RCS for Indian Businesses — Branded, Verified, Always Delivered
Rich cards, carousels, and tappable replies under your verified brand on Jio, Airtel, and Vi — with automatic SMS fallback on the same wallet and webhook, so every message reaches every phone.
Indian brands piloting RCS on SMSLocal across retail, fintech, logistics, and travel
Rich branded messaging — without the rich-platform complexity.
RCS finally makes SMS look like the rest of your brand. A logo, a verified badge, a hero image, suggested replies — delivered through the same phone inbox people already open 98% of the time. SMSLocal wires up the carrier approvals, the fallback logic, and the analytics so your team only sees one clean API.
Verified sender identity
Your brand name, logo, colours, and a verified blue-check badge — carrier-approved so customers know it's really you before they read a word.
Rich cards and carousels
Hero images, multi-image carousels, titles, descriptions, and tappable buttons render natively on Google Messages over Indian carriers.
Suggested reply chips
Tap-to-reply chips turn one-way broadcasts into conversations — track orders, view offers, confirm appointments in a single tap.
Automatic SMS fallback
Not every handset is RCS-capable yet. We check capability per number, send RCS when it works, and fall back to your approved DLT SMS template when it doesn't.
One wallet, one webhook
RCS and SMS billing on the same wallet. Delivery events from both channels on the same signed webhook, so your downstream systems don't need to care which channel was used.
DLT-aligned from day one
Sender IDs, templates, and consent treated with the same DLT-grade compliance we already run for SMS — no separate compliance workflow to maintain.
RCS first. SMS never far behind.
- Step 1
One API call
POST to /v1/rcs/send with your card payload, a fallback SMS template ID, and the destination number. That's it.
- Step 2
Capability check
We probe whether the handset is RCS-capable on its current carrier in real time. No extra latency to your flow.
- Step 3
RCS if available
Capable handsets receive the full rich card with your verified branding, image, and suggested replies — within a second on major carriers.
- Step 4
SMS fallback if not
Everyone else receives your approved DLT SMS template on the same operator route. One delivery webhook confirms whichever channel landed.
Ship RCS the same afternoon.
If you already send SMS through us, RCS is one endpoint and one payload change away. Same authentication, same webhook signing, same delivery status format.
import fetch from "node-fetch"
// One payload, multi-channel waterfall:
// RCS → WhatsApp → SMS, on the same wallet and webhook.
const res = await fetch("https://api.smslocal.in/v1/rcs/send", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer " + process.env.SMSLOCAL_API_KEY,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
to: "+919876543210",
agent_id: "smslocal_brand_01",
card: {
title: "Your Diwali hamper is ready",
description: "Apply code DIWALI500 at checkout.",
media_url: "https://cdn.smslocal.in/diwali.jpg",
suggested_replies: ["Track order", "View offer", "Not now"],
},
fallback: {
sms_template_id: "ORDER_READY_V2",
variables: { code: "DIWALI500" },
},
}),
})
const data = await res.json()
console.log(data.message_id, data.channel_used) // "rcs" | "sms"What you send
- Title, description, hero image or carousel, and up to four suggested-reply chips per card.
- Action buttons for dial, URL, location, or calendar — mapped to native RCS actions.
- A required DLT-compliant SMS template as the fallback so nobody is left unread.
What you get back
- A single delivery webhook per message, marked with which channel actually landed.
- Read receipts and suggested-reply taps forwarded as structured events.
- Per-channel analytics — delivery, read, tap — alongside your existing SMS reports.
Safe by default
- Signed webhooks, scoped API keys per environment, and IP allowlists on paid plans.
- Fallback SMS templates are DLT-checked at send-time; missing templates fail fast.
- PII redacted from logs; full payloads available on enterprise plans with audit trails.
Everything modern messaging teams want — on the channel people already open.
Brand studio
Upload your logo, pick brand colours, and preview your card on Android devices before you ship. Preview rendering matches Google Messages pixel-for-pixel.
Carousels & rich media
Send multi-card carousels for product ranges, offer grids, or travel itineraries. Each card has its own media, copy, and actions.
Safety rails
Per-brand rate limits, recipient cooldowns, and content-category tagging to keep promotional and transactional streams isolated.
Transparent billing
RCS is billed per conversation or per message depending on carrier; SMS fallback is billed at your existing SMS rate. One consolidated GST invoice.
Low-latency delivery
Sub-second typical delivery on Indian carriers; RCS and SMS share the same priority routing backbone.
Works with your CDP
Connect Segment, Mixpanel, Moengage, and your data warehouse. Deliver RCS campaigns from the segments your growth team already builds.
Why Indian teams pick SMSLocal for RCS.
| Feature | SMSLocal RCS | Direct carrier RCS | SMS only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single API for RCS + SMS + WhatsApp | Yes — one payload, one webhook | RCS only; SMS is a separate integration | SMS only |
| Automatic SMS fallback | Yes — per-number capability check | Customer builds it themselves | Not applicable |
| Verified sender onboarding | We manage carrier approvals for you | You deal with each carrier directly | Sender ID via DLT |
| Brand studio and previews | Yes — visual editor with device preview | Varies — usually dev-only JSON | Text preview only |
| Unified billing and invoicing | Yes — one wallet, one GST invoice | Separate billing per carrier | SMS invoice only |
| Indian support coverage | India-based, product-trained team | Generic carrier support | Varies by vendor |
A verified, branded card where your customer already reads everything.
Logos, images, carousels, and tap-to-reply chips on the messaging app that ships with every Android phone — with DLT SMS picking up whoever isn't there yet.
Where RCS earns its keep first.
Retail & D2C
Product drops, offer carousels, order updates with images, and one-tap reorder buttons — on the inbox customers already check.
Logistics & delivery
Out-for-delivery cards with rider details, live tracking buttons, and one-tap reschedule — replacing plain-text SMS noise.
Banking & fintech
Verified statements, card-activation flows, and fraud alerts under a branded verified sender — a trust upgrade over unbranded SMS.
Healthcare
Appointment cards with map and reschedule chips, lab-report availability notices, and follow-up reminders with richer context.
Sub-1s
typical RCS rendering on capable Indian handsets
3x
typical tap-through lift vs. equivalent plain-text SMS
100%
coverage — RCS where supported, DLT SMS everywhere else
1 API
one payload covers RCS, WhatsApp, and SMS waterfall
Priced 1% below the market leader. Auditable on every invoice.
We publish SMSLocal's RCS rate at exactly 1% below MSG91's public India rate card — same Google RBM partners, same Jio–Airtel–Vi coverage, a cheaper per-message rate, and a link to every source we benchmark against.
Basic text message
1% lowerMarket rate ₹0.12 · India A2P · pre-GST
Rich card message
1% lowerMarket rate ₹0.14 · India A2P · pre-GST
Wallet plans — no platform fee.
Pick a wallet size. No separate monthly platform fee — the plan amount is your wallet credit. Validity 24 months, usable against the rate card above.
Starter
≈ 14,430 rich cards or 16,835 basic texts
- Brand verification on Jio, Airtel, and Vi
- Rich cards, carousels, suggested replies
- Automatic SMS fallback for non-RCS devices
- Live delivery + read receipts
Growth
≈ 36,075 rich cards or 42,087 basic texts
- Everything in Starter
- A/B template experiments
- Campaign-level analytics dashboard
- Priority template approvals
Scale
≈ 72,150 rich cards or 84,175 basic texts
- Everything in Growth
- Dedicated account manager
- Carrier-side escalation when templates stall
- Webhook-driven event pipeline
RCS Business Messaging, answered.
What is RCS and how is it different from SMS?
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the carrier-upgraded successor to SMS. On capable Android handsets it supports verified sender branding, hero images, carousels, tappable suggested replies, read receipts, and typing indicators — rendered natively in Google Messages. It uses the recipient's phone number and doesn't require a third-party app.
Does RCS work on iPhone in India?
iOS 18 added RCS support and Apple is rolling it out on Indian carriers progressively. Where RCS is available on iPhone we'll use it; otherwise we fall back to your DLT-compliant SMS template automatically, so your campaign reaches everyone regardless of device.
Which Indian carriers support RCS?
RCS is live on Jio and Airtel for most Android handsets on Google Messages, with Vi progressively rolling out. BSNL is still SMS-primary. SMSLocal's waterfall handles each recipient's capability automatically — you don't encode carrier logic into your product.
What do I need to send branded RCS?
A verified business identity (we guide you through carrier approval), your brand assets (logo, colours, and name), and one or more RCS agents that our team registers with the carriers. Once approved, you can ship campaigns from the dashboard or the API the same day.
How is RCS priced?
RCS is billed per conversation or per message depending on the carrier's programme (retail pricing still settling in India). SMS fallback is billed at your existing SMSLocal SMS rate. Both appear on one consolidated monthly GST invoice on a single wallet.
Do I need to rebuild my integration to use RCS?
No. If you already send SMS on SMSLocal, enable RCS by adding a card object and a fallback template to your existing payload. Your webhook format, authentication, and delivery statuses stay exactly the same — we just add a channel_used field so you know which path landed.
Is RCS DLT-compliant?
DLT rules in India apply to SMS; RCS is governed by the carriers' RCS Business Messaging programmes with their own content and sender-verification approvals. We manage both so your campaign is approved end-to-end — the verified RCS brand for the rich path and the DLT SMS template for the fallback.
Rich messaging pairs well with these.
Most teams combine RCS with a DLT SMS fallback, WhatsApp for opted-in audiences, and AI agents to answer the replies that RCS's suggested-reply chips trigger.
Explore products
Bulk SMS
DLT-compliant campaigns with AI routing and wrong-number detection.
WhatsApp Business API
Broadcasts, AI agents in 8 Indian languages, and a visual flow builder.
OTP & Transactional SMS
Priority routes, sub-second delivery, and a ship-today API.
Quick SMS
Send DLT-compliant SMS from your browser without a developer.
See it in your industry
Retail & Hospitality
Loyalty broadcasts, reservations, and catalog-driven WhatsApp flows.
E-commerce
Abandoned-cart recovery, COD confirmation, and order-status loops.
Logistics
Out-for-delivery pings, rider OTPs, and COD confirmations.
Banking & Fintech
Low-latency OTPs, KYC nudges, and DPDPA-aligned data handling.
Give your most-read inbox a real brand.
Get onto the SMSLocal RCS early-access programme, ship your first branded card, and keep SMS as the safety net — on one wallet.