Top 7 Texting Softwares for Sales Teams in 2026 (Best SMS Platforms Compared)

Why Sales Teams Need Texting Software in 2026

Sales outreach has changed. Email gets ignored, phone calls go to voicemail, but text messages? They get opened 98% of the time—and answered up to 10x faster than email. That’s why more companies are searching for the best texting software for sales teams: tools that make it easy to start conversations, track performance, and integrate with CRMs.

But not every SMS platform is built with sales in mind. Some focus on marketing campaigns. Others require technical expertise just to set up. And a few don’t connect with CRMs at all, which leaves sales teams flying blind.

That’s why we put together this list of the top SMS platforms in 2026, with a focus on features that matter most to sales leaders: CRM integrations, scalability, affordability, and visibility.

What Is the Best Texting Software for Sales Teams in 2026?

The short answer: it depends. If you’ve got a squad of engineers, Twilio is powerful. But if you’re running a sales team that needs to move fast and focus on pipeline? TextUs is the best texting software for sales teams—because it was built for exactly that.

TL;DR

• Twilio: Best if you have engineers to build and maintain custom APIs.
• TextUs: Best all-around texting software for sales teams. Affordable, scalable, CRM-ready, and built for real sales conversations.
• Podium: Strong for local businesses, weak for enterprise sales.
• Trumpia: Smaller provider with clunky UX, limited CRM integrations, and poor reviews.
• Textline: Simple and straightforward, but lacks advanced CRM integrations and sales-focused insights.
• MessageMedia: Good for broad messaging needs, but not sales-specific.
• Heymarket: Easy to start, but sales teams outgrow it quickly.

1. Twilio – Best for Developer-Heavy Teams Who Have the Time

Twilio is the biggest name in SMS. Think of it like a hardware store for texting—you can build anything if you’ve got the tools, budget, and people.

Pros: Endless customization, Robust developer tools

Cons: Requires engineering resources, Ongoing maintenance costs, CRM integration takes a lot of extra work

Best for: Companies with large dev teams that want to build and maintain their own SMS infrastructure.

FAQ: Is Twilio good for sales teams?

Yes – if you’re willing to custom-build it. But for most sales teams, Twilio is too complex and dev team requirement heavy compared to ready-to-go SMS platforms. Plus, if you want new features, you have to build them. 

2. TextUs – Best All-Around SMS Platform for Sales Teams

This is where we shine. TextUs is Performance SMS and is built for sales, marketing, recruiting, and customer-facing teams who need fast, personal engagements at scale - without babysitting an API.

Why sales teams choose TextUs:

• Affordable at high volumes – Pricing that scales with you, not against you.
• CRM integrations that work – Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier, and more.
• Shared inbox visibility – Managers and reps stay aligned.
• Performance insights – Opens, replies, Opt-outs - you see it all.
• Personalization at scale – Campaigns that still feel one-to-one, to thousands at a time.
  
  

Best for: Sales teams that want to move faster, connect smarter, and convert more deals without the technical headaches.

FAQ: Why is TextUs the best SMS platform for sales teams?

Because it was designed for them through the performance sms lens. From CRM integrations to team visibility, TextUs makes it easy to text so reps can focus on building pipeline and converting deals.

3. Podium – Best for Local Businesses Focused on Reviews

Podium works well for appointment reminders and review requests. But that is one of 10+ use cases for sales teams needing a performance SMS solution. Great for small service-based companies. Not so great for growing or enterprise sales.

Pros: Easy to use for SMBs
Cons: Basic SMS features, limited features for sales teams

FAQ: Is Podium a good texting tool for B2B sales?

Not really. Podium is better suited for SMBs in service industries primarily that are looking to grow reviews than for sales teams focused on pipeline growth.

4. Trumpia – Smaller Solution With Weak Reviews

Trumpia promises automation and multi-channel messaging, but reviews often highlight clunky UX, limited CRM integrations, and poor customer support. For sales teams? That’s a big dealbreaker.

Pros: Low entry cost, basic automation
Cons: Poor support, hard-to-use interface, lacks CRM depth

FAQ: Why does Trumpia have negative reviews?

Most complaints focus on confusing setup, lack of support, and limited CRM connectivity - issues that make it tough for sales teams to rely on.

5. Textline – Best for Simplicity

Textline is basic and clean which is good for small teams that need basic business abilities. But Basic doesn’t get you great results. It gets you basic results. Without advanced CRM integrations, analytics, and automation, it’s not enough for serious sales teams to improve performance.

Pros: Easy to use, lightweight
Cons: Limited CRM integrations, not built for scaling sales

FAQ: Is Textline a good alternative to TextUs?

Not entirely. We see a lot of customers move from Textline to TextUs due the lack of features. Textline isn’t for sales teams. Textline works fine for small operations, but lacks the sales-focused insights and integrations that TextUs provides.

6. MessageMedia – Broad Messaging, Not SMS or Sales-Focused

MessageMedia plays in the broader messaging space. That’s fine for general communication, but sales teams need tools that tie directly to pipeline and conversion impact. That’s not MessageMedia’s sweet spot.

Pros: Broad messaging options, flexible use cases
Cons: Not SMS or sales-specific, weak analytics for performance sms & pipeline generation

FAQ: Who should use MessageMedia?

Teams with broader messaging need. Sales teams focused on pipeline growth will find it too generic with minimal performance based insights. 

7. Heymarket – Lightweight but Limited

Heymarket offers shared inboxes and templates. It’s simple, easy to onboard, but most teams outgrow it once they need automation, CRM integrations, or higher volumes.

Pros: Easy onboarding
Cons: Limited for scaling sales outreach, Limited performance analytics

FAQ: Is Heymarket a scalable sales texting tool?

Not entirely. It’s fine for small teams just starting with SMS, but it lacks the depth to grow with sales orgs long-term.

Final Verdict: Which SMS Platform Should Sales Teams Choose?

If you want to custom-build your own system that you get to maintain yourself, Twilio’s your bet. But if you want the best texting software for sales teams in 2026, affordable at scale, deeply integrated with CRMs, and designed to move pipeline, TextUs is the clear choice.

And yeah, obviously we’re biased. But here’s the thing: we wouldn’t have written this with clear competitor names if we didn’t truly believe we are the best option. After helping thousands of teams text smarter and seeing the difference with our own sales team, we’re confident that TextUs gives sales orgs the speed, personalization, and visibility they need to win with performance SMS.