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Usage & Messaging Fees Explained

Learn how message segments are calculated, what usage is included in your plan, how overage fees work, and how billing applies to mass texting, API messaging, and group conversations

What are message segments?

Text messages are billed based on message segments, not individual messages. For reference:

  • 1 segment = 153 characters, including spaces
  • Messages longer than 153 characters count as multiple segments
Segment Examples
  • A message up to 153 characters = 1 segment
  • A message between 154–306 characters = 2 segments
  • A message between 307–459 characters = 3 segments

➝💡 Pro Tip: use a free character counting tool, like this.

What is included in my plan?

TextBetter Solo Plans

Solo Plans include:

  • 200 outbound message segments per month
  • Support for 1 text-enabled number maximum
  • Unlimited inbound text messages at no additional cost

❗Solo Plan Limitations

To add additional text-enabled numbers, you’ll need to upgrade to a Pro Plan.

Solo Plans do not include access to TextBetter APIs or mass messaging tools such as TextBetter Text Distro or the SMS Marketing Wizard.

TextBetter Pro Plans (Email to Text & Marketing Pro)

Pro Plans include:

  • 500 outbound message segments per text-enabled number, per month – shared across the entire organization
  • Unlimited inbound text messages at no additional cost

Example:

If your organization has 3 text-enabled numbers, your account includes 1,500 outbound message segments per month total.

This usage can be shared across users and numbers within your organization.

❗Pro Plan Limitations

Messages sent via mass messaging tools (including TextDistro and the SMS Marketing Wizard), as well as API-based messaging, are billed separately per outbound message segment and do not count toward your plan’s included usage or overage calculations. 

What happens if I exceed my included usage?

Any outbound message usage beyond your included monthly amount is billed at:

  • $0.04 per outbound message segment

Your included usage resets automatically at the start of each billing cycle.

Are mass texting tools billed differently?

Yes. Mass messaging tools — including:

  • TextBetter Text Distro
  • SMS Marketing Wizard
  • API-based messaging

— are billed separately and do not count toward your plan’s included usage or standard overage calculations.

Volume-based pricing applies:

  • $0.04 per segment for the first 10,000 segments
  • $0.03 per segment for the next 10,000 segments
  • $0.015 per segment thereafter

Does group messaging affect segment usage?

Yes. For group messaging, segment usage is calculated based on:

  • The number of message segments
  • The number of recipients in the group message

Example:

A 2-segment message sent to 10 recipients would equal 20 outbound message segments.

Please note: Group messaging is only supported within the TextBetter SMS Suite.

➝ For additional details, please refer to the Group Messaging FAQ.