Updated 19 October 2026 · 3 min read
The counter follows the same rules as the networks: 160 standard characters per SMS, 153 per part when a message is longer, and 70 for Unicode. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How SMS length works
A standard SMS holds 160 characters. Spaces, full stops and line breaks all count. When a message is longer, it goes out in parts that the phone joins back together. Each part gives up 7 characters to the information that joins them, so it holds 153 characters, and each part uses one credit.
| Character set | One SMS | Each part of a longer SMS |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (GSM) | 160 characters | 153 characters |
| Unicode | 70 characters | 67 characters |
Characters that count as two
These characters are part of the standard set but take two spaces each: ^ { } [ ] \ ~ | and €. A message with five of them loses five characters of space.
Characters that switch your SMS to Unicode
If a message contains even one character outside the standard set, the whole message goes out as Unicode, and one SMS holds only 70 characters. The usual culprits:
- Emoji. Most count as two characters, and some, like flags, count as four or more.
- Curly quotes and apostrophes (‘ ’ “ ”), which Word, Google Docs and phones often type for you.
- Long dashes (– and —) and the three-dot ellipsis (…).
- Some accented letters, like ê, ë, ô, û, î and ï. The letters é, è, à, ä, ö and ü are fine.
The Fix button in the counter swaps curly quotes, long dashes and ellipses for their plain versions.
Afrikaans SMS: why môre costs double
Afrikaans uses letters with a hat or two dots, like ê and ë, that aren't in the standard SMS set. One ê in sê or ô in môre switches the whole message to Unicode, and the same reminder suddenly needs twice the credits:
| Message | Character set | Characters | SMS per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| With môre | Unicode | 126 | 2 |
| With more | Standard | 126 | 1 |
Writing more without the hat keeps the message in the standard set. If you'd rather keep the correct spelling, keep the message under 70 characters, or budget for the extra credits. isiZulu and isiXhosa use standard letters, so they fit the normal 160.
Tips to keep your SMS short
- Use numerals and 24-hour times: 10:00, R250, 3 days.
- Skip greetings and sign-offs. Your business name at the start does both jobs.
- Use a short link from your own website instead of a long address.
- Type messages in a plain-text editor, or use the Fix button, to avoid curly quotes.
- Send a test to your own phone before every campaign.
Need wording that already fits? Copy one of our 48 SMS templates.
Questions
Why does my 150-character message use 2 SMS?
It almost certainly contains a Unicode character, like an emoji, a curly apostrophe or an ê. That cuts the limit from 160 to 70 characters per SMS. Paste it into the counter to find the culprit.
Do spaces count as characters?
Yes. Spaces, line breaks and punctuation all count towards the 160.
Does this counter save my message?
No. Everything runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us or stored.
How long can an SMS be?
Long messages are sent in parts of 153 characters, and each part uses a credit per person. The standard allows many parts, but keep messages to one or two SMS where you can.
Is the count the same on every network?
Yes. The counter follows the standard GSM and Unicode rules that all South African networks use.