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Global Compliance ROI

Lifecycle Messaging: Email vs SMS vs WhatsApp (2025)

Compare deliverability, speed, conversions, cost, and compliance — then use the decision wizard to tailor the channel mix to your use-case.

Onboard users, drive feature adoption, recover churn.
Top pick: WhatsApp for SaaS ActivationSee all comparisons

Email

75%
ComplianceROISpeed
Deliverability
86%
Speed
72%
CTR
45%
Personalization
92%
Cost Efficiency
94%
Compliance
82%
Global Reach
98%
  • Best for: newsletters, onboarding, receipts
  • Advanced personalization & templates
  • Cheapest at scale
Suggested tools

These cards link to your directory for discovery (and reviews for depth).

SMS

75%
ComplianceROISpeed
Deliverability
94%
Speed
96%
CTR
58%
Personalization
70%
Cost Efficiency
72%
Compliance
88%
Global Reach
86%
  • Best for: alerts, OTPs, time-sensitive nudges
  • Near-instant delivery & high CTR
  • Watch cost at volume
Suggested tools

These cards link to your directory for discovery (and reviews for depth).

WhatsApp

79%
ComplianceROISpeed
Deliverability
92%
Speed
93%
CTR
64%
Personalization
84%
Cost Efficiency
80%
Compliance
90%
Global Reach
74%
  • Best for: conversational commerce & support
  • Template approval + buttons, rich media
  • Great read rates in adopted regions
Suggested tools

These cards link to your directory for discovery (and reviews for depth).

Explore tools by channel

Klaviyo

E-commerce email & SMS with deep Shopify data.

E-com favorite

Customer.io

Behavioral campaigns with granular control.

Advanced

Brevo (Sendinblue)

Affordable newsletters & automations.

Quick decision wizard

Tick what matters most — we’ll suggest a mix:

Goals
Suggested channel
We recommend WhatsApp as your primary channel.

Secondary: email , sms — mix channels via behavior-based triggers.

Conversational Template buttons Region adoption varies

Costs, templates, and compliance at a glance

ChannelTypical costTemplatesOpt-inBest use
EmailVery low CPM at scaleHTML, liquid/handlebars, blocksList opt-in, easy unsubscribeNewsletters, onboarding, receipts
SMSPay-per-text; varies by countryShort text + linksExplicit opt-in; quiet hours (region)Alerts, OTP, time-sensitive promos
WhatsAppTemplate/session pricingApproved templates w/ buttonsUser consent; brand template approvalConversational commerce & support

Pricing and policies vary by provider and region. Verify with your vendor before scaling.

FAQs

Which should I implement first?

Start with Email for scale and cost-effectiveness, layer SMS for time-sensitive nudges, and add WhatsApp where adoption is strong.

How do I avoid audience fatigue?

Use behavior-based triggers and caps (e.g., max 2 SMS/week). Shift long-form content to Email; keep SMS/WhatsApp for short actions.

How do I measure impact?

Track per-channel revenue attribution, holdout groups, and blended LTV — not just CTR. Compare journey time-to-action across channels.

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