SMS Character Counter
A single SMS message is limited to 160 characters when using standard GSM-7 encoding (basic Latin alphabet, digits, and common punctuation). The moment you add an emoji or a non-GSM character (like é, ñ, or any Cyrillic / Asian script), the encoding switches to Unicode UCS-2 and the limit drops to 70 characters. Type your message below to see which encoding is in use and how many SMS parts it will cost to send. Use the Byte Counter if you need the raw UTF-8 byte size, or the Character Counter for full text analysis.
Standard text
SMS Character Limits Cheatsheet
| Field | Character limit |
|---|---|
| Single SMS (GSM-7) | 160 |
| Single SMS (Unicode) | 70 |
| Concatenated GSM-7 segment | 153 |
| Concatenated Unicode segment | 67 |
Why does SMS have this character limit?
The 160-character limit dates back to 1985, when SMS pioneer Friedhelm Hillebrand timed himself typing sample sentences on a typewriter. He found that 160 characters was enough to communicate most simple ideas. The technical reason was that early cellular signaling channels reserved 1,120 bits per message, and 7-bit GSM encoding fit exactly 160 characters into that space. Even on modern networks, the 160-character unit remains the billing standard worldwide.
Tips for Writing Better SMS Content
1Avoid emoji in business SMS
A single 😊 emoji turns a 160-character message into a 70-character one — and likely splits it into a 2-part SMS that costs twice as much to send. Run your draft through the Emoji Counter first to catch sneaky emoji.
2Test for special characters
Curly quotes (' '), em-dashes (—), and even some accent marks force Unicode encoding. Stick to straight quotes and hyphens to stay in GSM-7.
3Front-load the value
Many phones preview only the first 40–60 characters. Lead with the most important detail (the deal, the deadline, the action) so the message lands even unopened.
4Always include an opt-out for marketing SMS
U.S. and EU regulations require an opt-out path (e.g., 'Reply STOP'). That adds ~12 characters — plan your message length around it.
5Avoid all caps and excessive punctuation
Carriers and spam filters flag SMS with high caps ratios or three+ exclamation marks. Sentence case lands consistently.
Need More Than a Character Count?
Our main Character Counter shows word count, sentence count, reading time, and a full statistical breakdown of your text — alongside live character counts for every major platform.
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