GHL Text Message Pricing: Practical Tips to Reduce SMS Costs Effectively

If you use GoHighLevel for marketing, have you ever wondered about how GHL text message pricing works? How much does it cost you to send those text messages to your leads and engage consumers? Well, today we will be easing your thoughts and talking about GHL text message pricing, how Twilio plays a role in the process and sharing tips on how you can manage your budget effectively. 

So, let’s dive in! 

Twilio: Third Party Service

Basically, GoHighLevel does not send messages itself, rather it uses a third party service named Twilio for all SMS/MMS services. So, the cost of sending messages is not determined by GHL, it is actually decided by Twilio.

How Much Does Twilio Charge?

Here is a simple breakdown of pricing for USA and Canada:

• Outbound SMS: Approximately $0.0079 per segment
• Inbound SMS: Approximately $0.0079 per segment
• Outbound MMS (Local and Toll-Free): Approximately $0.0200 per segment
• Inbound MMS (Local): Approximately $0.0100 per segment
• Inbound MMS (Toll-Free): Approximately $0.0200 per segment

For international messages, rates will vary according to Twilio’s pricing for each country. For more details you can check their official page https://www.twilio.com/en-us/sms/pricing/us 

How SMS Charges Work: Segments and the Wallet System

Segments Matter

• Segment Basics:
  In the U.S.A and Canada, one SMS segment usually consists of 160 characters. Now, if your message length exceeds this limit, it is split into multiple segments and you are charged for each segment.
  
  • For example, a message with 161–320 characters is counted as two segments, while one with 321–480 characters counts as three segments.

• Different Limits in Different Regions:
  Although most of the countries have 160 characters limit because the encoding they use is GSM-7, however the segment length can be 70 characters in some countries due to the different encoding used. So, the cost will be affected accordingly when you send messages internationally. 

Wallet System

• Prepaid Credits:

GHL has a wallet system where you first load credit and then you are charged per SMS sent. For example, if you send the same message to 7 people, you will be charged on a per-head basis.

The good thing about this system is that you pay only for the messages that are actually sent. Also unlike some subscription models, you are not charged for the unused credits.

Factors That Affect GHL Text Message Pricing

Following are some factors which can affect your regular GHL text message pricing.

Several elements can impact your overall SMS spending:

• Message Length:
  When message is longer and exceeds character limit, it will be divided into multiple segments which leads to higher costs

• Multimedia Content:
  If you are sending MMS which includes images or GIFs, there is a difference in pricing of MMS than plain text messages.

• Emojis:
  Some emojis may use hidden characters, which increases the number of segments and thus the cost is also increased.
  
• Carrier Fees:
  Different carriers have different pricing structures so they may cost you more especially when you are sending messages internationally.

Tips to Monitor SMS Usage in GoHighLevel

• Log in to your GHL account and click on account settings.
• There you will find a link that shows your Twilio usage. You can check how many messages you’ve sent.
• Regularly review your monthly usage report that will help you determine how much you spend on messages and how you can control it.
  
  

Cost Reduction Tips:

• Optimize Message Length: Send concise messages to avoid extra segments.
• Segment Your Audience: Send targeted messages only to the segments that actually need them.
• Test and Tweak: Experiment with the timing and frequency of your messages to balance engagement and cost.

Wrapping it up

SMS marketing is a powerful tool to enhance consumer engagement and get more leads. GoHighLevel provides a powerful marketing platform and with the help of Twilio, it offers you the ease of sending messages while keeping an eye on your budget. You always pay for what you use and there are no hidden charges.

Pro Tip:
For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing details, always refer to your GoHighLevel dashboard and consult Twilio’s official pricing page.

We hope this guide has helped you to understand how GHL text message pricing works and how you can optimize it for best results. If you still have more questions feel free to book our 30 min session without any cost and we will be happy to know how we can assist you!

Want to know about multiple GoHighLevel account types and login details? Check our article here.

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Happy marketing!