How to use the SMS and MMS campaign cost calculator
US carriers bill text campaigns by segment, not by message. A standard GSM-7 message fits 160 characters in one segment; go over that and the message is split and billed at 153 characters per segment. Switch to Unicode — which a single emoji or accented character does — and the limits drop to 70 and 67. MMS is billed as one message regardless of length, so attaching an image changes the math entirely.
No rates are pre-filled here. Per-segment pricing depends on your provider, your volume tier and the destination carrier, and carrier pass-through fees sit on top. Enter the numbers from your own rate card, and put recurring 10DLC or carrier fees in the fees field so they land in the total instead of being forgotten.
US rules differ from other markets in two ways worth planning for. Marketing texts require prior express written consent under the TCPA, with clear opt-out language in the message, and application-to-person traffic on standard 10-digit numbers requires 10DLC brand and campaign registration before carriers will deliver at volume. Both add characters and cost: opt-out wording eats into your segment budget, and registration is a separate line item rather than a per-message rate.
Frequently asked questions
A single non-GSM character switches the whole message to Unicode, dropping the segment limit from 160 to 70 characters. A 150-character message goes from one segment to three.
Yes. Every character in the body counts, including required disclosure and opt-out wording, so include them when you count characters here.