Frequently Asked Questions

Text, images, documents in any format (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CSV, ZIP, and more), video, audio, interactive button messages (up to 3 buttons), list menus, location pins, contact cards, and copy-code/OTP messages.

File size limits by plan: Starter & Standard — 25 MB  •  Premium & Ultimate — 50 MB  •  Enterprise — 100 MB per file. SMESS auto-detects the file type from the filename — no MIME type configuration needed.

Most messages are delivered within 2 seconds. Our queue processes in real-time with automatic retries. Track every delivery from the dashboard.

You need an active phone number that can receive WhatsApp messages. Here's the breakdown:

• Personal WhatsApp: Works, but not recommended for business use — it lacks professional features and has lower trust with recipients.
• WhatsApp Business app (free): Recommended for small and medium businesses. Same number, but with a business profile, catalog, and auto-replies.
• Meta Business Verification: Strongly recommended for high-volume sending and deliverability. Meta charges a minimum of approx. $11/month. It improves your number's trust rating and unlocks higher throughput. Learn more at Meta Business.

SMESS handles all the technical API routing and message delivery infrastructure. We configure your number and get you sending — but the number and its Meta compliance status remain yours.

Note: SMESS is an independent service and is not affiliated with Meta Platforms, Inc. or WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.

When your quota is exhausted:

• Your client dashboard will show a quota alert in real-time so you always know your usage.
• The API returns a 429 Too Many Requests error — messages are not lost, they are rejected at the API level.
• You can purchase extra message credits for the current month without waiting for the next billing cycle.
• Quotas automatically reset on the 1st of every month.

SMESS works with any country and any valid international phone number worldwide. Simply provide the full international number (e.g. +1 USA, +44 UK, +233 Ghana) and messages are delivered globally. Contact us if you need support for a specific region.

Yes! We offer a 30-day free trial with 100 messages — no credit card required. Register now or email sales@smess.io and we’ll have you set up within minutes.

Payments are processed securely via Paystack (a Stripe company). Accepted methods include:

• Credit & debit cards (Visa, Mastercard)
• Mobile Money — MTN, Vodafone/Telecel, AirtelTigo (Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya)
• Bank transfers
• Enterprise clients can request invoicing with NET-30 terms

No. SMESS is an independent messaging infrastructure service. WhatsApp and Meta are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. Use of WhatsApp’s services is subject to Meta’s own Terms of Service. By using SMESS, you agree to comply with all applicable WhatsApp policies and Meta platform rules.