A single SMS holds 160 characters. Write more and the message splits into segments that get stitched back together on the recipient's phone, but each segment counts as a send you pay for. Character limits shape both the cost and the craft of political texting, and knowing how they work keeps a campaign from padding messages or blowing a budget. Here's the breakdown.
What's the SMS character limit?
A standard SMS is 160 characters using basic (GSM) encoding. Go over, and the message becomes multi-part: it's delivered as multiple segments and reassembled for the reader, but each segment is billed separately. Multi-part messages also drop to about 153 characters per segment because of the stitching data, so a 300-character text isn't two segments of 160, it's slightly less. Special characters and emojis can switch the message to a different encoding that cuts the per-segment limit to 70, which surprises campaigns that add a flourish and suddenly pay for extra segments.
Why do character limits matter?
Two reasons: cost and clarity. On cost, every extra segment multiplies the per-message price across your whole list, so a needlessly long text is a real budget line at scale. On clarity, the discipline of 160 characters is a feature, the best political texts are short, one ask and one link, and the limit enforces exactly the brevity that makes a message land. A text that needs three segments usually needs an edit more than it needs the length.
When should you use MMS or RCS instead?
When the message genuinely needs more than text. MMS carries images and much longer content, which is right for a visual palm card or a graphic, at a higher per-message cost. RCS supports rich, longer, interactive content with verified branding where it's supported. The rule of thumb: keep it to a tight SMS when you can, step up to MMS when an image does the work, and use RCS where verification and richness are worth it.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters is a text message?
A single SMS is 160 characters in standard encoding. Longer messages split into segments of about 153 characters each, and each segment is billed as a send.
Do emojis affect text length?
Yes. Emojis and some special characters switch the message to an encoding that cuts the per-segment limit to about 70 characters, which can add segments and cost.
When should you use MMS instead of SMS?
When you need an image or much longer content, like a visual palm card. MMS carries media at a higher per-message cost; otherwise a tight SMS is cheaper and often clearer.
Keep reading: SMS vs MMS vs RCS and RCS for campaigns. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.