Attentive helped define SMS marketing for ecommerce, but it is not the only option.
Many brands start with Attentive for its mobile-first approach and list growth tools, then hit walls as they scale. Pricing climbs fast.
Channels stay limited to SMS and basic email. Contracts lock you in for years.
If you are evaluating your options, you are not alone. This guide covers seven Attentive alternatives that solve the most common pain points: opaque pricing, limited channels, and rigid contracts.
Each option includes verified pricing, key features, and the specific use cases where it outperforms Attentive.
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Why businesses switch from Attentive
Attentive built its reputation on two-tap mobile signup and strong SMS deliverability.
For many brands, that was enough to get started. But as programs mature, limitations become harder to ignore.
Pricing opacity tops the list of complaints. Attentive does not publish pricing. You request a demo, negotiate a quote, and often end up with a base platform fee plus per-message charges. Costs scale with your success, which sounds fair until your bill doubles because a campaign performed well.
Limited channels frustrate teams wanting true omnichannel marketing. Attentive offers SMS and basic email. If you want push notifications, WhatsApp, or on-site personalization, you need additional tools. Data ends up siloed across platforms.
Attribution discrepancies cause headaches for data-driven teams. Attentive's revenue numbers often do not match Google Analytics or Shopify reports. Customizable attribution windows are limited, making it hard to align SMS reporting with your existing analytics.
Contract lock-in forces multi-year commitments. Canceling early means penalties. For brands wanting flexibility, this is a dealbreaker.
Support quality varies widely. Enterprise clients get dedicated account managers. Smaller customers report slow ticket responses and generic help center answers.
When choosing alternatives, we prioritized platforms with transparent pricing, flexible contracts, multi-channel capabilities, and self-serve control. Here is what we found.
Top 7 Attentive alternatives
1. SlickText
SlickText positions itself as the enterprise alternative to Attentive with one major difference: transparent pricing.
Every plan tier is published on their website. No demo required. No negotiation.
Plans start at $29 per month for 500 credits, scaling up to $939 per month for 50,000 credits.
Enterprise custom plans are available. All paid plans include unlimited contacts, rollover credits, and live phone, chat, and email support.
Plans at $129 and above include 1-on-1 onboarding. Plans at $579+ add a dedicated Customer Success Manager.
The platform offers mass texting, automation workflows, website popups for list growth, and review collection. One SMS equals one credit.
MMS messages use three credits. All features are available on every plan, SlickText does not gate functionality behind higher tiers.
Why switch from Attentive: Customizable attribution windows that align with Google Analytics and Shopify reporting.
No long-term contracts. Full self-serve control over campaigns, popups, and automations. Live support by phone, something Attentive reserves for larger accounts.
The tradeoff? Fewer native integrations than Attentive, and no push notification support. If you need deep omnichannel orchestration, look elsewhere.
If you want enterprise SMS without enterprise pricing games, SlickText delivers.
2. Klaviyo
Klaviyo dominates email marketing for ecommerce. Its SMS offering is essentially an add-on to an already robust email platform.
For brands where email drives the majority of revenue, this integration is compelling.
The free plan supports up to 250 active profiles, 500 emails per month, and 150 SMS credits. Paid plans scale based on contact count.
All plans, including free, get access to the full feature set: automation workflows, segmentation, 300+ integrations, and AI-powered subject line generation.
Klaviyo's strength is unified customer data. When a subscriber interacts with your email, then clicks an SMS link, then makes a purchase, Klaviyo tracks it all in one profile.
This cross-channel visibility helps you understand true customer lifetime value, not just channel-specific attribution.
Why switch from Attentive: Your email program is already in Klaviyo, and you want SMS that shares the same data layer.
You prefer unified reporting over managing separate SMS and email platforms. You need stronger email capabilities than Attentive provides.
The downside? SMS can feel secondary to email in Klaviyo's interface. Pricing scales aggressively with list size.
For SMS-first programs, the experience is not as polished as dedicated SMS platforms.
3. Postscript
Postscript is built exclusively for Shopify. Every feature, integration, and workflow assumes you are running a Shopify store.
That focus creates a level of integration depth generalist platforms cannot match.
The free Starter plan has no monthly fee but requires a $49 minimum monthly spend on messages.
You get 2 opt-in keywords, a dedicated toll-free number, and subscriber acquisition tools. Growth plans start at $100 per month with unlimited keywords and live support. Professional plans at $500 add enhanced analytics and API access.
Postscript pulls product catalog data, customer purchase history, and cart events directly from Shopify.
This enables precise segmentation, like targeting customers who bought running shoes six months ago and are now browsing new arrivals.
Automated flows include cart abandonment, browse abandonment, welcome series, and back-in-stock alerts.
Why switch from Attentive: You are all-in on Shopify and want the deepest possible integration.
You prefer transparent, usage-based pricing over opaque enterprise quotes. You need custom attribution windows that match your business logic.
The limitation is ecosystem lock-in. Postscript works with non-Shopify stores via SDK, but the experience is not as seamless.
If you use WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or a custom platform, you will get more value elsewhere.
4. Omnisend
Omnisend offers the most affordable entry point into multichannel marketing.
While Attentive charges enterprise rates for SMS plus basic email, Omnisend gives you email, SMS, and web push notifications starting at $16 per month.
The free plan handles up to 250 contacts, 500 emails per month, 60 SMS credits, and 500 web push notifications.
Standard plans start at $16 monthly for 500 contacts and 6,000 emails. Pro plans at $59 add unlimited emails and bonus SMS credits equal to your plan price.
Every plan includes all features: 250+ email templates, pre-built automation workflows, popups, signup forms, and 160+ integrations.
Support is 24/7 live chat and email on all plans, including free. This is notable, most competitors reserve live support for paid tiers.
Why switch from Attentive: Budget is tight but you need multiple channels. You want all features without upgrading tiers.
You value 24/7 support regardless of plan size. You use Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
The tradeoff is less advanced segmentation than enterprise tools.
Omnisend covers the basics well but lacks the sophisticated behavioral targeting of Braze or Iterable. For mid-market ecommerce, this is rarely a problem.
5. SimpleTexting
SimpleTexting lives up to its name. This is SMS marketing without the complexity.
No learning curve. No feature bloat. Just straightforward texting that works.
Plans start at $29 per month for 500 credits when billed annually, or $39 month-to-month.
All plans include mass texting, two-way messaging, unlimited contacts, unlimited keywords, and a mobile app for iOS and Android. Three user seats are included; additional users cost $20 per month.
The platform supports auto-replies, drip campaigns, picture messaging (MMS at 3 credits each), and integrations with Mailchimp and Zapier.
Rollover credits carry unused messages into the next billing period. A 30-day money-back guarantee reduces risk for new users.
Why switch from Attentive: You want dead-simple SMS without platform complexity. You need a mobile app to manage campaigns on the go.
You value straightforward pricing with no surprises.
The limitations are significant. SimpleTexting is SMS only, no email, no push, no WhatsApp. Coverage is US and Canada only.
If you need global reach or multichannel capabilities, this is not your solution.
6. Emotive
Emotive differentiates through human-assisted messaging. While most platforms automate everything, Emotive offers TextPros, a dedicated team of SMS marketing experts who help with strategy, copywriting, and campaign execution.
Plans start at $100 per month plus per-message fees of $0.015 for SMS and $0.025 for MMS.
This Starter tier supports lists under 2,000 subscribers. Pro plans at $200 add a dedicated copywriter and Slack channel.
Advanced plans at $300 include the Emotive Pixel for attribution. Enterprise plans are custom.
Every plan includes dedicated onboarding and a Customer Success Manager. Emotive also offers contract buyouts, promising to meet or beat competitor pricing.
A 5x ROI guarantee backs their claims.
The platform supports two-way conversational SMS with real human agents handling responses. CartAI helps recover abandoned carts.
Coverage extends to 100+ countries.
Why switch from Attentive: You want conversational SMS with a human touch, not just automated blasts.
You value dedicated marketing support included in your plan. You need help with strategy and copywriting, not just software.
The tradeoff is cost. Emotive gets expensive as list size grows. Some users report aggressive sales tactics and billing surprises.
The platform has a learning curve due to feature density.
7. Twilio
Twilio is not a marketing platform. It is a communications API that developers use to build custom messaging workflows.
If you have engineering resources and need maximum flexibility, Twilio offers capabilities no marketing platform can match.
Pricing is pure usage-based: $0.0083 per SMS sent or received in the US. WhatsApp messages start at $0.005.
Voice calls cost $0.014 per minute to make. There are no platform fees, no monthly minimums, no contracts.
The platform supports SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, RCS, voice, video, and email through SendGrid. A 99.95% uptime SLA backs the infrastructure.
Global carrier reach ensures delivery worldwide.
Why switch from Attentive: You have developers who can build custom workflows.
You need features no marketing platform offers, like programmable voice calls or advanced routing logic. You want complete control over your messaging infrastructure.
The requirements are steep. Twilio has no built-in marketing automation, no pre-built templates, no drag-and-drop campaign builder.
You build everything yourself. For non-technical teams, this is a non-starter.
Which Attentive alternative should you choose?
The right platform depends on your specific situation. Here is a simple framework:
Choose SlickText if you want enterprise SMS features without Attentive's pricing opacity. The transparent tiers and customizable attribution appeal to data-driven teams.
Choose Klaviyo if email is your primary revenue driver and SMS is secondary. The unified customer profiles and shared data layer create cleaner reporting.
Choose Postscript if you run a Shopify store and want the deepest possible integration. The Shopify-specific workflows and transparent usage pricing fit DTC brands perfectly.
Choose Omnisend if budget matters and you need multiple channels. At $16 per month for email, SMS, and push, it is hard to beat for value.
Choose SimpleTexting if you want straightforward SMS without complexity. The mobile app and simple pricing appeal to small businesses and local service providers.
Choose Emotive if conversational engagement is your priority. The human-assisted messaging and dedicated support justify the higher cost for brands wanting white-glove service.
Choose Twilio if you have developers and need custom workflows. The flexibility is unmatched, but only if you can build what you need.
Beyond SMS: why voice support matters for ecommerce
SMS excels at quick updates and promotional blasts. But some customer issues need voice.
Returns, exchanges, complex product questions, and urgent complaints often require a phone conversation. Most SMS platforms, including Attentive and its alternatives, ignore the phone channel entirely.
This gap matters for customer experience. A shopper with a failed delivery or defective product wants immediate resolution, not a text thread.
Phone support builds trust in ways text cannot replicate.
Ringly.io fills this gap with Seth, an AI phone agent built for ecommerce. Seth handles inbound calls 24/7, answering questions, looking up orders, processing returns, and escalating complex issues to your team only when necessary.
The platform integrates directly with Shopify, pulling real-time order data to give callers accurate information.
Seth resolves approximately 70-73% of calls without human intervention.
For high-volume stores, this automation reduces support costs while maintaining availability. The platform supports 40 languages, making it viable for global brands.
If you are rethinking your customer communication stack, consider voice alongside SMS and email. Start a free trial with Seth to see how AI phone support fits your store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Attentive alternatives for small businesses?
For small businesses, Omnisend and SimpleTexting offer the most accessible entry points. Omnisend starts at $16 per month and includes email, SMS, and push notifications. SimpleTexting starts at $29 per month for straightforward SMS without complexity. Both have free trials and no contracts.
Which Attentive alternatives work best with Shopify?
Postscript is built exclusively for Shopify and offers the deepest integration. Klaviyo and Omnisend also have strong Shopify connections with pre-built workflows for cart abandonment and order notifications. All three sync customer and order data in real time.
Are there any free Attentive alternatives?
Klaviyo offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts with 500 emails and 150 SMS credits per month. Omnisend has a free tier for 250 contacts with limited sends. Postscript offers a free Starter plan with a $49 monthly minimum spend on messages.
What Attentive alternatives have the most transparent pricing?
SlickText publishes all pricing tiers on their website, starting at $29 per month. Omnisend shows clear pricing starting at $16 per month. Twilio uses pure usage-based pricing at $0.0083 per SMS with no platform fees. All three avoid the contact sales approach.
Which Attentive alternatives support multichannel marketing?
Omnisend offers email, SMS, and web push notifications on all plans. Klaviyo combines email and SMS with shared customer data. Twilio supports SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and email through APIs. These platforms go beyond Attentive's SMS-plus-basic-email approach.
Can I migrate my subscriber list from Attentive to another platform?
Yes, all major alternatives support list imports. Postscript, SlickText, and Omnisend offer migration assistance. You will need to re-register your sending number with the new platform, which typically takes a few hours to a few days. Plan for a brief transition period to maintain deliverability.
Do Attentive alternatives offer better customer support?
Many do. Omnisend offers 24/7 live chat on all plans, including free. SlickText includes phone support on paid plans. Emotive provides dedicated Customer Success Managers on every plan. Compare this to Attentive, where smaller customers often wait days for email responses.
