Characters
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SMS character counter.
See whether a text message fits one segment, uses Unicode, or will split into multiple SMS parts.
Words
Reading time
UTF-8 bytes
SMS segments
Lines
SMS encoding GSM-7
Graphemes 0
Sentences 0
Paragraphs 0
Speaking time 0 min
SEO pixels 0 px
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Selected limit
SMS
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Shortened text
0 characters
Why this page exists
SMS length changes when encoding changes.
The same visible message can cost one segment or several depending on the characters it contains.
GSM-7
Plain SMS messages can fit 160 characters in one segment.
Unicode
Emoji and many non-English characters lower the single-message limit to 70 characters.
Long messages
Multi-part messages reserve space for linking data, so each segment holds fewer characters.
Practical guide
Estimate SMS parts from encoding, not appearance.
SMS billing and delivery can depend on encoded units. The counter identifies a GSM-7 or Unicode message, accounts for GSM extension characters, and estimates how the message will split.
GSM-7 messages
A GSM-7 message can use up to 160 encoded units in one segment. Some supported symbols use an escape code and consume two units even though they appear as one character on screen.
Unicode messages
If the draft contains a character outside GSM-7, the estimate switches to Unicode. One Unicode segment holds 70 characters, and linked multi-part messages usually hold 67 characters per segment.
Why long messages lose space
Multi-part SMS reserves room in every segment for information that lets the phone reassemble the parts. GSM-7 parts therefore use 153 units and Unicode parts use 67 after the message exceeds one segment.
Treat the result as an estimate
Gateways can normalize punctuation, shorten links, add compliance text, or apply their own encoding rules. Count the exact outbound message and confirm important campaigns in the sending platform.
Before sending an SMS campaign or alert
- Paste the final link, opt-out language, and personalization placeholders.
- Check whether one emoji or smart punctuation mark changes the encoding.
- Review the segment total, not only the visible character total.
- Send a test through the actual provider when cost or delivery timing matters.