Clickatell
Clickatell provides an API-first, multi-channel Chat Commerce Platform that enables enterprises across banking, retail, telco, airlines, and healthcare to engage customers and process payments via SMS, WhatsApp, USSD, and Apple Messages, serving 10,000+ customers including Fortune 500 accounts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersRedwood City, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Clickatell does
Clickatell is a cloud-based Chat Commerce Platform that enables enterprises to engage customers and process transactions across multiple messaging channels — SMS, WhatsApp Business, USSD, and Apple Messages for Business — through a single API-first integration layer. The platform is modular, with tiered service packages (Prepaid for SMBs, Connect for enterprise SMS, Interact for two-way conversational messaging, and Transact for in-chat payment acceptance) and an add-on suite that includes Chat Flow (a workflow builder for automated chatbots), Chat Desk (live agent console), Broadcasts (mass messaging campaigns), Chat2Pay (in-channel payments), and Clickatell AI (NLP-based intent detection). The architecture supports REST-based unified APIs enabling developers to send and receive messages globally, with particular reach into emerging markets via USSD in Nigeria and South Africa where internet connectivity is limited.
The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining self-serve developer onboarding through a prepaid pay-as-you-go tier with free trial, alongside an enterprise field-sales motion targeting Fortune 500 buyers in banking, retail, telecommunications, airlines, healthcare, insurance, automotive, travel, and hospitality. Revenue is generated through three streams: usage-based per-message fees on SMS and WhatsApp, tiered platform subscriptions on the Connect/Interact/Transact packages, and transaction-based take rates on Chat 2 Pay payments. Clickatell has disclosed customer outcomes of 30 billion interactions processed, 2 billion transactions completed, and over 10,000 customers served (including Fortune 500 accounts), although these figures are anchored to the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The company is privately held and headquartered between Redwood City, California and Cape Town, South Africa. It has raised a disclosed $91 million Series C led by Arrowroot Capital in March 2022, following earlier rounds from Sequoia Capital, DAG Ventures, and Ethos Private Equity. Notable history includes a 2006 acquisition of Multimode, Inc. and authorized WhatsApp Business provider status. Leadership is anchored by co-founder and CEO Pieter de Villiers, with a CXO bench including heads of product/technology, commercial, and HR functions.
Clickatell firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clickatell
- Legal name
- Clickatell
- Website
- https://clickatell.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Clickatell provides an API-first, multi-channel Chat Commerce Platform that enables enterprises across banking, retail, telco, airlines, and healthcare to engage customers and process payments via SMS, WhatsApp, USSD, and Apple Messages, serving 10,000+ customers including Fortune 500 accounts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clickatell industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conversational Messaging Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Messaging-based Social Commerce (Chat Commerce) (CRAFANAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration) (HDAAAFAC), Omnichannel Commerce & Click-and-Collect Platforms (BPAMAGAL)
Keywords
Where Clickatell is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redwood City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clickatell business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- API/Message Usage Fees: Revenue generated based on message volume sent through the platform, with usage-based pricing for SMS, WhatsApp, and other channels. Customers pay per message or transaction processed.
- Platform Subscription Tiers: Tiered platform packages (Prepaid, Connect, Interact, Transact) with different capability levels. Enterprise tiers like Connect, Interact, and Transact provide comprehensive platform access likely on subscription basis.
- Transaction/Payment Processing: Revenue from Chat 2 Pay functionality that monetizes messaging channels with rich payment acceptance, taking a fee on transactions processed through the platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Prepaid - DIY pay-as-you-go messaging |
| Subscription | Annual | Connect - Enterprise SMS at scale |
| Subscription | Annual | Interact - Rich interactive conversations |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Annual | Transact - Payment acceptance functionality |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Clickatell product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clickatell provides an AI-powered Chat Commerce Platform that enables businesses to engage customers, automate conversations, and transact payments across multiple messaging channels (SMS, WhatsApp Business, USSD, Apple Messages for Business). The platform offers tiered service packages (Prepaid DIY, Connect enterprise SMS, Interact conversational, Transact payments) along with modular capabilities including Chat Flow (chatbot automation), Chat Desk (live agent console), Broadcasts, Chat2Pay, and Clickatell AI for natural-language intent understanding. It is sold via REST APIs and a web app to enterprises and developers globally.
Product overview
Clickatell offers a unified AI-Powered Chat Commerce Platform with a modular architecture. The core platform (Clickatell Platform) serves as the foundation, supported by tiered service packages: Prepaid (pay-as-you-go SMS), Connect (enterprise SMS via API), Interact (interactive chat conversations), and Transact (payment acceptance). Additional capabilities include Chat Flow (automation/workflow builder), Chat Desk (live agent support), Broadcasts (bulk campaigns), Chat2Pay (in-channel payments), Clickatell AI (natural language processing), and comprehensive channel support across SMS, WhatsApp Business, USSD (emerging markets), and Apple Messages for Business. The platform processes over 30 billion interactions and serves over 10,000 customers including Fortune 500 companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clickatell Chat Commerce Platform AI-powered Chat Commerce Platform enabling high-volume customer engagement, automated conversational experiences, live agent support, and in-conversation payment acceptance across SMS, WhatsApp Business, USSD, and Apple Messages for Business. Designed for enterprise and developer customers globally.
- WhatsApp Business API Integration Authorized WhatsApp Business provider offering enabling enterprises to engage customers via WhatsApp with two-way conversations, broadcast messaging, and end-to-end encryption. Used by enterprises across retail, banking, and customer support.
- USSD Channel Cost-effective and scalable enterprise solution for engaging and transacting with mobile-always customers in emerging markets without requiring an internet connection. Available in Nigeria and South Africa.
Quantifiable outcome
- Processed over 30 billion interactions during COVID-19 pandemic
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Clickatell
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clickatell technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature8 records
Clickatell partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clickatell competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Twilio: Twilio is the largest cloud communications platform, offering programmable SMS, WhatsApp, and voice APIs with enterprise-scale messaging infrastructure. It is the most direct competitor to Clickatell's Connect and global SMS gateway offerings and serves many of the same Fortune 500 enterprise customers.
- Sinch: Sinch provides cloud communications and customer engagement APIs, including SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, and conversational AI, competing head-to-head with Clickatell in chat commerce and large-enterprise CPaaS deployments globally.
- MessageBird (Bird): Bird (formerly MessageBird) is a Dutch cloud communications platform offering SMS, WhatsApp, and omnichannel customer engagement tools. It directly overlaps Clickatell's chat commerce and enterprise messaging stack and competes for similar multinational accounts.
- Infobip: Infobip is a global CPaaS provider with a strong conversational AI and chat commerce platform, including WhatsApp Business, RCS, and SMS. It competes with Clickatell in both developed and emerging markets, particularly Africa where both have USSD/mobile operator relationships.
- Plivo: Plivo is a cloud communications platform offering SMS and voice APIs with WhatsApp Business support, serving enterprise and SMB customers. It is a direct competitor to Clickatell's programmatic SMS and WhatsApp offerings, particularly in North America.
- Gupshup: Gupshup is a conversational AI and messaging platform offering WhatsApp, SMS, and chatbot orchestration APIs with strong emerging-markets presence. It competes directly with Clickatell in conversational commerce and chatbot-driven customer engagement.
- Bandwidth: Bandwidth is a communications platform offering CPaaS APIs for SMS and voice, with direct carrier relationships. It competes with Clickatell's enterprise messaging and global SMS API products, particularly for U.S.-based enterprise customers.
Broad incumbents
- Vonage (Ericsson): Vonage, now part of Ericsson, offers the Vonage Communications Platform spanning SMS, voice, and video APIs plus UCaaS. Its API business directly competes with Clickatell, while broader Ericsson brings incumbent scale and telecom-carrier relationships.
- Zendesk: Zendesk is a broad CX platform that has added messaging and chatbot capabilities (Sunshine Conversations, AI agents) overlapping with Clickatell's Chat Desk and Chat Flow offerings for enterprise customer service.
Emerging players
- Wati: Wati is a WhatsApp-focused customer engagement platform built on the WhatsApp Business API, targeting SMBs and growth-stage businesses. It overlaps with Clickatell's WhatsApp and Interact products but is more focused on a self-serve, SMB segment.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clickatell social profiles
Digital presenceClickatell financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clickatell leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Clickatell funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clickatell M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clickatell
What does Clickatell do?
Clickatell provides an AI-powered Chat Commerce Platform that enables businesses to engage customers, automate conversations, and transact payments across multiple messaging channels (SMS, WhatsApp Business, USSD, Apple Messages for Business). The platform offers tiered service packages (Prepaid DIY, Connect enterprise SMS, Interact conversational, Transact payments) along with modular capabilities including Chat Flow (chatbot automation), Chat Desk (live agent console), Broadcasts, Chat2Pay, and Clickatell AI for natural-language intent understanding. It is sold via REST APIs and a web app to enterprises and developers globally.
Is Clickatell a public or private company?
Clickatell is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Clickatell founded?
Clickatell was founded in 2000. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Clickatell based?
Clickatell is headquartered in Redwood City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clickatell make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. API/Message Usage Fees are the primary driver. The others are platform Subscription Tiers and transaction/Payment Processing.
Who are Clickatell's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Twilio, Sinch, MessageBird (Bird), Infobip, Plivo, Gupshup and Bandwidth. Broad incumbents are Vonage (Ericsson) and Zendesk. Wati is listed as an emerging player.
Does Clickatell have an API?
Yes. Clickatell provides REST-based APIs that enable developers to send and receive messages via WhatsApp and other channels. The API supports simplified REST-based communication for WhatsApp Business API integration and single unified API for channels. Developer documentation is at docs.clickatell.com.
What industry is Clickatell in?
Clickatell's product category is Conversational Messaging Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFANAG, Messaging-based Social Commerce (Chat Commerce), with a secondary code of HDAAAFAC, Conversational AI Platforms (chat/voice bots, orchestration). Its NAICS code is 51821 and its SIC code is 7372.