- Yes, but only once four conditions are met
- Long code or short code: who you can reach
- Approval wait times and the sole trader problem
- How segments eat into your monthly allowance
- Sending texts automatically from a workflow
- If you can't meet the conditions
- My verdict for small businesses
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, HubSpot can send marketing SMS, but only with an SMS add-on for Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, after you register your business and get approved. Messages go from US-based numbers, contacts must be opted in, and you can send texts automatically through workflows (as of Nov 2026).
Yes, but only once four conditions are met
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: there's a list of boxes to tick before your first text goes out, and a couple of them rule some businesses out completely. Here's what HubSpot's own help pages say you need.
- The right subscription and add-on. Marketing SMS needs a Marketing SMS Long Code or Short Code add-on, and the help page lists Marketing Hub Professional and Enterprise as the subscriptions.
- Business registration and approval. You register your business and wait for approval before you can send.
- A US-based number. Messages can only be sent from US-based numbers, and each account can generate a single number for marketing SMS.
- Opted-in contacts. Contacts must be opted in, and for workflows they also need to be set as marketing contacts.
You don't need your own Twilio account. HubSpot works with Twilio to provide the service, but a Twilio account isn't required to use it.
Long code or short code: who you can reach
The type of number decides where your texts can land.
| Number type | Who it can contact | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Long code (10DLC) | The United States and Canada | The Marketing SMS Long Code add-on |
| Short code | The United States only | Marketing Hub Enterprise plus the SMS Limit Increase add-on |
If you're a UK or European business with no US or Canadian audience, that tells you most of what you need to know. The feature is built around North American numbers.
Approval wait times and the sole trader problem
Registration is where most of the delay sits. HubSpot's Knowledge Base, in its guide to setting up SMS messaging for marketing communications, says approval may take six to eight business days for 10DLC numbers and 8 to 12 weeks for a short code. If you're planning a launch around texts, start the paperwork first.
The other blocker is quieter. SMS messaging isn't currently supported for sole proprietors. If you trade as a one-person business without a registered company, this route is closed for now.
Then there's message length. A single text holds 160 characters. Anything longer is split into 153 character segments. Add an emoji, or any character outside the standard set, and the limit drops to 70 characters with 67 character segments. One cheerful smiley can turn one text into several.
How segments eat into your monthly allowance
Segments are what count against your monthly limit, so a few details matter more than you'd think.
- Every link counts as 36 characters.
- Opt-in text such as START counts.
- Test sends count toward your monthly message segment limit.
- Unused segments don't roll over.
Write short, skip the emoji unless they earn their place, and don't fire off twenty test sends to yourself.
Sending texts automatically from a workflow
Once you're approved, the automated route is the one I'd use. In the workflow editor, add the Send SMS message action under Communications, after you've published the SMS for automation. Quiet hours are on by default, which stops texts landing in the middle of the night.
Two data checks before you switch it on. Phone numbers need a country code. And the text goes to the Mobile Phone Number property, or to the Phone Number property if the mobile one is empty, so clean those fields first. My ready-made workflow recipes give you a head start on the triggers.
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If you can't meet the conditions
Mailchimp offers SMS and MMS with credits on a Standard or Premium plan, and its help page limits it to the US or Canada too.
Twilio is the route for developers. Twilio treats any message an application sends from a number as application to person traffic, which US carriers require to be verified under A2P 10DLC, so you'll still face registration.
For a wider view, see my guide to SMS marketing software for small businesses.
My verdict for small businesses
If you already run Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, sell into the US or Canada and trade as a company, it's worth switching on. Start registration today, keep messages under 160 characters, and build it into a workflow. If you're a sole trader or your buyers are elsewhere, don't wait for it.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need Twilio to send SMS from HubSpot?
No. HubSpot works with Twilio behind the scenes, but a Twilio account isn't required.
Can HubSpot send SMS outside the US?
Messages can only be sent from US-based numbers. Long code numbers can contact the US and Canada, and short codes the US only.
Can I send SMS automatically?
Yes, with the Send SMS message workflow action, to opted-in marketing contacts with phone numbers that include a country code.
How long can a text message be?
160 characters per message, split into 153 character segments beyond that. Emoji cut this to 70 and 67.
Can a sole proprietor use it?
Not currently, according to HubSpot's help page.
