title: Billing FAQ description: Frequently asked questions about SMS units, costs, wallet balances, and billing.
How am I charged for messages?
How am I charged for messages?
SMS charges are based on the number of SMS units consumed.The total cost depends on:* Message length
* Message encoding
* Number of recipients
* Destination routing policiesEach API response includes the calculated unit count.
What is an SMS unit?
What is an SMS unit?
An SMS unit represents a billable SMS segment.Long messages may be split into multiple segments before delivery.The number of units consumed is returned in:* Message Preview responses
* Single SMS responses
* Campaign responses
How can I estimate cost before sending?
How can I estimate cost before sending?
Use the Message Preview endpoint.The preview response includes:* Encoding
* Message length
* Segment count
* SMS units
* Estimated costNo message is delivered during preview.
When is my balance deducted?
When is my balance deducted?
Message costs are calculated when a message or campaign is accepted for processing.The calculated units and estimated cost are returned in the API response.
Why did my message consume multiple units?
Why did my message consume multiple units?
Messages that exceed a single SMS segment may be split into multiple segments.Factors that affect segment count include:* Message length
* Unicode content
* Special characters
* EmojiUse the Message Preview endpoint to verify segment usage before sending.
Do Unicode messages cost more?
Do Unicode messages cost more?
Unicode messages often consume more SMS segments than GSM-7 messages.Examples include:* Emoji
* Arabic
* Chinese
* Japanese
* Certain accented charactersThe Message Preview endpoint automatically detects encoding and calculates usage.
How are campaign costs calculated?
How are campaign costs calculated?
Campaign cost is calculated using:Campaign responses include:* Recipient count
* Units per message
* Total units
* Estimated total cost
Can I see cost before launching a campaign?
Can I see cost before launching a campaign?
Yes.You can use the Message Preview endpoint to determine:* Encoding
* Segment count
* Units consumedbefore creating a campaign.
Will failed messages be billed?
Will failed messages be billed?
Billing behavior may depend on destination network processing and routing outcomes.Review campaign reports and delivery statuses to understand final delivery results.
Where can I see message cost information?
Where can I see message cost information?
Cost information is returned by various API endpoints including:* Message Preview
* Send Single SMS
* Create Campaign
* Campaign Reports