What exactly is RCS?
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is, in short, the SMS that grew up.
Where a classic SMS is limited to 160 characters of plain text, RCS lets you send images, videos, carousels, clickable buttons, and even read receipts — all directly in the phone's native messaging app, with no download required from your customers.
Google pioneered the standard, and in 2024, Apple joined the party with iOS 18.
The result: RCS is now compatible with almost every smartphone.
RCS vs WhatsApp: what's the difference?
At first glance, RCS and WhatsApp look a lot alike. Both allow you to send rich, interactive messages.
But rather than pitting them against each other, think of them as two complementary channels — each with its own strengths.
WhatsApp shines in two-way conversations, customer support, and engaged communities — where your customers already have an active relationship with the app.
RCS, on the other hand, lands directly in the phone's native Messages app, just like a text. No installation needed, and your messages show up with your brand's verified name and logo (just like WhatsApp). RCS is built for large-scale marketing messages, with zero barrier to entry.
In the long run, the best-performing brands will likely play both sides: RCS to reach wide, WhatsApp to deepen the relationship.
And with WAX, a fallback system is entirely possible: if a customer isn't reachable on WhatsApp, you can automatically send them an RCS message instead.
What are the concrete use cases for your campaigns?
RCS fits naturally into the key moments of the customer journey:
Promotional campaigns: a carousel of sale products with direct CTAs to your site. Think of it as a visual email, but in messaging.
Abandoned cart reminders: a personalized nudge with a photo of the item left behind and a "Complete my purchase" button.
Loyalty programs: send point balances, an exclusive offer, and a link to the customer account — all in one engaging message.
Wishlist abandonment: your customer saved items but never came back? An RCS message featuring their saved products paired with a limited-time offer.
Browse abandonment: a customer checked out a product page but didn't go further? Re-engage them with a product image and a "View product" button to bring them back right where they left off.
And much more...