About this limit
A single SMS holds 160 characters when it uses only the standard GSM-7 character set. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 characters each.
A single emoji or special character switches the whole message to Unicode, which holds only 70 characters, or 67 per part. That is why one emoji can double the cost of a bulk text.
Limit last checked October 11, 2026.
How limitpad counts
limitpad checks every character against the GSM-7 set. Some characters, like €, [ and ], are allowed but take two places. If any character falls outside GSM-7, limitpad lists it so you can replace it.
Tips
- Replace curly quotes and long dashes with straight quotes and hyphens to stay in GSM-7.
- Keep marketing texts to one segment to control cost.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is my SMS limit 70 instead of 160?
- Your message contains a character outside the GSM-7 set, such as an emoji or curly quote, which switches it to Unicode.
- How many characters fit in a two-part SMS?
- 306 in GSM-7 (2 × 153) or 134 in Unicode (2 × 67).