RCS Business Messaging in India: What It Is, Price and How to Send

RCS business messaging (RBM) is the business version of RCS, the upgrade to SMS built into the default Messages app on Android phones: your messages arrive from a verified brand name with your logo, and can carry images, video, rich cards, carousels and tappable buttons. RCS business messaging is available in India, and on Fast2SMS it costs a flat ₹0.35 per message at the time of writing, the same for plain text, media, rich cards and carousels, with no setup fee, no monthly fee, free brand onboarding and automatic refunds for numbers that cannot receive RCS. Customers need no app install, and phones that do not support RCS can be reached by SMS fallback from the same panel.

What is RCS business messaging?

RCS stands for Rich Communication Services. It is an advanced messaging protocol developed by the GSMA, the global association of mobile operators, to upgrade the old text message. Instead of 160 plain characters from an unknown sender ID, an RCS message can show high-resolution images and video, cards with buttons, typing indicators and read receipts, all inside the phone’s built-in messaging app. The customer does not install anything.

RCS business messaging, often shortened to RBM, is how brands use RCS to talk to customers. A business registers a verified sender (called an RCS agent or brand bot), gets it approved, and then sends messages through a provider such as Fast2SMS. The customer sees your brand name, logo and a verified tick at the top of the chat, and can reply or tap buttons in the same thread.

RCS chat vs RCS business messaging

People use “RCS” for two different things. RCS chat is person-to-person texting between friends with typing indicators and read receipts. RCS business messaging is brand-to-customer messaging from a verified agent, with rich cards, carousels and suggested replies. This guide is about the second one: how an Indian business can send branded, interactive messages at scale.

What it looks like to your customer

• The message lands in the default Messages app, next to their normal SMS, from your brand name with logo and verified badge, not a random number.
• It can be a simple text, a media message (image, video or PDF), a rich card with a picture, title, description and buttons, or a carousel of cards they swipe through.
• Under the message they see suggested replies and actions: chips that reply with a word, open your website, dial your number or open a map location.
• When they reply or tap a chip, the conversation continues. RCS is two-way.

Is RCS available in India?

Yes. RCS business messaging is live in India, and Fast2SMS sends RCS campaigns to Indian mobile numbers from its panel and API. Messages travel over Google’s RCS platform and the mobile operator network, and arrive in Google Messages on Android phones that have RCS chats switched on, which is the default on most Android phones sold in India.

Three things make RCS different from bulk SMS in India:

• No DLT registration. RCS does not use TRAI’s DLT system of headers and content templates. Instead, your brand agent is verified and approved by the operator. Fast2SMS prepares and submits that application for you, free.
• Internet needed on the phone. RCS works over mobile data or Wi-Fi, so the customer’s phone must be online to receive it.
• Android only, for now. Only RCS-enabled phones receive RCS. Numbers that cannot receive it are marked failed and refunded on Fast2SMS, and you can reach them by SMS instead.

You can start the same day you sign up: Fast2SMS lets you send from its own verified Fast2SMS bot while your brand agent is being approved.

Which phones support RCS: Android and iPhone

Android phones

RCS business messages reach Android phones that use Google Messages with RCS chats turned on. On most Android phones sold in India, Google Messages is the default SMS app and RCS chats are on by default. If a customer has turned RCS chats off, they can switch it back on from the Messages app settings. Brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo or Realme do not matter as such; what matters is the messaging app and whether RCS chats are enabled.

iPhone

At the time of writing, iPhones cannot receive RCS business messages sent through Fast2SMS. When you send to an iPhone number, the message is marked failed and the ₹0.35 is refunded to your wallet. To reach iPhone users, set an SMS fallback or send them a WhatsApp template from the same account. Fast2SMS help guides note that iPhone support is expected later; until it appears in the panel, plan your campaigns on the Android-only basis.

Feature phones and phones without internet

Feature phones do not support RCS, and a phone without mobile data or Wi-Fi cannot receive RCS until it is online. For OTPs, critical alerts or campaigns that must reach everyone in India, SMS remains the universal channel.

Verified sender, rich cards, carousels and buttons

Verified brand sender

Once your brand agent is approved, every message shows your brand name, logo and a verified tick in the chat header. This is the single biggest trust upgrade over SMS, where customers see only a short sender ID and often ignore messages from codes they do not recognise.

Rich cards

A rich card combines an image or video with a title, a description and buttons. It is ideal for order and booking updates, product launches and reminders. The text can be much longer than an SMS; the Fast2SMS help guides mention up to 3,000 characters for RCS messages.

Carousels

A carousel is two to ten cards side by side, each with its own image, text and button. Customers swipe through them like a mini catalogue: one card per product, category, property or plan.

Media messages

Send an image, video or PDF with a caption, or as the header of a rich card. The Fast2SMS help guide allows media files of up to 100 MB.

Suggested replies and suggested actions

Chips under the message let customers act in one tap. Fast2SMS supports four kinds:

• Reply: sends a word back, such as “Confirm” or “Reschedule”.
• Open URL: opens your website or tracking page (use links that start with https://).
• Dial a number: starts a call to your support line (enter it with +91 and the 10-digit number, no spaces).
• View location: opens a map pin from latitude, longitude and a label, useful for stores, clinics and site visits.

Read receipts and two-way conversations

Every message reports sent, delivered and read per number. Replies and chip taps land in the shared Live Chat inbox in your panel, where your agents answer with their own logins, and they can also be pushed to your webhook as incoming messages. On Fast2SMS, replies and chip taps are free; you pay only for messages you send.

RCS vs SMS vs WhatsApp

All three channels run from the same Fast2SMS account and wallet, so the real question is which channel fits which message and which customer.

When RCS is the better choice

• You want to show products, properties or offers with pictures and buttons, without asking customers to install anything.
• Your audience is mostly Android smartphone users.
• You want read receipts and replies, but your customers have not opted in on WhatsApp.
• You want brand trust: a verified name and logo instead of a sender ID.

When SMS or WhatsApp is the better choice

• SMS for OTPs, time-critical alerts and campaigns that must reach every phone in India, including feature phones and iPhones, at the lowest price. See the bulk SMS guide.
• WhatsApp for two-way support, utility updates and marketing to customers who chat with you on WhatsApp. See the official WhatsApp Business API guide.
• For login codes specifically, Smart OTP sends on WhatsApp or SMS with automatic fallback; read the WhatsApp OTP API guide.

Many businesses use all three: RCS first for Android customers, SMS for everyone RCS cannot reach, and WhatsApp for conversations. More detail is in WhatsApp vs RCS vs bulk SMS and RCS vs traditional SMS.

RCS message price in India

On Fast2SMS, an RCS message to an Indian number costs a flat ₹0.35 per message at the time of writing, excluding 18% GST. The rate is the same whether you send plain text, media, a rich card or a carousel. Full details are on the RCS pricing page.

• No setup fee and no monthly fee. Brand agent registration, the panel, the Live Chat inbox, chat agents, the API and webhooks are included.
• Failed messages refunded. If a message is not delivered, for example because the phone does not support RCS, the amount goes back to your wallet automatically within 48 hours and shows in the RCS refund report.
• Replies and chip taps are free.
• Prepaid wallet. Recharge from ₹100 by UPI, card or net banking; the RCS rate has unlimited validity and the balance never expires. New accounts get ₹50 free credit.
• Volume pricing. High-volume senders can ask for a custom rate through the contact page.

What a 10,000-message campaign costs

Because failed numbers are refunded, the effective cost depends on how many of your customers are on RCS-enabled Android phones. The table below uses an illustrative assumption that 15% of numbers cannot receive RCS; your real share will differ.

RCS costs a little more than SMS per message because it carries a branded, interactive experience; it costs far less than a WhatsApp marketing template for promotional content. The help guide puts it simply: one SMS of 160 characters is ₹0.25, while one RCS message is ₹0.35 regardless of its type. Read more in bulk RCS message pricing.

Is RCS free?

For people chatting with friends, RCS chat uses their mobile data. For businesses, RCS business messaging is a paid service: you pay the provider per message. On Fast2SMS the per-message rate is the only charge; onboarding, tools and replies cost nothing.

How to send RCS messages on Fast2SMS

You can send from the panel with no code, or from your software with the API. The panel steps:

1. Create your free account. Signup at fast2sms.com with your mobile number. ₹50 credit is added and the Fast2SMS bot is ready, so you can send a test rich card right away.
2. Open the RCS section and pick a bot. Use the shared Fast2SMS bot (verified Fast2SMS sender and logo) until your own brand agent is approved, then switch to your bot. The help guides call the shared-bot send screen “Quick RCS”, with separate tabs for promotional and transactional messages.
3. Add recipients. Type numbers one by one, paste a list, pick an Address Book group, or upload an Excel or CSV file and choose the column with mobile numbers.
4. Choose the message type. Plain text, Rich (image, title, description, button), Carousel (up to ten cards) or Media (image, video or PDF).
5. Add buttons and chips. Choose the action type: open a URL, dial a number or view a location, plus reply chips if you want answers.
6. Check the live phone preview. The preview updates as you type, so what you send is what the customer sees. Save it as a template to reuse next time.
7. Send now or schedule. Pick a date and time if you want; a scheduled campaign can be cancelled from the panel before it starts.
8. Track results. Open the delivery report to see sent, delivered, read and failed per number, with summary counts, a graph over the day and Excel export. Failed numbers are refunded automatically.

A screen-by-screen walkthrough is in how to send RCS messages in India, and the product overview is on the RCS message page. For no-code bulk sending across channels, see campaigns.

Brand agent (bot) registration and approval

To send under your own brand name and logo, you register an RCS agent, which Fast2SMS calls a brand bot. Registration is free, and the Fast2SMS team prepares the application, submits it to the operator and follows up until it is approved.

What you need before applying

• A working brand website with Terms and Privacy policy pages.
• An email address on the same domain as the website.
• An opt-in on your website: a checkbox on the contact-us or signup page where customers agree to receive messages.
• A GST certificate.
• Brand assets: a logo (brand icon) of 224 × 224 px and a cover image or banner of 1440 × 448 px.

The registration steps

1. Open brand registration. In the RCS section, choose to register your own custom brand and confirm the checklist (website, same-domain email, terms page, opt-in form). Without these details the operator may reject the application.
2. Fill in the brand details. Brand name, a short description, brand icon, display website, terms and privacy policy links, cover image, a phone number verified with OTP and a display email address. A preview shows how customers will see your brand.
3. Add a point of contact. Enter the email address of the responsible person in your company.
4. Attach opt-in proof. Show where customers give consent on your contact or signup page.
5. Submit to the operator. Fast2SMS submits the application and follows up.
6. Confirm the operator email. After approval you receive an email from the operator; reply to all with the confirmation text it asks for.

How long does approval take? Operator approval usually takes a few working days once your details and documents are complete; the help guide gives 3 to 7 days. Keep sending from the Fast2SMS bot meanwhile. Your templates and Address Book carry over to your own bot once it is approved. Step-by-step screenshots are in how to create an RCS bot for business messaging.

RCS API and webhooks for developers

The RCS API uses the same API key as SMS and WhatsApp. One request sends a plain, media, rich or carousel message; suggestion chips go in the same call. Here is a rich card with an open-URL button:

curl -X POST "https://www.fast2sms.com/dev/rcs" \
  -H "Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d bot_id=1201 -d to=9999999999 -d type=rich \
  -d title="Order #4821 shipped" \
  -d message="Arriving Thu, 2 Nov. Rs.1,299 paid." \
  -d media_url="https://example.com/box.jpg" \
  -d suggestion_type=openUrl -d suggestion_text="Track order" \
  -d suggestion_url="https://example.com/t/4821" \
  -d udf1=order-4821

Response:

{
  "return": true,
  "request_id": "Rabcdef12345678",
  "message": "RCS message queued"
}

The type can be plain, media, rich or carousel. A carousel call takes a cards[] array of two to ten cards. Use udf1 to tag the message with your own reference, such as an order number, so it comes back to you in webhook events. Exact parameters for every type are in the API documentation.

Status and reply webhooks

Add an RCS webhook in the panel and Fast2SMS calls your URL with sent, delivered, read and failed events, plus received events for customer replies. You choose JSON, form or XML and which events you want. A read event looks like this:

{
  "request_id": "Rabcdef12345678",
  "bot_id": "1201",
  "mobile": "9999999999",
  "status": "read",
  "status_description": "Read by recipient",
  "failure_reason": "",
  "timestamp": 1761887043,
  "webhook_type": "status_update",
  "udf1": "order-4821"
}

Incoming replies arrive as incoming_message events with the customer’s number and message body, which is how businesses build RCS bots that answer “Show me the new collection” automatically. General webhook rules apply: up to 10 webhooks per channel, a 60-second timeout with up to 3 retries, 7 days of logs, and an optional webhook_secret_key header to verify requests. Full payloads: how webhooks work.

Fast2SMS also works as an RCS provider inside CleverTap, with delivery status returned, and through the other options on the integrations page.

Fallback to SMS for non-RCS phones

RCS reaches a large share of Android users, but never everyone. A good RCS plan therefore always answers one question: what happens to the customers RCS cannot reach?

On Fast2SMS you can set an SMS fallback in the panel, so customers whose phones do not support RCS still get the message as a DLT SMS at your SMS rate. Since the failed RCS attempt is refunded, you pay RCS rates only for customers who actually received the rich message. Keep in mind:

• The SMS version needs DLT: a registered sender ID and an approved content template. Fast2SMS gives free DLT support.
• SMS is plain text, so write a short version of your message with the key point and a link.
• You can also re-target failed numbers yourself: export the failed list from the RCS report and send them an SMS or WhatsApp campaign.

The help article Google RCS vs DLT bulk SMS covers how the two channels work together.

RCS use cases by industry

Ecommerce and D2C brands

Ecommerce is where RCS shines. Send a shipping update as a rich card with a “Track order” button straight from your order system through the API. Run festival sales as carousels with one card per category. Remind shoppers about abandoned carts with the product image and a buy button, announce back-in-stock items, and ask for a rating after delivery with reply chips. The help blog lists ten such ideas in ways RCS can grow ecommerce sales.

Real estate

Send property listings with high-resolution photos, a carousel of floor plans or projects, a “Call agent” button and a “View location” chip for the site address. Buyers can reply “Book a site visit” without leaving the chat. See RCS business messaging for real estate.

Banking, NBFC and finance

EMI reminders as a rich card with the amount and due date, a “Pay now” button and reply chips such as “Paid already” or “Call me”. Replies reach your team in Live Chat or your CRM through the webhook. For OTPs and regulated alerts, keep SMS as the backbone.

Travel and hotels

Booking confirmations, boarding pass cards with gate and boarding time, check-in reminders the night before, and hotel directions with a map chip. Schedule the campaign so it lands at the right moment.

Healthcare and clinics

Appointment reminders with the doctor’s name and time, “Confirm” and “Reschedule” chips, and a “Get directions” button. Patient replies land in Live Chat, so the front desk can respond.

Local retail and restaurants

Festival offers as a carousel, new menu or collection launches with images, and a location chip for the nearest outlet. Save customer lists once in the Address Book and reuse them for RCS, SMS and WhatsApp.

Apps and websites

Welcome messages, feature announcements with an “Open app” button, and re-engagement campaigns. Login codes can also go from a verified RCS sender, but for OTPs most teams use Smart OTP on SMS and WhatsApp for universal reach.

Agencies and resellers can offer all of this to their own clients: RCS is available on the white-label reseller panel. See RCS message reseller.

Best practices for RCS campaigns

1. Get consent first. An opt-in is required for brand agent approval, and messaging only opted-in customers keeps your agent healthy.
2. Lead with one clear action. One primary button (“Track order”, “Shop now”) converts better than five competing ones. Add reply chips for quick answers.
3. Use good images. The image is the first thing customers see. Keep text on the image minimal and put details in the title and description.
4. Use https links for open-URL buttons, and test them before sending.
5. Pick the right type. A rich card for one update or offer, a carousel for choices, plain text for short notices. All cost the same ₹0.35 on Fast2SMS, so choose by what helps the customer.
6. Plan for non-RCS numbers. Set SMS fallback or re-target failed numbers, so iPhone and feature-phone users are not left out.
7. Answer replies. RCS is two-way. Assign agents in Live Chat or route replies to your CRM through webhooks.
8. Measure reads, not just deliveries. Read receipts and chip taps tell you which creative works. Export the report and compare campaigns.
9. Time it well. Schedule campaigns for when customers are likely to act, and avoid sending too often.

Why businesses choose Fast2SMS for RCS

• ₹0.35 flat per message, the same for text, media, rich cards and carousels, at the time of writing.
• No setup fee, no monthly fee and free brand agent onboarding: the team prepares, submits and follows up on your application.
• Start today from the verified Fast2SMS bot while your own brand is approved, with ₹50 free credit.
• Failed messages refunded automatically within about 48 hours, with every charge and refund listed in transaction history and a GST invoice for every recharge.
• Panel and API: bulk campaigns from Excel, CSV or Address Book, scheduling, live phone preview, delivery and read reports, the RCS API and webhooks, all included.
• Two-way: replies and chip taps land in the free Live Chat inbox, and replies are free.
• One wallet for every channel: RCS, bulk SMS, WhatsApp Business API and Smart OTP, so SMS fallback and WhatsApp follow-ups are one click away.
• Security: contacts, templates and reports are encrypted at rest, every panel page and API call uses HTTPS, and the platform is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified (see certificates).
• Experience and support: in business messaging since 2011, with free support on chat, phone (+91-6262778822), email ([email protected]) and free meetings at fast2sms.com/meet.

Ready to try it? Create a free account, send a test rich card from the Fast2SMS bot, and submit your brand details the same day. Developers can start with the API documentation.