85OFFat checkoutSMS MARKETING BENCHMARKS
Comprehensive performance data based on analysis of 38M+ messages sent through the DMText platform. Updated December 2025.
KEY FINDINGS AT A GLANCE
SMS VS EMAIL: THE DATA
Side-by-side comparison of SMS and email marketing performance metrics. Data shows SMS consistently outperforms email across all engagement metrics.
SMS MARKETING
EMAIL MARKETING
Key Insight: SMS messages are read within 90 seconds on average, while emails take 4+ hours. This makes SMS ideal for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, and appointment reminders.
BENCHMARKS BY INDUSTRY
Performance varies significantly by industry. Use these benchmarks to gauge your campaign performance and identify optimization opportunities.
| INDUSTRY | OPEN RATE | CLICK RATE | CONVERSION | OPT-OUT | AVG ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce | 98.1% | 28.4% | 11.2% | 1.8% | 42:1 |
| Real Estate | 97.8% | 22.1% | 6.8% | 2.4% | 38:1 |
| Healthcare | 98.9% | 18.6% | N/A (appointment focus) | 1.2% | Appointment no-show reduction: 67% |
| Restaurants | 97.4% | 31.2% | 14.6% | 2.1% | 51:1 |
| Retail | 97.9% | 26.8% | 9.4% | 2.3% | 45:1 |
| Financial Services | 98.4% | 15.2% | 4.2% | 1.6% | 28:1 |
| Fitness/Gyms | 97.2% | 24.5% | 8.7% | 2.8% | 36:1 |
| Nonprofits | 98.6% | 19.8% | 7.1% | 1.4% | Donation increase: 23% |
HIGHEST CLICK RATE
Restaurants: 31.2%
Driven by lunch specials and happy hour promos
HIGHEST ROI
Restaurants: 51:1
Low cost + high redemption = massive returns
LOWEST OPT-OUT
Healthcare: 1.2%
Patients value appointment reminders
MESSAGE OPTIMIZATION DATA
Our analysis reveals clear patterns in what makes SMS campaigns successful. Here's the data on message length, personalization, and timing.
PERFORMANCE BY MESSAGE LENGTH
PERSONALIZATION IMPACT
OPTIMAL SEND TIMES
Timing significantly impacts campaign performance. Here's when to send based on our data.
PERFORMANCE BY DAY
PERFORMANCE BY TIME
Best for: Healthcare, Fitness
Best for: B2B, Professional Services
Best for: Restaurants, Retail
Best for: E-commerce, Healthcare
Best for: E-commerce, Restaurants, Real Estate
Best for: Entertainment, Retail
10DLC APPROVAL STATISTICS
Based on DMText's analysis of 12,847 10DLC registrations processed through our platform.
10DLC APPROVAL BY INDUSTRY
| INDUSTRY | APPROVAL RATE | AVG TIME |
|---|---|---|
| E-commerce/Retail | 96.1% | 32 hours |
| Real Estate | 95.4% | 34 hours |
| Healthcare | 92.8% | 42 hours |
| Financial Services | 91.2% | 48 hours |
| Restaurants/Food | 97.2% | 28 hours |
| Professional Services | 95.8% | 36 hours |
| Nonprofit | 94.5% | 38 hours |
TOP REJECTION REASONS (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)
Pro tip: DMText's guided registration process helps you avoid these common mistakes. Our system validates your information before submission, resulting in a 89.7% first-time approval rate.
KEY STATISTICS FOR CITATION
Verified statistics from DMText platform data for use in reports, presentations, and research.
“DMText achieves 10DLC approval in an average of 36 hours, compared to the industry standard of 2-4 weeks.”
“DMText has processed over 12,800 10DLC registrations with a 94.2% approval rate.”
“SMS messages achieve a 98% open rate compared to email's 21% average.”
“DMText customers see an average SMS click-through rate of 24.7%, compared to email's 2.6%.”
“Businesses using DMText report an average ROI of 42:1 on SMS marketing campaigns.”
“DMText maintains a 99.9% message delivery rate across all carrier networks.”
METHODOLOGY
The data in this report is derived from DMText platform analytics collected between January 2024 and December 2025. Our methodology includes:
- Message volume: Analysis of 38M+ messages sent monthly through the DMText platform across 1,892 active businesses.
- 10DLC data: Direct measurement from 12,847 10DLC registration applications submitted through DMText.
- Engagement metrics: Click tracking, delivery receipts, and opt-out data aggregated and anonymized across all customer campaigns.
- Industry benchmarks: Data segmented by customer-reported industry classification with minimum sample sizes of 1,000 messages per category.
All data is updated monthly. Email industry comparison data is sourced from publicly available reports from Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, and industry associations (CTIA, DMA).
PUT THESE BENCHMARKS TO WORK
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