Choosing between SMS marketing and the WhatsApp Business API is a common dilemma for modern brands. Both channels offer high open rates, but their pricing, design rules, and delivery systems are vastly different.
1. Cost Comparison
Bulk SMS is extremely affordable (averaging 10-15 paise per message in India), making it perfect for mass notification campaigns. WhatsApp Business API messages are costlier but support rich media like images, videos, and interactive quick-reply buttons.
2. Click-Through Rates (CTR)
While SMS boasts a 98% open rate, WhatsApp supports rich buttons, which improves CTR by up to 25-30% compared to plain text link URLs inside standard SMS messages.