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SMS and WhatsApp · 5 limits

SMS and WhatsApp template limits, explained

One text holds 160 plain characters, or only 70 if a single character falls outside the GSM alphabet. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 or 67 characters, and each part is billed. WhatsApp message templates have their own limits from Meta: 60 for the header, 1,024 for the message, 60 for the footer and 25 for a button.

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Last reviewed · How we measure

SMS and WhatsApp: every limit
ScreenLimitWhen it’s too longWhere the number comes fromReviewed
SMS messageAny phone160 characters (70 with Unicode) per partIt’s split into more parts, and each part is billed as a separate message.Official limit · source
WhatsApp template headerWhatsApp Business60 charactersMeta rejects the template until it is shortened.Official limit · source
WhatsApp template messageWhatsApp Business1024 charactersMeta rejects the template until it is shortened.Official limit · source
WhatsApp template footerWhatsApp Business60 charactersMeta rejects the template until it is shortened.Official limit · source
WhatsApp template buttonWhatsApp Business25 charactersMeta rejects the template until it is shortened.Official limit · source

The switch to Unicode is the expensive surprise. A curly apostrophe, a long dash or one emoji moves the whole message to Unicode, so a 150-character text becomes three billed parts instead of one.

Some GSM characters also count double: € [ ] { } ^ ~ | and \ each use two of the 160.

WhatsApp message templates work differently. Meta sets a limit for each part of a template: 60 characters for the header, 1,024 for the message, 60 for the footer and 25 for a button. A template over a limit is rejected until you shorten it.

How much fits in each SMS
EncodingOne messageEach part when split
GSM-7 (plain characters)160 characters153 characters
Unicode (UCS-2)70 characters67 characters

Other channels

Marketplace title limits, side by sideHow long can Google titles and descriptions be?How much of your subject line each inbox showsHow much of a push notification people actually seeAd character limits for Google Ads and MetaSocial media character limits: what counts and what showsApp Store and Google Play text limits
FAQ

SMS and WhatsApp: questions

Why is my SMS 70 characters instead of 160?

Something in it isn’t in the GSM alphabet, often a curly quote, a long dash or an emoji. Swap it for a plain look-alike and you’re back to 160.

How are long SMS billed?

Each part is billed as a separate message: 153 characters per part in GSM-7, 67 in Unicode.

How long can a WhatsApp template be?

Meta allows 60 characters in the header, 1,024 in the message, 60 in the footer and 25 on a button. A template over a limit is rejected until you shorten it.

How much does a curly quote cost me per country?

Add your countries and your own price per part in the SMS money saver. It shows what a send costs in each country and how many euros a one-click fix saves per 1,000 sends.

Does Truncly send SMS?

No. Truncly checks and edits text; it doesn’t send messages.