How many characters fit in one SMS?
An English message in the GSM-7 character set fits 160 characters in one segment. Longer messages split into 153-character segments, because each part carries a small header that joins them on the phone. Nepali text, emoji and some symbols switch the whole message to Unicode, which fits 70 characters, then 67 per segment.
Which characters switch an SMS to Unicode?
Any character outside the GSM-7 set: Devanagari, emoji, curly quotes pasted from a word processor, and many symbols. One such character turns the whole message into Unicode, cutting a segment from 160 to 70 characters. The counter names the characters responsible, so you can replace them with plain ones where the language allows.
- Curly quotes “ ” and ‘ ’: replace them with straight quotes.
- Emoji: remove them or say it in words.
- Nepali (Devanagari): always Unicode, so keep the message short.
- € [ ] { } ~ ^ | and \ stay GSM-7 but count as two characters each.
How is the cost of a message calculated?
Multiply the segments in your message by the number of recipients to get the credits, multiply the credits by the rate for your monthly volume, then add 13% VAT. The counter treats this one send as your whole month, so if you send more in the month, your real rate can be lower than its estimate.
Questions people also ask
Is the message I type sent anywhere?
No. The count runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent or stored.
Is the estimate a quote?
No. It uses the published rates. Your invoice follows the credits you actually buy and your monthly volume.