Count your SMS characters above — one emoji can silently cut your limit from 160 to 70, and this is where you catch it.
SMS Character Limits Explained
| Message type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Standard SMS (GSM-7 characters) | 160 characters |
| Each segment when concatenated | 153 characters |
| SMS containing emoji / Unicode | 70 characters |
| Unicode segments when split | 67 characters each |
Limits verified as of July 2026. Platforms change limits occasionally — if you spot one that moved, let us know.
The Emoji Tax
SMS uses the compact GSM-7 encoding for standard letters, digits, and common punctuation — 160 characters per message. Add a single emoji, smart quote (“ ”), or non-Latin character and the whole message switches to Unicode encoding, dropping the limit to 70 characters. For businesses paying per segment, one 😊 can double or triple the cost of a campaign.
Tips for Single-Segment Messages
- Watch for smart punctuation. Word processors convert straight quotes to curly ones, silently triggering Unicode.
- Segments split mid-word. If you must exceed 160, write so a break at character 153 does not garble the meaning.
- Some GSM characters count double: {, }, [, ], ~, ^, \, | and € each use two characters.
- Put opt-out text in the same segment for marketing SMS — a second segment doubles the send cost.
Why did my 100-character text send as two messages?
It almost certainly contained an emoji or special character, dropping the limit to 70. Paste it above — if the character count is under 70 or free of special characters, it fits in one segment.
Do links count toward the SMS limit?
Yes — every character of the URL counts, and long links are the most common reason marketing texts spill into a second segment. Use a short domain, and check that your link shortener isn't adding tracking parameters that push you over.