You pay mostly per message, and the number is small, until you multiply it by your list. An SMS segment runs cents or fractions of a cent depending on volume; MMS costs more; RCS varies. On top of per-message cost sit one-time and recurring carrier/registration fees. The way to control spend isn't a cheaper rate, it's sending fewer, better-targeted messages.
What drives your bill
Three things: how many people you text, how many segments each message takes (anything over ~160 characters splits into multiple billed segments), and the format (SMS is cheapest, MMS more, RCS in between with far better engagement). Tight copy and tight targeting cut cost more than haggling over rate.
Hidden costs to budget for
10DLC brand and campaign registration fees, number provisioning, and the cost of wasted sends to a dirty list. A scrubbed, consented list that actually delivers is cheaper per outcome than a bigger list that gets filtered.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to text voters?
Typically a fraction of a cent to a few cents per SMS segment, plus registration and carrier fees. Total cost depends on list size, message length (segments), and format (SMS/MMS/RCS).
What makes a texting bill go up?
List size, messages over ~160 characters that split into multiple billed segments, MMS media, and wasted sends to unconsented or dead numbers that get filtered.
Informational, not legal advice.
Keep reading: MMS file limits by carrier and SMS vs MMS vs RCS: which format to use.