When to text and when to call: SMS, MMS or voice

Use a text when a short written message does the job. Use a picture message when an image helps, and a voice call when hearing a voice matters. This guide helps you choose, and explains how each channel is counted.

How do you choose between SMS, MMS and a voice call?

Start with what the person needs to do after they read or hear your message. Then pick the channel that makes that step clearest. The list below gives you a starting point.

• Choose SMS for a reminder, a confirmation or a short update that fits in a few lines.
• Choose MMS when a picture, flyer or short video explains the message better than words.
• Choose a voice call when the message is long, needs a spoken tone, or reaches people who may prefer to listen.
• Choose a call or a text based on what your contacts have agreed to receive.

If you are unsure, try the shortest option first. A text is quick to write and quick to read. You can follow up with a call or a picture when the message needs more.

When is a text message the right choice?

An SMS is plain text. It suits anything short, such as a time, a place or a link. The reader can look at it when it suits them.

Here is a labelled example of a reminder you could adapt.

Furcata adds your account name at the start and a short unsubscribe line at the end of every bulk message, and both count toward the length. With them, the examples below use 2 segments each. In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit, and every message also carries one flat messaging fee.

Hi {first_name}, this is [organization]. Your visit is tomorrow at [time]. Reply C to confirm or call us to change it.

Furcata counts SMS in segments. Your sample text does not need an opt-out line, because Furcata adds your account name and an unsubscribe line to every bulk message. Both count toward the length, so a short bulk text usually uses 2 segments. In the US and Canada, one segment uses one credit.

When should you send a picture or video?

An MMS can carry an image or a short video along with your words. MMS pricing applies in the US and Canada. Consider it for a menu, a map, a flyer or a photo of a product. A picture can answer a question the reader would otherwise have to ask.

Hi {first_name}, here is the new schedule from [organization]. The file is attached. Questions? Reply here.

An MMS is counted as one message, not by segments. Current prices are on the pricing page, and the billing guide explains how they are applied.

When is a phone call better than a text?

A call suits a message that is long, sensitive in tone, or easier to say than to write. It also works for people who prefer to listen. Furcata places outbound calls and robocalls, and it handles inbound calls.

A robocall is a recorded message played to many people at once. The robocalls guide covers spoken messages at scale, in more than one language, with automatic voicemail transcription.

Hello {first_name}, this is [organization] with a short update about [topic]. Call [phone number] with questions.

Calls are counted in minutes. A longer call uses more minutes. If an outbound call is not answered and reaches voicemail, it is billed as a voice call.

How are replies and calls to you counted?

Replies and incoming calls are billed at the same rate as outgoing ones. Your contacts may reply to a text, so plan for that when you think about volume. Replies arrive in your inbox.

STOP and HELP keywords are handled automatically. Furcata adds the account name and an unsubscribe line to every bulk message, so you do not need to write the opt-out line yourself.

What goes into the cost of each message?

Each message carries one flat messaging fee, whatever its length or type. Credits are drawn down on top of that, per segment for texts. Phone calls are counted by the minute.

You pay only for what you send, and there is no contract. Credits you buy do not expire. Only promotional credits can.

Current prices are on the pricing page. The billing guide explains how Furcata is priced, what is included, and what you are charged for.

Can you use more than one channel together?

Yes. Texts, calls and landing pages sit in one account, so you can mix them. A text can announce a change, and a call can reach those who prefer to listen. Choose each channel for the job it does well.

When you are ready to set up your first message, the sending messages guide walks through the steps for SMS, MMS and voice.