SINCH ENGAGE RCS
Stay at the forefront of business messaging with RCS: the next-gen messaging solution that’s branded, more secure, and highly interactive—right in same inbox. We make it easy.
RCS combines the unbeatable reach and reliability of SMS with a rich experience customers will love.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is messaging as it should be: secure, branded, and interactive. Sinch Engage makes getting started with RCS simple – no coding required. Get started with us today.
Each messaging channel is unique and has its own strengths and ideal use cases. Our platform supports them all.
| RCS | SMS | MMS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usability | No app to download; available on Android and iOS in select markets | No app to download; found in the native messaging app on a user’s mobile device in select markets | No app to download; found in the native messaging app on a user’s mobile device in select markets | App-based service (requires users to have the WhatsApp app) |
| Markets available | Currently available in North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America and continuing to expand | Globally available | United States, Canada, and Australia | Globally available to all smartphones with the WhatsApp app installed |
| Media support | Rich cards, buttons, suggested replies, maps, images, video, audio, GIFs, and more | No multimedia content or suggested actions can be included | Images, video, pdfs, and audio files | Images, video, carousels, product catalogues, suggested replies, and more |
| Message length | No messaging limit (depending on message type) | Up to 160 characters per message | Up to 5,000 characters per message (depending on your provider) | No messaging limit |
| Security | RCS messages are encrypted in transit, with end-to-end encryption for P2P messages on Android (coming soon to iOS) | Not end-to-end encrypted. Basic security and potential carrier-level encryption based on your mobile network | Same as SMS | Messages are end-to-end encrypted |
| User base | One and a half billion monthly active users | 100% of mobile phone users (approx. 7.3 billion people) | Most modern mobile phones | Over three billion monthly users |
| Branding | All messages include a brand, name, logo, and verified sender information | Some select countries allow for Alpha Sender IDs, but they’re not universally available | Same as SMS | Brand name, logo, and verified business accounts or Official Business Account (OBA) – which gives your brand a green tick in the app |
How to get started with RCS
RCS Agent registration and verification is required to start sending RCS business messages, as carriers must approve your brand and you must comply with Google rules.
INDUSTRY USE CASES
With Sinch’s support in developing targeted campaigns that deliver the right message to the right audience, this channel has led to substantial improvements in both engagement and revenue.
With RCS, we have more metrics to analyze than with standard SMS or Rich SMS. The results were very promising, and they sparked ideas for further tests and optimization opportunities.
Security and Trust
In a world of scams and phishing attempts, verification matters. All RCS Agents have built-in trust signals — like name, logo, and verified sender badge — so customers know it’s safe to respond.
Brand visibility and recognition in the inbox
RCS Agent verification prevents spam and fraud
TLS encryption in transit
For non-RCS enabled devices, fallback to SMS with TLS encryption on SMS (where supported)
TCPA, GDPR, global compliance and ISO-certified security standards, with built-in spam filtering
Rich Engagement
Turn texting into an app-like experience right in your customer’s native inbox on Android or iOS. RCS business messaging supports:
High-resolution media like images, maps, and video
Content carousels for showcasing multiple offerings
Suggested replies for faster two-way chats
Call-to-action buttons to boost conversions
Message insights
RCS has enhanced analytics that give you a fuller view of campaign performance. That leads to smarter decisions about your messaging strategy.
See when customers receive and open your messages
Understand how customers interacted with specific media
Track total messages opened and delivered
Why choose Sinch Engage
More ways to use RCS
SMS (Short Message Service) is the most popular form of messaging globally, largely because it’s easy to use and works on almost all phones. It’s reliable and widely accessible.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) allows sending larger messages with attachments like photos, videos, and audio.
RCS is the next step up—it allows your texts to be brandable, and supports high-quality images, group chats, read receipts, and more interactive features, similar to modern messaging apps like WhatsApp—but without the need to download anything. Learn more about RCS.
Messages between users and verified RCS Business Agents are encrypted between Google servers and users’ devices, and between RCS Business Agents and Google servers. Learn more.
There’s no big switch required. If you’ve already successfully registered and verified your RCS Agent, you can send RCS business messages from within Sinch Engage’s platform as easily as sending an SMS. Your customers will automatically receive your RCS messages if their phone supports it. Learn more about switching from SMS to RCS.
RCS has full operator coverage in several countries today, while other countries offer partial support or support via Google. Coverage for RCS is growing. Learn more about the potential of RCS.
RCS is available on Android and iOS today, with coverage expanding fast. This means improved messaging experiences between Android and Apple devices.
No problem. That’s where SMS fallback comes in. If you send an RCS business message and the user does not have a device that’s RCS-enabled, the message will simply be sent as a regular SMS, so your customer will still get it—it just won’t have the extra RCS features.
Pricing for RCS varies by region. It is generally priced similarly to SMS and MMS, making it an attractive upgrade to SMS.
In the United States, pricing includes carrier surcharges and fees a one-time setup fee charged by carriers, a yearly carrier vetting fee, per-message carrier fees, and competitive messaging rates. Certain carriers have temporary restrictions on who can register for an RCS Agent. Contact our experts for more information.
In the UK, France, Spain, and Germany it generally consists of a one-time setup cost and messaging fees.
For a detailed quote tailored to your business needs, please contact our sales team.
The timeline for RCS Agent registration varies by country due to carrier approval processes.
• United States: estimated 6–12 weeks
• United Kingdom & Germany: estimated 2–4 weeks
• Spain & France: estimated 2–5 weeks
Our onboarding team will provide a clear and transparent timeline for your specific market.
You can send a wide variety of rich and interactive content. SMS fallback is always available to ensure every message gets delivered, regardless of if the recipient can receive RCS messages on their device.
• Text-only messages
• Standalone media (images and video)
• Rich cards (media + buttons)
• Carousels
• Suggested replies & suggested actions
All RCS business messages include read receipts and click tracking. Learn more.
Note: Feature availability may differ across ecosystems like HubSpot or Salesforce. Please refer to our support documentation for specific details.
Get in touch with us to learn about our white- glove program for existing customers.
