- SMS is still the most reliable channel for alerts, reminders and verification codes — it reaches any phone without internet.
- In Saudi Arabia, marketing SMS must come from a registered sender name ending in -AD, within set hours, with a clear way to opt out.
- Arabic messages split about every 70 characters and English every 160 — each part is billed.
- Choose a licensed gateway with delivery reports and an API, and connect it to your customer system.
WhatsApp leads conversations, but SMS remains the surest way to reach any customer — no app or data needed. Banks, clinics and delivery companies rely on it for alerts, codes and appointment reminders.
Transactional vs promotional
Transactional messages (codes, confirmations, reminders) are expected by the customer. Promotional ones (offers, invitations) carry more rules in Saudi Arabia.
The rules in practice
- Sender ID: registered through your gateway with your CR and an authorisation letter.
- The -AD suffix: marketing messages use a sender ending in
-AD. - Sending hours: marketing only during the day; set a clear window (e.g. 9am–9pm) and queue the rest.
- Opt-out: give a way to stop marketing messages and honour it in every later campaign.
This is a practical summary, not legal advice — check your gateway's terms and the latest CST instructions.
What a message really costs
Gateways bill per part: up to 160 Latin characters (153 per part in long messages), or up to 70 for Arabic or anything with emoji (67 per part). A 140-character Arabic SMS is two parts.
Choosing a gateway
- Licensed, with fast delivery to all carriers.
- Delivery reports.
- A documented API.
- Easy sender-name registration.
- Clear tax invoices.
Well-known Saudi gateways include Unifonic, Taqnyat, Msegat, 4jawaly, Mobily, Yamamah and OurSMS.
Connect it to your customers
With Klamna SMS you connect your current gateway by its key, send from any customer page, run campaigns that show parts and cost before sending, queue marketing to allowed hours, add the opt-out line, honour a do-not-SMS list, and get delivery reports. You add the SMS channel to your own package in Klamna; messages are paid to your gateway. See pricing.