5 “Free” Automated Text Messaging Software Services Compared

Looking for a way to send automated text messages free (or at least try before you buy)?  We compared text messaging software to see which provides the best texting automation.

Why Automated Text Messaging Matters for Businesses

Automated text messaging lets you send pre-written SMS messages on a schedule or in response to specific actions—like signing up, missing an appointment, or clicking a link. It’s a fast, hands-off way to handle promotions, reminders, follow-ups, and support. Instead of texting people one by one, you can use automation to stay connected with your audience and work faster.

Use automated text messages for:

• Appointment reminders
• Promotional campaigns
• Welcome or onboarding messages
• Missed payment alerts
• Review or feedback requests
• Order or delivery updates
• Customer support replies

Can You Send Automated Text Messages for Free?

Short answer: kind of.

Even though texting feels “free” when you’re messaging friends, it works differently for businesses. Every SMS sent through a platform like TextSpot passes through carrier networks (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.), and those carriers charge small fees per message.

Here’s why business texting costs money:

• Carrier fees: Mobile carriers charge SMS platforms to deliver each message. Fees vary by country, volume, and message type (SMS vs. MMS).

• Compliance requirements: To protect consumers, U.S. carriers require businesses to register before sending messages. That registration process includes verification and monthly fees.

• Deliverability infrastructure: Platforms like TextSpot invest in backend infrastructure to make sure your messages actually get delivered fast and reliably.

• Spam and fraud prevention: Filtering, opt-out management, and legal compliance tools are built into legitimate platforms. That protection costs money but keeps you and your customers safe. 

The trick is choosing a free SMS automation tool that lets you try real features before committing to a paid plan. That’s what we’ve focused on below.

Comparison: Best Free SMS Automation Tools

1. TextSpot

Best for: Small businesses that want quick, easy, automated texting.

TextSpot makes it dead simple to schedule messages, send auto-replies, and manage contacts—without a bloated interface. With a clean UI and Zapier integrations, you can build simple workflows fast.

Price: Free 14-day trial. Paid plans from $29 per month (+$19 carrier registration).

✅ Clean interface
✅ Schedule texts or build drips
✅ Works with Zapier
❌ Lacks in-depth analytics (for now)

Use case: A local chiropractor uses TextSpot to send automated appointment reminders and post-visit follow-ups. Missed appointments drop by 30% in one quarter. 

2. SimpleTexting

Best for: Brands that want to build SMS marketing funnels fast.

SimpleTexting makes SMS campaigns feel like email marketing—easy to set up, with built-in automation and segmenting tools. It even supports surveys, contests, and 17,000+ integrations.

Price: Free trial. Paid plans start at $39/month for 500 messages.

✅ Intuitive dashboard
✅ Tons of automation tools
✅ Great for growing lists
❌ Manual messages are clunky
❌ More marketing-focused than transactional

Use case: A boutique runs a three-day sale campaign using SimpleTexting’s drip tools. Timed messages boost weekend traffic and increase daily revenue by 25%.

3. EZ Texting

Best for: Businesses that want messaging, marketing, and onboarding help in one place

EZ Texting is a solid all-in-one SMS marketing platform with strong segmentation and scheduling features. Great if you want campaign templates and support.

Price: Free trial. Paid plans start at $20/month + telecom fees.

✅ Segment and schedule easily
✅ Includes onboarding help at higher tiers
✅ Content-rich platform
❌ Trial only lets you text yourself
❌ Tutorials can get annoying

Use case: A restaurant uses EZ Texting to confirm reservations and alert loyal customers about last-minute openings. Weeknight bookings increase by 40%.

4. Podium

Best for: Service-based businesses focused on reviews, feedback, and inbound leads.

Podium wraps SMS, surveys, lead capture, and reputation management into one platform. If you’re trying to streamline customer communication post-service, this is a strong pick—though it’s not cheap.

Price: No free trial. All pricing is custom—translation: you’ll need to talk to sales. 

✅ Review requests and web chat via text
✅ Integrated AI follow-ups
❌ You’ll need to book a demo
❌ Pricing is unclear and likely higher-tier

Use case: A dental office uses Podium to send automated post-visit review requests. Within 60 days, their Google rating jumps from 4.1 to 4.7.

5. Twilio

Best for: Developers and SaaS teams building their own SMS workflows.

Twilio is extremely powerful and completely flexible. You can send automated texts based on user actions, build drip sequences, and handle two-way texting—all via code or its no-code tools.

Price: Pay-as-you-go. Messages start at $0.0079 each.

✅ API-first approach
✅ No monthly commitment
✅ Scales with your business
❌ Requires some dev knowledge
❌ More setup time than others

Use case: A SaaS startup builds a Twilio integration that instantly texts leads after form submissions. Their average response time drops from an hour to five minutes.

Automating Text Messages with Triggers and Actions

Text automation becomes a lot more powerful when you connect it to the rest of your business. That’s where triggers and actions come in.

• A trigger is the event that starts the automation: when this happens…
• An action is what you want to happen in response: do this…

For example:

• A customer submits a web form → Send a confirmation text
• A new row is added to a Google Sheet → Add that number to your SMS list
• A link in your text is clicked → Trigger a follow-up message

With TextSpot’s Zapier integration, you can connect your texting automations to over 7,000 other apps, including CRMs, forms, calendars, and more. 

Triggers & Actions Comparison

Here’s how the five platforms compare in terms of automation flexibility via Zapier.

Triggers

Actions

What This Means for You

If you’re looking to build flexible, hands-off workflows across your software stack:

• TextSpot stands out for its variety of useful triggers and actions, especially for businesses that want to sync contacts, send targeted texts, and track engagement through links.

• SimpleTexting is great for message delivery tracking and contact updates.

• EZ Texting offers solid options for inbound messaging, keyword opt-ins, sending messages, and managing contacts and groups.

• Twilio offers triggers and actions for SMS and call handling.

• Podium doesn’t currently support Zapier-based automations.

If you already use tools like Google Forms, Calendly, or HubSpot, TextSpot’s Zapier connection makes it easy to build automations in just a few clicks—no coding required.

Use Cases by Industry

Want to know how free automated SMS tools apply to your industry? Here’s a breakdown:

The Bottom Line

You can’t always send automated text messages for free forever, but you can try before you buy. That’s the best way to find out what works for your team.

• Want no-fuss automation? TextSpot
• Need marketing power? SimpleTexting
• Building something custom? Twilio

Start with a free trial. Pick the platform that fits your workflow. And start texting smarter—without wasting your time or your money.

Ready to try TextSpot for free? Sign up for a 14-day trial and start sending automated texts in minutes—no credit card required.