RCS as a messaging channel has grown in popularity among businesses and consumers alike over the last couple of years. Its rich messaging features - such as images, carousels, buttons and verified branding - create a more engaging, app‑like experience, helping messages stand out and making it easier for customers to take action.

Read on to explore the scope of RCS messaging today, including its market size, user base, and availability across mobile carriers, regions, and mobile devices. You’ll also discover the top RCS business messaging providers, including their strengths and unique value, to help in your research if you decide to use RCS for customer communications.

RCS messaging current usage and future growth

RCS messaging began to really take off in 2025, after several years of slow, fragmented adoption by mobile network carriers and Apple, the latter being the biggest blocker to its universal adoption.

The shift that pushed RCS firmly into the mainstream came when Apple introduced RCS support in late 2024, effectively bridging the gap in user experience between Android and iPhone messaging. From that point, user growth accelerated substantially. RCS now reaches over 80% of smartphone users in major markets such as the US and France. In May 2025, Google reported that more than 1 billion RCS messages were being sent daily in the US alone. These stats suggest that RCS has gone from an emerging messaging channel to one that’s now ready for serious business use.

Demand for RCS is expected to grow further as iOS and Android support continues to converge. According to Juniper Research, the active user base for RCS is set to grow to 3.8 billion by 2026, which accounts for 40% of global mobile subscribers. And Market Research Future analysis suggests the RCS industry will grow from 8.957 billion USD in 2025 to 28.22 billion USD by 2035.

RCS for Business market size 2026

Many businesses are increasingly using RCS instead of SMS for specific customer communications, especially as the reach of RCS has now expanded to include iPhone users. The shift is driven not just by the growth in RCS peer-to-peer usage, but also by the ability to use rich media, branded messages, and two-way conversational experiences that standard SMS can’t support. Juniper Research reports that global RCS for Business mobile operator revenue will reach 2 billion USD in 2026, rising to 6.5 billion USD by 2030. That’s a 225% revenue growth across 2026-2030.

Which mobile carriers have enabled RCS messaging?

Many major mobile carriers worldwide have now enabled RCS messaging. Adoption of RCS for Android is almost universal among carriers, except in parts of South Asia and East Africa, and among some small or regional operators outside North America and Western Europe. While carrier support is more selective for iOS (since Apple only introduced support in 2024), it is enabled across the ‘Big Three’ carriers in the United States — AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, plus many Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).

Outside of the US, iOS carrier support for RCS is well established in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, Germany and France, though coverage varies by operator and isn’t universal. In other countries, iOS RCS availability remains very limited at the time of writing this article.

RCS for Business carrier support

Not all mobile carriers support RCS for Business, even when they support peer-to-peer (P2P) RCS. This is because RCS business messaging uses an application-to-person (A2P) communication model, in which a software application sends messages to human recipients. A2P messaging follows a set of technical protocols for message exchange. RCS business messaging is only supported by carriers that have signed agreements with Google (to use the Jibe platform) or where they’ve set up their own RCS stack that integrates with Google’s RCS for Business ecosystem.

However, that still adds up to a fair number of global and regional carriers, including big names like AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bell, Rogers, EE, Vodafone, O2, Telcel, Singtel, and Reliance Jio. For iOS RCS business messaging carrier support, check this up-to-date list.

RCS messaging availability across smartphones

RCS messaging isn’t tied to specific smartphone models, as it depends on software, carrier and regional support rather than the device itself. The majority of Android phones running a recent version of Android (such as Android Lollipop 5.0) can use RCS through a supported messaging app like Google Messages — that’s the primary app for RCS and is typically pre-installed on new Android phones. As a result, RCS messaging is available through brands including Google (Pixel), Samsung (Galaxy S, A, Z, Note and M series), OnePlus, Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO, Motorola, Sony (Xperia), Nokia, Oppo, Vivo, Realme and Asus.

RCS is available on iPhones running iOS 18 or later, but only where the user’s mobile carrier has enabled RCS support for iPhone in that region. Older iPhones that can’t be updated to iOS 18 don’t support RCS at all. Nor do feature phones with physical keypads and basic functionalities, as these lack app ecosystems.

Note that an active internet connection is required for both Android and iOS smartphones to send and receive RCS messages. Discover how RCS works.

Can RCS for Business be used on all smartphones?

RCS for Business isn’t supported on all smartphones. It requires newer Android software than regular RCS messaging — Android Marshmallow 6.0 or higher. Since Apple only introduced iOS support for RCS in 2024, the software requirement remains the same as for regular RCS — iOS 18 or later. All in all, RCS for Business is now widely available on modern Android and iOS devices.

RCS messaging FAQs

We’ve pulled together answers to the questions we frequently receive about RCS and RCS for Business below.

1. Do people generally use RCS for sending messages?

RCS is used worldwide, and its adoption has risen sharply since Apple enabled it on iPhones. Juniper Research (specialists in digital technology research) found that RCS had an active user base of 1.1 billion in 2024 — a figure that’s expected to jump to 3.8 billion by 2026. RCS is effectively an upgrade to traditional text messaging and is often available by default in a modern smartphone’s messaging app. People like RCS because it works like an instant messaging app, with rich features like typing indicators and read receipts. It also enables the transmission of high-resolution media and document files.

2. Do companies actually use RCS messaging?

More businesses than ever before are now using RCS. It’s changing the game for customer communications, enabling better conversations, richer visuals, and increased conversions — customers can take next steps such as making a purchase or booking without leaving their messaging app. Around 50 billion RCS business messages were sent globally in 2025. Due to increased operator support, RCS business traffic is expected to balloon to 200 billion messages by 2029.

3. If my carrier supports RCS, does that mean I can send RCS business messages?

If a mobile carrier supports RCS, it doesn’t automatically mean that it also supports RCS for Business. This is because person-to-person and business RCS messaging are different. Mobile carriers must explicitly enable A2P RCS, and businesses wanting to send RCS messages must be verified and approved by Google or the mobile carrier, depending on the infrastructure. RCS business messages must also be sent via an approved aggregator or messaging provider (businesses can’t send RCS messages to customers directly).

RCS for Business: top messaging providers

Below are some of the leading messaging providers offering RCS for Business in 2026. We’ve highlighted how their positioning, strengths and unique value differ — particularly across RCS capabilities, scale and use cases.

1. Messente

Messente is an enterprise-level messaging platform trusted by a range of industries, including financial services, logistics, cybersecurity and B2B software providers. Operating globally, Messente offers three core products: omnichannel messaging, Verigator (for OTPs and authentication), and Number Lookup.

  • RCS focus — Messente delivers RCS for Business as part of a broader messaging suite, which also includes SMS, Viber and WhatsApp. Ideal for authentication, promotional and transactional use cases.

  • Key capabilities — rich media, branded messages, conversational experiences, interactive elements, verification, SMS fallback, analytics, and easy API integration.

  • RCS scale and reach — offered as part of Messente’s global messaging platform, with availability dependent on carrier and device support.

  • USP — a messaging‑first, user-friendly platform focused heavily on secure and compliant delivery of critical communications. Best for businesses operating in regulated environments where reliability, cost control, and data protection are non-negotiable.

2. Twilio

Twilio is a cloud-based communications platform used by tech companies, SaaS providers, online services, customer service teams and app developers. It offers several communication and customer data products (including chat, voice and video as well as messaging), plus authentication products.

  • RCS focus — Twilio offers RCS as a core evolution of its business messaging stack, delivered as part of its Programmable Messaging API and its ‘Verify’ product.

  • Key capabilities — branded and verified messaging, rich media, SMS fallback, analytics.

  • RCS scale and reach — generally available across multiple markets and dozens of carriers globally.

  • USP — an adaptable business communications toolkit, best for building bespoke solutions.

3. Bird

Bird (formerly MessageBird) is an omnichannel communications platform. It combines messaging infrastructure, automation and customer engagement tools into a single unified system. Channels covered include email, SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, push notifications and Apple Messages for Business.

  • RCS focus — next generation RCS messaging, positioned for marketing, commerce and conversational use cases.

  • Key capabilities — branded and verified sender profiles, rich media, two-way conversations, automation, SMS fallback and analytics.

  • RCS scale and reach — global enterprise delivery, with RCS availability dependent on carrier and device support.

  • USP — an out-of-the-box engagement platform that layers RCS and other channels into built-in workflows and automations.

4. Sinch

Sinch is a global cloud communications provider, powering enterprise-grade messaging, voice and email at scale through APIs and applications. Trusted by over 200K customers worldwide, Sinch is used for marketing campaigns, notifications and alerts, customer account verification and customer service.

  • RCS focus — RCS is offered as a core messaging channel and is delivered via Sinch’s Conversation API, SaaS tools and enablement services.

  • Key capabilities — branded and verified sender profiles, rich, interactive messaging, analytics, fraud‑resistant identity, and SMS/MMS fallback.

  • RCS scale and reach — delivered via Sinch’s global Super Network, with strong direct operator connections and global carrier‑grade infrastructure.

  • USP — a carrier‑grade CPaaS built on a global, tier‑1 telecom network, delivering highly reliable, secure messaging and connectivity for business communications at scale.

5. Infobip

A global cloud communications platform, Infobip is used by enterprises, digital platforms and telecoms operators to deliver messaging, voice, email and conversational experiences at scale. It’s a full-stack omnichannel platform, recognised by IDC’s CPaaS MarketScape as a global leader in the industry.

  • RCS focus — RCS is positioned as a next-gen conversational channel, designed for rich, interactive and branded customer engagement.

  • Key capabilities — branded and verified sender profiles, rich, interactive messaging, analytics, chatbot and AI integration, and SMS fallback.

  • RCS scale and reach — delivered by Infobip’s global operator‑backed messaging infrastructure, with RCS availability dependent on carrier and device support by market.

  • USP — a carrier‑aligned CPaaS that enables enterprises to orchestrate rich, conversational customer engagement across channels at a global scale.

An exciting future for RCS business messaging

RCS is no longer an emerging channel—it’s a versatile, scalable option for businesses looking to drive higher engagement from the messaging inbox most people already use. Today, businesses are already using RCS for things like appointment reminders with one‑tap confirmation, product carousels that link directly to checkout, and conversational messages with suggested replies that reduce friction and response time.

With carrier support continuing to strengthen globally, broader smartphone rollout and growing ecosystem alignment, RCS is set to open the door to more measurable, conversion-focused opportunities for businesses — without requiring customers to download anything new.