P2P Texting Pricing Guide: How to Choose a Cost-Effective Platform for Your Campaign

Choosing a peer-to-peer texting platform based solely on the advertised per-message rate is one of the most common - and costly - mistakes campaigns make. The reality is that pricing structures vary dramatically across providers, and what seems like the cheapest option often becomes the most expensive once you factor in hidden fees, feature paywalls, and lost reach.

For campaign managers and treasurers working with tight budgets, understanding the true cost of P2P texting isn't just about comparing prices - it's about calculating value and ensuring every dollar drives maximum voter engagement.

This guide breaks down how P2P texting pricing actually works and teaches you how to evaluate platforms based on total cost of ownership, not just sticker price.

Understanding P2P Texting Pricing Models

Political texting platforms use several distinct pricing approaches. Understanding these models is the first step to making an informed decision.

Per-Message Pricing

The most common model charges you for each message sent.

Typical range: $0.015 - $0.03 per message (SMS)

How it works:

• You pay only for messages sent
• No ongoing fees when you're not texting
• Scales with your campaign activity

Good for:

• Campaigns with variable messaging volume
• Smaller campaigns that only text occasionally
• Campaigns that want to avoid monthly commitments

Watch out for:

• Minimum volume requirements
• Tiered pricing (rates decrease at higher volumes)
• Separate charges for MMS (images/video)
• "Carrier fees" added on top of base rate

Example pricing tiers:

The challenge: You may not know your exact volume when signing up, making it difficult to predict costs accurately.

Subscription-Based Pricing

Some platforms charge monthly or annual subscriptions instead of (or in addition to) per-message fees.

Typical range: $100 - $1,500 per month

How it works:

• Pay a flat monthly fee
• Includes a certain number of messages
• Additional messages may cost extra

Common subscription tiers:

Good for:

• Campaigns with consistent, predictable messaging volume
• Larger campaigns that will definitely use the included messages
• Campaigns needing premium features only available in paid tiers

Watch out for:

• Paying for messages you don't use
• Being locked into annual contracts
• Feature restrictions on lower tiers
• Overage charges that exceed per-message pricing

Red flag: If you're paying $499/month but only sending 20,000 messages, you're paying $0.025 per message - potentially more than pay-as-you-go pricing.

Hybrid Pricing

Many platforms combine subscription fees with per-message charges.

Example structure:

• Platform fee: $299/month
• Messages: $0.015 each
• 10DLC registration: $15 one-time

How it works:

• Monthly fee covers platform access and features
• You pay separately for each message sent
• Often includes "premium" features like analytics, segmentation, or API access

Good for:

• Large campaigns with high volume needs
• Campaigns requiring advanced features
• Multi-race committees managing several campaigns

Watch out for:

• Paying monthly fees even during slow periods
• Hidden costs that make the total much higher than advertised
• Feature paywalls that force you into higher tiers

Pay-As-You-Go (Pure Usage)

The most straightforward model: pay only for what you use, no subscriptions or commitments.

How it works:

• Load credits or set up billing
• Pay per message sent
• No monthly minimums
• All features included

Good for:

• Most political campaigns
• Variable messaging schedules
• Campaigns wanting maximum flexibility
• Testing multiple platforms before committing

Political Comms pricing philosophy: We use pure pay-as-you-go pricing ($0.015-$0.03 per message) with no monthly fees, no minimums, and all features included. You only pay for messages you actually send.

Hidden Costs That Inflate Your True Price

Advertised pricing rarely tells the whole story. Here are the hidden costs that can dramatically increase your actual expenses:

1. Carrier Fees

Some platforms separate "message fees" from "carrier fees."

What they claim: "Messages are just $0.015 each, plus carrier fees."

The reality: Carrier fees of $0.005-$0.010 per message effectively increase your rate to $0.020-$0.025.

Why this matters: Carrier costs are unavoidable - every platform pays them. Separating them out is a pricing trick to advertise lower rates.

What to ask: "What is the all-in cost per message, including carrier fees?"

Red flag: Any platform that separates carrier fees from the per-message rate.

Political Comms approach: Our per-message pricing includes all carrier fees - no surprises.

2. 10DLC Registration Fees

To send messages, your campaign must register with The Campaign Registry (TCR) for 10DLC compliance.

Typical costs:

• Brand registration: $4-$15 (one-time)
• Campaign registration: $10-$50 (per use case)
• Monthly brand fees: $0-$10 (some providers charge this)

What to watch:

• Platforms that charge setup fees beyond actual TCR costs
• "Expedited" registration fees (registration should be fast by default)
• Monthly brand maintenance fees

What to ask: "What does 10DLC registration cost, and what's included?"

Industry standard: $15-$20 total for political campaigns.

Red flag: Providers charging $100+ for "setup" or "compliance consultation."

3. Feature Paywalls

Many platforms lock essential features behind higher pricing tiers.

Commonly paywalled features:

• Advanced segmentation
• A/B testing
• Analytics and reporting
• Two-way messaging management
• API access
• Contact list management
• Integrations (CRM, VAN, donation platforms)
• Scheduled sending
• Multiple user accounts

The problem: A platform advertising $0.015 per message may require a $499/month subscription to actually use segmentation, analytics, or two-way messaging - features that should be standard.

What to ask: "What features are included at the base price level?"

What to look for: All essential features included, regardless of volume or spending level.

Political Comms approach: All features (segmentation, analytics, two-way messaging, scheduling, integrations) are included with no paywalls.

4. Minimum Spend Requirements

Some platforms require minimum monthly spending or message volumes.

Common minimums:

• $500 minimum spend per month
• 10,000 message minimum per month
• Annual contracts with prepayment

The problem: If you don't hit minimums, you still pay - meaning your effective cost per message increases dramatically.

Example:

• Minimum: $500/month
• You send 10,000 messages at $0.020 = $200
• You still pay $500
• Your real cost: $0.050 per message

What to ask: "Are there monthly minimums or prepayment requirements?"

Political Comms approach: No minimums, no contracts. Send 1,000 messages one month and 100,000 the next - you only pay for what you send.

5. Number Rental Fees

Campaigns need dedicated phone numbers for sending messages.

Typical costs:

• $1-$5 per phone number per month
• Some platforms charge setup fees for each number

What to watch:

• Platforms charging excessive per-number fees
• Setup fees for provisioning numbers
• Requirements to rent more numbers than needed

What's reasonable: $1-$2 per number per month is standard. Most campaigns need 1-10 numbers depending on volume.

6. Support and Service Fees

Some platforms charge for support or account management.

Potential costs:

• Premium support: $100-$500/month
• Dedicated account manager: $500-$2,000/month
• Phone support (vs. email-only): extra fee
• Training or onboarding: $250-$1,000

What to ask: "Is support included, or does it cost extra?"

What to look for: Included support with responsive service during campaign hours, including evenings and weekends.

Red flag: Charging extra for phone support or fast response times.

7. Data and Export Fees

Your contact lists and message data belong to you - but some platforms charge to access them.

Potential costs:

• Export fees: $50-$500
• API access fees: $100+/month
• Data retention beyond X days: extra cost

What to ask: "Can I export my data anytime at no cost?"

What to look for: Full data ownership with free, unlimited exports.

Red flag: Any platform that charges to export your own data.

Calculating True Cost Per Conversation

To compare platforms accurately, calculate your total cost per conversation, not just per message.

The Formula

Total Cost = (Messages Sent × Per-Message Rate) + Platform Fees + Registration Fees + Feature Fees + Number Rental + Other Costs

Cost Per Conversation = Total Cost ÷ Number of Conversations

(A "conversation" is a contact who responds to your messages.)

Example Calculation

Scenario: 100,000 messages sent, 15% response rate = 15,000 conversations

Platform A: Pay-As-You-Go

• Per-message rate: $0.020 (all-inclusive)
• Messages: 100,000 × $0.020 = $2,000
• Platform fee: $0
• 10DLC registration: $15
• Features: $0 (all included)
• Total: $2,015
• Cost per conversation: $0.134

Platform B: Subscription Model

• Per-message rate: $0.015
• Messages: 100,000 × $0.015 = $1,500
• Monthly platform fee: $299 × 3 months = $897
• Carrier fees: 100,000 × $0.005 = $500
• 10DLC registration: $50
• Total: $2,947
• Cost per conversation: $0.196

Platform C: Low Rate with Paywalls

• Base per-message rate: $0.012
• Messages: 100,000 × $0.012 = $1,200
• Professional tier (for segmentation/analytics): $499/month × 3 = $1,497
• Carrier fees: 100,000 × $0.007 = $700
• 10DLC registration: $25
• Total: $3,422
• Cost per conversation: $0.228

The winner: Platform A (pay-as-you-go) delivers the lowest cost per conversation despite not having the absolute lowest per-message rate.

Why Cost Per Conversation Matters More Than Cost Per Message

Per-message pricing only tells you:

• How much you pay to send messages

Cost per conversation tells you:

• How much you pay to actually engage a voter
• Your true ROI
• Which platform delivers the best value

This is especially important because:

• Delivery rates vary by platform (85% vs. 97% makes a huge difference)
• Shared opt-out lists reduce your reachable universe by 10-30%
• Poor segmentation leads to wasted messages to disengaged voters

Accounting for Reach Loss (Shared Opt-Outs)

Some platforms use shared opt-out lists, where a voter's opt-out from any campaign blocks them for all campaigns on the platform.

Impact on costs:

Scenario: You have 100,000 contacts, but 20,000 are already opted out due to other campaigns' messages.

Effective universe: 80,000 reachable voters

If you pay per-message: Your cost per conversation increases because you're paying the same platform costs for fewer conversations.

Example:

• You planned for 15,000 conversations (15% of 100,000)
• You actually get 12,000 conversations (15% of 80,000)
• Your cost per conversation increased by 25%

Critical question to ask: "Are opt-outs isolated per campaign, or shared across all clients?"

Red flag: Shared opt-outs are a dealbreaker - they inflate your costs and reduce reach.

Political Comms approach: Isolated opt-outs mean you only lose reach from your own opt-outs, not others'.

Comparing Value, Not Just Price

The cheapest platform often costs more in the long run. Here's how to evaluate total value:

Factors Beyond Price

1. Delivery rates

• A platform with 97% delivery vs. 85% delivery means 12,000 more voters reached per 100,000 messages
• Low delivery = wasted money

2. Feature completeness

• Platforms with all features included save you from needing multiple tools
• Proper segmentation reduces wasted messages
• Analytics help optimize future campaigns

3. Time savings

• Intuitive platforms save staff time
• Fast 10DLC registration (24-48 hours vs. 7-14 days) means you can launch sooner
• Good support reduces problem-solving time

4. Reach maximization

• Isolated opt-outs preserve your full voter universe
• Direct carrier relationships improve delivery

5. Compliance protection

• Automatic opt-out processing prevents legal issues
• TCPA-compliant workflows protect your campaign

The Total Value Scorecard

Use this framework to compare platforms:

Weight each factor based on your campaign priorities, score each platform (1-10), and calculate a weighted total.

Questions to Ask Every Platform

Before committing to a provider, get answers to these critical questions:

Pricing Questions

1. "What is the all-in cost per message, including all carrier fees?"
2. "Are there monthly minimums, platform fees, or subscription requirements?"
3. "What does 10DLC registration cost?"
4. "Are there any other fees (setup, support, data export, number rental)?"
5. "What features cost extra, and which are included?"
6. "Do you offer discounts for high volume or nonprofits/campaigns?"
7. "What are your contract terms and cancellation policy?"

Value Questions

8. "What is your average delivery rate, broken down by carrier?"
9. "Are opt-outs isolated per campaign or shared across clients?"
10. "How long does 10DLC registration take?"
11. "What level of support is included in the base price?"
12. "Can I export my data anytime at no cost?"
13. "Do you integrate with NGP VAN / my CRM?"

Red Flags

Walk away if the provider:

• Won't give you a straight answer on all-in costs
• Separates carrier fees from per-message pricing
• Uses shared opt-out lists
• Charges for basic features like segmentation or analytics
• Requires long-term contracts without a trial
• Won't provide references from recent campaigns

Making the Right Choice for Your Budget

Different campaign sizes have different needs. Here's how to choose based on your budget and scale:

Small Campaigns (Under $2,000 texting budget)

Priorities:

• No monthly fees or minimums
• Pay only for what you use
• All essential features included
• Simple, easy to use

Recommended model: Pay-as-you-go with no subscription

What to avoid: Subscription plans that lock you into paying for unused messages

Political Comms fit: Perfect. No minimums, all features included, transparent pricing.

Medium Campaigns ($2,000-$10,000 budget)

Priorities:

• Best per-message rate without sacrificing quality
• High delivery rates
• Robust features (segmentation, analytics, two-way messaging)
• Fast setup

Recommended model: Pay-as-you-go or subscription if you'll definitely use all included messages

What to avoid: Feature paywalls that require upgrading to expensive tiers

Political Comms fit: Excellent. Competitive per-message rates with all features included.

Large Campaigns ($10,000+ budget)

Priorities:

• Volume discounts
• Dedicated support
• Advanced features (API access, custom integrations)
• Maximum deliverability

Recommended model: Negotiated pricing with volume discounts

What to avoid: Overpaying for unused "enterprise" features

Political Comms fit: Ideal. Guaranteed lowest pricing with volume discounts, dedicated support, all features included.

Multi-Campaign Committees

Priorities:

• Manage multiple races from one account
• User permissions and role management
• Consolidated billing and reporting
• Isolated opt-outs per campaign

Recommended model: Enterprise or committee-specific pricing

What to avoid: Shared opt-outs that reduce reach across all campaigns

Political Comms fit: Built for committees. Isolated opt-outs per campaign, user management, consolidated reporting.

The Political Comms Pricing Advantage

We built Political Comms with transparent, campaign-friendly pricing:

Simple Pay-As-You-Go:

• $0.015-$0.03 per message (all-inclusive, including carrier fees)
• No monthly fees
• No minimums
• No contracts

All Features Included:

• Advanced segmentation
• Two-way messaging
• Complete analytics
• Scheduled sending
• CRM integrations
• Unlimited users
• API access

Fast, Affordable Setup:

• 10DLC registration: $15
• 24-48 hour turnaround
• No hidden setup fees

Guaranteed Lowest Pricing:

• If you find a lower all-in price with comparable delivery rates, we'll match it

Why we price this way:

• Campaigns need budget predictability
• You shouldn't pay for features you don't use
• No hidden fees means no surprises
• You should only pay for messages you actually send

The Bottom Line

Choosing a P2P texting platform based on sticker price alone costs campaigns thousands of dollars in hidden fees, feature paywalls, and lost reach.

To find the true best value:

1. Calculate total cost per conversation (not just per message)
2. Factor in hidden costs (carrier fees, subscriptions, feature paywalls)
3. Account for reach loss from shared opt-out lists
4. Evaluate delivery rates and feature completeness
5. Consider time savings and support quality

Key principles:

• ✅ All-inclusive per-message pricing (no separate carrier fees)
• ✅ No monthly minimums or forced subscriptions
• ✅ All features included (no paywalls)
• ✅ Isolated opt-out lists (preserve your reach)
• ✅ High delivery rates (95%+)
• ✅ Fast 10DLC registration (24-48 hours)
• ✅ Transparent contracts with no surprises

Red flags:

• ❌ Separate "carrier fees" on top of per-message rate
• ❌ Shared opt-out lists across all clients
• ❌ Essential features locked behind higher tiers
• ❌ Monthly minimums that inflate costs
• ❌ Vague or complicated pricing structures

Political Comms delivers the best value for campaigns: transparent pay-as-you-go pricing, all features included, 97.8% delivery rates, isolated opt-outs, and guaranteed lowest pricing.

Over 2,000 campaigns trust us because we help them maximize impact per dollar spent - and that's what matters most.

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Ready to get the best value for your campaign? See our pricing and get started today.

Questions about pricing or want a custom quote? Contact our team - we're here to help you maximize your budget.