Email List Value Calculator
Calculate the total monetary value of your email list based on subscribers, revenue per subscriber, and average lifespan.
SMS Marketing ROI Calculator
Calculate SMS marketing return on investment. Enter SMS campaign revenue and costs to see your ROI percentage, cost per message, and revenue per send.
Number of SMS recipients
$
$
Unsubscribes per campaign
$
SMS ROI⧉
680.0%
Excellent — above 500% target
Profit⧉
$3,910.00
Revenue $4,485.00 − Cost $575.00
Revenue per 1K Messages⧉
$179.40
Benchmark: $45
Revenue per Message⧉
$0.1794
Total revenue ÷ messages sent
Cost per Conversion⧉
$8.33
All-in cost ÷ conversions
Conversions⧉
69
2,750 clicks × 2.5% CVR
Estimated Opt-Outs⧉
200
0.8% of 25,000 subscribers
Cost per Opt-Out⧉
$2.88
Hidden cost of subscriber churn
Conversion Funnel
Messages Sent: 25,000100%
Clicks: 2,75011.0%
Conversions: 690.3%
Campaign Type Benchmarks
| Type | Avg CTR | Avg CVR | Opt-Out | RPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| promotional | 11.2% | 2.5% | 0.8% | $45 |
| transactional | 18% | 0.5% | 0.1% | $12 |
| flash sale | 14.5% | 4.2% | 1.2% | $72 |
| loyalty | 9.8% | 3.1% | 0.3% | $55 |
| cart recovery | 21% | 8.5% | 0.4% | $110 |
Cost Breakdown
| Component | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Message Cost | $375.00 | 65.2% |
| Platform Fee | $200.00 | 34.8% |
| Total Cost | $575.00 | 100% |
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the SMS Marketing ROI Calculator
SMS marketing delivers some of the highest engagement rates in e-commerce, with open rates above 95% and click rates of 15–30%. But SMS also carries per-message costs that make ROI critical to track. If your SMS campaigns are not generating profitable returns, you are burning cash faster than email ever could.
This calculator takes your SMS campaign revenue and total SMS costs (platform fees, per-message charges, and any additional costs) and computes the ROI percentage directly. It also calculates revenue per message sent, cost per message, and the break-even revenue needed.
SMS works best as a complement to email for time-sensitive offers, flash sales, back-in-stock alerts, and abandoned cart recovery. Understanding ROI by campaign type helps you focus on the SMS use cases that actually drive profitable revenue.
When This Page Helps
SMS has high per-message costs compared to email. This calculator shows whether campaigns are actually profitable so you can evaluate send types, frequency, and budget with margin in mind.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter the total revenue attributed to your SMS campaigns.
- Enter the total cost of SMS (platform fee + per-message costs).
- Enter the number of messages sent.
- View your ROI, revenue per message, and cost per message.
- Compare ROI across different SMS campaign types.
- Use results to determine optimal SMS frequency and audience targeting.
Formula used
ROI = ((SMS Revenue − SMS Cost) / SMS Cost) × 100
Revenue per Message = SMS Revenue / Messages Sent
Cost per Message = SMS Cost / Messages Sent
Profit = SMS Revenue − SMS CostExample Calculation
Result: ROI: 700% | Revenue per Message: $0.24 | Cost per Message: $0.03
ROI = ($12,000 − $1,500) / $1,500 × 100 = 700%. Revenue per message = $12,000 / 50,000 = $0.24. Cost per message = $1,500 / 50,000 = $0.03. Each dollar spent on SMS generates $8 in revenue. This is a well-performing SMS program.
Tips & Best Practices
- Abandoned cart SMS typically delivers the highest ROI — prioritize this automation.
- Keep SMS messages short and include one clear CTA with a direct link.
- SMS works best for time-sensitive offers: flash sales, limited stock, and expiring discounts.
- Segment your SMS list by purchase behavior to avoid irrelevant messages and opt-outs.
- Track opt-out rates alongside ROI — high ROI with high churn is unsustainable.
- Compare SMS ROI to email ROI to optimize your channel mix.
- Always include proper opt-out language to comply with TCPA regulations.
SMS Marketing Economics
The economics of SMS differ from email because each message has a direct cost. A 50,000-subscriber list sent 8 messages monthly at $0.02 each costs $8,000/month just in messaging fees. The revenue must exceed this threshold before you even consider platform costs and labor.
Optimizing SMS ROI
The highest-ROI SMS strategies are: (1) abandoned cart recovery (15–25% recovery rates), (2) flash sale announcements (leverage urgency), (3) VIP or loyalty member exclusives, and (4) back-in-stock notifications. Each of these targets high-intent audiences with timely, relevant messages.
Compliance Considerations
SMS marketing is regulated by TCPA in the US, CASL in Canada, and GDPR in Europe. Non-compliance can result in fines of $500–1,500 per unsolicited message. Always obtain explicit opt-in consent, include opt-out instructions, and respect quiet hours (typically 8 PM–9 AM).
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Frequently Asked Questions
An SMS ROI of 500% or higher (5:1 return) is considered strong for e-commerce. Top performers see 1,000–2,500%. Below 200% may indicate poor targeting, weak offers, or an audience that doesn't respond well to text marketing.
Per-message costs typically range from $0.01–0.05 for domestic SMS and $0.10–0.50 for MMS. Platform fees range from $25–500/month depending on volume. Some platforms charge per-message only. Total cost depends on list size and send frequency.
Use unique URLs, UTM parameters, or dedicated discount codes in your SMS messages. Most SMS platforms track clicks and revenue with a 1–24 hour attribution window. Shorter windows give more conservative (often more accurate) attribution.
Email typically has higher ROI because per-message cost is near zero. But SMS has higher engagement rates and works better for urgent, time-sensitive offers. The optimal strategy uses both: email for regular communication and SMS for high-impact, time-critical campaigns.
Most e-commerce brands find 4–8 SMS per month optimal. More than 10–12 per month leads to elevated opt-out rates. Start conservatively (2–4/month) and scale up while monitoring opt-out rates. If opt-outs exceed 2–3% per send, you're over-messaging.
Automated flows (abandoned cart, back-in-stock, order confirmation) typically outperform blast campaigns by 3–5× in ROI. Among broadcast campaigns, flash sales and limited-time offers perform best because SMS excels at creating urgency.
More in this topic
Influencer Marketing ROI Calculator
Calculate influencer marketing return on investment. Enter revenue generated and campaign costs to see ROI percentage, cost per sale, and profit impact.