SMS or email?
One interrupts, the other waits. That is the whole difference.
An SMS appears on the lock screen and interrupts its recipient; an email joins a queue they will look at when they choose. That difference in nature decides the right use far more reliably than cost or length.
Point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | SMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 160 characters in a single part | Practically unlimited, with formatting |
| Typical time to read | A few minutes | From a few hours to several days |
| Risk of filtering | Low: no general junk folder | Real: spam filters and sorting tabs |
| Attachments | None | Documents, images, rich links |
| Cost to send | Free here, priced per message with a provider | Close to nothing at scale |
In short: which should you pick?
SMS suits anything that must be read right away and fits in one sentence: an appointment reminder, a code, a change of time. Email suits anything that needs room, an attachment or a record to come back to: a quote, a summary, a newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
Is an SMS really read faster than an email?+
Generally yes, because it triggers an immediate notification and is not sorted into folders or tabs.
Can I attach a document to an SMS?+
No. SMS carries text only; you have to link to a file hosted somewhere else.
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