# SMS message parts

## Why this matters

Messages are charged **per part, not per message**. A message that runs one character over the limit costs twice as much, and one emoji can triple the cost of a long message. ExcelSend shows the part count as you type and in the preview, so you can see it before you send.

## What a part is

Phones send and receive SMS in small chunks called parts. A message too long for one part is split up, each part is sent separately, and the phone joins them back into one message.

How many characters fit in a part depends on the alphabet the message uses, and on whether it's split:

| Alphabet | One-part message | Each part of a longer message |
|---|---|---|
| Standard alphabet (GSM) | 160 characters | 153 characters |
| Latin1 | 140 characters | 134 characters |
| Advanced alphabet (Unicode) | 70 characters | 67 characters |
{.table}

In the standard alphabet, these characters count as two: `€ ^ { } [ ] \ ~ |`.

## Standard alphabet

This message is exactly 160 characters, so it goes as one part:

> So here is a message that uses the standard character set for SMS text messaging. It is exactly 160 characters long so it will not need to be broken in to parts

Add a full stop and it's 161 characters, so it goes as two parts: the first 153 characters, then the rest.

## Advanced alphabet

Any character outside the standard alphabet, such as an emoji, many accented letters or a curly quote, switches **the whole message** to the advanced alphabet. Then only 70 characters fit in one part, and 67 in each part of a longer message.

Adding 🙂 to the 160-character message above makes it a three-part message, at three times the cost.

ExcelSend warns you with the **Advanced alphabet** alert and highlights the characters responsible.

> [!WARNING]
> Text pasted from Word, email or a web page often contains curly quotes, long dashes or invisible characters that switch the alphabet. Retype them, or check the alphabet shown under the message.

## Things that add characters

- The [opt-out link](/docs/sending/opt-outs/) adds 17 characters.
- [Merge fields](/docs/sending/merge-fields/) are replaced by each row's value, so each message's length is different. The size line says "Approximately" and the preview shows each message's exact size.

## Related

- [Write your message](/docs/sending/write-your-message/)
- [Preview and send](/docs/sending/preview-and-send/)
- [Pricing](/price/)

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Source: https://excelsend.com/docs/reference/sms-message-parts/