Send Business SMS To Customers And Staff In Seconds
Text customers, staff and suppliers from a browser, your email or your own software. Texts to Australian mobiles travel on Australian carrier routes, with no monthly fee.
Trusted by Australian businesses since 2002
Business SMS is text messaging a business uses for appointment reminders, alerts, marketing and two-way conversations with customers and staff. 160.com.au is a Sydney-based SMS service provider, running since 2002. You can send from the web platform, from email or through an SMS API, with a 100% delivery guarantee.
Start Using SMS for Your Business in Three Steps
Step 1: Create a free account
Register online and test every feature with trial credits before you buy a package.
Step 2: Load your contacts
Import a spreadsheet or paste in numbers, then sort customers, staff and suppliers into their own contact lists.
Step 3: Send from where you work
Use the web platform, send from your email inbox, or connect your own software through the API.
Schedule Reminders So Customers and Staff Turn Up
Set it up once.Schedule a text for a set date and time, or set it to repeat. Edit or cancel it at any time.
Fewer missed bookings.Appointment reminders and booking confirmations help cut no-shows. Customers can text back to move a time when you send from a virtual number.
Alerts when things change.Send order, delivery and payment updates via SMS as they happen, or warn everyone at once when plans change.
Answer Customer Questions by Text, All in One Screen
Give customers a number to text.A virtual number costs $20 a month and lets you send and receive SMS. Customers can reply to your messages or start a conversation with a question of their own.
Keep each customer's history together.SMS Received (2-Way Chat) shows every message you have swapped with a customer in a single thread. That makes SMS customer support easy to hand over, because anyone who picks it up knows the story.
Share the work.Replies can go to a mobile or an email address. Sub-user accounts give staff their own login while they send from your credits.
Send Bulk SMS From the Web, Your Email or Software
Web platform.Log in from any browser to send one text or reach a whole contact group. Personalise each message with the first name and get a delivery report back.
Email to SMS.Send a text from Outlook, Gmail or any email account without logging in. See how on our email to SMS page.
API and no-code tools.Developers connect your software to our REST API, with routing over Australian carriers. Zapier, the WordPress plugin and email to SMS need no code at all.
Text Within Australian Law With Opt-Outs Handled
Consent, with a record.Business SMS in Australia follows the Spam Act 2003, enforced by ACMA. Text people who gave express or inferred consent, and note how each number joined your list.
Your name and an easy way out.Every marketing text must show who sent it and offer an easy way to unsubscribe. The opt-out can cost no more than a standard text, and it must be honoured within five working days. 160 removes STOP replies and opt-out keywords for you.
A registered Sender ID.From 1 July 2026, business Sender IDs must be on the ACMA Sender ID Register. 160 registers yours for you.
Write Business Texts That Customers Trust
Say who you are first.Put your business name in the first few words, then use the customer's first name. People respond to messages that speak to them.
One text, one action.Keep it to one clear step, such as booking, paying or replying. A standard SMS has a character limit of 160.
Respect the list.Get consent before you send and keep proof. Text in business hours, and act on opt-outs fast.
Use One Account for Support, Alerts and SMS Marketing
Reminders
Appointments, bookings and renewals, sent ahead to cut no-shows.
Two-way support
Customers text a question and you answer in one screen.
Marketing
An SMS marketing campaign with offers, new stock or a win-back deal for an opted-in list.
Transactional alerts
Order, delivery and payment updates sent the moment something changes.
Team updates
Rosters, shift changes and urgent notices sent to staff in seconds.
Payment reminders
A short nudge when an invoice is due, with a link to pay.
Start With 1.9¢ Texts on Your First Package
Choose the credits that suit you. The new customer price applies to your first order, and credits never expire while you send one SMS every 180 days.
- Text any mobile in Australia and overseas
- No hidden fees or contracts
- 100% delivery guarantee
- Full customer and tech support
- Dedicated account manager
- Text any mobile in Australia and overseas
- No hidden fees or contracts
- 100% delivery guarantee
- Full customer and tech support
- Dedicated account manager
- Text any mobile in Australia and overseas
- No hidden fees or contracts
- 100% delivery guarantee
- Full customer and tech support
- Dedicated account manager
- Text any mobile in Australia and overseas
- No hidden fees or contracts
- 100% delivery guarantee
- Full customer and tech support
- Dedicated account manager
- Text any mobile in Australia and overseas
- No hidden fees or contracts
- 100% delivery guarantee
- Full customer and tech support
- Dedicated account manager
Every feature comes with your prepaid credits and no monthly fee. Customers can reply on the free shared number, and can text you first once you add a virtual number at $20 a month.
* These are standard text messages of up to 160 characters. A message over 160 characters uses more SMS credits.
* This offer is only valid for new customers and applies to the new customer's first order. We reserve the right at our sole discretion to refuse this offer. It does not apply to existing customers or to new customer accounts related to existing customers.
* Package prices include GST. The per SMS rate is shown excluding GST. SMS credits are not transferable between accounts. The offer is limited to one account per business or person, and accounts opened to claim the offer more than once will have the additional credits removed.
Sending more each month? See standard pricing and coverage.
Business SMS Questions, Answered
What is the use of SMS in business?
Businesses send SMS messages for everything from payment reminders to product launches. Bulk SMS reaches customers instantly, which can lift sales, enquiries and repeat business. 160.com.au also lets you schedule messages ahead.
What are the best practices for business SMS?
Business texts need a slightly different approach to other marketing. Always include your business name so customers know who you are. Use the customer's name, because people respond to messages that address them. End with a clear call to action, such as making a payment or subscribing.
How long should a marketing SMS be?
A standard SMS holds 160 characters, so keep your copy tight while still getting the point across. Longer messages are possible and use more SMS credits.
How often should you send SMS marketing messages?
There is no hard rule, and it varies by industry. Start with one campaign a week at most and watch your opt-outs.
What type of company might benefit most from business SMS services?
Retail, finance and travel businesses are among those that gain the most. Clinics, real estate offices, schools, clubs, trades and other service businesses also use SMS for updates.
Is SMS marketing effective?
Yes. It keeps you in touch with customers, and a text reaches any mobile with no app to install. Contact us to talk through business SMS, or see our pricing.
Is business texting legal in Australia?
Yes, with consent. The Spam Act 2003 lets you text people who opted in. Each marketing message must identify your business and give an easy way to opt out. 160 handles opt-outs and Sender ID registration for you.
What is the cheapest business SMS service?
160 is prepaid with no monthly fee, so you pay only for what you send. Standard rates run from 7.95c down to 4.95c per SMS, depending on pack size. New customers get their first order at 1.9c per SMS plus GST. Credits stay valid while you send one SMS every 180 days.
Can I send business SMS from my own software?
Yes. 160 has a REST API with Australian carrier routes, documented on the developer page. You can also use Zapier, the WordPress plugin or email to SMS with no code. See our SMS gateway page to start.
What does SMS stand for in marketing?
SMS stands for Short Message Service, the standard text on every mobile phone. In marketing it means sending promotional SMS, such as offers and sale alerts, to customers who opted in.
Can I send an email as an SMS message?
Yes. With Email to SMS you send a text from Outlook, Gmail or any email account, with no need to log in. Replies can come back to your inbox.
Can I receive SMS replies on my own mobile?
Yes. With a virtual number, you receive SMS messages from customers in SMS Received (2-Way Chat). You can forward each one to your mobile or email as it arrives. A reply forwarded to your mobile as a text uses one credit.
Is SMS better than messaging apps for business?
SMS works on every mobile with no app to install, so a text reaches people who do not use messaging apps. 160 sends over Australian carriers, and delivery reports show which messages arrived.
Start Texting Customers and Staff Today
Open a free account, load your contacts and send your first message. Trial credits come with it, and there is no contract.