> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://captivatedllc.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Message Segments

> Learn what SMS message segments are, how encoding affects them, and how to minimize costs.

## What Are Message Segments and Why Do They Matter?

If you're sending SMS announcements for your business, you've probably focused on writing short, punchy messages that drive action. But there's a technical detail under the hood that affects your **delivery costs, performance**, and even **message formatting**: **SMS message segmentation**.

In this article, we'll explain what SMS segments are, how they work, and what marketers need to know to avoid unnecessary costs while still creating compelling, on-brand messages.

## What Is an SMS Segment?

An **SMS segment** is the number of character "chunks" your message is broken into before it's sent over the mobile network. Mobile carriers have a limit on how much text can be included in a single SMS — if your message is too long, it's split into multiple segments automatically.

Each segment adds to your **billing count** and can affect **how the message appears to the recipient**.

## Segment Length Depends on Encoding

The two main SMS encoding types directly impact how many characters fit into a single segment:

| Encoding Type       | Characters per 1 Segment | Characters per Segment (Multipart) |
| ------------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------- |
| **GSM-7**           | 160 characters           | 153 characters                     |
| **Unicode (UCS-2)** | 70 characters            | 67 characters                      |

Learn more about [SMS encoding](/getting-started/sms-encoding-and-special-characters).

## How Multipart SMS Works

When your message exceeds the segment limit (160 for GSM-7 or 70 for Unicode), it becomes a **multipart message**. That means:

* Your message is broken into chunks.
* Each chunk is sent separately with headers that help phones reassemble them.
* The character count per segment is slightly reduced to allow room for this header (153 or 67 characters per segment).

**Example**: A 325-character GSM-7 message = 3 segments (153 + 153 + 19)

## Why Segments Matter to Your Business

### 1. More Segments = More Cost

The sender is charged **per segment**, not per message. That means a message with 2–3 segments can **double or triple** your cost per send.

### 2. Multipart Delivery Risks

Sometimes multipart messages may arrive:

* Out of order
* With slight delays
* Missing formatting consistency

This can negatively impact urgent or time-sensitive campaigns.

### 3. User Experience

Long messages may get truncated or split awkwardly. Keeping messages within 1 segment improves clarity and engagement.

## Tips to Minimize SMS Segments

* **Use character counters.** Utilize [online tools](https://twiliodeved.github.io/message-segment-calculator/) that will show you how many segments your message uses in real time.
* **Avoid emojis unless they're essential.** Emojis switch your encoding to Unicode, shrinking your usable characters per segment.
* **Don't copy and paste from Word or Google Docs.** These tools often use curly quotes and hidden special characters that force Unicode encoding.
* **Use link shorteners.** Long URLs take up a lot of space — use branded or third-party shorteners (like Bit.ly or Rebrandly) to save room.
* **A/B test shorter copy.** Sometimes, saying less increases conversion — and saves on segments.

## Segment Counts and Cost Planning

Most marketing teams overlook segments when budgeting for SMS campaigns. Here's a quick cost scenario:

* Campaign A: 100,000 recipients, 1 segment each → 100,000 segments
* Campaign B: 100,000 recipients, 3 segments each → 300,000 segments

That's a **3x cost increase** for essentially the same message, just a little longer.

Understanding how segment math works gives you better control over campaign performance and spend.

## Summary: Smart SMS Campaigns Start With Segment Awareness

**Segments matter.** They affect how your message is sent, how much you pay, and how your users experience it.

Before you hit send:

* Check your character and segment count.
* Watch out for encoding changes from special characters.
* Stay concise and clear for better deliverability and ROI.

By designing campaigns with SMS segmentation in mind, you'll create messages that are not only **cost-effective** but also **more impactful**.

**Need help optimizing your next SMS campaign?**\
Get in touch — our team can help you craft messages that perform better, cost less, and reach more people.