Mobile messaging has completely changed how we communicate today. It was primarily used for P2P messaging but lately, businesses have unveiled the benefits of mobile messaging. Therefore it now has wide B2P usage. There are so many different ways to send text messages today. Businesses widely use B2P and A2P messages to engage with their customers. They often choose to send either SMS or an MMS. It’s important to understand what SMS & MMS are? And how they are different?  Understanding the difference between two will give you an ability to choose which messaging form is best to connect with your customers.  

 What is SMS?

SMS stands for “Short Message Service.” It was first presented by the global mobile communication system in the early 1980’s. The idea was to mainly send a rapid short message from one cell phone to another. SMS is significantly a service provided by cell phone network provider and it is mostly part of a user’s text package and is very much able to work with any cell phone that exists globally.

SMS is commonly referred to as text message. It supports alphanumeric messages and is limited to 160 characters. It does not support any form of media files (photos or videos). 

Pro’s of SMS:-

* Simple alphanumberic message. Easy to compose and conveys clear message to end user.

* Cheaper alternative for businesses that want to leverage SMS for their marketing and communication needs.

* Often no cost attached for the subscriber as texting is a feature most cellphone carriers offer without any added cost.

 

 Con’s of SMS:-

Does not support any kind of media file like photos, video etc.

* Due the character length limit it is difficult to send longer messages if needed by your business. 

What is MMS?

MMS stands for “Multimedia Messaging Service.” MMS enables mobile users to send and receive multimedia files like photos, videos, audio clips, GIF’s and more. MMS supports sending messages of upto 1600 characters. You can send MMS messages that contain both text and multimedia files.   

Pro’s of MMS:-

MMS messages definitely have better chances of catching user attention as they have ability to send media files.

* Allows to send longer messages of upto 1600 characters. 

Con’s of SMS:-

* Costs more when compared to SMS.

* MMS media files can only be received on smart phones.  

Which is better choice SMS or MMS?

 When it comes to deciding between SMS and MMS, its very important to understand the key difference between the two.

Message length: One of the key differences between SMS & MMS is the length of the message. While SMS is limited to 160 characters, MMS can be used to send longer message

Media file Support: SMS messages are strictly text only, whereas MMS messages support media files such as audio files, video files and GIF’s

 Pricing: When comparing pricing of the two services MMS tends to be more expensive than SMS. This difference is mainly because when sending MMS message there is usually more data that needs to be transmitted. 

Choosing between the two depends on case to case basis. One may choose SMS as they can communicate their message to the customer through simple text message and call to action link. They don’t feel the need for sending media files. Whereas to another business MMS is more valuable as to catch their users attention they need fancy image to go with text and call to action link.