About SMS Character Counter
A single SMS holds 160 characters if it uses the GSM-7 alphabet, or 70 if it uses Unicode (UCS-2). Type your message into the box and the SMS line shows the encoding, the units used and how many segments the message will be sent as. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded.
A message longer than one segment is split, and each part holds slightly less, 153 characters in GSM-7 or 67 in UCS-2, because some space goes to the header that joins the parts. A carrier may bill each segment separately, so a message that goes just over a boundary can cost another message.
One character outside the GSM-7 set switches the entire message to UCS-2. Emoji, Bangla and Chinese letters, and curly quotes do it, so replacing a curly apostrophe with a straight one can bring a message back to 160. A few GSM-7 characters, such as the euro sign and square brackets, take two units each.
How to use SMS Character Counter
- Type or paste your text into the box. The Characters tile updates on every keystroke.
- Open Platform limit and choose where the text is going. A bar shows used, left and over.
- Read Characters for the count with spaces and No spaces for the count without spaces, tabs and line breaks.
- For a text message, read the SMS line under the box: it shows the encoding, the units and the number of segments.
- Trim the text until the bar is no longer red. Your text is kept in this browser, so you can come back to it.
Features
- Characters with spaces and without, words, lines, sentences and reading time.
- A limit bar with used, left and over, for 18 platform and SEO limits.
- X mode: every link counts as 23 and each emoji or CJK character counts as 2, as X weights a post.
- SMS mode: shows GSM-7 or UCS-2 encoding, the units used and how many segments the message needs.
- Counts user-perceived characters, so an emoji, a flag or a Bangla conjunct letter counts once.
- Also shows UTF-8 bytes and Unicode code points, for developers and database limits.
- Marks SEO lengths as recommended rather than hard limits.
- Your text is saved in this browser only.
Worked examples
A message of 161 plain letters gives GSM-7, 161 units, 2 segments of 153
One letter over 160 makes it two segments.
Price: 5€ [ok] gives GSM-7, 17 units for 14 characters, 1 segment
The euro sign and each square bracket take two units.
A message of 71 characters including a Bangla letter gives UCS-2, 71 units, 2 segments of 67
70 is the limit for a single Unicode message.
SMS limit
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Limit | 160 characters |
| Type | Hard limit: the platform stops you |
| How this page counts | Units in GSM-7 or UCS-2, split into numbered segments. |
| Note | One segment is 160 characters (GSM-7) or 70 (Unicode). |
SMS segment sizes
| Encoding | One message | Each part of a longer message |
|---|---|---|
| GSM-7 | 160 | 153 |
| UCS-2 (Unicode) | 70 | 67 |
Good to know
Check the platform if it has changed
Platforms change their limits and counting rules without much notice. The number on this page is the one the counter uses today. If your text is close to the limit, confirm the current figure on the platform itself, and leave a small margin because emoji and links can be counted a little differently.
Privacy: how it works
- Counting happens in your browser tab. Your text is not sent to Ulkaa or any other server.
- The text box is saved to your browser local storage so a refresh does not lose it. That copy stays on your device. Press Clear, or clear site data, to remove it.
Tips
- Leave a small margin under a hard limit. A platform may count an emoji or a link a little differently from this tool.
- Put the important words first. Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook all fold long posts behind a "see more" link.
- For SEO titles and descriptions the limit is about width on screen, not characters, so treat the number as a guide.
- Check a limit on the platform itself when you are close. Limits change, as TikTok showed when it raised its caption limit.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no price, no trial and no credit card. Ulkaa Tool does the work with your own device, so there is no server bill to pass on to you.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up and no login. Open the page and use it. An Ulkaa account is not needed for anything on this tool.
Does it run in my browser?
Yes. Your text are processed by code running in your browser tab, on your own device.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Your text are never sent to Ulkaa or to anyone else. You can check this yourself by watching the Network tab in your browser developer tools while you use the tool.
How many characters is one SMS?
160 in GSM-7 or 70 in UCS-2. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 or 67.
Why does my message count as Unicode?
It contains at least one character outside the GSM-7 set, such as an emoji, a Bangla letter or a curly quote. Remove it and the message may drop back to GSM-7.
Do I pay for each segment?
That depends on your carrier or SMS provider, but many bill per segment. Check your provider terms.
More Character Counter pages
- Character CounterCount characters with and without spaces and check your text against a platform limit as you type.
- X (Twitter) Character CounterCheck your post against the 280 character limit, counted the way X counts it.
- Instagram Caption Character CounterCheck your caption against the 2,200 character limit.
- Instagram Bio Character CounterFit your bio into 150 characters.
- Facebook Post Character CounterSee how your post compares with the 63,206 character limit.
- LinkedIn Post Character CounterCheck your post against the 3,000 character limit.
- LinkedIn Headline Character CounterFit your headline into 220 characters.
- YouTube Title Character CounterCheck your title against the 100 character limit.
- YouTube Description Character CounterCheck your description against the 5,000 character limit.
- TikTok Caption Character CounterCheck your caption against the 4,000 character limit.
- Meta Description Length CheckerCount the characters in your meta description and keep it near the length Google shows.
- Title Tag Length CheckerCount the characters in your title tag and keep it near the length Google shows.
- Google Ads Headline Character CounterFit each headline into 30 characters.