RCS vs. SMS: What's the difference (and why it matters)

RCS vs. SMS: What's the difference (and why it matters)

Text messaging has been around for over 30 years. And for most of that time, SMS has been the standard—160 characters, plain text, no frills. It works on every phone, in every country, on every carrier.

That reliability made it the backbone of business messaging, but there’s a new messaging option in town.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a messaging protocol that brings texting into the modern era. It allows rich media, read receipts, typing indicators, and interactive buttons all within the native messaging app.

If you've been seeing more colorful, feature-rich text conversations lately, that's RCS at work. And if you're a business trying to figure out which messaging format to invest in, the RCS vs. SMS question is worth exploring (and debating).

Here’s everything you need to know about RCS vs. SMS and which is right for your business use cases.

What is SMS?

SMS (Short Message Service) is the original text messaging protocol. It's been around since 1992 and remains the most widely used form of mobile messaging in the world.

It’s simple:

• 160-character limit per message (longer messages get split into segments)

• Text only. No images, videos, or rich media

• Works on every mobile phone, from the latest iPhone to a 15-year-old flip phone

• Carrier-based delivery. Messages route through cellular networks, not the internet

SMS doesn't require a smartphone, data connection, or specific application. If a device can connect to a cellular network, it can send and receive SMS.

For businesses, SMS has become a primary channel for transactional messages (order confirmations, appointment reminders, two-factor authentication), marketing campaigns, and customer notifications. Delivery rates are high, open rates hover around 98%, and the infrastructure is battle-tested.

However, SMS is limited. It has no branding, images, interactivity, or native way to know if someone read your message.

What is RCS?

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next-generation messaging protocol designed to replace SMS. It’s the equivalent of iMessage or WhatsApp functionality but built into the default messaging app on Android devices (and now increasingly supported on iOS).

RCS provides:

• Rich media support: high-resolution images, videos, audio, and file sharing

• Read receipts and typing indicators: see when messages are delivered, read, and when someone's responding

• Branded messaging: businesses can include logos, colors, and verified sender information

• Interactive elements: buttons, carousels, quick replies, and suggested actions

• No character limits: messages can be much longer than SMS's 160-character cap

• Group chat improvements: better functionality for group messaging

RCS messages travel over data networks (Wi-Fi or mobile data) rather than traditional cellular infrastructure. This enables the richer feature set but also means delivery depends on internet connectivity and device compatibility.

For businesses, RCS opens up new possibilities: product carousels in a text thread, appointment booking buttons, branded customer service conversations, and interactive marketing campaigns that feel more like app experiences than text messages.

RCS vs SMS: key differences

Here’s how RCS and SMS compare across the features that matter most:

1. Media and content

SMS is text-only. If you want to send images or video via traditional messaging, you need MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), which has its own limitations: file size caps, inconsistent rendering across devices, and higher costs.

RCS supports rich media natively. High-resolution images, videos up to 10MB or more (depending on carrier), audio files, and documents can all be shared within a single conversation thread. For businesses, this means product images, how-to videos, and branded content can live directly in the messaging experience.

2. Interactivity

SMS is a one-way street in terms of functionality. You send text; they receive text. Any action beyond reading requires the recipient to leave the conversation by clicking a link, calling a number, or opening an app.

RCS lets businesses embed interactive elements directly in messages:

• Quick reply buttons that let customers respond with a single tap

• Carousels for browsing products or options within the message

• Suggested actions like "Call now," "Get directions," or "Add to calendar"

• Rich cards combining images, text, and buttons in a single unit

This interactivity keeps customers in the conversation rather than bouncing them to external destinations.

3. Branding and verification

SMS messages arrive from phone numbers or shortcodes with no visual branding. Recipients see digits instead of your company name or logo. This creates friction for brand recognition and opens the door for spoofing and phishing attempts.

RCS supports verified sender profiles. Businesses can display their name, logo, and brand colors directly in the message thread. Carriers and platforms verify these profiles, giving recipients confidence that the message is legitimate.

4. Delivery and reliability

SMS has a major advantage here: near-universal delivery. If someone has a phone with cellular service, they can receive SMS. No smartphone, data connection required, or app required.

RCS depends on data connectivity and device support. If the recipient's phone doesn't support RCS, or if they're offline, the message won't deliver as RCS. Most implementations handle this gracefully by falling back to SMS, but that fallback means losing all the rich features.

For businesses that prioritize reach over features, SMS's reliability is hard to beat. For businesses targeting smartphone users who want engaging experiences, RCS offers features SMS simply can't match.

5. Cost considerations

SMS pricing is simple—you pay per message segment, with rates varying by country and carrier. MMS typically costs more due to the media payload.

RCS pricing is still evolving. Some carriers charge per message, others per session, and pricing varies significantly by region and provider. In many cases, RCS messages cost more than SMS but deliver more value through higher engagement rates and richer functionality.

The ROI calculation depends on your use case. If RCS's interactive features drive higher conversion rates or reduce support volume, the higher per-message cost would be worth it.

What about RCS vs. SMS. MMS?

If you're comparing RCS vs SMS, MMS deserves a mention too. MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) has been the middle ground for years. It’s SMS with media support.

Here's how all three line up side-by-side:

MMS works on more devices than RCS and supports basic multimedia, but it lacks the interactivity, branding, and modern features that make RCS compelling. For many businesses, MMS has been a stopgap—sure, it’s better than SMS alone, but not a long-term messaging strategy.

When to use SMS vs RCS

The choice between SMS and RCS depends on your goals, audience, and use case.

Use SMS when:

• Reach is your priority. You need to reach every phone, including feature phones and devices without data connections

• You're sending transactional messages where reliability matters more than rich features (OTPs, alerts, appointment reminders)

• Your audience is global and RCS support varies by region

• Cost efficiency matters and you're sending high volumes of simple notifications

• You need guaranteed delivery without depending on data connectivity

Use RCS when:

• Engagement matters more than reach. You want interactive, branded experiences

• You're targeting smartphone users in markets with strong RCS support

• You're running marketing campaigns where rich media and interactivity drive conversions

• Customer experience is a differentiator. You want conversations to feel modern and branded

• You're building conversational commerce with product browsing, booking, or purchasing within the message thread

Use RCS & SMS when:

Ultimately, for most businesses, the answer isn't SMS or RCS—it's both. Use RCS as your primary format for supported devices and fall back to SMS when RCS isn't available. This approach maximizes reach while delivering the best possible experience to each recipient.

Build your complete business messaging solution with Twilio

SMS isn't going anywhere. Its universal reach and reliability make it indispensable for transactional messaging and markets where RCS support is limited.

But RCS represents where messaging is headed with rich media, interactivity, branding, and verification that creates experiences that feel native to how people communicate today.

With Apple now supporting RCS on iOS, the addressable audience has expanded. For businesses investing in messaging as a customer engagement channel, RCS is now worth serious consideration.

We recommend building a messaging strategy that leverages both:

• RCS for the richest possible experience

• SMS as the reliable fallback

That way, you're ready for where messaging is today and where it's going tomorrow.

Twilio's messaging platform supports SMS, MMS, and RCS so you can reach customers on the channels they prefer with the features they expect. Explore Twilio Messaging to get started.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between RCS and SMS?

SMS is the traditional text messaging protocol: plain text, 160-character limit, no media support. RCS is the next-generation standard that adds rich media (images, video, audio), read receipts, typing indicators, interactive buttons, and branded sender profiles. SMS works on every phone with cellular service, while RCS requires a smartphone with data connectivity and RCS support.

Is RCS better than SMS?

RCS offers more features (rich media, interactivity, branding, and read receipts) but "better" depends on your use case. For engaging marketing campaigns and branded customer experiences, RCS delivers more value. For transactional messages where universal reach and reliability matter most, SMS is still the safer choice. Most businesses benefit from using both, with RCS as the primary format and SMS as the fallback.

What is the difference between SMS vs MMS vs RCS?

SMS is text-only messaging with a 160-character limit. MMS adds basic multimedia support (images, short videos) but with file size restrictions and no interactivity. RCS is the most feature-rich option with high-resolution media, interactive elements like buttons and carousels, branded sender profiles, and read receipts. SMS works on all phones, MMS on most smartphones, and RCS on supported smartphones with data connectivity.

Do RCS messages fall back to SMS?

Yes, most RCS implementations automatically fall back to SMS when the recipient's device doesn't support RCS or lacks data connectivity. This means your message still gets delivered, but without the rich features. This fallback capability helps maximize reach while still delivering enhanced experiences to RCS-capable devices.

Does iPhone support RCS messaging?

Yes, as of iOS 18 (released in 2024), iPhones support RCS messaging. This was a major milestone for RCS adoption since Apple's lack of support had been the biggest barrier to reaching a broad audience. Now, RCS messages can be sent between Android and iPhone users, though the experience may vary slightly depending on carrier support and regional availability.