Where is Klaviyo SMS available?

You will learn

Learn about the major similarities and differences in countries where Klaviyo SMS is available.

Available countries for SMS

Klaviyo SMS is not available everywhere. Currently, you can only collect SMS consent and send text messages in: 

• *United States
• Canada
• UK
• Australia

*The United States only includes the 50 US states and not Puerto Rico or other territories.

Similarities and differences in international SMS

It’s important to understand how SMS differs among the countries you send to. Below is a brief overview of important distinctions to keep in mind. This is not a comprehensive list, so make sure you review and abide by all laws, regulations, and industry guidelines for each country you send to. Find more information about localized messaging compliance laws.

	US	Canada	UK	Australia
Country code	+1	+1	+44	61
Sending number types	- Toll-free number - Short code - Vanity short code	- Toll-free number - Short code - Vanity short code	- Branded sender ID - Long code - Short code	- Branded sender ID
Message requirements	- Organization name/identifier - Opt-out language	- Organization name/identifier - Opt-out language - Contact information	- Organization name/identifier - Unsubscribe links	-Organization name/identifier - Unsubscribe links - Contact information
Credit per message	1 for SMS 3 for MMS	1 for SMS 3 for MMS	3 for SMS	3 for SMS
Regulated by	TCPA, CTIA	CASL	UK GDPR	Spam Act 2003
Opt-in and opt-out keywords	Available	Available	Branded sender ID: unavailable Long and short codes: available	Unavailable
MMS	Available	Toll-free = available (15 msg/minute) Short codes = unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable
SMS conversations (two-way messaging)	Available	Available	Branded sender ID: unavailable Long and short codes: available	Unavailable

United States

In the United States, the rules and regulations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the guidelines of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) are the two primary frameworks that apply to SMS marketing. When sending to a US phone number, you must follow the rules and guidelines set out by the TCPA and CTIA and all other applicable laws and regulations. Check out this article to learn about US SMS compliance laws. 

You must get express consent to send an SMS or MMS message to any US phone number. 

In your messages, it is highly recommended that you include:

• Your organization’s name or a way for recipients to easily identify your brand
• Instructions on how to opt out from receiving future messages

You should not include any Prohibited SMS and MMS Content in your messages. If you do, carriers will likely filter your message, and it will never land in your intended recipients’ messaging app(s). 

US short codes can only send to US phone numbers. If you want to send to other countries, such as Canada, either use a toll-free number or request a separate short code.

Canada

SMS marketing in Canada is regulated under the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). CASL applies to the sending of many different types of commercial electronic messages (CEMs), including commercial emails, SMS/MMS messages, and social media communications. For more information on CASL, read About Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. 

You must get express consent to send an SMS or MMS message to any Canadian phone number using Klaviyo. 

CEMs sent to Canadian recipients must include: 

• Information that identifies the sender of the message and, if applicable, the person on whose behalf the message is sent
• Contact information for the sender, including:
  • Business name
  • A valid mailing address
  • Either an email address, phone number, or web address for contacting your organization; your mailing address must be valid for at least 60 days after your message is sent
• Instructions on how to opt-out from receiving future messages

Do not include Prohibited SMS and MMS Content in your messages. If you do, carriers will likely filter your message, and it will never land in your intended recipients’ messaging app(s). 

In Canada, MMS for short codes (regular or vanity) is not available:

UK

In the UK, SMS messaging falls under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation covers most aspects of storing, collecting, and using someone’s personal data. Check out this article to see how UK GDPR affects SMS.

In messages to UK recipients, you must include:

• Organization name or identifier (e.g., a branded sender ID)
• Unsubscribe link or opt-out keywords

A big difference between the UK and the US and Canada is the number types. In the UK, SMS marketing messages can be sent from:

• Branded sender IDs
• Long codes
• Short codes

One aspect that is different in the UK is pricing. Due to the higher costs of sending to UK recipients, one SMS equals three credits for any UK recipient.

MMS is not available in the UK. 

Australia

In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 and the Spam Regulations 2021 regulate the sending of SMS marketing messages, along with other commercial electronic messages (e.g., email and instant messages). For more information, read About Australia’s Anti-Spam Legislation.

Messages to Australian recipients must include:

• Legal business name or company name and Australian business number
• Contact details or a link to business contact details
• Unsubscribe link (as opt-out keywords are not currently available)

When using Klaviyo SMS to send to recipients in Australia, messages are sent from branded sender IDs. These numbers are free with any Klaviyo SMS plan; however, they have certain limitations. Branded IDs cannot:

• Send MMS messages
• Receive either SMS or MMS messages

Note that it’s not possible to hold SMS conversations with AUS recipients, or have subscribers opt in or out via a keyword (e.g., JOIN or STOP). Due to these limitations, click-to-text forms or banners also do not work with branded IDs.

The pricing model is the same as for the UK: one SMS equals three credits for any Australian recipient.

Similarly, it's not possible to port branded sender IDs, you can set the sender ID to be the same as your previous ID. 

Additional resources

• Check out this section for guidance on SMS compliance laws
• Learn about prohibited content for SMS and MMS messages