The growth an ionic organic nonlinear optical crystal of 4-N, N-dimethylamino-4-N-methyl-stilbazolium p-methoxybenzenesulfonate (DSMOS), one of the efficient derivatives of stilbazolium has been reported. The growth experiment is performed by a relatively simple and cost effective approach adopting the slope nucleation method coupled with slow evaporation (SNM-SE). The grown crystal has been subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The actual composition and various functional groups present in the sample are identified from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectral studies. The thermal properties are investigated by thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric (TG/DTG and DSC) techniques. The nonlinear optical, mechanical and surface properties are also reported. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.