Bulk SMS · South Africa
Bulk SMS in South Africa
Reach customers at scale
Reach customers instantly. Messages that matter. Delivered reliably.
Send personalized campaigns, OTPs, and alerts to thousands in seconds — reaching every major network: Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.
Reaching VodacomMTNCell CTelkom
Vodacom · MTN · Cell C · Telkom
Automated message delivery
Support · 6am–10pm
The basics
What is bulk SMS?
Bulk SMS is the sending of large volumes of text messages to many recipients at once, from a single platform. Businesses use it to deliver marketing campaigns, transactional alerts, one-time passwords (OTPs), and reminders straight to customers’ phones — no app or internet needed on the recipient’s end.
How it works
Register a sender ID (your brand name), upload or sync your contacts, compose your message, and send. Arkesel routes it over direct carrier connections and returns a real-time delivery report for every recipient.
Who uses it
Banks, fintechs, e-commerce stores, schools, hospitals, churches, and logistics teams — anyone who needs to reach customers reliably.
BankingE-commerceHealthcareEducationLogistics
Why it works
SMS reaches every phone — smartphone or not — and customers read it within minutes. No data, no downloads, no algorithm deciding who sees your message. Just direct delivery.
Capabilities
Everything you need to send at scale
One platform for campaigns, alerts, and developer integrations — with the controls serious senders need.
Built for every team
Who uses Arkesel Bulk SMS
From a first promo to mission-critical alerts at scale — teams across Africa run on Arkesel.
Marketers
Run promotions, product launches, and seasonal offers that land directly in the pocket.
e.g. “Flash sale ends tonight — 20% off, today only.”
Developers
Fire OTPs and transactional alerts from your app with a REST API and webhooks.
e.g. One-time passwords delivered in seconds.
SMEs
Keep customers coming back with reminders, receipts, and updates — no marketing team required.
e.g. “Your appointment is tomorrow at 2 PM.”
Enterprises
Send mission-critical alerts and statements at volume with enterprise-grade reliability.
e.g. Bank transaction & balance alerts.
Trusted across industries
Banking & FinanceE-commerceHealthcareEducationLogisticsInsurance
Coverage & networks
Reach every major network in South Africa
Messages reach every major mobile network in South Africa for fast, high-deliverability sending to any South African number.
Vodacom
Nationwide
Vodacom network
MTN
Nationwide
MTN South Africa network
Cell C
Nationwide
Cell C network
Telkom
Nationwide
Telkom Mobile network
Sending beyond South Africa? We also reach Ghana & Nigeria. Talk to our team →
Get started in minutes
How to send bulk SMS
From sign-up to first send in three simple steps.
Step 01
Create your account
Sign up free and register your sender ID — your brand name that recipients will see.
Step 02
Add contacts & compose
Upload your contact list, write your message, and personalize it with names and details — or use a template.
Step 03
Send & track
Send instantly or schedule for later, then watch delivery reports update in real time.
Pricing
Flexible plans for every scale
Buy credits as you grow — the more you buy, the lower your cost per SMS. Credits never expire, giving you full flexibility on when you send.
Bulk SMS — No Expiry
Credits that never expire
| Price | SMS credits | Cost / SMS |
|---|---|---|
| ZAR 100 | 400 | 0.25 |
| ZAR 200 | 800 | 0.25 |
| ZAR 500 | 2,083 | 0.24 |
| ZAR 1,000 | 4,167 | 0.24 |
| ZAR 2,000 | 9,091 | 0.22 |
| ZAR 5,000 | 23,810 | 0.21 |
| ZAR 10,000 | 50,000 | 0.20 |
| ZAR 20,000 | 105,263 | 0.19 |
| ZAR 30,000 | 166,667 | 0.18 |
| ZAR 50,000 | 294,118 | 0.17 |
No setup fees · Pay as you grow
Need more than ZAR 50,000 in credits? Contact us for custom volume pricing →
Rates shown are indicative — see the full pricing page for the latest.
Loved by businesses
Trusted by thousands of senders
“The best app for all your bulk SMS. I just love it.”
“Very good service. I have been using it for more than a year. It is good.”
“The best ever. Kudos Arkesel.”
Learn more
Bulk SMS resources & guides
Go deeper on SMS marketing, automation, and delivery.
FAQ
Bulk SMS questions, answered
What is bulk SMS?
Bulk SMS is the sending of large volumes of text messages to many recipients at once, from a single platform. Businesses use it for marketing campaigns, transactional alerts, OTPs, and reminders. With Arkesel, you reach every major network in South Africa — Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom — for fast, reliable delivery.
How much does bulk SMS cost in South Africa?
Bulk SMS in South Africa is priced in rand on a credit basis — the more credits you buy, the lower your cost per SMS. Credits never expire, giving you full flexibility. See the pricing page for current rates, or the pricing table above.
How do I pay for bulk SMS credits in South Africa?
Pay with a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card. Credits are added to your account as soon as your payment confirms.
How do I send bulk SMS with Arkesel?
Create a free account, register your sender ID, upload your contacts, compose your message, then send instantly or schedule it. You’ll get a real-time delivery report for every recipient. Developers can also send programmatically via the REST API.
What is a sender ID?
A sender ID is the name recipients see when your message arrives — usually your brand name (e.g. “Arkesel”) instead of a phone number. It builds trust and improves open rates. You register your sender ID inside your Arkesel account.
Can I send bulk SMS via API?
Yes. Arkesel offers a REST API with copy-paste code samples in cURL, Python, Node.js, and PHP, plus delivery webhooks — ideal for OTPs and transactional alerts triggered from your own application.
Which networks does Arkesel reach in South Africa?
In South Africa, Arkesel reaches every major mobile network — Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom — for fast, reliable delivery to any South African number. We also send across Ghana and Nigeria.
What are your support hours?
Our support team is available weekdays from 6am to 10pm, and on public holidays from 10am to 3pm. Message delivery itself runs 24/7 — you can send and schedule campaigns at any time, day or night.
Start sending bulk SMS in South Africa today
Join the businesses reaching customers across South Africa with Arkesel. Create your account in minutes — no setup fees.
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