# Sending a free SMS online: the complete guide

> How sending a free SMS to a French mobile works: no sign-up, no ads, no limits. Honest advantages and limitations.

- Source: https://www.envoyer-sms-gratuit.com/en/blog/2026-06-01/send-free-sms-online
- Published: 2026-06-01 (1 June 2026)
- Author: L'équipe Envoyer SMS Gratuit
- Language: en
- Categories: Guide
- Tags: Free SMS, SMS online, Gateway

---
Sending a free SMS from a website seems almost too simple. Behind that simplicity, a precise mechanism carries your message to a French mobile, without ever asking you to pay or create an account. Here is the complete journey of a message with **Envoyer SMS Gratuit**.

## Two fields, no account

You enter the recipient's number and your text. That's all: no sign-up, no password, no app to install, no bank card. The service is free and ad-free. The guide [send a free SMS](/guides/send-a-free-sms) details each step.

## To French mobiles in 06 and 07

The message is intended for French mobiles, recognisable by their **06** or **07** prefix. Landline or international numbers are not supported. A standard SMS is limited to **160 characters**: beyond that, the text is split into several segments, or simply truncated. So remember to get to the point.

## The gateway that sends the message

Once the send is confirmed, your text is handed to a **shared SMS gateway** that passes it to the recipient's operator. It's this pooled infrastructure that makes it possible to offer the service for free, without an artificial limit imposed on the user.

## Send confirmation, not read receipt

Once the message is on its way, the service can tell you that it has indeed been **handed to the gateway**. Be careful not to confuse the two: this **send confirmation** means the message has left our servers, not that the recipient has opened it. There is **no read receipt**. To understand the nuance, see our article on [SMS read receipts](/blog/2026-07-05-sms-read-receipts).

## The limitations, in all honesty

Being free comes with a few constraints that are better known:

- **Text only**: no MMS, so no photo, no video, no attachment.
- **One-way**: the send goes out from a gateway number; you don't receive a reply on your phone.
- **French mobiles only**: only 06 and 07 numbers.
- **160 characters**: the length of a standard SMS.

## From a computer too

Everything works the same way at the office: follow the guide to [send an SMS from a computer](/guides/send-an-sms-from-a-computer). Used well, **Envoyer SMS Gratuit** remains what it promises: a simple, free, and unlimited way to reach someone in a few seconds.