Text messaging is one of the most effective channels in your toolkit, and it is also usage-based. Understanding how SMS is priced helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises when a big campaign goes out.
How SMS Pricing Works
SMS is billed per segment, not per message. A segment is a chunk of text that carriers use to route and deliver a message. A short text might be a single segment, while a longer one can be two, three, or more. Each segment is billed separately.
Per Segment
You are billed for each segment a message uses, not each message you send.
Length Drives Cost
Longer messages split into more segments, which means a higher charge per send.
US vs. International
Domestic US numbers and international numbers are priced differently per segment.
What Makes a Segment
A standard SMS segment holds about 160 characters. If you go over that limit, the message is split into multiple segments. A few things push the count up faster than you might expect:
- Emojis and special characters switch the encoding to Unicode, which cuts a segment down to about 70 characters.
- Long messages get split into multiple segments, each billed on its own.
- Concatenated messages use a small header on each segment, slightly reducing the character room per segment.
A quick way to keep SMS lean is to write tight, plain-text messages and save emojis for when they truly add value. Each special character can double your segment count.
US vs. International Rates
Messages sent to US and Canadian numbers are billed at the domestic rate. Messages sent to numbers outside the US and Canada are billed at international rates, which vary by destination country. If you run campaigns that reach global contacts, check the destination mix before you send so you can forecast the cost accurately.
Tips to Keep SMS Costs Down
Keep messages concise and under one segment where possible.
Use plain text encoding by avoiding heavy emoji use in bulk sends.
Segment your audience so you only message the people who need it.
Review destination countries before international campaigns to forecast cost.