SMS Character Limit: 160 Characters Explained
Blog / MESSAGING
A single SMS can hold 160 characters using the standard GSM-7 character set. If the message includes emoji or many non-Latin characters, the limit drops to 70.
Long messages
Longer messages are split into parts and rejoined on the phone. Each part loses a few characters to joining data, so parts hold 153 (GSM-7) or 67 (Unicode) characters.
Why it matters
Bulk SMS services often charge per part, so a single emoji can double the cost of a message.
Frequently asked questions
Do spaces count in SMS?
Yes, every space counts as a character.