How Does SMS Billing Work, and How Can I Manage or Reduce SMS Costs?
Overview of SMS Billing
SMS messages sent through the system are billed individually under the current pricing model. Charges apply to all SMS types, including appointment confirmations, reminders, updates, cancellations, and login verification codes. Domestic SMS cost 0.49 DKK per message, while international SMS cost 0.99 DKK per message. Billing occurs monthly, and charges are based on the number of SMS sent and their content.
Key Factors Affecting SMS Costs
Character Limits: A single SMS segment is up to 160 GSM characters. Messages exceeding this limit are split into multiple billable segments. Unicode characters, such as emojis, can reduce the effective character limit, increasing the number of segments.
Multiple Notifications: If both confirmation and reminder SMS are enabled, each appointment can generate multiple billable messages.
Copies to Multiple Recipients: SMS copies sent to additional recipients are billed separately.
Common Reasons for SMS Charges
Pricing Model Changes: SMS messages, including reminders, are no longer free under the updated pricing model introduced in 2025.
Automated Notifications: Enabled SMS flows, such as reminders or updates, can lead to unexpected charges.
Unicode Splitting: Messages containing Unicode characters are split into shorter segments, increasing costs. Unicode characters are smileys, special symbols etc, and it will be shown in the calculation.
How to Manage and Reduce SMS Costs
Disable SMS Notifications
To avoid SMS charges, you can disable automated SMS flows:
Navigate to Settings → Email & SMS → Client Appointments/Other appointments.
Locate the SMS templates for reminders, confirmations, or updates.
Hover over the SMS entry and click the trash can icon to delete the template.
Optimize SMS Content
Shorten SMS templates to stay under 160 characters. The tags is filled with the real data, and can differ from the example provided. So we advice to keep that in mind.
Avoid using emojis or special characters that increase segment counts.
Be cautious with dynamic tags like [@CLIENT_FIRST_NAME], as the inserted value can affect character count.
Use Email Notifications
Email notifications are free and can replace SMS for reminders, confirmations, and updates.
FAQs About SMS Billing and Notifications
When Are SMS Messages Sent?
SMS reminders are sent at configurable times: 09:00, 12:00, 13:15, or 17:30. They can also be sent a certain period before and/or after the appointment.
Are Login Code SMS Mandatory?
Yes, login verification code SMS are mandatory, even if other SMS notifications are disabled. These are not charged.
How Are SMS Charges Billed?
SMS charges are billed monthly based on usage even on yearly subscription. By understanding SMS billing mechanics and implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage or reduce SMS costs while maintaining efficient communication with clients.