# What Does RCS Cost Compared with SMS? | ZafeConnect

> ZafeConnect list prices for SMS, basic RCS and rich RCS per message, how to compare cost per delivered message, and how to choose an RCS provider.

Canonical URL: https://www.zafeconnect.com/blog/rcs-business-messaging-cost-vs-sms
Language: en
Last modified: 2026-11-09

## What does RCS cost compared with SMS, and how do you compare them?

URL: https://www.zafeconnect.com/blog/rcs-business-messaging-cost-vs-sms

Published: 2026-11-09

On ZafeConnect’s price list, basic RCS costs the same as SMS (in Denmark 0.275 DKK per message, excluding VAT), while rich RCS costs more (0.75 DKK). Whether RCS pays off depends on what a richer message makes the recipient do.

Key takeaways:
- On the list, basic RCS is priced like SMS, and rich RCS has a higher rate.
- Compare cost per delivered message and per action, not only per sent message.
- If RCS is not available, the message should fall back to SMS, and your average price depends on the mix.
- Choose an RCS provider on coverage, fallback, billing and reporting, not on who calls itself leading.

### What does RCS cost compared with SMS?
These are ZafeConnect’s list prices per message, in DKK, excluding VAT, as of 9 November 2026. They apply to SMS and basic RCS alike; rich RCS has its own, higher rate. Rich RCS normally covers messages with images, carousels and buttons, but ask how a given message is classified. Large volumes and enterprise agreements get a tailored offer, so the price in your offer can differ. The price list shows the current prices, also in EUR, for every priced country.
Destination | SMS | RCS basic | RCS rich
Denmark | 0.275 DKK | 0.275 DKK | 0.75 DKK
Rest of Europe (for example Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland) | 0.45 DKK | 0.45 DKK | 1.00 DKK
North America (for example the United States) | 0.15 DKK | 0.15 DKK | 0.35 DKK
Asia | 0.95 DKK | 0.95 DKK | 2.15 DKK

### What is the difference between SMS and RCS for businesses?

 | SMS | RCS
Reach | Almost every mobile phone | Only phones, operators and countries that support RCS
Content | Plain text (about 160 characters per segment in GSM-7) | Text, images, carousels and buttons
Sender | Sender name or number | Verified brand name and logo (needs registration)
Interaction | A text reply or a keyword | Buttons and suggested replies
Status | Delivery receipt | Delivery status and, where the platform supports it, richer status
Setup | Sender and local rules | Brand verification, which varies by country and operator

### How do you work out the price in practice?
Look at cost per delivered message and per action, not only per sent message. Your average price depends on how large a share is delivered as rich RCS, basic RCS or SMS. If an RCS message cannot be delivered as RCS and falls back to SMS, ask the provider how that is billed.

With the Danish list prices, a rich RCS message costs about 2.7 times as much as an SMS (0.75 against 0.275 DKK). For rich RCS to give a lower price per achieved action, it therefore has to make more than about 2.7 times as many recipients act per delivered message.

### When does RCS pay off?
RCS pays off when the richer message changes the result, and not just because it looks better. SMS is still the right choice for short, simple messages such as one-time codes, for recipients without RCS and in countries where RCS is not available. RCS works best when:
- A button shortens the path: confirm, reschedule, track a parcel
- A verified sender name and logo increase trust, for messages where the recipient has to trust the sender
- Images or carousels sell better than text, for example in retail
- A conversation can continue in the same thread instead of ending in a phone call

### How do you choose an RCS provider?
The question of who is the leading RCS provider in Denmark has no single answer. The market changes, rankings depend on what is measured, and what suits a webshop does not necessarily suit a bank. Use criteria instead:
- Coverage: check which of your countries, operators and phones can be reached with RCS, and what happens for the rest
- Fallback to SMS: check whether a message that cannot be delivered as RCS is sent as SMS automatically, and how that is billed
- Prices: get basic and rich priced separately, per delivered message, and read how a message is classified
- Brand verification: ask who handles the registration, and how long it typically takes in your countries
- Reporting: get status per channel and per country, so you can compare RCS and SMS
- One integration: the same API for RCS, SMS and the other channels makes fallback and comparison simpler
- A pilot: test with your own traffic and your own countries before you commit

### How ZafeConnect fits
ZafeConnect provides RCS and iMessage alongside SMS, and states up to 40% lower cost than traditional SMS, when RCS and iMessage are used. The saving depends on your traffic, countries and mix, and the list prices above are per message, so we work out the calculation for your volumes with you. You pay for delivered messages, with no setup, system or operating fees. See the price list and the RCS page.

FAQ:
Q: Is RCS cheaper than SMS?
A: Per message on the list, basic RCS costs the same as SMS and rich RCS costs more. What is cheapest for you depends on the mix, the fallback and the result. Ask for a calculation on your own volumes.

Q: What happens if the recipient does not have RCS?
A: The message should fall back to SMS so the person is still reached. Ask the provider how the fallback is set up and billed.

Q: What is the difference between basic and rich RCS?
A: The price list has its own rate for rich RCS, and basic RCS is priced like SMS. Rich RCS normally covers messages with images, carousels and buttons; ask how a given message is classified.

Q: Who is the leading RCS provider in Denmark?
A: It cannot be answered with one name. It depends on your countries, volumes and requirements. Use the criteria above, and compare at least two providers in a pilot.