RecurX can text your subscribers over SMS (through your Twilio account) and WhatsApp (through the Meta WhatsApp Cloud API). This guide covers the channel settings: which channels are on, which one is tried first, renewal reminders by text, the opt-out message and test sends. It takes about 5 minutes after your provider is connected.
Before you start: connect a provider first — see Connect Twilio and WhatsApp. SMS and WhatsApp work on every plan; your provider bills you for each message it sends.
Step 1: Open the SMS or WhatsApp page
- In your Shopify admin, open Apps → RecurX Subscriptions → Campaigns.
- In the Channels group, click Manage on the SMS card (1) or the WhatsApp card (2).
Note: SMS and WhatsApp share one set of settings. The two pages show the same settings, with the channel you opened listed first — a change on one page applies to both.
Step 2: Check the channel status
The Connect a provider card shows each channel's real state:
- SMS isn't connected / WhatsApp isn't connected — nothing is sent on that channel until you connect a provider. Click Connect a provider to open Integrations.
- Connected — with the number of subscribers who have a phone number and opted in to that channel.
Important: RecurX only texts subscribers who opted in. SMS consent comes from Shopify (the SMS opt-in at checkout or in a Shopify form) and from customers who reply START. WhatsApp consent is separate: customers turn it on themselves under Message settings in the customer portal. SMS consent is never reused for WhatsApp.
Step 3: Set your channel preferences
Under Channel preferences:
- SMS on and WhatsApp on — when a channel is off, RecurX sends nothing on it, whatever your templates say.
- Default channel — when a renewal reminder can go out on both channels, this one is tried first and the other is the fallback: WhatsApp (SMS as fallback) or SMS (WhatsApp as fallback).
- Send renewal reminders by text — about 3 days before each renewal, also send a short reminder by WhatsApp (when connected) or SMS, next to the email. It only reaches subscribers with a phone number and consent on file.
Step 4: Set the opt-out message
Under Compliance:
- Explicit consent is required before sending is always on and can't be turned off.
- Opt-out message (up to 160 characters) is added to the end of every SMS sent to subscribers, for example Reply STOP to unsubscribe. It is never added to test texts.
When a customer replies STOP to your Twilio number, RecurX stops texting them. Their subscription is not changed. They are texted again only if they reply START.
Click Save in the bar at the top of the page to keep your changes.
Step 5: Send a test message
- Open the Test tab.
- Choose the Channel — SMS or WhatsApp.
- Enter your number in Phone number (E.164) — with the country code and a leading +, for example +44 for the UK.
- Click Send test (billed by your provider).
If the test fails, the usual cause is that no provider is connected.
Where the message wording is set
The SMS and WhatsApp wording is not on the email Templates page. It is set where each message is configured:
- Payment recovery — on the Rescue Sequences rule: tick Also send a WhatsApp message, choose Send WhatsApp on, and write the WhatsApp message. See Payment recovery (dunning).
- Win-back — on the win-back campaign: pick the Message channel and write the SMS message. See Win-back campaigns.
WhatsApp templates: the Meta WhatsApp Cloud API only delivers approved templates to customers who haven't written to you in the last 24 hours. Once WhatsApp is connected, a WhatsApp templates card appears on the WhatsApp page. Pick one of your approved Meta templates for each message; RecurX fills its placeholders in order. A message without a template (No template — don't send) is not sent.
Troubleshooting
- "No subscriber has opted in to SMS yet, so none will be texted." — nobody has given SMS consent in Shopify yet.
- "No approved WhatsApp template for this message" — choose a template for that message in the WhatsApp templates card.
- "Add your WhatsApp Business account ID to the WhatsApp card so RecurX can list your templates." — fill in Business account ID on the WhatsApp Business card under Integrations.