What are SMS and MMS and How Do They Differ?

The terms SMS and MMS are commonly used interchangeably but actually refer to different types of messaging. But what's the difference? Let's discuss.

Shelly Prakash

•April 16, 2025

It's no surprise that the trend towards messaging is blasting and becoming an increasingly influential tool for companies to connect with their customers instantly. Marketers anticipate that business messaging and mobile usage is a technological force that's here to stay and not just a trend that will drift away. The terms SMS and MMS are commonly used interchangeably but actually refer to different types of messaging. But what's the difference? Let's discuss.

What is SMS Messaging?

SMS is an acronym for Short Message Service. The very first text message was sent through the SMS protocol way back in 1992. Today, it has been the oldest, most popular, and commonly used messaging technology backed by every mobile network. You don't require an internet connection to send/receive an SMS message. Standard cellular service is sufficient for transmitting SMS messages. SMS is a straightforward and affordable way to send messages to almost any mobile device. With an SMS message, you can send up to 160 characters to another device. Longer messages are typically split up into multiple messages. SMS has revolutionised the way businesses communicate with a variety of audiences. It allows you to connect with anyone, wherever they might be in the world. As a result, many businesses utilise SMS to issue mobile coupons, conduct surveys and generally spread the news about their business offerings.

What is MMS Messaging?

MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. So you can conceive of it as an improvement over the basic SMS message. The MMS method adds a lot of functionality to texting, such as facilitating the sender to share images, videos, GIFs, audio clips and more. Furthermore, MMS permits up to 1600 characters in the messages, which is way more than a regular SMS. Such multimedia capability necessitates an internet connection. A conventional cellular connection isn't enough to carry visual and audio media. Sending and receiving MMS messages almost always demands a cellular data plan.

Difference Between SMS and MMS Messaging

Some differences between SMS and MMS influence the costs and experience of adopting each of these services for your business. First, SMS messages are conveyed using traditional means, including passing through various base stations and servers. On the other hand, MMS messages are transmitted through sophisticated communication systems, enabling users to share images and media. An MMS uses TCP or IP technology to encode and then decode the media from the sender to the receiver. The use of SMS has been widespread due to the open rates of these messages. It could be easy to ignore an email but not an SMS that constantly displays an unread notification. MMS messages also deliver a better success rate than simple emails, as one can insert more characters and media along with a detailed, informative message. If you want your text message to reach a wider audience, you must carefully choose a messaging system. It is critical to note here that MMS may not be compatible with all mobile devices that the target users may be handling. Sending MMS to a device that doesn't support internet protocols will be useless and ineffective. Whereas SMS effectively reaches all types of devices because it uses cell towers, accepted by both analogue cellphones and smartphones. The purpose is to reach the targeted audience efficiently, and transferring incompatible text messages will not benefit you in any way. It is essential to study analytical data to make the perfect decision and ensure that your thoughtfully created content reaches the audience.

Conclusion

Each protocol has its advantages and drawbacks, but SMS is more affordable and very concise. Moreover, not all users can receive MMS messages. While most people use smartphones these days, not all do. Some may not even have MMS authorised on their cellular data plans. Also, information such as appointment confirmations, system alerts, delivery tracking and reminders are excellent candidates for SMS messaging. Finally, most marketing texts get opened within three minutes, and SMS messaging claims an open rate of 99%. If you are exploring different messaging solutions and want to know about your options, contact mTalkz. It provides an effortless, solid and self-serve messaging platform, making it highly convenient to add and maintain connections, compose rich texts, and send bulk SMS. To witness a rise in sales and customer satisfaction with intelligent SMS campaigns, notifications, instant OTPs, two-way interactions, and much more for your business, partner with mTalkz today.