RCS business messaging with your logo, cards and buttons
Send verified, branded messages to the default inbox on Android phones. Show products in a carousel, add buttons to pay, track or call, and see who read the message. Phones without RCS get your SMS instead.
- Verified brand name and logo
- Rich cards and carousels
- Read receipts and tap reports
- Automatic SMS fallback
What is RCS business messaging?
RCS business messaging sends branded, interactive messages to the default messaging app on supported phones, mainly Google Messages on Android. The customer sees a verified brand name and logo, and can tap rich cards, carousels, suggested replies and buttons without installing an app. Phones that cannot receive RCS can get the same message as an SMS.
Updated
RCS messaging at a glance
The key facts to know before you plan an RCS campaign in India.
- Full name
- Rich Communication Services, the upgrade to SMS
- Where it arrives
- The default messaging app, mainly Google Messages on Android
- Sender
- Brand name, logo and verified mark, set up as an RCS agent
- Content
- Text, images, video, rich cards, carousels of up to 10 cards
- Buttons
- Up to 4 per card, plus suggested reply chips below
- Tracking
- Delivered, read, button taps and replies
- Fallback
- DLT-approved SMS for phones that cannot receive RCS
- Pricing model
- Per message, by message type; fallback billed as SMS
What can you send with RCS?
Everything an SMS does, plus the parts that make a customer act: images, buttons and quick replies inside the chat.
Verified sender with logo
Customers see your brand name, logo and a verified mark at the top of the chat, not a six-letter header. A verified sender is harder to fake, which helps customers trust payment and delivery messages.
Rich cards and carousels
A rich card combines an image or short video, a title, a description and up to 4 buttons. Put up to 10 cards side by side in a carousel for products, plans, properties or courses.
Suggested actions
Buttons that open a link, dial a number, show a location or add an event to the calendar.
Suggested replies
Tappable chips such as "Track my order" or "Already paid" that send a reply in one tap.
Read receipts
See when each message was delivered and read, and which button was tapped.
SMS fallback
Phones without RCS get your DLT-approved SMS, so nobody misses an alert.
Chatbot and team replies
Answer common replies with a no-code bot and hand the rest to your team.
API and webhooks
Send from your CRM or app and get delivery, read and reply events back.
Does RCS reach iPhone users in India?
Partly, and coverage is still growing.
Apple added RCS support to iPhones with iOS 18. In September 2026, Jio announced RCS business messaging for iPhone users on its network, as part of its partnerships with Apple and Google. Reports at the time did not confirm the same for other networks, and features can depend on the iOS version and the operator.
What this means for you: plan RCS mainly for Android users, which is most of India's smartphone base, and keep SMS fallback switched on. MsgClub checks each number before sending, so iPhone users who cannot receive your RCS message still get the SMS version. We will update this page as support widens.
- Android with Google Messages and RCS chats on: gets the RCS message
- iPhone on a supported network and iOS version: may get the RCS message
- RCS off, no data, older phone or feature phone: gets the SMS fallback
How do you launch an RCS agent for your brand?
Your brand needs a verified RCS agent before it can message customers. We handle the setup and the approval steps with you.
- Share brand detailsBrand name, logo, banner image, colour, short description, website, support phone and email.
- Verify the brandGoogle and the operators check that your business owns the brand and the contact details match.
- Test on your phonesUntil launch, messages reach only the phones you register as testers. Try your cards and buttons here.
- Get launch approvalOnce approved, the agent can reach customers on supported networks.
- Add fallback and sendAttach a DLT-approved SMS template, then send from the panel or through the RCS API.
What do RCS reports show?
Each campaign report shows what happened to every message, not only whether it left our platform.
- Sent, delivered and read counts, live while the campaign runs
- How many messages went as RCS and how many fell back to SMS
- Taps on each button and suggested reply
- Customer replies, in the panel or sent to your CRM by webhook
Where does RCS work best?
Use RCS where a picture or a button saves the customer a step.
| Industry | What you send | RCS format |
|---|---|---|
| Retail and D2C | New arrivals, festive offers, cart reminders, order and delivery updates | Carousel with Buy now; rich card with Track order |
| Banking and lending | EMI and bill reminders, card offers, statement alerts | Rich card with Pay now and Call us |
| Travel and hospitality | Booking confirmations, check-in details, holiday packages | Rich card with map and calendar actions |
| Education | Course catalogues, admission and fee reminders | Carousel with suggested replies |
| Healthcare | Appointment reminders, report-ready alerts, clinic directions | Text with Confirm and Reschedule replies |
| Real estate and auto | Site-visit and test-drive invitations, brochures, launches | Carousel with Book a visit and Call |
Plan your RCS rollout
Compare channels, then connect RCS to your own systems.
Rates depend on message type and volume: see how MsgClub pricing works, or connect RCS with other channels through API and webhooks.
RCS use cases
Step-by-step guides with templates, best practices and what to measure.
RCS by industry
See how businesses like yours use RCS, with sample messages and ready-to-use templates.
Healthcare
Lending & subscriptions
Retail & hospitality
Education & hiring
Property
Auto & home services
Legal & finance
Business & public sector
Frequently asked questions
Does RCS work on iPhone in India?
Partly. Apple added RCS to iPhones from iOS 18, and in September 2026 Jio announced RCS business messaging for iPhone users on its network. Support on other networks and older iOS versions may differ, so keep SMS fallback on for iPhone users until coverage is confirmed for your audience.
Do customers need to install an app to receive RCS?
No. RCS messages arrive in the phone's default messaging app, which is Google Messages on most Android phones. The customer needs RCS chats turned on and mobile data or Wi-Fi. If either is missing, the message can be sent as an SMS instead.
What happens if a phone does not support RCS?
MsgClub checks whether each number can receive RCS before sending. If it cannot, and you have set up SMS fallback, the customer gets your DLT-approved SMS version. Your report shows how many messages went as RCS and how many as SMS.
How long does RCS agent approval take?
It depends on how quickly your brand can be verified and on the review by Google and the operators. Have your logo, banner, website, support phone and email ready, and make sure they match your registered business. You can test on registered phones while you wait.
How is RCS messaging priced?
RCS is billed per message. The rate depends on the message type, such as promotional, transactional or OTP, and on operator charges, which change from time to time. Messages that fall back to SMS are billed as SMS. Ask our sales team for current rates for your volume.
Can customers reply to RCS messages?
Yes. Customers can tap a suggested reply or type a message. Replies reach your MsgClub panel, a chatbot flow or your own system through a webhook, so your team or software can answer in the same chat.
Is RCS better than WhatsApp for business?
Neither is better for every case. RCS needs no opt-in to an app and reaches the default inbox on Android, while WhatsApp reaches both Android and iPhone users who use WhatsApp. Many businesses use RCS with SMS fallback for alerts and WhatsApp for conversations.
Related products
Use them together from the same MsgClub account, with one API and shared reports.
Start sending in minutes
Create a free account to test the panel and API, or talk to our team about volumes, DLT setup and CRM integration.