SMS Character Counter
Estimate SMS encoding units and segments from unchanged text, including GSM extension characters and emoji, with clear default-model and provider limits.
SMS Character Counter estimates encoding units and segments locally from the text you supply. Paste a message to review its default-model estimate. It does not send messages or predict a provider bill.
SMS length is not a simple character count: a single emoji or smart quote can flip the message to Unicode and halve how much fits in a segment.
SMS Character Counter estimates GSM-7 or Unicode encoding units and segment boundaries. Review the stated model and confirm the final submitted message with your provider.
How to use SMS Character Counter
- Paste your SMS text into the editor.
- Read the estimated encoding, total units, segment count and units left in the final segment.
- If appropriate for your message, edit a Unicode-only character and review the changed estimate. The tool never substitutes characters automatically.
Use cases
- Writing a one-time passcode or alert that must stay in one segment.
- Checking an order or delivery update before it is sent in bulk.
- Trimming a marketing SMS to control the cost per message.
Good to know
This model uses GSM-7 capacities of 160/153 septets or Unicode capacities of 70/67 UTF-16 units. It keeps two-unit extension tokens and surrogate pairs within a segment. Provider limits can differ, so confirm the submitted payload and route separately.
Frequently asked questions
Why does adding one emoji shorten my SMS so much?
An emoji normally selects the Unicode model for the whole message. Many emoji use two UTF-16 units, while the single-segment capacity is 70 units. A visible character count is not an SMS encoding-unit count.
What are the 160 and 153 limits?
The default model uses 160 GSM-7 septets for one segment and 153 per multipart segment, or 70/67 UTF-16 units for Unicode. Extension characters and surrogate-pair emoji use two units. Provider-specific routes may use different capacities.
Does the counter show how many segments my message uses?
It shows a local estimate and the unused units in the final segment under its stated model. It does not predict provider-specific concatenation headers, smart encoding, national shift tables, billing or delivery.