Question 1

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

Yes — MessageWorks offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. You get access to the full platform so you can explore campaigns, contact imports and messaging before committing.

Question 2

Do I need to download any software?

Accepted Answer

No. MessageWorks is entirely web-based. You log in from any browser — desktop, tablet or phone. Nothing to install, nothing to update.

Question 3

How quickly can I get started?

Accepted Answer

Most accounts are active within minutes of signing up. You can import your contacts and send your first campaign on the same day.

Question 4

Do I need a contract?

Accepted Answer

No. MessageWorks is month-to-month with no lock-in contract. You pay for messages as you use them.

Question 5

Can I try the platform before becoming a paying customer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The free trial includes test messages so you can see exactly how the platform behaves before becoming a paying customer.

Question 6

How does pricing work?

Accepted Answer

MessageWorks charges a monthly account fee plus per-SMS usage. The price depends on message length and your monthly send volume, with no lock-in contract or minimum spend. See our Pricing page for current rates.

Question 7

What counts as one SMS?

Accepted Answer

A standard SMS is up to 160 characters. Messages over 160 characters are sent as concatenated SMS and count as multiple SMS messages. Unicode messages (emojis, non-Latin characters) have a lower per-message character limit. The platform shows the expected message usage before you send.

Question 8

Are there any monthly fees?

Accepted Answer

There is a $39/month account fee that covers unlimited support. On top of that, you pay per SMS sent. Optional add-ons (such as a dedicated number) have their own monthly fees. See our Pricing page for the full breakdown.

Question 9

Do you offer volume discounts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our pricing is based on monthly SMS volume, so the per-SMS rate reduces as your send volume grows. Contact us if you have high-volume requirements and we can discuss a custom arrangement.

Question 10

How many contacts can I send to at once?

Accepted Answer

There's no hard limit on campaign size. MessageWorks handles campaigns from a handful of contacts to hundreds of thousands. For very large sends, our staggered sending feature lets you spread delivery over a time window.

Question 11

Can I personalise messages with each recipient's name?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks supports merge fields — insert {First Name}, {Last Name}, or any custom field from your contact record directly into your message. Every recipient sees their own personalised version.

Question 12

Can I schedule campaigns to send at a future time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Set the date and time for any campaign and MessageWorks will send it automatically. All times are in Australian Eastern time.

Question 13

Can I send internationally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks can send to international numbers. Contact us for international rates, which vary by destination country.

Question 14

Can I send MMS (picture messages)?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks supports MMS — attach an image to your campaign and it will be delivered to MMS-capable Australian handsets. See the MMS product page for details.

Question 15

What happens if a message fails to deliver?

Accepted Answer

Delivery status is tracked for every message. Failed deliveries are shown in your campaign report. Charges for undeliverable messages (e.g. to disconnected numbers) are typically not applied — contact us to confirm the policy for your account type.

Question 16

How do I import my contacts?

Accepted Answer

Upload a CSV or Excel file directly from the Contacts page. Map the columns to MessageWorks fields (mobile, first name, last name, custom fields) and the import runs in the background — no timeout issues even for large lists.

Question 17

What format do mobile numbers need to be in?

Accepted Answer

MessageWorks accepts Australian mobile numbers in any common format — 04xx xxx xxx, +614xx xxx xxx, or plain digits without spaces. The platform normalises them on import.

Question 18

Can I segment my contacts into groups?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can create as many groups as you need and assign contacts to multiple groups. Campaigns can be sent to one or more groups at a time.

Question 19

Is there a limit on how many contacts I can store?

Accepted Answer

No. There's no cap on the number of contacts stored in your account.

Question 20

What happens when someone opts out?

Accepted Answer

When a contact replies with STOP (or similar), MessageWorks immediately marks them as opted out and excludes them from all future campaigns automatically. Opt-outs are compliant with Australian Spam Act requirements.

Question 21

Can recipients reply to my SMS?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if you use a dedicated number or a shared long number. Replies arrive in your MessageWorks inbox where your team can read and respond. If you use a Sender ID (custom name), replies are not possible as the number is masked.

Question 22

Can multiple team members access the inbox?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your whole team shares the same inbox. Conversations can be assigned to specific team members to ensure follow-up.

Question 23

What is a Keyword?

Accepted Answer

A keyword is a trigger word that contacts can text to your number to trigger an automated response. For example: text JOIN to subscribe, WIN to enter a competition, or INFO to receive a product sheet. You configure the keyword, the reply message, and any follow-on action (like adding them to a group).

Question 24

What is Email-to-SMS?

Accepted Answer

Email-to-SMS converts an email you send into an SMS message. You can use Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, webmail, or an automated system without installing new software or learning an API.

Question 25

Which email clients can I use?

Accepted Answer

Any email client that can send a normal email can be used, including Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, web-based email, and automated email systems.

Question 26

How do I send an SMS to a group?

Accepted Answer

Send an email to sendgroup@e2s.messageworks.au, put the exact group name in the subject line, and write the SMS message in the email body. MessageWorks sends it to the subscribed contacts in that group.

Question 27

Can I send an SMS directly to a mobile number?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Send an email to mobile@e2s.messageworks.au, put one or more mobile numbers in the subject line, and write your SMS message in the body.

Question 28

How do I create a group or import contacts?

Accepted Answer

Use addgroup@e2s.messageworks.au with a CSV attachment and the group name in the subject line to create or update a group. Use contacts@e2s.messageworks.au to add or update contacts without assigning them to a group.

Question 29

What setup is required before I can send?

Accepted Answer

Your email address must be added as an Authorised Sender, or your company domain must be verified. These controls ensure that only approved emails can trigger SMS.

Question 30

Do SMS replies come back to my email?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a recipient replies to your SMS, the reply is delivered back to your email Inbox, so you can continue the conversation without monitoring a separate messaging inbox.

Question 31

Are opt-outs handled automatically?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a recipient replies STOP, MessageWorks automatically records the opt-out and excludes that contact from future sends.

Question 32

Is MessageWorks Australian?

Accepted Answer

Yes — 100% Australian owned and operated. We've been delivering SMS services to Australian businesses and Government agencies for over 20 years. All data is stored on Australian servers and never leaves Australia, which is important for compliance with the Australian Privacy Act.

Question 33

Is MessageWorks compliant with Australian spam laws?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks is designed for compliance with the Australian Spam Act 2003. Opt-out management is built into every campaign, and we provide guidance on consent requirements.

Question 34

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

All data is stored on Australian servers. MessageWorks is 100% Australian-owned and operated — your data never leaves Australia.

Question 35

Can I control what my staff can see and do?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks includes a Restricted Users access level that allows staff to send campaigns without being able to see individual contact details (names, mobile numbers). Ideal for privacy-sensitive environments.

Question 36

Do you offer two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks supports SMS-based 2FA for account logins, adding an extra layer of security for your account.

Question 37

What support is available?

Accepted Answer

MessageWorks is 100% Australian-based with a local support team. We offer email support, phone support during business hours, and a growing library of how-to resources.

Question 38

Do you offer onboarding help?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When you sign up, our team is available to help you get set up — from importing your first contact list to booking your first campaign.

Question 39

Is there documentation or a user guide?

Accepted Answer

Yes. MessageWorks includes a built-in User Guide accessible from inside your account, covering all major features with step-by-step instructions.

FAQ's for SMS Services

Getting Started

Pricing

Sending SMS

Contacts & Lists

Two-Way & Replies

Email-to-SMS

Compliance & Security

Support

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