Texting & SMS marketing statistics in 2025

In 2025, 84% of consumers have opted in to receive texts from businesses, 35% more than this time a few years ago. 

With more consumers welcoming texts from brands, businesses are doubling down on SMS to reach customers instantly, drive real revenue, and streamline customer service. Whether it’s sending an exclusive deal, automating appointment reminders, or solving a problem in real time, brands that prioritize SMS marketing are seeing stronger engagement and better results.

To get the full picture, we surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers as well as 400 business owners and digital marketers about how they use and perceive SMS in 2025. We dug into everything from texting habits and AI adoption to SMS marketing conversion rates and opt-in trends.

So, which industries are seeing the biggest SMS adoption? How are businesses using AI to make texting more effective? And why are more consumers opting into business texts than ever before? Let’s break down the numbers.

Key SMS marketing statistics

1. In 2025, 66% of businesses use SMS marketing software to text their customers and 67% are increasing their SMS marketing budgets.
2. Businesses that text their customers are 5.89 times more likely to report digital marketing success than businesses that don’t use text message marketing.
3. Most businesses have an average SMS marketing click-through rate between 21 and 35%.
4. 82% of businesses agree that SMS marketing is an effective way to drive revenue.
5. Customer service is the primary reason businesses are using SMS marketing in 2025.
6. 81% of businesses say AI has improved their SMS marketing success, with most saving 4-6 hours per week on average.
7. 82% of consumers check their text notifications within just five minutes of receiving a text. And nearly a third check their text notifications within just 60 seconds of receipt.
8. 93% of consumers text every day, and nearly half (45%) check their text messages more than 10 times a day.
9. Texting is the top mobile activity for 83% of consumers.
10. In 2025, 84% of consumers are opted in to receive texts from businesses –– indicating a 6% growth in consumer opt-ins from last year.
11. Over half of SMS subscribers (52%) receive texts from four or more businesses.
12. Consumers are most likely to subscribe to texts from businesses within the ecommerce/retail and healthcare industries.
13. Appointment or reservation reminders, shipment tracking, and promotions are the biggest reasons consumers are signing up to receive business texts.
14. Most consumers now choose texting over email and phone calls for customer service issues, and 71% of consumers want the ability to text a business back.
15. According to consumers, texting too frequently is the fastest way to lose subscribers.

Consumer-related SMS marketing statistics

How are consumers using their smartphones?

People reach for their text messages before anything else on their phones. Texting is the top mobile activity for 83% of consumers, outpacing social media (75%) and email (66%). And it’s not just a passing trend. There’s been a steady rise in texting as the top mobile activity over the past few years: 77% in 2022, 78% in 2023, 80% in 2024, and now 83% in 2025. 

For businesses, this means one thing: SMS isn’t just a way to reach customers—it’s the way they prefer to communicate. With engagement levels continuing to climb, there’s never been a better time to connect with your audience via text.

How quickly do consumers check their text notifications?

When it comes to checking text notifications, speed is the name of the game. 32% of consumers open their texts within just 60 seconds of receipt. And if you zoom out a bit, the numbers are even more impressive. 82% of all consumers and 90% of Gen Z consumers check their texts within five minutes.

This isn’t just a one-time trend, either. Year after year, our reports have shown the same pattern: consumers consistently prioritize checking their texts almost immediately. For businesses using SMS, that’s a major advantage—your message isn’t just delivered, it’s seen and considered within moments.

How frequently do consumers check their texts throughout the day?

Grabbing consumers’ attention isn’t easy these days. People ignore marketing emails, scroll past sponsored posts, and mute push notifications without a second thought. Cutting through the noise takes a channel they’re already engaged with—and that’s exactly where SMS shines.

93% of consumers text every day, and nearly half (45%) check their text messages more than 10 times a day. Some take it even further—18% of all consumers and 26% of Gen Z check their texts more than 20 times a day. Whether it’s one-on-one chats or buzzing group threads, younger generations are glued to their messages, making SMS one of the most effective ways to reach them.

How many consumers are opted in to SMS marketing in 2025?

Consumers want direct, no-nonsense communication from businesses, and SMS remains their preferred way to get it. In 2025, 84% of consumers are opted in to receive texts from businesses, marking a 35% growth in SMS marketing opt-ins since 2021. Just last year, that number was 79%, showing a 6.3% increase in opt-ins year over year.

When breaking it down by demographics, women (88%) are more likely to opt in to business texts than men (78%), and Gen X leads the way in SMS subscriptions, with 85% currently receiving texts from brands.

How frequently do consumers want to receive texts from businesses?

There’s still plenty of room for businesses to grow their SMS marketing reach. Over half of SMS subscribers (52%) receive texts from four or more businesses, with Gen X leading the way at 60%. Meanwhile, most baby boomers currently receive texts from just 1-3 businesses but are open to opting into texts from 4-6 businesses, presenting a clear opportunity for brands to expand their SMS reach among older generations.

When it comes to how often consumers want to hear from businesses, most prefer texts every other week (49%), while 34% are comfortable with weekly messages. The key takeaway? Customers are open to more SMS engagement—but brands that respect texting cadence preferences will build stronger loyalty in the long run. You’ll want to avoid texting customers too much, so watch your SMS frequency.

Why are consumers opting in to texts from businesses?

It’s no mystery why consumers are increasingly opting in to business texts—SMS makes life easier. The top reasons people subscribe are appointment and reservation reminders (76%), shipment tracking and order updates (68%), and promotions or sale alerts (58%).

What do these have in common? Convenience and real-time updates. Consumers want timely reminders so they don’t miss important appointments, instant shipping notifications to track their purchases, and exclusive deals delivered straight to their phones. With SMS, there’s no digging through emails or refreshing apps—just fast, direct information exactly when it’s needed. 

Why would consumers opt out of texts from businesses?

What is the fastest way to lose SMS subscribers? Texting too often (53%), sending spam-like content (21%), or delivering messages that don’t feel relevant to the customer (11%). These numbers make one thing clear: successful SMS marketing is all about balance and personalization.

A simple rule of thumb—don’t overwhelm customers. Set clear expectations from the start by letting subscribers know how often they can expect to hear from you each month. Another key takeaway? Avoid messages that feel robotic or generic. Before hitting send, ask yourself: Does this sound like a real person wrote it? If not, tweak it. A human touch makes all the difference in keeping customers engaged. Get our tips for effective text marketing opt-in language.

Which industries have the most SMS contacts?

Consumers consistently turn to SMS for updates from key industries, with ecommerce/retail (46%) leading the way, followed closely by healthcare (45%), and finance (27%). These three industries have topped the list since we started tracking this data in 2021, highlighting just how essential text communication has become in these spaces.

Ecommerce SMS marketing is useful for engaging shoppers with personalized promotions, reducing cart abandonment, and providing real-time order updates. In healthcare, text messaging improves patient communication, minimizes no-shows with appointment reminders, and enables instant responses to urgent requests. Financial institutions use SMS for secure account alerts, fraud detection, and seamless customer support.

Because these industries handle time-sensitive information—whether it’s a limited-time sale, a medical appointment, or a banking notification—SMS remains the most effective way to reach consumers quickly and ensure they stay informed.

How do consumers prefer to reach businesses for customer support?

Consumers increasingly value two-way conversations with businesses, especially when it comes to customer support. In 2025, texting officially overtook email as the top way consumers want to reach customer service. Most consumers (31%) now prefer texting a customer service rep over email and phone calls, marking a shift from last year when email held the top spot. 

The demand for two-way messaging is also growing. 71% of consumers want the ability to text a business back, 18% more than last year’s report. As customer expectations evolve, businesses that prioritize SMS for service inquiries will be best positioned to meet them.

Business-related SMS marketing statistics

What percentage of businesses use SMS marketing in 2025?

Texting has become a go-to marketing channel for businesses across industries. In 2025, 66% of businesses are using SMS marketing software to text their customers—a massive 55% increase compared to four years ago, when just 42% were leveraging text messaging. What’s more, with 82% of businesses agreeing that SMS is an effective way to drive revenue, it’s clear that text message marketing isn’t just a growing trend—it’s a proven strategy.

Industries leading the way in SMS marketing adoption rates include healthcare (83%), hospitality (80%), and finance (72%), where instant, direct messaging is key to customer interactions. According to hospitality businesses, SMS is their second highest-performing digital marketing channel, helping hotels, restaurants, and travel services stay connected with their guests. Meanwhile, healthcare and finance brands are well-positioned to maximize SMS marketing, as both rank among the top industries for consumer opt-ins.

Interestingly, there’s a disconnect between consumer demand and business adoption in ecommerce SMS marketing. When we asked consumers which industries they’d be most likely to opt in to for texts, ecommerce/retail ranked #1. But when we surveyed businesses, ecommerce/retail only came in 6th for SMS adoption (66%)—behind industries like construction and consumer services. This means retailers may be leaving opportunities on the table, missing out on a channel their customers want to engage with.

How does SMS marketing impact overall marketing success?

Adding SMS to your digital marketing mix isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a game-changer. 98% of businesses that text their customers say their digital marketing efforts are successful, compared to just 80% of businesses that don’t. That means businesses using SMS marketing are 5.89 times more likely to report digital marketing success than those that don’t use text message marketing.

What are average SMS marketing click-through rates in 2025?

In 2025, most businesses (36%) report an average SMS marketing click-through rate between 21 and 35%, with the finance industry leading the way. 72% of finance businesses see click-through rates above 20%, making it the top-performing sector for SMS engagement.

Conversion rates tell a similar story. The majority of businesses (32%) see average SMS marketing conversion rates between 21 and 30%, with hospitality, finance, and consumer services standing out. In fact, 69% of hospitality businesses and 67% of both finance and consumer services businesses report conversion rates above 20%. With numbers like these, it’s clear that SMS isn’t just generating clicks—it’s turning them into real results.

How and why are businesses using SMS marketing?

SMS marketing isn’t just for promotions and payment reminders anymore. In 2025, customer service (51%) and customer satisfaction surveys/feedback (47%) continue to be the top two reasons businesses send texts, following the upward trend seen in last year’s report.

This shift reflects how brands are using SMS to create better customer experiences, gather real-time feedback, and provide instant support. Instead of just selling, businesses are focusing on building stronger connections one text at a time.

For half of businesses (50%), the ability to have two-way conversations with customers is the biggest advantage of SMS marketing. Unlike other channels, texting creates a direct, real-time connection where customers can ask questions, get support, and engage with businesses on their own terms, building stronger relationships with every interaction.

Beyond two-way messaging, businesses are also turning to SMS for its cost-effectiveness (42%) and real-time reach and instant delivery (41%), making it one of the most efficient and impactful marketing channels available.

How are businesses planning to adjust their SMS marketing budgets in 2025?

Businesses are doubling down on SMS in 2025. 67% plan to increase their text message marketing budgets this year, a clear sign that brands see SMS as a high-performing, must-have channel. And with good reason—most businesses (55%) saw their SMS opt-in rates grow over the past year, with finance (78%) and hospitality (69%) having the highest percentage of businesses reporting growth.

SMS isn’t just keeping customers engaged, it’s driving serious sales. Most businesses say text message marketing now accounts for 21-30% of their online revenue, proving that a well-timed text can do a lot more than just get opened—it can convert.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in text marketing

Which emerging trends are businesses incorporating into their SMS marketing strategy?

AI is taking center stage in SMS marketing, with 50.4% of businesses planning to use it for personalization and automation—making it the top emerging trend. Businesses are turning to AI to craft smarter, more engaging texts that feel tailored to each customer while driving better results. It’s working, too—81% of businesses say AI has improved their SMS marketing success.

Other trends gaining traction include chatbots and virtual assistants (44.3%), interactive polls and surveys (35.1%), and two-way messaging (30.2%), all pointing to a shift toward more conversational and dynamic customer interactions. Location-based SMS targeting (28.6%) and cross-channel integration (26.0%) are also on the rise, helping businesses create seamless, real-time connections with their audience. As businesses continue to refine their SMS strategies, expect to see even more innovation in how brands engage customers through text.

How are businesses using AI in their SMS marketing?

AI is transforming how businesses approach SMS marketing, helping brands analyze customer data for targeting purposes (47.7%), personalize messages based on customer behavior (45.4%), and optimize message timing (41.6%) to improve engagement. Businesses are also using AI to generate text copy (40.1%) and automate campaign scheduling (38.2%), making SMS marketing more efficient than ever.

But AI adoption isn’t without its challenges. High implementation costs (25.2%) and privacy and data security concerns (22.5%) are the biggest barriers businesses face. Some also struggle with understanding AI tools (14.9%) or accessing relevant customer data (11.8%). That said, 15.3% of businesses report no issues integrating AI into their SMS marketing.

How much time do businesses save each week with AI-powered SMS marketing?

AI isn’t just making SMS marketing smarter—it’s making it way more efficient. Most businesses (37%) say using AI tools for SMS marketing saves them 4-6 hours per week, while nearly 19% are reclaiming seven or more hours. That’s an entire workday freed up just by automating message personalization, campaign scheduling, and customer engagement. Whether it’s fine-tuning send times or crafting the perfect text, AI is helping businesses get more done in less time—without sacrificing results.

How comfortable are consumers texting with AI chatbots?

AI-powered chat is quickly becoming a standard part of how businesses communicate with customers. Nearly 70% of consumers have interacted with an AI chatbot via text in the past year, whether for customer support, appointment scheduling, order tracking, or other purposes. What’s even more interesting? 8% aren’t even sure if they’ve chatted with AI or a human. That says a lot about how seamless these experiences have become.

Consumers are warming up to AI-powered texting, but human backup is still key. 64% of all consumers feel comfortable interacting with AI chatbots via SMS, with Gen Z leading the way at 69%—significantly more than baby boomers at 56%. That gap makes sense: younger generations have grown up with AI-driven recommendations, voice assistants, and automated customer support, making chatbot interactions feel more natural. 

But no matter the age group, one factor stands out—69% of consumers say having the option to connect with a human when needed makes AI chatbots far more comfortable to use. The takeaway? AI can handle the routine, but businesses that offer a seamless handoff to real agents will earn the most trust.

How can AI chatbots provide the most value in text conversations with consumers?

Consumers see the most value in AI chatbots when they make everyday tasks faster and more convenient. When asked what situations they’d find chatbot texting useful, the top responses were order updates and tracking (66%), scheduling appointments (58%), and customer support (54%). These are quick, straightforward interactions where automation can save time and eliminate wait times. Instead of sitting on hold or digging through emails, customers can get instant updates, book appointments on the go, and resolve common issues—all through a simple text message. 

The future of SMS marketing

If this year’s data proves anything, it’s that SMS marketing is only becoming more essential for businesses. Texting has officially overtaken email and phone calls as the top way consumers want to contact customer service. AI is also making a major impact—81% of businesses say it has improved their SMS marketing success, and most report saving 4-6 hours per week using AI-powered tools. Meanwhile, opt-in rates continue to rise, but there’s still untapped potential, especially in ecommerce, where consumer demand outpaces business adoption.

Check out our success stories spanning various industries, showcasing how SMS marketing has empowered both small business owners and corporations to connect effectively with their target audiences. Another good source of inspiration is our small business podcast where we work one-on-one with customers to help them solve their marketing challenges. Interested in starting your SMS campaign or engaging customers through two-way texting? Try us out for free today! 

Methodology

The statistics in this report come from two surveys conducted between December 23–26, 2024. We surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers across various demographics and 400 U.S. business owners and marketing managers from diverse industries and company sizes. Interested in SMS marketing statistics from previous years? View our 2023 and 2024 SMS marketing reports.