You already use text messaging for just about everything, from confirming appointments to following up after calls. So if you’re thinking about using a virtual phone system like Grasshopper, you probably want to make sure its texting features can keep up.
We’re breaking down everything you need to know about texting with Grasshopper’s SMS, including what it can do versus what it can’t. And if it turns out to be too limited for your business, we provide a Grasshopper alternative at the end of the guide.
Can you send text messages with Grasshopper?
Grasshopper lets you send unlimited text messages (SMS and MMS) in the US and Canada from local numbers on every plan. Toll-free numbers have more restrictions. You can’t use them to text Canadian numbers. If you have a toll-free number with Grasshopper, there’s no option also to send MMS and group texts.
Plus, Grasshopper phone numbers don’t support international texting. This means you can’t send or receive messages outside the US and Canada, making it harder to stay in touch with international customers.
Here’s what people say about using Grasshopper to text customers:
Here’s what people say about using Grasshopper to text customers:
“It worked in 1-2 instances before randomly stopping, and “failed to send text” popups appear every time I compose and attempt to send a new text.” – Reddit
“Grasshopper is the worst. You cannot stay in touch with clients, as their texting is problematic. You can’t even search through your text messages. You cannot export text messages. They are now not even allowing me to port my number to another carrier. They built incomplete software and won’t let you leave.” – Reddit
How much does Grasshopper charge for SMS?
Grasshopper’s pricing starts at $14 per month and includes unlimited texting to the US and Canada. The base plan includes one user only, making it almost impossible for small businesses to manage customer texts as a team.
To let more team members handle texts, you’ll have to upgrade to the Solo Plus plan ($25 per month). But keep in mind this only comes with one included phone number, so you’ll need to buy additional numbers for $9 extra per month (nearly double the cost of other VoIP systems). Even if you upgrade to the Small Business plan ($55 per month), it still only comes with four phone numbers.
Since Grasshopper charges per number and extension, not per user, sending texts from different numbers and departments can add up quickly.
Plus, if you plan to text US numbers from a virtual phone number, you’ll need to complete the US carrier registration. This includes paying a $19 one-time setup fee and additional monthly fees based on your texting volume and use case:
| Campaign type | Monthly fee |
|---|---|
| Low volume (under 6,000 texts/day) | $1.50/month |
| High volume (over 6,000 texts/day) | $10.00/month |
| Marketing Campaigns | $10.00/month |
Rejected applications are charged a $15 resubmission fee each time.
Keep in mind that Grasshopper doesn’t allow sole proprietors or nonprofits to complete the US carrier registration through its platform. So while on the surface, Grasshopper may seem like a good fit for entrepreneurs, it won’t work if you are self-employed and don’t have a business tax ID.
6 more limitations you should keep in mind about Grasshopper’s texting
Here are a few other Grasshopper texting limits to keep in mind:
1. Can’t automatically log texts in your CRM
Grasshopper doesn’t connect with third-party tools like HubSpot, which means you’ll need to manually log all call and text activity in your CRMs. This is a slow and clunky process that could increase your risk of mistakes.
While there used to be Grasshopper integrations with Skype and Google Voice, those have since been discontinued — so there’s no easy way to connect it with the rest of your tech stack.
2. Users cite Grasshopper’s texting registration process as frustrating
If you want to send texts through a VoIP SMS service, you’ll need to complete The Campaign Registry (TCR) registration to comply with A2P 10DLC regulations. But according to past users, Grasshopper doesn’t make this easy. There may be delays and poor communication, leading to message delivery issues.
Some say it can take multiple months to get up and running with texting — not ideal for business owners already using SMS to communicate with customers.
See for yourself with this Grasshopper review:
“I gave them months to try and get the SMS verified. … I spent days on the phone waiting, on hold, redoing suggestions, while stuck on an annual plan. I ended up having to leave, telling them to cancel and refund me; they told me they couldn’t refund $500 even though I was only a few days past the renewal date.” — Trustpilot
3. There’s few ways to automate repetitive messages
If you don’t want to write every message over and over again, Grasshopper won’t be the right fit for your business. It doesn’t offer features like reusable snippets, which means your team has to type each message manually. You also can’t schedule texts to go out later — everything has to be sent in real time, even if it’s outside business hours.
Grasshopper does have an “instant response” feature to automatically respond to missed phone calls via text. But this is the only texting automation available.
4. Your team will need to use an outdated interface
Grasshopper is what you’d call a “legacy phone system,” meaning it’s been around for a very long time (i.e., since 2003). Unfortunately, there haven’t been many user interface (UI) updates in the last 20+ years — and many small business owners report a clunky messaging interface.
Here’s what previous Grasshopper users had to say:
“Grasshopper sounds great on paper, but in reality… yeah, not so much. Spotty service, clunky interface, and if something goes wrong? Good luck getting support.” — Reddit
“The online settings interface is horribly non-intuitive. Doing something that should be really simple, like setting an away greeting while you are on vacation, cannot be done by yourself. “ — SoftwareAdvice
5. Sharing media with customers is restricted
MMS messages on Grasshopper are limited in size and number, making it tough to send media to customers. For example, each message caps out at 1 MB total, and you can only include up to five attachments, which may not be enough. With a business phone system like Quo, you get more flexibility — and can send up to 10 images per message and up to 5 MB total, making it easy to share menus, photos, receipts, and more.
6. There’s no way to export or back up text messages
There’s also no way to export or back up text messages with Grasshopper’s SMS feature. This means if you decide to port out, you may not have access to message logs at all. You might also feel trapped using Grasshopper as your SMS provider, which doesn’t bode well if you expect to scale in the future.
See for yourself:
“What disappoints me the most is Grasshopper doesn’t have a way to export or backup your text messages. The rep also claims they delete all of my text message history immediately after I ported out my numbers. I only ported 2 of my 3 numbers out 5 days ago, and I can no longer find the text message history.” — SoftwareAdvice
8. Limited call forwarding features (unless you pay extra)
Grasshopper does offer call forwarding. But if you want to ring more than one teammate at a time, you’ll need to pay extra for it.
For example, you can only forward calls to multiple teammates by purchasing their Call Blasting add-on. It costs $9 per month and limits you to 15 numbers. That might work for now, but it’s easy to outgrow as your team scales.
There’s also no way to route missed calls to a backup number or answering service. If no one’s available, the call just goes to voicemail.
Why Quo is the best texting alternative to Grasshopper
If you’re a solopreneur or someone who rarely texts customers, you might be able to make Grasshopper’s SMS features work. But if you’re a growing small business looking to explore more ways to text customers (and save time doing so), it might be more limited compared to modern VoIP providers like Quo.
Quo was designed by and for small business owners who want to build better customer relationships with text messaging. Each plan offers unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada, plus features that help you collaborate and get more work done with your team.
Here’s how Quo makes texting easier:
- Split responsibility for incoming calls and texts by sharing vanity, toll-free, and local phone numbers with your team. Need to delegate tasks? Use internal threads and mentions to tag coworkers in relevant messages to get their help or assign tasks.
- Set expectations and keep customers happy by sending a professional auto-reply to every missed call, text, and voicemail.
- Quickly complete US carrier registration with a step-by-step walkthrough in our web, desktop, or mobile apps (Android and iOS).
- Automatically log all texts under the right contact in your CRM with Quo’s integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier, and Make.
- Save time with texting automations like snippets so you don’t have to retype the same messages to customers and scheduled texts so you can reach customers during business hours in their time zone.
- Keep tabs on texts and store messaging logs for legal and compliance reasons.
See why Quo is the best Grasshopper SMS alternative by signing up for a seven-day free trial.
