Captivated
Captivated is a US-based, cloud-delivered business text-messaging and customer-communication platform serving SMB through enterprise (automotive, healthcare, home services, financial), selling per-location subscriptions plus usage-based and transaction fees on a sales-led plus self-service go-to-market.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Captivated does
Captivated is a US-based, cloud-delivered business text-messaging and customer-communication platform built on AWS infrastructure with Cloudflare security and Vanta-managed compliance (SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA BAA, CCPA). Founded in 2014 in Indianapolis, the company sells three subscription tiers (Engage, Choice, Pro) on a per-location site-license basis with unlimited users, plus optional paid Power Features add-ons covering Express Pay (Stripe/Square/Plaid payment collection), Booking & Scheduling (Nylas-powered), Live Chat, Team Chat, Secure Chat, Video Chat, AI Conversation Summaries, Custom Forms, and Automations/Workflows. Pricing combines recurring subscription, usage-based message overages ($0.02-$0.04/segment), and transaction fees on payments.
The product surface spans SMS/MMS, RCS/RBM, live chat, secure point-to-point encrypted chat and video, team chat, and workflow automation with customizable conversation states, programmable buttons, and trigger-based actions. Native integrations with HubSpot, Workwave/RealGreen, Stripe, Square, Plaid, Nylas, Zoom, Google Calendar, Outlook, Shopify, Zapier, Facebook Messenger, Google My Business, Google Analytics, and a Chrome extension position Captivated as a communication hub layered on top of existing CRM, calendar, and payment stacks. A publicly accessible API is gated to the Pro tier.
Go-to-market is dual-motion: a sales-led model with dedicated account specialists handling enterprise, franchise, and multi-location deals alongside a self-service PLG signup and virtual-tour funnel targeting SMBs. Captivated serves automotive dealers (Subaru, Rydell), home services/lawn care (Bone Dry, Lawn Doctor franchisees, Elements Lawn & Pest), healthcare (Northside ENT, Advantage Home Health Care, Total Hearing Solutions), financial services (Royal United Mortgage, NorthPark Community Credit Union), retail (Abt Electronics), nonprofit/crisis (Beacon Center), and events (Capital One Orange Bowl), with all operations and revenue confined to the United States. Bryan Anderson serves as President, and the firm remains privately held with no disclosed external funding.
Captivated firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Captivated
- Legal name
- Captivated LLC
- Website
- https://captivated.works
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Captivated is a US-based, cloud-delivered business text-messaging and customer-communication platform serving SMB through enterprise (automotive, healthcare, home services, financial), selling per-location subscriptions plus usage-based and transaction fees on a sales-led plus self-service go-to-market.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Captivated industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Text Messaging Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRAFAIAB)
Keywords
Where Captivated is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Captivated business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans (Core License + Messaging Commitment): Monthly subscription fees based on selected plan tier (Engage, Choice, Pro). Each plan includes a Core License for one operating location plus a Messaging Commitment determining included monthly message volume. Plans also include unlimited users, core features, and included text lines. Additional messaging usage billed at plan-specific overage rates.
- Message Overage Charges: Usage-based charges applied when customer exceeds included monthly message allowance. Billed at the same plan-specific rate (e.g., $0.040/msg segment for Engage, $0.030 for Choice, $0.020 for Pro). Monthly billing based on actual usage.
- Payment Processing (Express Pay): Transaction-based revenue from payment facilitation through Express Pay. Credit card transactions charged at 3.5% + $0.35 per transaction; ACH at 0.9% + $1.50 per transaction. Revenue earned through Stripe payment processor integration.
- Optional Monthly Add-Ons: Additional capabilities added to subscriptions on month-to-month basis including: Live Chat, Team Chat, Express Pay, Booking & Scheduling, AI Conversation Summaries, API/CRM integrations, Custom Forms, Automations & Workflows, and additional text lines.
- Professional Services: Onboarding, training, configuration, and custom workflow design services beyond included Launch Support. Billed at hourly rates or through Statements of Work for complex integrations, data migration, or advanced automation.
- Smart Scaling Items: Monthly capacity-based items including additional text lines, calendars, phone lines, and similar usage or capacity items. Billed monthly based on selected quantities, may receive plan-level discounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Engage - Entry-level plan for consistent customer communication with 2,500 monthly messages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Choice - Mid-tier plan for high-touch engagement with 7,500 monthly messages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Pro - Enterprise-grade plan for conversation-heavy organizations with 15,000 monthly messages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Express Pay Payment Processing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Power Features Add-Ons |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Captivated product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Captivated provides a cloud-based business text messaging and customer communication platform enabling two-way SMS/MMS, live chat, secure chat, team chat, video chat, and multi-channel inbox unified with CRM, calendar, and payment workflows. The platform is sold via tiered subscriptions (Engage, Choice, Pro) priced per operating location, with optional Power Feature add-ons such as Express Pay payment collection, workflow automation, AI conversation summaries, booking/scheduling, custom forms, and Google review requests.
Product overview
Captivated is a unified business text messaging and communication software platform serving businesses of all sizes from small businesses to enterprises and franchises. The core platform provides SMS/MMS messaging, Live Chat, Secure Chat, Team Chat, and Video Chat capabilities. The product architecture includes three subscription tiers (Engage, Choice, Pro) with tiered pricing based on messaging volume and included features, plus optional Power Features add-ons including Express Pay (payment collection), Google Review Requests, Automations & Workflows, Booking & Scheduling, AI Conversation Summaries, Custom Forms, API access, and CRM integrations. Professional Services provides onboarding, training, and custom workflow consultations. The platform integrates with major CRMs (HubSpot, Workwave), payment processors (Stripe, Square, Plaid), calendar tools (Google Calendar, Outlook), and communication platforms (Zoom, Facebook Meta) to provide a centralized customer communication hub.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Captivated Platform Cloud-based SaaS platform enabling businesses to send and receive two-way SMS/MMS texts, route conversations across teams, automate workflows, manage live chat, secure chat, video chat, team chat, and accept payments via text. Sells to SMBs, mid-market organizations, and enterprises/franchises under a per-location site-license subscription model.
- Professional Services Paid consulting and implementation services including Standard Launch and Accelerated Launch + 90-Day Optimization packages, custom workflow design, automation setup, data migration, training, configuration, and TCPA/TCR/10DLC compliance guidance for Captivated customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Users report 90%+ reduction in admin effort and improved efficiency
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Captivated
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments12 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Captivated technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration19 records
AI capability2 records
Feature15 records
Captivated partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- HubSpotcoreCRM integration enabling contact sync, conversation tracking, and integration with existing HubSpot stages and campaigns. Captivated syncs contacts and keeps records updated within the HubSpot CRM.
- Google ChromecoreChrome extension enabling Captivated access while using web-based CRMs and browsing, allowing conversation management without switching browser tabs.
- Google My BusinesscoreIntegration linking Google My Business profile to send review requests via Captivated and view dashboard reporting for profile interactions.
- Microsoft OutlooksecondaryOutlook integration for inbox and calendar sync to send meeting requests, eliminate double-booking, and enable scheduling via shared links.
- Google CalendarcoreCalendar sync for sending appointment scheduling links to customers, eliminating double-booking, and automating appointment reminders.
- StripecorePayment processing integration for Express Pay feature enabling invoice sending and payment collection via credit card through Stripe's payment infrastructure.
- SquaresecondaryExpress Pay integration with Square for sending and managing invoices and payment collections securely via text using Square payment processing.
- PlaidsecondaryACH payment integration for Express Pay allowing secure payment requests and collection through Plaid-connected bank accounts via text.
- JotformsecondaryForm integration allowing Jotform-created forms and surveys to be sent and collected via text message through Captivated platform.
- ZapiercoreAutomation integration connecting Captivated with thousands of other tools and applications to automate communication cadences, workflows, and business processes.
- ZoomsecondaryVideo meeting integration syncing Zoom meetings and calendar with booking links sent from Captivated, plus Zoom Phone integration for in-app calling.
- ShopifysecondaryE-commerce integration connecting Captivated to Shopify websites to enhance web traffic handling and integrate inbound lead features.
- Workwave (RealGreen)coreCRM and operations integration for lawn care and field service businesses. Enables contact sync, announcement sending to customer lists, and custom routing from SA5 system.
- Facebook MetasecondaryFacebook Messenger integration routing incoming messages from business Facebook profile to Captivated platform for unified conversation management.
- Google Search ConsolesecondaryAnalytics integration tracking key Captivated widget interactions from website users and syncing into Google campaign reporting dashboards.
- Google AnalyticssecondaryCampaign attribution integration tracking Captivated widget activities within customer campaign and attribution reporting dashboards.
- NylascoreCalendar and scheduling integration powering booking and appointment functionality. Third-party calendar provider referenced in Terms & Conditions for calendar-based services.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreCloud infrastructure provider hosting Captivated application and databases. AWS infrastructure is accredited by ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2/SSAE 16/ISAE 3402, and PCI Level 1.
- CloudflarecoreSecurity and CDN provider proxying all application traffic through Full (strict) SSL/TLS encrypted connection with origin certificates for application source non-repudiation.
- VantacoreCompliance automation platform used for security training, compliance review, and audit process management including SOC 2, HIPAA, and CCPA compliance.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Captivated competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Twilio: Twilio is the dominant cloud communications platform offering Programmable Messaging, Segment, and Flex for enterprise messaging workflows. It is comparable to Captivated as a direct provider of SMS/MMS APIs and customer engagement tooling, but at vastly greater scale and with a developer-first orientation.
- Klaviyo: Klaviyo is a leading marketing automation platform with strong SMS and email capabilities for e-commerce and DTC brands. It overlaps with Captivated on campaign automation and segmentation but is a much broader, public-company incumbent.
Direct peers
- MessageBird (Bird): Bird (formerly MessageBird) is a direct competitor offering business messaging across SMS, WhatsApp, and inbox channels with CPaaS and marketing automation products. Both compete for two-way business texting customers with payments, automation, and inbox capabilities.
- Podium: Podium is a leading customer communication platform focused on local businesses (home services, automotive, retail) offering text-based lead conversion, reviews, and payments. Both target the same SMB-to-mid-market vertical mix and compete on payment facilitation and review automation.
- Quiq: Quiq provides enterprise-grade asynchronous messaging for customer service, combining SMS, web chat, and AI assistants. It is comparable to Captivated on secure two-way business messaging with workflow automation, though focused on larger enterprise CX teams.
- SimpleTexting: SimpleTexting is a business text messaging platform for SMBs and mid-market, offering mass texting, two-way conversations, and integrations. It competes directly with Captivated's SMB-facing text enablement, scheduling, and segmentation use cases.
- SlickText: SlickText provides SMS marketing and business texting software for small and mid-sized businesses with keyword campaigns, drip texting, and integrations. It targets the same entry-level subscription tier as Captivated's Engage plan.
- Sakari: Sakari is a business messaging platform offering SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp with CRM integrations and shared inboxes. It is comparable to Captivated on multi-channel inbox, CRM sync, and SMB-to-mid-market pricing tiers.
- TextMagic: TextMagic offers business text messaging for SMBs with two-way SMS, mass texting, and integrations. It competes with Captivated in the entry-level subscription segment for SMB sales and support use cases.
Others
- Zipwhip: Zipwhip pioneered text-enabling existing business phone numbers for SMBs and was acquired by Twilio. Although now shut down as a standalone product, it is a directly comparable historical peer referenced in Captivated's company history as the alternative Captivated positioned against.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Captivated social profiles
Digital presenceCaptivated compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Captivated financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Captivated leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Captivated funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Captivated M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Captivated
What does Captivated do?
Captivated provides a cloud-based business text messaging and customer communication platform enabling two-way SMS/MMS, live chat, secure chat, team chat, video chat, and multi-channel inbox unified with CRM, calendar, and payment workflows. The platform is sold via tiered subscriptions (Engage, Choice, Pro) priced per operating location, with optional Power Feature add-ons such as Express Pay payment collection, workflow automation, AI conversation summaries, booking/scheduling, custom forms, and Google review requests.
Is Captivated a public or private company?
Captivated is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Captivated founded?
Captivated was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Captivated based?
Captivated is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Captivated make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans (Core License + Messaging Commitment) is the primary driver. The others are message Overage Charges, payment Processing (Express Pay), optional Monthly Add-Ons, professional Services and smart Scaling Items.
Who are Captivated's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Twilio and Klaviyo. Direct peers are MessageBird (Bird), Podium, Quiq, SimpleTexting, SlickText, Sakari and TextMagic. Zipwhip is listed as an others.
Does Captivated have an API?
Yes. Captivated offers API access on Pro plans, enabling CRM integrations, custom integrations, and workflow automation. The API allows developers to build custom integrations and automate communication processes. Pro plans include full API Access. Current customers can contact Support to leverage integration resources.
What industry is Captivated in?
Captivated's product category is Business Text Messaging Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAIAB, Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.