Bulk SMS
Bulk SMS in Malawi, from your list to every phone
Upload a list, write one message and send it to Airtel and TNM numbers across Malawi. You see the cost before you send, and you pay K20 per SMS part from a prepaid balance.
How a bulk send works
- Bring your list. Upload a CSV or Excel file, paste numbers, or link a Google Sheet. Use a saved contact group if you have one.
- Write the message. Add merge fields such as a first name or an amount, and watch the part count and cost change as you type.
- Choose when. Send now, pick a date and time, repeat on a schedule, or slow the send down to a set number of messages per minute.
- Follow the results. Every message has a status. Open the campaign to see what was delivered, what failed and what you spent.
If your list is in a spreadsheet, the guide to sending bulk SMS from Excel covers the column setup and the mistakes that cost people the most time.
What the platform checks for you
Numbers are cleaned
A 0888 number, a 265 number and a +265 number all end up in one format. Duplicates are dropped, so nobody pays for the same person twice.
Opt-outs are respected
Numbers on your opt-out list are left out of every bulk send, and promotional messages always carry an opt-out line.
Bad rows are explained
Rows that cannot be used are listed with the reason, and you can download them as a file to fix and upload again.
Bulk SMS to Airtel and TNM numbers
Most Malawi lists are a mix of Airtel and TNM numbers, and you can send to both from one campaign. There is no separate price for each network and no need to sort your list first. If you want to know which network a number belongs to, the guide to Malawi phone numbers explains the prefixes.
The dashboard and HTTP API send to Malawi numbers (+265) only. A number from another country is refused and not charged. To reach other African countries, ask about an SMPP bind.
What a campaign costs
The price is K20 per SMS part. One part holds up to 160 plain characters, so the sum is people times parts times K20.
| People | Parts each | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | 1 | K4,000 |
| 1,000 | 1 | K20,000 |
| 1,000 | 2 | K40,000 |
| 5,000 | 1 | K100,000 |
One character can change the part count. The GSM-7 and Unicode guide has a counter you can paste your message into.
Who sends bulk SMS in Malawi
Schools send fee reminders and closing dates to parents. Churches share service times and news with members. Banks and SACCOs send alerts and loan reminders. NGOs and clinics remind people about appointments, and shops tell customers who opted in about offers.
Developers can start the same sends from their own systems with the bulk send API.
Questions
How much does bulk SMS cost in Malawi on SMS YANU?
K20 per SMS part to Malawi numbers, charged from a prepaid balance. A short message is one part. A long message uses more parts, and each part is charged. The campaign screen shows the total before you send.
Can I send to Airtel and TNM numbers in one campaign?
Yes. Mix Airtel and TNM numbers in the same list. You do not need to split it by network, and the price per part is the same for both.
Can my messages show my organisation name?
Yes. Request a sender ID of up to 11 characters in your dashboard. You can use it once it is approved on your account.
What happens to a message that fails?
If the gateway refuses a message, or its final report says it failed, the charge for that message goes back to your balance.
Can I start a bulk send from my own system?
Yes. POST /v1/messages/send-bulk takes a contact list or a list of numbers, with the same scheduling options as the dashboard. A test key lets you try it with nothing sent and nothing charged.
Send your first campaign
Create an account, upload a small list and see the cost before anything goes out.