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About SMS Credits

Things to know

Here are some things to know before reading this article.

  • This article covers SMS credits. To learn more about how SMS works with Parthenon, check out About SMS with Parthenon.
  • SMS is available as an add-on feature with Parthenon Reach or Nexus.
  • You must submit an application and subscribe to the SMS Platform product before SMS features become available.

What are SMS credits?

SMS credits are units of payment that determine the number of SMS or MMS you can send to your subscribed SMS contacts. 

How do SMS credits work?

SMS credits are required to send text messages. Once you subscribe to the SMS Platform and complete an application for a 10DLC number, you're automatically added to the pay-as-you-go SMS credit plan. 

With pay-as-you-go, Parthenon tracks the number of credits used every month and automatically charges your card at the end of your SMS Platform billing cycle for the previous month's usage.

SMS Credits are divided into two categories.

  • Used
  • Scheduled

If you send an SMS, the credits required to complete that send will be added to the used category. If you schedule a SMS to send at a time in the future, the credits needed to send are added to scheduled credits category to help you keep track of future date use.

How many SMS credits do I need to send a message?

Each SMS costs 1 credit to send and each MMS costs 3 credits to send.

Important note: Depending on the umber of characters in your message, you may be required to send your SMS as multiple text messages that require individual credits.

For example, if you want to send a SMS that requires 1 message per send to 100 subscribed contacts, you'll need 100 credits. If you want to send a SMS that is long enough to require 2 messages per send to 100 subscribed contacts, you’ll need 200 credits. If you want to send a MMS to 100 subscribed contacts, you’ll need 300 credits. To learn more about character limits and message counts, check out SMS Overview.

Can I limit the number of messages I send per month?

Yes, you can configure your account settings to trigger a warning if you reach your self-imposed SMS monthly limit.

Important note: the warning won't prevent you from sending your message, but you will need to acknowledge the on-screen warning before proceeding.

Get started

Ready to begin using SMS? Here are some resources to help you get stared.

  • SMS Overview – Learn more about rate limits, quiet hours, and more.
  • Create and Send a SMS – Learn how to create and send text messages to your subscribed contacts.