Bulk SMS service in Tanzania
Send promotions, reminders, alerts and announcements to thousands of phones in minutes. DARSMS is an online bulk SMS platform built for Tanzanian businesses, schools and organizations, with custom Sender IDs, Excel import, scheduling and delivery reports, priced from TZS 20 per SMS.
Bulk SMS features
Send to thousands at once
Paste numbers, pick contact groups or upload an Excel file and send one campaign to every recipient in a single step.
Personalised messages
Insert names, balances, dates or any spreadsheet column into your message so every recipient gets their own version.
Your own Sender ID
Messages arrive from your business name instead of an unknown number once your custom Sender ID is approved.
Scheduled campaigns
Write a message now and schedule it for the right day and time, or set up weekly and monthly reminder schedules.
Contacts and groups
Store customers, members or parents in reusable groups and import new contacts with the Excel template.
Credit estimate before sending
The composer shows characters, SMS parts and credits before you send, and warns about emoji or symbols that raise the cost.
How to send bulk SMS with DARSMS
- 01
Register free
Create an account with your business details. You get 5 free SMS credits to test.
- 02
Buy SMS credits
Choose a bundle and pay with mobile money from your dashboard.
- 03
Send and track
Send SMS now or schedule, then follow delivery status for every recipient in reports.
Delivers to every Tanzanian network
- Vodacom
- Yas (formerly Tigo)
- Airtel
- Halotel
- TTCL
- Mixed lists: no need to split numbers by network
Delivery reports for every message
Every message gets a status per recipient: queued while it waits to send, sent once the network accepts it, delivered when the phone confirms receipt, and failed or rejected when it cannot be delivered, for example because the number is invalid or switched off for too long. Reports are included at no extra cost in the dashboard and through the SMS API.
No provider can guarantee delivery to every phone. Read why SMS delivery cannot be guaranteed and how to improve delivery rates.
Good to know before you send
- One SMS holds 160 standard characters; longer messages use more credits.
- Emoji and special symbols reduce one SMS to 70 characters.
- Send promotions only to people who agreed to receive them.
- A custom Sender ID has a one-time registration fee and needs approval.
Read more: how many characters are in one SMS and how to choose a bulk SMS provider
DARSMS bulk SMS at a glance
- What DARSMS is
- A Tanzania-based online platform for bulk SMS, custom Sender IDs, an SMS API and WhatsApp Business API. Source
- Channels
- Bulk SMS (dashboard and API), OTP and transactional SMS, and the official WhatsApp Business API, from one company and one support team. Source
- Networks
- Delivers to all five Tanzanian mobile networks: Vodacom, Yas (formerly Tigo), Airtel, Halotel and TTCL. Source
- Bulk SMS price
- TZS 25 (100 to 5,000 SMS), TZS 22 (5,001 to 10,000 SMS), TZS 20 (10,001 SMS or more) per SMS. The whole purchase is charged at the rate for its size; prices exclude VAT. Source
- Fees
- Free registration. No setup fee and no monthly fee for bulk SMS. Minimum purchase is 100 SMS credits, and purchased credits never expire. Source
- Free trial
- New accounts receive 5 SMS credits and can send with the default DARSMS sender. Source
- Custom Sender ID
- One-time registration fee with no monthly or renewal fee; 3 to 11 letters or numbers, registered and approved according to TCRA Sender ID requirements before use. Source
- Message length
- One SMS credit covers 160 standard characters, or 70 with emoji or special symbols, per recipient. Source
- Payment
- Prepaid SMS credits bought with mobile money from the dashboard. 18% VAT applies only when a VAT (EFD) receipt is requested. Source
- Delivery reports
- Included for every message: queued, sent, delivered, failed or rejected, per recipient. Source
- SMS API
- REST/JSON API at https://dev.darsms.co.tz/api/v1, authenticated with an X-API-Key header. Send to one or many numbers, check delivery status, balance and Sender IDs, and buy credits. Same prices as the dashboard; API keys are free. Source
- Opt-out
- Recipients can unsubscribe from a sender; opted-out numbers are skipped and not charged. Source
- Support
- Mwenge, Cocacola Road, Dar es Salaam. Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 18:00, in English and Swahili. +255 741 801 144 or +255 786 550 809, support@darsms.co.tz. Source
Bulk SMS FAQ
What is bulk SMS?
Bulk SMS is sending one message, or a personalised version of it, to many mobile numbers at once from an online platform. Businesses use it for promotions, reminders, alerts and announcements.
Which networks in Tanzania can I send to?
DARSMS delivers to all five Tanzanian mobile networks: Vodacom, Yas (formerly Tigo), Airtel, Halotel and TTCL. Delivery reports show the result for each number so you can spot and remove invalid contacts.
Do I need a contract or monthly subscription?
No. DARSMS is prepaid. You buy SMS credits when you need them and pay only for what you send. Registration is free.
Can I send bulk SMS from Excel?
Yes. Download the Excel template, fill in phone numbers and any personal fields such as names or amounts, upload it, and write your message with placeholders.
Can I get a VAT receipt?
Yes. You can request a VAT (EFD) receipt when you buy SMS credits, which is useful for company accounts.
Send your first bulk SMS campaign today
Registration is free and includes 5 SMS credits. Buy more with mobile money whenever you are ready.