You can send One-Way SMS messages in Saudi Arabia. Two-Way messaging isn't supported, however you can receive replies by including a dedicated inbound number in your message.
MMS isn't supported in this country.
There are different rules to follow, depending on whether you’re sending promotional or transactional SMS. Read rules and best practices below.
Available Sender IDs
You can only send via registered alpha tags in Saudi Arabia and some costs do apply.
Alpha tags
Alpha tags allow businesses to display a brand name as the sender instead of a number. Please contact support to register an alpha tag.
Alpha tag registration usually takes 4-6 weeks and you’ll need to pay an $87 AUD setup fee.
Registration requirements
To register an alpha tag, you will need to provide:
Your chosen alpha tag
For marketing messages, the tag must end in -AD (e.g. CSEND-AD)Type of messages you’ll be sending: transactional or promotional
Sample message content and estimated monthly sending volume
Your business’s Commercial Registration (CR) number.
Registering an alpha tag in Saudi Arabia is a multi-step process. Learn how to register an alpha tag in Saudi Arabia. Our support team can help you with each step.
Dedicated numbers (inbound only)
Dedicated numbers can be used only for receiving replies — you must include the number in the body of your message. These cannot be used as a sender ID.
Please contact support to register a dedicated number.
Dedicated number registration usually takes 4-6 weeks. You’ll need to pay an $87 AUD setup fee and a $248 AUD monthly fee.
Registration requirements
To register a dedicated number, you will need to provide:
Your business name and website
Use case and message flow
Sample incoming and outgoing messages
Estimated volumes
Rules and best practices
Types of messages
SMS in Saudi Arabia is categorised as either Transactional or Promotional — there are different rules for each message type.
Transactional SMS
Examples include banking alerts and account notifications.
You can send these messages 24/7
Must be sent via a registered alpha tag
Bypasses Do Not Disturb (DND) filters and time restrictions
Promotional SMS
Examples include marketing campaigns and sales messages.
Must use a registered Alpha Tag with the
-ADsuffixYou can only send between 06:00 - 19:00 local time (GMT +03:00)
Subject to Do Not Disturb (DND) filtering
Promotional content should not mimic transactional alerts to bypass filters.
Sending URLs in SMS
If you want to add URLs to your SMS in Saudi Arabia, you must follow the below rules.
All URLs must be pre-registered with operators before sending
Generic shorteners are not allowed (e.g. bit.ly, goo.gl)
Custom branded shorteners (e.g. https://a.co) are allowed if clearly tied to a brand
This applies to new URLs even under already-registered alpha tags
Some networks (e.g. STC) do not allow any URL shorteners
Content guidelines
Before sending SMS to Saudi Arabia, please review our Sending Guidelines to understand prohibited message types.
Need help?
Saudi Arabia has a few more rules than most — but we’re here to make it easy. Chat with our support team any time to walk through registration or message setup.