Summary
The SMS Cost Calculator in Grow estimates what an SMS will cost before you send it. It uses your message, recipient country, and audience size to show the estimated cost per recipient and for the full send. This article explains how to use the SMS Cost Calculator so you can avoid billing surprises and plan your monthly SMS credit.
Why Use the SMS Cost Calculator?
Know the total before sending: See an estimated cost based on your actual message and number of recipients.
Understand what drives the cost: See how message length, emojis, country, and audience size affect the total.
Adjust before you spend: Shorten the message, remove an emoji, or change the audience and see the new estimate immediately.
Plan your monthly credit: See approximately how many text parts your monthly SMS credit will cover.
How to Set Up the SMS Cost Calculator
No setup is required. The SMS Cost Calculator is built into the Grow side panel and is available to eligible Grow accounts (see What's New below).
How to Use the SMS Cost Calculator
Open the SMS Cost Calculator from the Grow side panel.
Select the country where your recipients are located.
Type or paste your message. The calculator shows the character count and number of text parts.
Enter the number of recipients.
Review the estimated cost per recipient and for the full send.
Adjust the message or audience size to see how the total changes.
What's New
Estimated cost per recipient and for the full audience.
Live character count and text part count as you type.
Warning when an emoji or special character lowers the character limit and creates extra text parts.
Country selection and audience size input for a more accurate estimate.
A cost range that includes estimated carrier fees.
A link to Twilio's pricing page to verify country rates.
Who has access:
Grow Pro accounts have had beta access since August 24, 2026.
Access for all Grow accounts is rolling out. [Confirm GA date before publishing]
The calculator is not available in Core.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a text part?
A standard SMS holds up to 160 characters. Longer messages are split into additional parts, and each part is billed separately.
Why does an emoji change the SMS cost?
Emojis and some special characters lower the limit per text part from 160 to 70 characters. This can cause your message to use more parts and cost more.
Does the number of recipients affect the cost?
Yes. The calculator multiplies the per-message cost by the number of recipients to show the estimated total for the full send.
Are carrier fees included in the SMS Cost Calculator?
Yes. The displayed range includes estimated fees charged by the receiving phone carriers.
Is the SMS Cost Calculator estimate exact?
No. It is an estimate, not a billing quote. Final charges may vary slightly based on the recipient's phone carrier.
Does the SMS Cost Calculator cover picture messages?
No. Picture messages are sent as MMS, which use separate pricing and cost more than standard SMS.
Does the SMS Cost Calculator cost extra?
No. The calculator is included in Grow. Normal SMS usage charges still apply.
How far will my monthly SMS credit go?
Grow Pro accounts include a $10 monthly SMS credit. The calculator shows approximately how many text parts that credit covers.
Troubleshooting the SMS Cost Calculator
If the SMS Cost Calculator is not showing or the estimate looks wrong, check:
Your account has access to the calculator (Grow Pro during beta).
The correct recipient country is selected.
The message includes no unexpected emojis or special characters (watch for the warning).
The recipient count matches your actual audience.
Still stuck? Try logging out and back in, refreshing the page, or testing on another device.
Important Notes
Important: The SMS Cost Calculator provides estimates only. Final SMS charges may vary slightly based on the receiving phone carrier. MMS (picture messages) are not included in the estimate.
Note: Rates vary by country. You can verify the base rate using the linked Twilio pricing page in the calculator.
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