---
title: "SMS pricing and sender ID rules in Saudi Arabia"
description: "Business SMS in Saudi Arabia from $0.0160 per message: operator rates, volume tiers, sender ID registration (5-10 business days), CST rules and quiet hours."
canonical: "https://omnichannels.ai/sms-pricing/saudi-arabia/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-09-29"
publisher: "BroadNet Technologies"
brand: "OmniChannels.ai"
---

# SMS pricing and sender ID rules in Saudi Arabia

Canonical: https://omnichannels.ai/sms-pricing/saudi-arabia/
Language: en
Publisher: OmniChannels.ai by BroadNet Technologies

Indicative rates by operator and volume, sender ID registration, consent rules and quiet hours for business SMS to Saudi Arabia, from BroadNet's published rate card and regulatory research.

**Short answer:** Business SMS to Saudi Arabia starts at $0.0160 per message segment on BroadNet's published rate card, with lower rates from 100,000 messages a month. 4 mobile operators are covered, 3 on direct routes. Sender ID registration with CST typically takes 5-10 business days.

## Rates by operator and volume tier

| Operator | Route | Up to 100,000 | 100,000 to 1 million | 1 to 5 million | 5 million and more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STC (Saudi Telecom Co.) | Direct | $0.0160 | $0.0141 | $0.0118 | $0.0096 |
| Mobily (Etihad Etisalat) | Direct | $0.0160 | $0.0141 | $0.0118 | $0.0096 |
| Zain KSA | Direct | $0.0173 | $0.0152 | $0.0128 | $0.0104 |

USD per SMS segment, before taxes and sender ID fees. Rate card reviewed 24 September 2026. Local-currency invoicing in SAR is available.

## SMS rules in Saudi Arabia

Summary of Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and operator requirements. Last reviewed 29 September 2026; rules change, so we confirm them for your traffic during onboarding.

- **Sender ID formats:** CST · STC, Mobily, Zain KSA: Alphanumeric (Latin or Arabic), up to 11 chars
- **Sender ID registration:** CST · STC, Mobily, Zain KSA: Required — one ID per legal entity per use case; CST + operator approval Typical lead time: 5-10 business days.
- **Consent (opt-in):** Verifiable opt-in required with PDPL-aligned consent capture. Source, timestamp, channel, and lawful-basis records retained for the life of the relationship.
- **Opt-out:** STOP / ايقاف honoured network-wide. One-step opt-out, irreversible until the recipient re-consents. CST audits the audit trail.
- **Quiet hours and send window:** CST's Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls ban promotional messages from 22:00 to 09:00 daily, and from 01:00 to 12:00 during Ramadan. Transactional 24/7. Promotional window on the rate card: 09:00–22:00 KSA.
- **Regulator:** Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST). Country code +966.

## Sources

- List rates: BroadNet's published SMS rate card, reviewed 24 September 2026. Indicative, excluding taxes; your quote confirms the final price. Cost estimator: https://omnichannels.ai/pricing/estimator/
- [Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST)](https://www.cst.gov.sa/en/)
- [CST SPAM regulations](https://www.cst.gov.sa/en/regulations-and-licenses/regulations/Document-522)

## SMS to Saudi Arabia: questions

### How much does it cost to send an SMS to Saudi Arabia?

Indicative list rates start at $0.0160 per SMS segment, falling to about $0.0099 at 5 million messages a month. Prices exclude taxes and sender ID fees; your quote confirms the final rate.

### Do I need to register a sender ID in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. One ID per legal entity per use case; CST + operator approval. We submit it for you and confirm the current requirements during onboarding.

### How long does sender ID registration take in Saudi Arabia?

Typically 5–10 business days, depending on the operator and the documents provided. We confirm the current timeline for your sender ID during onboarding.

### When can I send promotional SMS in Saudi Arabia?

Promotional window: 09:00–22:00 local time; during Ramadan 12:00–01:00. CST's Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls ban promotional messages from 22:00 to 09:00 daily, and from 01:00 to 12:00 during Ramadan. Transactional 24/7. Operators register promotional senders with an -AD suffix (for example MyBrand-AD); transactional and OTP senders do not use it. We confirm the exact format during onboarding.

### Which mobile operators can I reach in Saudi Arabia?

STC (Saudi Telecom Co.) (direct route), Mobily (Etihad Etisalat) (direct route), Zain KSA (direct route), Virgin Mobile KSA (MVNO · STC) (partner route).

### What opt-out wording is required in Saudi Arabia?

STOP / ايقاف honoured network-wide. One-step opt-out, irreversible until the recipient re-consents. CST audits the audit trail.

Data: BroadNet published rate card and regulatory research, reviewed 29 September 2026. URL: https://omnichannels.ai/sms-pricing/saudi-arabia/