---
title: How do I use the SMS Length Calculator?
description: "The SMS Length Calculator tells you what a message will cost before you send it, and shows exactly which characters are driving that cost. Open it from **Extra > SMS Length Calculator**. ## Using it 1. Paste or type your…"
url: "https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/how-do-i-use-the-sms-length-calculator/"
updated: "2026-11-02"
category: "Bulk SMS / Message Length & Encoding"
---

# How do I use the SMS Length Calculator?

The SMS Length Calculator tells you what a message will cost before you send it, and shows exactly which characters are driving that cost. Open it from **Extra > SMS Length Calculator**.

## Using it

1. Paste or type your message into **Original Text Message**. If you use variables, type a realistic value in place of each one.
2. Read the **Text Message Details** panel.
3. Look at the **Detailed View of SMS Build-up** to find any characters you didn't intend.

## What each value means

| Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Length** | How many character slots the message uses. Extended characters and line breaks count as two. |
| **Cost** | How many SMS parts will be charged per recipient. |
| **Max Cost Length** | The highest length still allowed at that cost. Staying at or below it keeps the current price. |
| **Encoding** | **GSM7** (160 characters per message) or **Unicode** (70). |

## The colour breakdown

- **Green square** — a normal GSM character.
- **Red square** — a character that forces the message into Unicode.

If the Encoding says Unicode and you didn't intend it, find the red squares and replace them.

## When to use it

- Before registering a DLT template, so the approved text fits the length you're paying for.
- After pasting content from Word, Excel, email or a web page.
- Whenever the cost of a campaign looks higher than expected.

### More Related Articles

- [How are credits charged for long and Unicode messages?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/how-are-credits-charged-for-long-and-unicode-messages/)
- [How do I send SMS in Hindi or another Indian language?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/how-do-i-send-sms-in-hindi-or-another-indian-language/)
- [Which characters make my message Unicode, and which ones count as two?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/which-characters-make-my-message-unicode-and-which-ones-count-as-two/)

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