The SMS thread, your message typed for them.
The QR redirects to an sms: URI. The customer's default messaging app opens to a fresh thread with your number in the To field and your suggested text already in the input. They hit send, you get a text.
Where WhatsApp can't reach, SMS still works.
Not every customer has WhatsApp. Not every audience reads email. SMS is the universal fallback — every phone with a SIM has it, and the customer doesn't need to download anything. Pre-fill the message body, and you've got a one-tap opt-in or support thread.
Editable destination — change the keyword or rotate the number per campaign without reprinting.
sms: works on every phone built in the last fifteen years.
No carrier integration, no SMS gateway fees on the platform side — the customer sends from their own SIM. You receive the text on yours.
Pre-fill a keyword. The keyword is the campaign.
The body of the SMS doesn't have to be a sentence. A single keyword (JOIN, MENU, BOOK, INFO) is enough — your end can route the inbound message into the right opt-in list, automation, or human inbox. Print a different QR per keyword, run multiple campaigns through the same number.
Opt-in to specials list
Customer joins your SMS list. Reply auto-confirms. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
Get today's menu
You reply with a link to the daily menu. Useful for cafés rotating specials.
Booking request
"BOOK — 4 for 7pm" — your end parses or you reply with a booking link.
Pricing / availability
Auto-replies with current pricing. Saves you typing the same message ten times a day.
Customer support
Routes the message into a support thread; you respond within hours.
Contest entry
Promotional contests with SMS entry — count the inbound, draw a winner.
Anywhere a customer would text instead of call.
SMS suits async support, opt-in marketing, and "I want to be on a list" moments. The customer keeps the thread for later (unlike a phone call), and you don't need an app to be installed on their phone.
SMS marketing opt-in
Counter card. "Scan to join our list for 10% off". Each scan is a clean opt-in record.
Daily specials
QR on the menu. Diners text MENU to subscribe to today's specials sent at 11am every day.
Quote requests
Van sign. Pre-filled "QUOTE — [your service]". Lead lands in your inbox with the service tagged.
Appointment reminders
Patient texts REMIND to get an SMS the day before — works without app installs or accounts.
Contest entry
Festival posters with a QR that pre-fills the contest entry text. Reply confirms entry; you draw at the end.
Listing inquiries
Yard sign. "INFO 14oakst" — your end auto-replies with the brochure link.
Things people ask before they print the sign.
Does this send the SMS automatically?+
No — for privacy reasons every modern phone makes the customer tap "send" themselves. The QR just opens the SMS app with the body pre-filled. That's actually the right behaviour: it stays GDPR-friendly (the customer is initiating), and you only get messages from people who chose to send.
What number should I use?+
Whatever number you want to receive texts on. For small businesses, your existing mobile or business landline (if it supports SMS) works. For high-volume opt-in lists, you'd usually route to an SMS aggregator (Twilio, MessageBird, etc.) — paste that number into the form instead.
Will iPhone use iMessage or SMS?+
iMessage when both sides are iPhone — same thread, blue bubbles, faster delivery. Falls back to SMS when the recipient is on Android. The pre-filled body works either way; the customer doesn't have to choose.
What about non-Latin characters (Chinese, Arabic, emoji)?+
Supported, and we URL-encode them correctly. Be aware that SMS (not iMessage) splits long messages with non-Latin characters into shorter segments because of the GSM-7 vs UCS-2 encoding — charges may be per-segment if your customer's plan isn't unlimited.
How does this compare to a WhatsApp QR?+
WhatsApp is better for everywhere it's installed — better delivery, no carrier fees, better attachments. SMS is better for universal reach (no app required), for older audiences, and for opt-in marketing where you want each contact to land on the user's carrier-level inbox. Many businesses print both side by side.
Will scans show up in my analytics?+
Yes. Every scan logs a row in your dashboard with date, country, device family. You'll be able to see which placement (counter card, billboard, receipt) actually drives texts — though the dashboard sees the redirect, not whether the message was sent.
Print the QR. Watch the texts arrive.
Free to start. Lifetime tier for your own domain and unbranded redirect pages.
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