How much does ClickSend SMS API cost? (2026 guide)

TL;DR

ClickSend operates on a pay-as-you-go credit top-up system—no monthly subscriptions. Purchase credits and use them for SMS, MMS, or direct mail. Rates decrease as your top-up amount increases, with tiers at $20 (Boost), $500 (Growth), $3,000 (Scale), and $10,000 (Enterprise). US SMS pricing is dynamic and can be checked via the ClickSend pricing calculator. MMS is priced separately. Voice, email, and fax are unavailable to new customers.

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Introduction

ClickSend is an Australian business communications platform that originally supported SMS, MMS, email, voice, fax, and direct mail via a single API. This broad feature set appealed to teams seeking one provider for multiple channels.

Currently, ClickSend focuses almost exclusively on SMS and MMS. Voice, email, fax, and direct mail (Post) are discontinued for new users. Existing accounts keep access to those channels, but new signups are limited to SMS and MMS.

💡 Tip: Before building your integration, thoroughly test it. Apidog is a free API testing tool that lets you send real HTTP requests to the ClickSend REST API, inspect responses, and automate test scenarios—without writing test code from scratch.

This guide breaks down ClickSend pricing, cost factors, gotchas, and how it compares to Twilio, Bird, and Plivo.

ClickSend Pricing Overview

ClickSend uses a prepaid credit system. You buy credits in advance; each outbound message deducts from your balance. There are no monthly fees, per-seat charges, or contracts.

Top-up tiers:

Tier	Minimum top-up	Discount vs base
Boost	$20	Base rate
Growth	$500	~7% savings
Scale	$3,000	~14% savings
Enterprise	$10,000	~21% savings

Per-message rates vary by destination country and top-up tier. ClickSend doesn’t publish global flat rates—use the pricing calculator for specifics. US domestic SMS follows this tiered structure.

For large volumes, custom bulk pricing is available via sales.

Inbound SMS is always free on all plans.

Pricing Breakdown: SMS, MMS, Email, Direct Mail, Voice, Fax

SMS

• Country- and tier-specific pricing, visible in the ClickSend pricing calculator.
• US SMS is competitively priced; carrier fees apply for TFN, 10DLC, and shortcodes.
• ClickSend applies a flat average carrier fee to simplify billing.
• Inbound SMS is free.

MMS

• Priced separately from SMS; cost depends on country and top-up tier.
• Supports images, animations, and audio.
• Not all countries support MMS; check the pricing page or contact support.

Email

• No longer available to new users.
• Existing email customers are unaffected.

Direct Mail (Post)

• Discontinued for new users.
• Existing users retain access.

Voice (Text-to-Speech)

• Closed to new signups.
• Existing voice customers keep access.

Fax

• No longer offered for new customers.
• Existing fax users retain access.

Summary: Channel Availability

Channel	Available to new customers
SMS	Yes
MMS	Yes
Email	No
Voice	No
Fax	No
Direct mail	No

What Affects Your ClickSend Bill

Top-up Tier

• Bigger top-ups yield lower rates.
• $10,000 (Enterprise) tier offers ~21% savings over base.

Destination Country

• Pricing varies significantly by target country.
• Always check the calculator for destinations you’ll message.

Number Type

• US sender types (dedicated, TFN, 10DLC, shortcode) have different carrier surcharges.
• Carrier fees are added to ClickSend’s per-message rate.

Message Length

• Standard SMS = 160 characters.
• Messages >160 chars are split/billed per segment.
• Unicode (emojis, non-Latin) reduces segment size to 70 chars.

MMS vs SMS

• MMS costs more than SMS.
• Attachments (images, audio) increase cost.

Hidden Costs

Carrier Surcharges (US)

• Flat average carrier fee for TFN, 10DLC, shortcode SMS.
• Fee is added to per-message credit cost—check the current rate on the pricing page.

10DLC Registration

• Required for A2P SMS to US via 10DLC.
• Brand/campaign registration fees (one-time) via The Campaign Registry (TCR) processed by ClickSend.

Number Rental

• Dedicated and toll-free numbers: monthly rental fees.
• Shortcodes: higher monthly fees.
• Rental fees billed separately from message credits.

Inactivity and Credit Expiry

• Credits don’t expire if your account is active.
• Dormant accounts may lose prepaid balances—review ClickSend’s terms.

Support Tiers

• 24/7 support included with all top-ups.
• Phone/priority support at higher tiers or via enterprise agreements.

ClickSend vs Alternatives

Feature	ClickSend	Twilio	Bird	Plivo
US SMS price (est.)	Tiered by top-up	~$0.0079/msg	~$0.0033/msg	~$0.0055/msg
MMS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pricing model	Credit top-up, payg	Pay-as-you-go	Pay-as-you-go	Pay-as-you-go
Monthly minimum	None	None	None	None
Free trial	Yes (free credits)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Voice	No (new accounts)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Email	No (new accounts)	No (separate)	Yes	No
Physical mail	No (new accounts)	No	No	No
Carrier surcharges US	Yes (flat rate)	Yes (variable)	Yes	Yes
10DLC support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
REST API	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Global coverage	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Support	24/7 included	Tiered	Tiered	Tiered

• ClickSend’s appeal was multi-channel support, but now SMS/MMS are the only options for new accounts.
• Bird offers lower US SMS rates. Twilio has more developer tools. Plivo competes on price and voice features.
• ClickSend stands out for simplicity—straightforward credit model, unlimited users, and no seat fees.

How to Get Started for Free

ClickSend offers a free trial—no credit card required. You get free credits to test outbound messaging.

Steps:

1. Go to clicksend.com and click "Free trial."
2. Sign up with your email.
3. Verify your account.
4. Access the dashboard to find your API username and API key.
5. Send a test message via dashboard or API.

API documentation: https://developers.clicksend.com/docs/

Authentication uses HTTP Basic Auth with your username and API key.

How to Test Your ClickSend SMS Integration with Apidog

Use Apidog to validate your ClickSend integration before production.

Step-by-step:

1. Create a Request in Apidog

   • Open Apidog, create a new project.
   • Add a POST request:

   https://rest.clicksend.com/v3/sms/send
   

2. Set Up Authentication

   • Go to the Authorization tab.
   • Select Basic Auth.
   • Enter your ClickSend username and API key.

3. Add the Request Body

   • Switch to the Body tab.
   • Select JSON and enter:

   {
     "messages": [
       {
         "body": "Hello from Apidog test",
         "to": "[phone]",
         "source": "sdk"
       }
     ]
   }
   

4. Send and Inspect the Response

   • Click "Send."
   • Apidog displays the full HTTP response, including status, headers, and body.
   • A successful send returns HTTP 200 with a queued status.

5. Build a Test Scenario

   • In Apidog's Tests module, create a scenario chaining requests: authenticate, send SMS, check delivery.
   • Extract values (like message_id) and pass them to subsequent requests using {{$.stepId.response.body.field}}.

This method helps you catch integration issues before production. Apidog also supports assertions to validate response schemas automatically.

Conclusion

ClickSend is a straightforward, pay-as-you-go SMS platform with no monthly fees or seat costs and 24/7 support included. Larger top-ups mean better rates. The free trial lets you test risk-free.

For teams needing reliable SMS at scale with predictable pricing, ClickSend is a practical choice. Use Apidog to quickly validate your integration, then scale confidently.

FAQ

How much does ClickSend SMS cost per message in the US?

ClickSend doesn't publish a fixed US rate. Pricing depends on your top-up tier. Use the pricing calculator and select United States for current rates.

Does ClickSend charge a monthly fee?

No. ClickSend is fully pay-as-you-go. No subscription, monthly minimum, or per-seat charge.

Are inbound SMS messages free with ClickSend?

Yes. Inbound SMS is always free.

Does ClickSend still offer email, voice, and fax?

Not for new customers. Email, voice, fax, and direct mail are sunset for new signups. Existing customers retain access.

What is the minimum top-up on ClickSend?

$20 on the Boost tier.

Does ClickSend support 10DLC for US SMS?

Yes. ClickSend supports 10DLC, toll-free, and shortcodes for US A2P SMS. Brand and campaign registration fees apply.

How does ClickSend compare to Twilio on price?

Both are competitive for US SMS. ClickSend's tiered credit model can be cheaper at high volume; Twilio offers more developer tools and channels. Choose based on your volume, technical needs, and required features.