Quick answer: RCS Business Messaging puts a verified brand name, images and tap-to-reply buttons inside the phone's default messaging app, with SMS as the fallback. It is not a cost saver: Meta's October 2026 INR rate card charges ₹0.115 for a WhatsApp utility message, and MSG91 lists SMS from ₹0.16 to ₹0.25. Shortlist Gupshup, MSG91 and Infobip if branding and conversions matter more than the per-message rate.
How we researched this: We read RCS product pages and guides from Gupshup, MSG91 and Infobip, Google's RCS for Business documentation, MSG91's published India price lists, TRAI's guidance for senders of commercial messages, MoEngage's DLT help article and Meta's INR rate card. Everything is as published in October 2026.
Where RCS fits between SMS and WhatsApp
Shopping for an RCS rich communication services API SaaS product means comparing providers whose APIs sit on the same Google flow, so start with what the channel is. An SMS is plain text from a header such as "VD-KOTAKB". WhatsApp needs the customer to be on WhatsApp and to have opted in. RCS sits in the same inbox as SMS but behaves like a chat app. Gupshup's RCS guide describes it as an IP-based service on Android's Google Messages and on Apple devices that adds suggested reply and action buttons, images, video, rich cards and scrollable carousels to what used to be a 160-character text. Infobip puts the device floor at Android 5.0 and iOS 18.1, and Gupshup adds that not every Android device supports RCS today, which is why a fallback to SMS is part of any serious plan.
Here is how the three channels compare on the numbers that were published when we checked.
| SMS | WhatsApp Business Platform | RCS Business Messaging | |
|---|---|---|---|
| India price shown | MSG91 tiers: ₹0.25 at 5,000 SMS, ₹0.20 at 16,500, ₹0.18 at 30,000, ₹0.17 at 60,000, ₹0.16 at 9,62,500 (excl. 18% GST) | Meta INR rate card from 1 Oct 2026: marketing ₹0.8631, utility ₹0.115, authentication ₹0.115, service ₹0.115 | MSG91 plans ₹2,000, ₹5,000 or ₹10,000 a month, each including a wallet of the same value; per-message rates sit behind a "View rates" link |
| Opt-in needed | Consent registered under TRAI's rules | Opt-in under WhatsApp's policy | Treat as consent-based; confirm with your provider |
| Content | Text | Templates, buttons, media | Rich cards, carousels, suggested replies, verified sender |
| Reach | Every phone | WhatsApp users | RCS-capable devices only; SMS fallback needed |
Two things stand out. SMS is cheaper per message than WhatsApp marketing templates, by roughly three to five times at the volumes above. And MSG91 publishes RCS plans but not the per-message rate, while the RCS pages of Gupshup, Infobip and Netcore state no price at all, so a comparison needs a written rate card from each provider.
How RCS Business Messaging actually works
Google's RCS for Business guide describes the flow plainly. A business runs an "agent". An external trigger, such as a parcel being shipped, makes the agent send an HTTP request with a JSON payload to Google's RCS Business Messaging API. Google delivers the message to the Messages app, and any reply or button tap comes back to your webhook as JSON. The guide notes that users cannot start a conversation with your agent, so plan RCS as an outbound-first channel and keep WhatsApp or a web chat for inbound enquiries.
Two details matter to a buyer:
- Verification. Gupshup says that under the GSMA RCS Universal Profile every RCS sender has to be verified and authenticated by RCS service providers, and that the verified mark, brand logo and colour appear in the thread. MSG91 describes "verified and badged sender IDs vetted by Google". Budget time for this step; neither vendor's page gives a timeline.
- Fallback. Google's guide says that when a device does not support RCS, the API returns a 404, and "the agent should fall back to another technology, such as SMS". Gupshup describes ordering options such as RCS to SMS, or RCS to WhatsApp to SMS. Your provider, not Google, decides how that cascade is billed, so ask whether a failed RCS attempt is charged.
Apple matters here too. MSG91 states that both sender and recipient need RCS activated through their carrier or app settings, and its price page lists "RCS iPhone Delivery" on every plan while sending buyers to sales for pricing of that feature. Ask any provider which Indian carriers are live for iPhone delivery today.
The India compliance layer: DLT still applies
Indian businesses cannot treat RCS as an unregulated app channel. TRAI's guidance to senders lists four steps before any commercial communication goes out: register as a Principal Entity, register a header (an alphanumeric sender ID of up to 11 characters), register each content template with its fixed and variable parts, and register a consent template and obtain consent. TRAI's page states that "failing to follow any steps will not allow you to send CC". It also separates promotional messages, sent without explicit consent, from service messages, which confirm or complete a transaction the recipient agreed to.
TRAI's page does not name RCS. MoEngage's help centre does: it says "the DLT regulations are applicable only for sending SMS & RCS messages to Indian mobile numbers", and explains the practical path. You register on an operator's DLT portal with a PAN, a GST or TAN business address proof and a Letter of Authorization. You receive a Unique Entity ID, then register headers and templates with every operator to avoid cross-operator rejections. Two sources, one conclusion: assume your RCS sender and templates need the same DLT groundwork as SMS, and have your provider confirm in writing how RCS templates are registered. For gateway pricing alongside DLT, see our guide to SMS and OTP gateways in India.
What the providers say they offer
| Provider | What its own pages describe |
|---|---|
| Gupshup | RCS guide covering suggested replies, rich cards, carousels, PDF sharing, QR starts, plus RCS-to-WhatsApp-to-SMS fallback. Homepage lists WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, RCS and voice AI agents on one Conversation Cloud. |
| MSG91 | RCS with logo, carousels and action buttons; API access enabled by contacting MSG91 after sign-up; Launch, Build and Grow plans at ₹2,000, ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 a month, each with an equal wallet; prices exclude 18% GST. |
| Infobip | RCS with carousels, buttons and a verified name; "smart fallback" across RCS, SMS and chat apps; delivery reports, read receipts and button-click data. Page gives no India detail. |
| Route Mobile | Lists RCS Business Messaging next to WhatsApp Business, Viber and Google Business Messaging as enhanced messaging channels. |
| Netcore | RCS with verified branding, carousels, read receipts and click analytics; says it works with 6,500+ brands. |
Treat RCS as an extension of your bulk SMS gateway API software India account rather than a separate project: Gupshup, MSG91 and Infobip also describe SMS and chat-app messaging on their own sites, so one contract can cover all three channels. Teams that only need campaign tools may prefer to reach RCS through a customer-engagement platform such as MoEngage, whose help centre treats RCS as a channel beside SMS; see our comparison of CleverTap, MoEngage and WebEngage.
A word on the vendors' own numbers. Gupshup says it serves over 50,000 customers and handles about 120 billion conversations a year; MSG91 says it is trusted by 30,000+ businesses; Netcore says 6,500+ brands. These are company statements, not audited figures, and none is specific to RCS.
Gupshup's conversational AI layer, and where chatbots fit
RCS conversations are only worth the effort if replies go somewhere, which is where a Gupshup conversational AI chatbot comes in. Gupshup's homepage describes a platform called Conversation Cloud, with AI agents (including voice agents), its own ACE LLM, an AI co-pilot that suggests replies and summaries to human agents, and AI-powered escalation that hands complex cases to a person. A bot built on Gupshup Bot Builder or Gupshup WhatsApp can, in principle, serve the same flow on RCS, WhatsApp and SMS, but the homepage does not say which features work on which channel, so test a single journey on each before you commit.
For the wider tool landscape, including bots that hand over to people, see our roundup of live chat and AI chatbot software.
Three Indian scenarios worked through
These are illustrations from the published prices; provider margins, GST and RCS rates are excluded where they are not published.
A Pune coaching institute sending 30,000 fee and attendance reminders a month. On MSG91's published tier, 30,000 SMS cost ₹5,400 before GST, which is ₹0.18 each; with 18% GST the bill is ₹6,372. The same count as WhatsApp utility messages would carry a Meta fee of 30,000 × ₹0.115 = ₹3,450, before the provider's own charges. If parents have opted in on WhatsApp, utility templates there cost less than SMS at Meta's level, though provider charges and GST come on top. RCS adds little for plain reminders.
A Surat saree retailer announcing a festival sale to 10,000 customers. WhatsApp marketing at ₹0.8631 is ₹8,631 in Meta fees, while MSG91's 16,500-SMS tier at ₹0.20 gives ₹3,300 for more messages than that. Here a carousel of ten sarees with a "View catalogue" button is what RCS sells, and Gupshup's guide lists exactly that format. Run RCS to a test segment of 1,000 and compare tap-through with a plain SMS before paying for the full list. A team already using WhatsApp broadcast campaign software for such offers should compare RCS on tap-through, not on price alone.
A Bengaluru lender sending repayment links. Branding and trust matter most. Verified sender plus a "Pay now" action button is the RCS pitch, with SMS as a fallback for devices that cannot show it. Everything must follow the DLT registration steps first, and a compliance owner should sign off each template.
When RCS is the wrong choice
- Your customers use older phones or iPhones on pre-18 iOS. Infobip's device floor and Gupshup's note about unsupported Android devices both mean you will pay for fallback traffic.
- You need customers to message you first. Google's guide says users cannot start conversations with an agent. Use WhatsApp automation or web chat for inbound.
- Your messages are plain OTPs or balance alerts. An OTP gains nothing from a carousel, and cheaper plain SMS usually suffices. Meta's authentication rate is ₹0.115 against SMS at ₹0.16 or more, but only for people using WhatsApp.
- Volumes are tiny. MSG91's smallest RCS plan is ₹2,000 a month, which only pays back if you send rich messages regularly.
For broadcast tools aimed at WhatsApp specifically, read our comparison of Wati and Zoko and the guide to WhatsApp Business API providers.
A four-week rollout plan
- Week 1: paperwork. Confirm your DLT Principal Entity ID, headers and templates. Ask each shortlisted provider for its RCS rate card, its verification timeline and how it bills a failed RCS attempt that falls back to SMS.
- Week 2: sender verification and design. Submit the brand name, logo and colours for verification. Design one rich card and one text-only message.
- Week 3: pilot. Send to a 1,000-customer opted-in segment, with a plain SMS to a similar control group.
- Week 4: decide. Compare taps and conversions per rupee, then decide whether RCS replaces SMS for that journey, supplements it or is dropped. The providers in SMS marketing software can run the SMS control group.
If your team is also weighing the engagement platforms that orchestrate these channels, our guide to marketing automation tools in India is the next read.
FAQs
What is RCS business messaging?
RCS Business Messaging lets a verified brand send rich messages, such as images, carousels and tap-to-reply buttons, into a customer's default messaging app. Google's documentation describes it as a message flow between a business agent, Google's service and the user's phone, with replies returning to your webhook.
Is RCS cheaper than SMS in India?
Not on any published rate. MSG91 shows SMS from ₹0.25 down to ₹0.16 depending on volume, while its RCS plans start at ₹2,000 a month with per-message rates behind a rate card. Ask for that rate card and compare the cost per tap, not just per send.
Do I need DLT registration for RCS in India?
MoEngage's help article says the DLT regulations apply to sending SMS and RCS messages to Indian mobile numbers, and TRAI's sender guidance requires entity, header, template and consent registration for commercial communication. Ask your provider how RCS templates are registered before you start.
Does RCS work on iPhone?
Infobip states that messages reach iOS 18.1 and later, and MSG91 lists iPhone delivery on its RCS plans while directing buyers to sales for pricing. Delivery also depends on carrier settings, so confirm with your provider which Indian networks are live.
What happens if a customer's phone does not support RCS?
Google's guide says the API returns an error and the agent should fall back to another channel such as SMS. Gupshup describes fallback orders including RCS to WhatsApp to SMS. Confirm in writing how failed attempts are billed.
Which providers sell RCS APIs in India?
Gupshup, MSG91, Infobip, Route Mobile and Netcore all describe RCS on their own sites. Check our SMS marketing category for others that offer SMS and RCS under one API.
Next step: get a free matched shortlist, or compare more in SMS marketing software.
