes multiple tools (texting, reviews, web chat, and payments), costs can scale quickly but provide a lot of value for businesses wanting an all-in-one customer engagement platform.
Textedly uses transparent, credit-based pricing with multiple tiers that scale according to the number of monthly messages. Plans start at a lower entry point than Podium and increase based on message volume and MMS needs. This makes Textedly a cost-effective choice for teams focused specifically on SMS marketing rather than full customer-communication workflows. Businesses that send frequent promotions or alerts often find Textedly’s predictable pricing easier to budget for.
Conclusion
Podium is best suited for businesses that want texting as part of a larger customer-communication system that includes reviews, payments, and lead management.
Textedly is ideal for companies that want simple, scalable SMS and MMS campaigns without additional operational tools.
Both platforms are strong in their own right; the better choice depends on whether you need a full communication hub or a streamlined marketing solution. Take a moment to map your texting goals, then choose the platform that aligns with your workflow and budget.