Texting costs and your balance

Texting is paid from your wallet as you use it. The standard prices are below; the send window always shows what a send will cost before anything goes.

Before you start

• Check your wallet balance under Settings › Billing & wallet.

Steps

Know the prices

1. Phone number: $3 a month. The first month is charged when you buy it, then monthly.
2. Texts: 2¢ a segment, for texts you send and texts you receive. Texts from short codes, such as verification codes, are not charged.
3. WhatsApp: 3¢ a message, sent or received.
4. US registration: $9 once for the business, $19 once for the campaign review, then $3 a month while the campaign runs.

Count segments

1. A text of up to 160 ordinary characters is one segment.
2. A longer text is split into parts of 153 characters, each charged as a segment.
3. One emoji, curly quote or special character switches the whole text to a shorter size: 70 characters for one segment, then 67 per part.
4. The bulk send window shows the count as you type, for example 148 chars · 1 segment.
5. The opt-out line and the business sign-off you set on the Compliance tab add characters. The preview on that tab shows whether they push a text into another segment.

Check before sending

1. In a bulk text, the window shows the number of texts, the segments and what the send takes from your balance, or included in your plan when your plan covers it.
2. Every wallet charge is listed under Settings › Billing & wallet. Bulk sends also show their cost under Contacts › Bulk Actions › Details.

For example, the window reads 240 texts × 1 segment — about $4.80 from your balance.

What happens next

When your balance can't cover a send, the send stops before anything goes out and tells you how much is needed, for example Your balance is $1.20 — this send needs $4.80. Top up and send again. A single reply is refused with Your balance is empty. Top up under Billing & wallet to send texts.

A number's monthly charge also comes from the wallet. Keep enough in it so your number keeps renewing.

For agencies

If you resell texting to clients, the prices a client pays can differ from the standard ones. Open the client (Sub-accounts › Open) to see their costs. Registration fees can also be covered by you, in which case the client sees There is no charge to you for this registration.

For clients of an agency

Your agency sets your prices. The send window and your wallet show exactly what you pay.

Troubleshooting

A short message cost two segments. It contained an emoji or a special character, which lowers the size of a segment to 70 characters. Replace it with plain text.

Why was I charged for a text I didn't send? Texts you receive are charged at the same rate as a segment. Check Settings › Billing & wallet for the line, which names the number it came from.

My plan says texting is included. Some plans include texting; the send window then says included in your plan and nothing is taken from your balance.

"This registration cannot be paid for right now. Ask the company that looks after your account to top up, then try again." Your agency pays for your registration and their balance can't cover it. Ask them to top up.

Related

• Get a phone number
• Send a text to a list
• Opt-outs (STOP) and texting compliance settings
• Top up your wallet and read your transactions