Rich Communication Services (RCS)

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next evolution of text messaging. It delivers branded, app-like experiences natively in the recipient’s default messaging app — including your business name and logo as the sender identity, read receipts, carousels, action buttons, and keyword replies. RCS requires a premium RCS sender resource and a separate approval process. SMS is used as an automatic fallback when the recipient’s device or carrier does not support RCS.

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How RCS compares to SMS

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Rich content types

If your sender includes an RCS sender resource, the message editor unlocks these capabilities:

• Text only: Plain branded RCS text with no media or actions. Links in the body remain tappable but are not tracked. Text-only messages always use their own RCS text as the fallback and do not use the SMS fallback field.
• Cards: Standalone rich messages with an image, title, description, and up to three actions.
• Carousels: Horizontally scrollable sets of rich cards. Useful for showcasing multiple products, locations, or options in a single message.
• Actions: Tappable buttons attached to cards. Three types are supported:
  • Link buttons: Open any http or https URL. Supports iOS Universal Links and Android App Links, which deep link into your app when it’s installed.
  • Keyword replies: Send a keyword back as the subscriber’s response without requiring them to type.
  • Phone number: Initiates a phone call directly from the message.

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SMS fallback

OneSignal automatically sends an SMS fallback when RCS fails to deliver — for example, when the recipient’s device or carrier doesn’t support RCS.

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Setup

RCS requires a premium RCS sender resource in addition to an SMS sender resource. The RCS sender resource must be approved separately. Approval timelines are typically 8–16 weeks. During the application process, you will need to provide additional brand assets beyond the standard sender resource application:

• Brand logo: The image carriers display as your sender identity.
• Brand color: The accent color used alongside your brand in the messaging app.
• Agent description: A short paragraph carriers display alongside your brand identity, describing what subscribers should expect from your messages. “Agent” is the carrier term for the business identity that sends RCS messages.
• Launch URL: Your business homepage or marketing page for your messaging program.

For country-specific RCS availability, approval processes, and reviewer requirements, see Sender resource applications. Once you submit an application, you can track each sender resource’s carrier approval status at Settings > SMS > Senders.

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Try RCS before approval with test sends

You don’t have to wait for carrier approval to start working with RCS. Once you begin the application process for an RCS sender resource, your sender includes a test RCS sender resource that is available immediately — while carrier approval is still pending. With the test sender resource you can:

• Compose RCS content (text, cards, carousels, and actions) in the RCS editor
• Send test RCS messages to your own devices to see how your content renders
• Iterate on rich content so your messaging program is ready the day approval lands

To get a test RCS sender resource, start the application process for an RCS sender resource. To begin your application, work with your account manager and implementation team. The test sender resource becomes available as soon as your application is underway — no carrier approval required. To get started with RCS, contact our team or reach out to your account manager.

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Analytics

Use RCS analytics to see who read your message, which buttons they tapped, and how many recipients replied. RCS messages report every standard SMS metric plus the RCS engagement metrics below. They appear on message reports, template reports, and Journey message reports. RCS clicks and replies are recorded only when OneSignal receives replies for your sender. Go to Settings > Platforms > SMS Settings > Senders and check that each RCS sender shows Receiving Message Replies. If it shows Not Receiving Message Replies, open the sender’s menu and select Setup Replies. Delivered and read metrics do not depend on this setting. Trackable links are not supported in RCS content. A track_link tag in RCS text is delivered as the original, untracked URL. To measure link taps in RCS, use link buttons, which report as RCS clicks. It’s important to note that keyword reply buttons count as replies, not clicks. Link and phone number buttons count as clicks. Likewise, replies the recipient types instead of tapping a button are not RCS replies, but typed replies that match a custom keyword do count toward Replied (keywords). A keyword reply button whose keyword matches a custom keyword counts as an RCS reply and toward Replied (keywords), and runs that keyword’s actions. When RCS can’t be delivered and OneSignal sends the SMS fallback, each metric treats the fallback as follows: Each message report also includes a Click & reply activity table that breaks down taps for every button. See Click & reply activity. RCS metrics also appear in:

• Audience Activity: per-recipient delivered, read, clicked, and replied events, with RCS or SMS shown in the Kind column. The CSV export includes click and reply times and the button tapped.
• Journeys: RCS Read, RCS link clicked, and RCS reply tapped conditions on Yes/No branches and Wait Until steps. Add a Wait Until step before branching on them, so recipients have time to read or tap. See Message behavior.
• Goals: Read and Replies Message Goals, and RCS taps in the Clicks conversion. See SMS and RCS Message Goals.
• User and Subscription Profiles: RCS reads, clicks, and replies in the event log. See User and Subscription Profiles.
• API and CSV exports: RCS fields in the View message API and the Messages CSV export.

RCS click and reply events are not available in Event Streams or segment filters.

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FAQ

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Does RCS work on all devices?

No. RCS requires the recipient’s device and carrier to support it. OneSignal automatically falls back to SMS when RCS is not supported, so every recipient gets a message regardless of device capability.

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Can I send RCS messages internationally?

RCS availability varies by country. Not all countries where OneSignal supports SMS also support RCS. See Sender resource applications for per-country RCS availability.

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Does an RCS sender resource replace my SMS sender resource?

No. You need both. The RCS sender resource is used when the recipient supports RCS; the SMS sender resource is used as the fallback. OneSignal handles the routing automatically within the same sender.

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Which editor do I get in Templates?

In Templates, you select a sender, and the editor adapts to it: you get the RCS editor when the selected sender has an RCS sender resource, and the SMS editor otherwise. When a sender has an approved RCS resource, OneSignal automatically prefers RCS for existing automations using that sender. See Upgrading existing automations to RCS for how existing SMS content maps to RCS.

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Can I try RCS before my sender is approved?

Yes. Starting the application process for an RCS sender resource gives you a test RCS sender resource right away, before carrier approval. Use it to compose rich content and send test messages to your own devices. To start an application, work with your account manager and implementation team. See Try RCS before approval with test sends.