RCS vs. SMS vs. Email: Which Channels Deliver the Best ROI?

TL;DR: SMS is best for fast, urgent messages; RCS offers a richer experience; and email supports long-form content and relationship-building. Each offers unique advantages, but the key is knowing how to use them to deliver the ultimate customer experience and drive results. 

Email pings, text messages and instant replies keep your users juggling distractions all day, with every message fighting for attention. But which messaging channel actually earns the most engagement and delivers the ROI you’re paying for? 

In this guide, we’ll break down the differences between RCS, SMS and email, showing how each channel works, what makes them effective and how to think strategically about where to invest your time and budget. 

What Are RCS, SMS and Email, and How Do They Differ?

Rich communication services (RCS), short message service (SMS) and email are three different messaging channels to relay important information to your customers about your products and services. But they differ in how your message is created and delivered. Let’s take a look at the differences between RCS, SMS and email. 

What Is SMS?

Short message service is a text-only channel available on almost every device. Each message is limited to 160 characters, making SMS ideal for delivering time-sensitive communications such as promotions, appointments and order confirmations. SMS also works anywhere users have cell service, making it a highly reliable channel for engaging users, no matter where they are. 

What Is RCS?

Rich communication services are the next wave of mobile messaging. Instead of sending plain text messages, RCS takes the messaging game to the next level, allowing you to send high-resolution images and videos, branded carousels and interactive buttons right within a user’s default messaging app. RCS relies on a strong Wi-Fi connection but can switch to SMS if needed. 

What Is Email Marketing?

Email has been around for ages, yet it remains a digital marketing powerhouse. Emails are great for delivering detailed content to your users, such as newsletters, product updates, lifecycle campaigns and promotions. Unlike SMS, email lets you highlight multiple offerings at once and tell rich stories, making it a powerful marketing channel to drive engagement and long-term ROI. 

Why Messaging Channels Matter for ROI 

Messaging channels matter for ROI because they are the primary way to connect with your audience and guide them throughout the customer journey. Each messaging channel—SMS, RCS and email—offers unique strengths in reach, engagement and conversion potential to turn every message into a performance driver rather than just a notification. 

What ROI Means for Messaging

ROI in messaging is a measure of how much value or profit your messaging campaigns generate relative to the time, money and resources you invest. Each messaging channel offers its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of ROI, but to keep track, you should monitor key performance indicators across the entire campaign lifecycle: 

• Delivery and reach: Are your messages getting to the right people at the right time? 
• Engagement: Once your message lands in a user’s inbox or messaging app, are they opening it or taking the desired action? 
• Conversion and revenue: Ultimately, ROI ties back to measurable outcomes. Is the messaging in your campaign driving purchases, sign-ups or other valuable metrics that contribute to your bottom line? 

By consistently tracking these metrics, you can identify which channels and message types resonate most with your target audience. 

The Rise of Rich Messaging and Multichannel Campaigns

As customers’ expectations grow, brands are moving beyond single-channel communication and basic messaging elements to rich messaging and multichannel campaigns. Rich messaging—like RCS—brings interactive elements and branded visuals into everyday conversations. 

When rich messaging is combined with SMS and email into a multichannel strategy, you can meet customers on the channel they prefer while keeping messaging consistent across various touchpoints. 

Quick ROI Summary: RCS vs. SMS vs. Email

Each messaging channel drives ROI in different ways. Here’s how RCS, SMS and email stack up against each other. 

RCS

Rich communication services campaigns can deliver massive engagement, with some reports showing a 1,633% increase compared to traditional SMS. They’re designed to make conversations with your target audience more interactive, visual and branded—turning a simple notification into an experience. 

Pros: 

• High engagement through images, video and interactive buttons
• Read receipts to check who’s opening messaging
• Branded messaging that strengthens your identity
• Encryption for secure communication

Cons: 

• Requires internet, Android and carrier support
• No universal compatibility 

Best for: Interactive campaigns with multimedia content when compatibility is ensured. Think product launches, flash sales with interactive CTAs or campaigns where rich visuals can drive action. 

SMS

The average ROI for short message services is $16–$17 per $1 spent, with a potential return of up to $71, making SMS a cost-effective channel for reaching large audiences. Its simplicity and reliability mean your messages land quickly, even without an internet connection. 

Pros: 

• Universal delivery to nearly every mobile device
• Works offline, ensuring that messages reach users even without Wi-Fi
• Fast and reliable for urgent communication

Cons:

• Limited to plain text—no images, video or buttons
• Lacks encryption and rich interactivity 

Best For: Time-sensitive promotions, reminders or alerts where speed and reach matter most.

Email 

Email marketing delivers an average $36–$38 per $1 spent, making it a high-value channel for reaching and nurturing your leads at scale. 

Pros: 

• Supports long-form content and storytelling 
• Cost-effective for large audiences
• Works well with automation for lifecycle campaigns 

Cons: 

• Lower engagement compared with SMS or RCS
• Messages lost in crowded inboxes
• Slower response times than instant messaging

Best for: Newsletters, lifecycle campaigns, educational content or any scenario where your goal is to build relationships over time or share multiple offerings. 

Which Messaging Channel Delivers the Best ROI?

When it comes to ROI, no single messaging channel wins across the board. Each messaging channel plays to different strengths depending on your goals, audience and the type of campaign you’re running. Let’s take a look at how SMS, RCS and email rank across key metrics. 

Metric	SMS	RCS	Email
Open/Read Rate	98% average; 90% read within 3 minutes	90–95%	35%
Click-Through Rate	20–36%	15–30%	2.62%
Conversion Rate	21–30%	80%	2–5%
Cost per Message	~$0.015—$0.03	~$0.0075–$0.015	$0.001
Campaign Efficiency	High for urgent campaigns	Moderate; higher cost offset by engagement	Very high for automated or long-form campaigns

RCS vs. SMS vs. Email: How They Stack Up

Each messaging channel offers different capabilities that shape how people see and respond to your messages. From fast delivery and interactive elements to building long-term engagement, SMS, RCS and email each contribute unique strengths to your campaigns. 

Feature	SMS	RCS	Email
Delivery Speed	Near-instant; works offline	Near-instant with internet; can fallback to SMS	Minutes to hours
Interactivity and Media	Plain text only	Images, video and carousels	Links, images and interactive elements
Security and Compliance	No encryption	End-to-end encryption	Varies
Device Compatibility and Audience Reach	Works with any mobile device	Android and iOS 18 users; internet required	Works across all devices with email access
Long-Term Value vs. Immediate Engagement	Immediate engagement; great for urgent messages	Immediate and richer engagement; balances clicks and brand impact	Long-term value; ideal for nurturing and user education

RCS vs. SMS vs. MMS—Breaking Down the Tech

Mobile messaging isn’t limited to SMS and RCS; MMS (multimedia messaging service) is also available. Similar to RCS, MMS allows you to send images, videos and audio alongside text. However, there are key differences that affect how your messages are experienced. 

SMS vs. RCS

SMS is a fast and straightforward way to send urgent messages to your users, but it’s limited to plain text. RCS builds on SMS to create a richer and more engaging experience for users with high-quality media sharing, interactive buttons, read receipts and branded messages. 

RCS vs. MMS

MMS and RCS are similar in that they can each send images, audio and video alongside text. However, RCS takes MMS one step further. With RCS, you can send highly branded carousels and interactive buttons right in users’ messaging apps, giving them an app-like experience without going to the mobile app. 

Should I Use RCS or SMS?

RCS and SMS serve different use cases and have different goals. Use SMS when speed, reach and reliability are your top priorities. Use RCS to create a richer, more engaging experience. 

How to Choose the Right Messaging Channel for ROI

Choosing the right messaging channel depends on your campaign goals, audience preferences and desired type of engagement. Here are a few steps to figure out which messaging channel is best for your needs. 

Know Your Audience: Device, Region and Behavior

The first and most crucial step in choosing the right messaging channel is to define and understand your audience. Do your research to find out which devices they use, which channels they engage with most, and how they use their mobile devices. 

For example, if most of your audience uses Android devices and their carrier supports RCS, you can test out an RCS campaign. On the other hand, if your audience spans all mobile devices, SMS ensures universal reach. 

Map Messages to the Customer Lifecycle

Different messaging channels work better at various stages of the customer journey. Align your messaging channels with the type of engagement you want to drive at each touchpoint. 

For example, send a personalized email to inform users about new products with a limited-time offer. If they haven’t taken action within 48 hours, send them an SMS follow-up letting them know their exclusive offer is almost over! 

Test, Measure and Automate Cross-Channel Journeys

You can’t measure the success of each channel without tracking the right metrics. Keep tabs on your messaging efforts through open, click-through and conversion rates. Utilize automation to test different delivery times to see what day and time generates the most engagement.

Use Airship for Smart Orchestration and Fallbacks

Airship’s customer experience platform (CXP) allows you to orchestrate messaging across SMS, email, RCS and more, all in one place. You can also set fallbacks so mobile messages can still reach users if one channel isn’t fully supported. 

Conclusion: There’s No “One Best” Messaging Channel

The truth is, it’s not about picking a messaging channel; it’s about choosing an experience. SMS gets your message seen in minutes, RCS creates a more interactive conversation and email lets you tell the whole story over time. Mix and match these channels to fit your audience and goals, and you’re not only sending messages—you’re creating moments that matter. 

FAQs about RCS, SMS and Email 

Should My Phone Be on RCS or SMS?

If your phone carrier supports RCS, then you can turn it on in your settings to enjoy rich messaging features like read receipts, high-quality videos and interactive buttons. If not, your phone will automatically default to SMS. 

What Are the Drawbacks of RCS?

RCS requires an internet connection and carrier support, which can limit reach compared with SMS. As a result, some users may miss a message if their device or network doesn’t fully support RCS.

When Should I Use SMS Marketing vs. Email Marketing?

Use SMS for time-sensitive messages or promotions where you need users to take immediate action. Email is also great for time-sensitive promotions, but it works best for longer-form content, newsletters and customer education. 

Why Does My Phone Switch Between RCS and SMS?

Your phone automatically switches from RCS to SMS if you have a poor network signal or an incompatible device. Even though RCS is unavailable, recipients can still receive SMS messages without interruption. 

Want Better ROI from Your Messaging Channels?

Ready to make every message count? Request a demo of Airship’s customer experience platform and see how RCS, SMS and email can work together to your advantage. From quick alerts to rich, interactive campaigns, Airship helps you reach your audience on the right channel at the right time, without the guesswork. 

Key Takeaways

• SMS drives immediate engagement with universal reach and is best used for urgent alerts and reminders.
• RCS takes SMS a step further through interactive videos, carousels and buttons to create a more immersive experience.
• Email tells the full story and nurtures relationships through newsletters, educational content, lifecycle campaigns and more. 

No single channel is the best—each channel has unique strengths, and combining them into a multichannel strategy maximizes ROI.