Non-GSM characters
These characters switch the whole message to Unicode, which changes the segment limit.
None detected
Free SMS tool
SMS character counter
Paste a message to count SMS characters, detect GSM-7 or Unicode encoding, and calculate how many SMS segments it will use.
GSM extension characters
These stay in GSM-7, but each one uses two SMS length units instead of one.
None detected
What the SMS counter results mean
SMS length is based on encoding, not just what a message looks like on screen. These are the values the counter calculates.
Typed characters
The number of visible characters or graphemes in the message you typed. This is useful for writing, but it is not always the same as SMS length.
SMS length units
The encoded size used for billing and segmentation. Some GSM characters such as {, }, [, ], ^, ~, \ and the euro symbol count as two SMS units.
Encoding
GSM-7 is the compact SMS alphabet. Unicode or UCS-2 is used when the message contains emoji, many accented characters, or non-Latin scripts.
Segments
The number of SMS parts needed to send the message. Long messages are split into multipart SMS segments and reassembled by the recipient phone.
Remaining
How many SMS units are left in the current segment before the message needs another segment.
Non-GSM characters
Characters that force Unicode encoding. Replacing them with GSM equivalents can reduce segment count and sending cost.
SMS encoding rules
Why your SMS character count can change
A text message can look short and still become expensive if it uses characters that change the encoding. This counter shows the exact segment impact before you send.
GSM-7 messages
GSM-7 is the standard SMS alphabet for many English and European messages. One GSM-7 segment can hold up to 160 SMS units. When a message becomes multipart, each segment has about 153 SMS units available because a small header is needed to reconnect the parts.
Unicode and UCS-2 messages
Emoji, many non-Latin scripts, and some accented characters use Unicode encoding. A single Unicode SMS has up to 70 UCS-2 units. Multipart Unicode messages have about 67 UCS-2 units per segment.
Segment cost
SMS providers and carriers usually bill by segment, not by the visual message bubble. If a message uses 2 segments, it can count as 2 SMS even when the recipient sees a single joined message.
SMS character counter FAQs
Answers to the common questions behind SMS length, Unicode characters, and multipart SMS.
What is an SMS character counter?
An SMS character counter checks how long a text message is after SMS encoding rules are applied. It shows whether the message uses GSM-7 or Unicode, how many SMS segments it needs, and how much space remains in the current segment.
Why does one SMS sometimes allow 160 characters and sometimes 70?
A standard GSM-7 SMS can fit up to 160 SMS units in one segment. If the message contains Unicode characters, such as emoji or many non-Latin characters, the limit drops to 70 UCS-2 units.
Why do long SMS messages use 153 or 67 characters per segment?
Multipart SMS messages reserve a small header so recipient phones can join the parts back together. That leaves about 153 GSM-7 units or 67 UCS-2 units per segment after the first split.
Do emoji count as one SMS character?
Not always. An emoji may look like one character on screen, but it usually uses Unicode encoding and can consume multiple UCS-2 units. That is why one emoji can reduce the number of characters available in a segment.
What are GSM-7 extension characters?
Some characters are part of the GSM extension table and take two SMS units instead of one. Common examples include curly braces, square brackets, the caret, tilde, backslash, and the euro symbol.
Does the counter send or store my SMS message?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. The text you type into this page is only used locally to calculate SMS length and segments.
Your Android is already
your best SMS gateway
Stop overpaying for SMS APIs. Install VoxiSMS, connect your automation tools, and start sending messages through your own carrier plan today. Zero markup. No credit card.
Free tier available
No credit card needed
Cancel anytime
Setup in 5 minutes