Text-to-join lets people add themselves to your list. Here is an honest comparison of doing it by SMS and on WhatsApp, and how to choose for your church.

For years, churches have grown their texting lists the same way: put a keyword on the screen, "Text CONNECT to 55555", and let people sign themselves up. It works because it's easy. Nobody fills in a card, and nobody in the office types numbers on Monday morning.

You can now do the same thing on WhatsApp. People scan a QR code or send JOIN to your church's WhatsApp number, and they're on the right list. So which should your church use? This guide compares the two honestly, including when SMS is still the better choice.

How text-to-join works on SMS

An SMS texting service gives your church a keyword and a number to text, usually a short code or a dedicated phone number. When someone texts the keyword, the service adds them to a list and sends an automatic reply. From then on, your announcements arrive as text messages.

Its biggest strength is reach: every phone can receive a text, and in the US nearly everyone reads them. Its costs depend on the provider. Most charge a monthly plan with a set number of texts, or charge per message, and US business texting on a regular phone number has to be registered with the carriers first.

How text-to-join works on WhatsApp

With MsgOrb's Text JOIN, your church picks a short word, such as GRACE, and each group can have its own, such as YOUTH or CHOIR. Each group page shows its word with a QR code and a sign to print. Scanning the code opens WhatsApp with "JOIN YOUTH" already typed to your number. The person presses send, and straight away:

they're added to the Youth group, named from their WhatsApp profile;
they get a welcome reply: "Welcome! You're now on Grace Chapel's Youth list and will get updates here. Reply STOP any time to stop.";
MsgOrb records that they joined by sending JOIN themselves, so you can show where your list came from.

Plain JOIN, with no group word, adds people to the group you choose as your main list, so a sign that says "Send JOIN" keeps working forever.

Side by side

Who can join: SMS reaches every phone. WhatsApp reaches people who use WhatsApp.
Number: SMS uses a short code or a texting number from the provider. WhatsApp uses your church's own WhatsApp Business number, the same one members already message.
A list per ministry: both can. On WhatsApp, each group gets its own word and its own QR code.
What you can send after: SMS is mostly text, with picture messages on some plans. WhatsApp sends pictures, flyers, buttons, entry passes for events, giving links and kids pickup passes, all in the same chat.
Replies: on both, members can reply. On WhatsApp, replies land in one shared inbox your team works from, and Smart Replies can answer common questions.
Cost of the welcome: with SMS, it's one of your texts. On WhatsApp, the welcome is a reply to a message the person sent, so it counts toward the 1,000 free replies Meta includes each month for your number.
Cost of announcements: SMS depends on your plan. On WhatsApp, Meta charges $0.0034 per Utility reminder in the US and Canada, billed to your own WhatsApp Business Account. MsgOrb doesn't charge per message.

When SMS is the better choice

Be honest about your congregation. In many American churches, plenty of members don't use WhatsApp, especially older members. If you ask the room to raise their hand and only a few use WhatsApp, an SMS tool will reach more of them, and that matters more than any feature.

When WhatsApp is the better choice

Your members already use WhatsApp, which is common in immigrant, multilingual and international congregations, and in churches with families abroad.
You want more than announcements. On MsgOrb, the same chat handles event RSVPs with QR entry passes, giving with receipts, and kids check-in pickup passes.
You want two-way conversation. A member who replies "I'd like prayer" reaches your team in the same chat.

Many churches use both: SMS for the whole congregation, WhatsApp for the ministries and families who live on it. You don't have to choose for everyone at once.

How to set up Text JOIN in MsgOrb

Create a group for each ministry you want people to join: Youth, Choir, Volunteers.
Open the group. MsgOrb suggests a join word from its name. Change it if you like (letters and numbers only).
Print the sign with the QR code, or put the code on your bulletin, connect card or slide.
Tell people: "Scan this and press send." Watch the group fill up on its own.

Text JOIN is included on every MsgOrb plan, Free included. People who join count toward your plan's member limit.

The bottom line

Text-to-join works because it lets people say yes at the moment they're interested. SMS reaches everyone with a phone; WhatsApp reaches the people who live on WhatsApp and gives you a lot more to do in the same chat. Pick the channel your people actually use.

Want to try it yourself? Send JOIN MSGORB to +1 (945) 396-1124 on WhatsApp to see the welcome reply, then reply STOP whenever you like. Or compare MsgOrb with an SMS church texting tool on our Text In Church comparison. Start free.

Text to Join on WhatsApp vs SMS for Churches