PopIn can send invites by SMS, by email, or via a shareable link. Each suits different situations. You can mix and match - SMS and email invites both link to the same RSVP page, and a guest who responds via either channel shows up the same way on your guest list.
Side-by-side
| SMS | Shareable link | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Close friends and family | Larger / mixed guest lists | Open or public events |
| Group size | Up to ~20 (feels personal) | 20+ | Any (group chat / Instagram story / Discord) |
| Read latency | Minutes | Hours | Same as the channel you paste it in |
| Cost to you | Free from PopIn (carrier may apply) | Free | Free |
| Reaches non-PopIn users | Yes | Yes | Yes (anyone with the link) |
For guest lists over 30, the shareable link in a group chat (WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Slack) is almost always better than SMS. It reaches everyone at once and doesn't burn carrier sends.
International SMS
SMS delivery rates and costs vary by country. Within Australia, the UK, the US, and most of Europe, delivery is fast and reliable. Some regions have stricter carrier rules and may take longer or fail silently.
If you're inviting guests overseas, email or the shareable link is more reliable. Don't rely on SMS as your only channel.
SMS opt-outs
Every PopIn SMS includes "Reply STOP to unsubscribe". A guest who replies STOP is permanently opted out of PopIn SMS until they opt back in (reply START), even if you re-invite them. They'll still get email reminders if they gave an email address, but no SMS.
Bulk SMS pacing
Sending many invitations by SMS at once can trigger carrier spam filters. PopIn paces large SMS invite batches over a few minutes to avoid this. If you're inviting more than 20 people by SMS, expect the last invitations to arrive a couple of minutes after the first.