Consumers in the US now prefer redeeming offers and buying goods from brands’ SMS, MMS and even RCS messaging, surpassing email for the first time.
The latest annual Mobile Consumer Insights Survey from US-based engagement platform Vibes – which surveyed 1100 US mobile consumers – finds that consumers now prefer redeeming offers via text message more than email and apps, with 41% preferring text, 39% email and only 20% via a brand’s mobile app.
The survey finds that 78% of consumers say they have made a direct purchase from a brand’s SMS or MMS text message, up from 75% last year – some 65% having done so within the past year. Interestingly, 81% of consumers showed a marked preference for RCS messaging over SMS.
This is the first time in Vibes’ nine annual surveys that text messaging has surpassed email, says the company.
Download the full Mobile Consumer Insights Survey 2026 report here
Wallets go mainstream
Vibes’ survey also illuminates just how rapidly mobile wallets for coupons, offers and loyalty cards have gone mainstream over the past three years.
76% of consumers now say they are “much more likely” to engage with brands that provide a mobile wallet option for offers & coupons, which is up from 60% in 2025. Three quarters (75%) of consumers also said they are much more likely to engage with a brand that offers a mobile wallet loyalty card, up from 57% in 2025.
This growing adoption of mobile messaging and digital wallets clearly opens an opportunity for brands looking to drive more foot traffic, given 98% open rates for SMS, MMS and RCS. Moreover, the excitement speaks to the ability to directly attribute the ROI that a digital wallet drives for their business.
Tellingly for 2026 message trends, 81% of consumers even showed a marked preference for RCS messaging over SMS, with particular enthusiasm shown for RCS product carousels and the high-quality images & video visuals available within RCS messages.
“These results tell us that the shift away from mobile apps for transactions is accelerating”, says Alex Campbell, Vibes’ Co-Founder & CIO. “RCS will only accelerate this faster. Any brand that uses messaging will be well-positioned to shift their focus away from their app, and into the surging RCS messaging and mobile wallet channels.”
