The best SMS service for businesses 2026 – a comparison of Swedish options
An SMS service is a tool that lets companies send text messages to many recipients at the same time, directly from the web. Which service is best depends on what you are going to send: a plain SMS gateway is cheapest for large volumes, an operator service suits those who already live in the operator's world, and a platform where SMS, email and events are connected suits those who communicate in several channels. Here we compare six services on the Swedish market – including our own.
How we made the comparison
We have compared the services on what matters in practice: what type of service it is, whether you can send from the web without installing anything, whether there are more channels than SMS, whether there is an API for connecting your own systems, whether you can try it for free and what the pricing model looks like.
Paloma is one of the services in the comparison. It is our own platform, so we are open about where the competitors are stronger – a plain SMS gateway, for example, is often cheaper per SMS than we are at very large volumes. The information about the other services was checked against the providers' own websites in September 2026. Prices and features can change, so always double-check with the provider before you decide.
This guide is general information and not a recommendation for your particular organization – needs differ.
The quick version – which service suits whom?
You want SMS, newsletters and events in the same tool: Paloma or Rule. Both are Swedish platforms where SMS is one channel among several. Paloma also has event management with registrations and check-in, which Rule lacks.
You are only going to send SMS and want the lowest possible threshold: HelloSMS or ProSMS. HelloSMS runs monthly subscriptions with a free trial account; ProSMS has no monthly fee at all – you only pay per SMS sent.
You have strict security or procurement requirements: SMS Teknik, with a management system certified to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001, or Telia SMS Direct if you want an operator as your counterpart.
You are going to build SMS into your own systems: all six have or are building an API, but the dedicated gateways – SMS Teknik, ProSMS and HelloSMS – have it as their core product.
Comparison table
| Service | Type of service | Send from the web | More channels than SMS | API | Try for free | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paloma | Platform: SMS, newsletters, events, marketing automation | Yes | Yes – email, events, surveys, automation | Being expanded | Yes – free account with 5 SMS a month | Go+ from 695 SEK/month + SMS price, no lock-in period |
| HelloSMS | Plain SMS service | Yes | No | Yes | Yes – free trial account | Subscription from 69 SEK/month + SMS price |
| ProSMS | SMS gateway | Yes | No | Yes | Yes – trial account with 10 SMS | No monthly fee, pay per SMS |
| SMS Teknik | SMS gateway, ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 | Yes | No | Yes – JSON API | Contact/quote | Quote |
| Telia SMS Direct | Operator service | Yes | No – SMS and RCS | Yes | Book a demo | Quote |
| Rule | Platform: email and SMS/RCS | Yes | Yes – email and automation, no events | Yes | Yes – free tier for email | Subscription |
The information comes from each provider's own website in September 2026 and may have changed.
The services in detail
Paloma – when SMS is one of several channels
Paloma is a Swedish platform, built in Hedemora since 2003, where SMS lives alongside newsletters, event management and marketing automation. Its strength is the connection: the same contact list is used for all channels, so you can invite people to an event by email, remind them by SMS and follow up afterwards without exporting lists between systems. In Paloma's SMS service you send directly from the web, with your own sender name and statistics for each send.
All paid plans have an unlimited number of contacts and no lock-in period, and the free account includes 5 SMS a month so that you can test the flow before you pay anything. If you are going to do really large bulk SMS sends, volume handling, groups and scheduling are built in.
Skip Paloma if: you are only going to send SMS and never anything else. Then you pay for channels you do not use, and a plain gateway is simpler and often cheaper per SMS at large volumes.
HelloSMS – the easiest to get started with
HelloSMS is a Swedish plain SMS service that has been around since 2012. You send through the web interface or directly from your normal email program, and there is an API, customer club features and detailed send statistics with click tracking. The pricing model is a monthly subscription from 69 SEK a month with annual payment plus an SMS price, with a free trial account and the option to cancel at any time. A good way in for those who want a simple, dedicated SMS channel without bigger commitments.
ProSMS – no monthly fee at all
ProSMS is an SMS gateway where you only pay for what you use – no monthly fee, no subscription. The trial account includes 10 SMS. The service is aimed exclusively at companies, associations and organizations, and the gateway is audited under ISAE 3000. It suits those who send irregularly and do not want a fixed cost during quiet months.
SMS Teknik – for security requirements and procurements
SMS Teknik is one of the larger SMS providers in the Nordics and stands out with a management system certified to both ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2023. That makes the service a natural choice when the SMS provider has to meet formal security requirements, for example in public procurements. There is a modern JSON API, and the price is set by quote.
Telia SMS Direct – the operator as your counterpart
Telia SMS Direct gathers a company's SMS communication with the operator: bulk sends from the web, emails that become SMS, automated flows, an API and also RCS – messages with the company's logo and colors directly in the recipient's messaging app. The service is connected to operators around the world, which makes it strong for international sends. Price on contact and demo. Telenor also has corresponding SMS services for businesses, so if you already have an operator agreement, it is worth asking what is included.
Rule – email and SMS in the same platform
Rule is, like Paloma, a Swedish platform where SMS is combined with email marketing and marketing automation. You can segment recipient lists and send bulk SMS manually or automatically through automation flows, and Rule also supports RCS with images, video and buttons. What sets the platforms apart is above all the event part – Rule has no event management with registrations and check-in. There is a free tier for email sends.
What does an SMS service cost?
The cost almost always has two parts: a fixed part (a subscription, or nothing at all) and a price per SMS sent. The SMS price is driven by volume – for smaller sends the market is often around 0.50 to 1 SEK per SMS, while large volumes are negotiated down considerably. An SMS is also technically limited to 160 characters; longer messages are split up and charged as several SMS, which is the most common reason an invoice is higher than expected.
So do not just count the unit price. If you send 200 SMS a month, a difference of 0.10 SEK per SMS matters less than what the platform does for you otherwise. If you send 50,000 a month, it is the other way around – then the unit price is almost everything, and a gateway with a volume discount wins. Sending group SMS to smaller, recurring groups is somewhere in between, where scheduling and group management are often worth more than the fractions of a krona.
How to choose in five steps
Define what you are going to send
Campaigns, reminders, operational information or all three? One-off volumes or recurring sends? The answer decides whether you need a gateway or a platform.
Count your real volume
Estimate the number of SMS per month and work out the total cost per service, not just the unit price. Do not forget that messages over 160 characters are charged as several SMS.
Decide whether SMS will stand alone
If you also send newsletters or organize events, you gain from a shared contact list in one platform. If SMS is your only channel, a dedicated service is enough.
Check the requirements
Do you need your own sender name, an API, two-way communication or certifications for a procurement? Cross out the services that do not meet the must-haves before you compare prices.
Test before you decide
Most services have a free trial account or a demo. Do a real test send to your colleagues and judge how long it took from logging in to a sent SMS.
Frequently asked questions about SMS services
Which SMS service is best?
It depends on your needs. If you are only going to send SMS, HelloSMS or ProSMS are the easiest to get started with; if you have strict security requirements, SMS Teknik with ISO/IEC 27001 is a safe choice; and if you also communicate through newsletters and events, you get the most from a platform such as Paloma or Rule, where the channels share a contact list.
What does it cost to send SMS from an SMS service?
Usually a subscription plus a price per SMS. The unit price is often between 0.50 and 1 SEK for smaller volumes and is negotiated down for large ones. Some services, such as ProSMS, have no monthly fee at all, while others are based on subscriptions. Messages over 160 characters are split up and charged as several SMS.
Can you send SMS to customers for free?
On a small scale, yes. Several services have free trial accounts, and Paloma's free account includes 5 SMS a month with no time limit. For real sends to customer lists you always pay per SMS – unlike email, SMS has a real cost per message with the operators.
How do I send an SMS to many people at the same time?
With an SMS service you upload or import your recipients, write the message once and send it to the whole list at the same time, with your own sender name and statistics. Sending from an ordinary phone only works for small groups and lacks a sender name, scheduling and the option to unsubscribe.
Can you send SMS over the internet, from a computer?
Yes, that is exactly what an SMS service does. All six services in the comparison have a web interface where you write and send SMS directly from your computer's browser, without installing anything. Several also let you send SMS by email or through an API from your own systems.
What is the difference between an SMS service and an SMS gateway?
The terms overlap. An SMS gateway is the technical connection to the mobile networks, often with an API as the core product and a price per SMS. An SMS service in the broader sense adds a web interface, groups, scheduling and statistics on top. Platforms that combine SMS with email and events are one more step up the chain.
Do I need a lock-in period or a contract for an SMS service?
Rarely. Most self-service tools – Paloma, HelloSMS, ProSMS – run without a lock-in period, with a monthly subscription or pure usage. Operator and quote-based services such as Telia SMS Direct and SMS Teknik, on the other hand, are often based on contracts, which can be an advantage in procurements and a disadvantage for those who want to be able to cancel right away.
What applies to the GDPR and consent for SMS sends?
Mobile numbers are personal data, so you need a legal basis for the send – for marketing, as a rule, consent or an existing customer relationship – and every send must have a clear sender and an easy way to unsubscribe. Choose a service that handles unsubscribes automatically, and sign a data processing agreement with the provider.
Try sending SMS with Paloma
Send text messages, newsletters and event invitations from the same contact list. The free account includes 5 SMS a month – enough to try the whole flow before you pay anything.
Create a free accountThis guide compares SMS services for businesses on the Swedish market: plain SMS gateways, operator services and platforms that combine SMS with more channels. If you want to dig deeper into how to use the channel, you will find guides on SMS marketing, bulk SMS and how to choose the right SMS service for businesses among our guides.