Free tool · SMS pricing
SMS marketing cost calculator — real usage rates
Most pricing pages hide per-message fees behind a monthly seat. Enter your contact volume and message frequency — see monthly SMS spend at GoHighLevel's $0.0083/segment rate, annual usage, how that stacks against $100–$300/mo standalone tools, and the one-time A2P registration most US businesses miss.
What will SMS actually cost you?
Defaults match a small business running reminders plus one promotional touch — salon, clinic, home service, or local retail with an opt-in list.
Monthly SMS usage (GHL rate)
$8
$100 per year in segments alone — before platform fees. On GoHighLevel that's roughly $105/mo all-in ($97 plan + usage). Standalone SMS tools often run $100–$300/mo for the subscription, then similar per-segment fees on top.
You'll send about 1,000 segments/month. One-time A2P 10DLC registration is typically ~$14–$30 before texts deliver reliably in the US.
Formula: contacts × messages × segments × $0.0083/segment. GHL Starter plan ($97/mo) includes CRM, automations, and email — not unlimited SMS. Rates checked July 2026 on LC Phone.
Cost breakdown
Every row updates as you change the calculator — usage first, then how GHL compares to SMS-only platforms at the same volume.
| Line item | Your estimate |
|---|---|
| Contacts texted per month | 500 |
| Messages per contact | 2 |
| Total outbound messages | 1,000 |
| Segments per message | 1 |
| Total SMS segments | 1,000 |
| GHL rate per segment | $0.0083 |
| Monthly SMS usage (GHL) | $8.30 |
| GHL Starter plan (platform) | $97/mo |
| GHL total monthly | $105.30 |
| Standalone SMS tool (typical seat) | $100–$300/mo + usage |
| Annual SMS usage | $99.60 |
| A2P 10DLC (one-time, US) | ~$14–$30 |
Standalone tools vary: some bundle 500–1,000 messages, others bill purely per segment. The comparison above is subscription list price — always confirm overage rates before you switch.
Before you scale SMS
Usage math is only half the bill. In the US, carriers require A2P 10DLC registration before business texts on local numbers deliver reliably — brand verification (~$4–$15 one-time) plus a campaign (~$10–$15 one-time) with sample messages and opt-out language. Skip it and tests work; production volume gets filtered.
Legal consent matters too. You need documented opt-in, clear opt-out on every marketing touch, and quiet hours discipline — not just a lower per-message rate. How to send SMS to customers legally covers TCPA basics, consent types, and what to put in your first workflow.
Already running SMS on GoHighLevel? Appointment reminders, missed-call text-back, and speed-to-lead reuse the same approved campaign once registration is live.
Common questions
How much does SMS marketing cost for a small business?
Most small businesses pay $25–$500 per month in SMS usage depending on list size and message frequency. On GoHighLevel the per-segment rate is about $0.0083 after A2P registration, plus the $97/month Starter plan that includes CRM, automations, and email — not SMS alone. Standalone SMS tools often charge $100–$300/month before per-message fees.
What counts as an SMS segment?
One segment is up to 160 GSM characters (or 70 UCS-2 characters with emojis). Longer texts split into multiple billable segments. Our calculator lets you set segments per message when you already know your template length — default is one segment for short operational texts like reminders and review requests.
Does GoHighLevel include SMS in the monthly plan?
No — the $97/month Starter plan includes the platform, workflows, email, and phone number hosting. SMS and MMS are usage-based at roughly $0.0083 per segment on LC Phone. You still need A2P 10DLC brand and campaign registration before US texts deliver reliably in production.
How do standalone SMS tools compare on price?
Dedicated SMS platforms (Salesmsg, SimpleTexting, Podium, etc.) typically charge $100–$300/month for a business seat, sometimes with a message cap, then $0.01–$0.05 per additional segment. You get SMS-only — no CRM, calendar, or funnel in the same subscription. GHL bundles those for a similar all-in monthly at low volume.
What are A2P 10DLC fees and do I pay them every month?
A2P 10DLC is a one-time US carrier registration: roughly $4–$15 for brand verification and $10–$15 per campaign, plus normal per-segment usage. There is no monthly 10DLC subscription. Budget about $14–$30 one-time and a week for approval before scaling SMS — see our A2P registration guide for the step-by-step.
When is SMS marketing not worth the cost?
Below ~200 outbound texts a month, manual email or phone follow-up may beat the compliance and platform overhead. If you only message US mobiles at scale (reminders, review asks, lead reply), SMS usually pays off once no-shows, missed calls, or slow response are costing more than the usage line item this calculator shows.
Numbers look reasonable?
Start a GoHighLevel trial, register A2P on day one, and wire your first SMS workflow — or book setup if you want compliance and automations done for you.
Try GoHighLevel freeDone-for-you: Book a scoping call.