Text message pricing
Each unique service you add has an annual allowance of free text messages.
When a service has used its annual allowance, it costs 2.27 pence (plus VAT) for each text message you send.
| Organisation | Allowance per service |
|---|---|
|
Central government departments and
national organisations |
30,000 free text message
|
|
Local authorities and regional organisations
|
10,000 free text messages
|
|
State-funded schools
|
5,000 free text messages
|
|
No free allowance
|
|
|
Other organisations
|
5,000 free text messages
|
GOV.UK Notify covers the cost of the free allowance. We do this to help support those teams who need it most. If your service sends a very high volume of text messages in a single year, we may not renew your free allowance the following year.
How text message pricing works
You may use more free messages, or pay more for each message, if you:
- send text messages longer than 160 characters
- use certain signs and symbols
- use accents and accented letters
- send text messages to international numbers
It does not cost you anything to receive text messages.
Long text messages
If a text message is longer than 160 characters (including spaces), it counts as more than one message.
| Message length | Charge |
|---|---|
|
Up to 160 characters
|
1 text message
|
|
Up to 306 characters
|
2 text messages
|
|
Up to 459 characters
|
3 text messages
|
|
Up to 612 characters
|
4 text messages
|
|
Up to 765 characters
|
5 text messages
|
|
Up to 918 characters
|
6 text messages
|
Signs and symbols
The following signs and symbols count as 2 characters each:
[]{}^\|~€
Using them can increase the cost of sending text messages.
Accents and accented characters
Some languages, such as Welsh, use accented characters.
The following accented characters do not affect the cost of sending text messages: Ä, É, Ö, Ü, à, ä, é, è, ì, ò, ö, ù, ü.
Using other accented characters can increase the cost of sending text messages.
Accented characters that affect text message charges
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
|
Â
|
Capital letter A with circumflex
|
|
Á
|
Capital letter A with acute
|
|
À
|
Capital letter A with grave
|
|
Ê
|
Capital letter E with circumflex
|
|
È
|
Capital letter E with grave
|
|
Ë
|
Capital letter E with dieresis
|
|
Î
|
Capital letter I with circumflex
|
|
Í
|
Capital letter I with acute
|
|
Ì
|
Capital letter I with grave
|
|
Ï
|
Capital letter I with dieresis
|
|
Ô
|
Capital letter O with circumflex
|
|
Ó
|
Capital letter O with acute
|
|
Ò
|
Capital letter O with grave
|
|
Û
|
Capital letter U with circumflex
|
|
Ú
|
Capital letter U with acute
|
|
Ù
|
Capital letter U with grave
|
|
Ŵ
|
Capital letter W with circumflex
|
|
Ẃ
|
Capital letter W with acute
|
|
Ẁ
|
Capital letter W with grave
|
|
Ẅ
|
Capital letter W with dieresis
|
|
Ŷ
|
Capital letter Y with circumflex
|
|
Ý
|
Capital letter Y with acute
|
|
Ỳ
|
Capital letter Y with grave
|
|
Ÿ
|
Capital letter Y with dieresis
|
|
â
|
Lower case letter a with circumflex
|
|
á
|
Lower case letter a with acute
|
|
ê
|
Lower case letter e with circumflex
|
|
ë
|
Lower case letter e with dieresis
|
|
î
|
Lower case letter i with circumflex
|
|
í
|
Lower case letter i with acute
|
|
ï
|
Lower case letter i with dieresis
|
|
ô
|
Lower case letter o with circumflex
|
|
ó
|
Lower case letter o with acute
|
|
û
|
Lower case letter u with circumflex
|
|
ú
|
Lower case letter u with acute
|
|
ŵ
|
Lower case letter w with circumflex
|
|
ẃ
|
Lower case letter w with acute
|
|
ẁ
|
Lower case letter w with grave
|
|
ẅ
|
Lower case letter w with dieresis
|
|
ŷ
|
Lower case letter y with circumflex
|
|
ý
|
Lower case letter y with acute
|
|
ỳ
|
Lower case letter y with grave
|
|
ÿ
|
Lower case letter y with dieresis
|
| Message length | Charge |
|---|---|
|
Up to 70 characters
|
1 text message
|
|
Up to 134 characters
|
2 text messages
|
|
Up to 201 characters
|
3 text messages
|
|
Up to 268 characters
|
4 text messages
|
|
Each additional 67 characters
|
1 additional text message
|
Sending text messages to international numbers
It might cost more to send text messages to international numbers than UK ones, depending on the country.
International text message rates
| Country code | Country | Cost multiplier |
|---|---|---|
|
+1
|
Canada
United States Dominican Republic |
1 ×
|
|
+1242
|
Bahamas
|
2 ×
|
|
+1246
|
Barbados
|
3 ×
|
|
+1264
|
Anguilla
|
3 ×
|
|
+1268
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
3 ×
|
|
+1284
|
Virgin Islands, British
|
3 ×
|
|
+1345
|
Cayman Islands
|
3 ×
|
|
+1441
|
Bermuda
|
3 ×
|
|
+1473
|
Grenada
|
3 ×
|
|
+1649
|
Turks and Caicos Islands
|
3 ×
|
|
+1664
|
Montserrat
|
3 ×
|
|
+1684
|
American Samoa
|
3 ×
|
|
+1721
|
Sint Maarten
|
1 ×
|
|
+1758
|
Saint Lucia
|
3 ×
|
|
+1767
|
Dominica, Commonwealth of
|
3 ×
|
|
+1784
|
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines
|
3 ×
|
|
+1868
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
3 ×
|
|
+1869
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
3 ×
|
|
+1876
|
Jamaica
|
3 ×
|
|
+20
|
Egypt
|
3 ×
|
|
+211
|
South Sudan
|
2 ×
|
|
+212
|
Morocco
|
2 ×
|
|
+213
|
Algeria
|
2 ×
|
|
+216
|
Tunisia
|
2 ×
|
|
+218
|
Libya
|
2 ×
|
|
+220
|
Gambia
|
2 ×
|
|
+221
|
Senegal
|
2 ×
|
|
+222
|
Mauritania
|
2 ×
|
|
+223
|
Mali
|
2 ×
|
|
+224
|
Guinea
|
3 ×
|
|
+225
|
Cote d'Ivoire
|
2 ×
|
|
+226
|
Burkina Faso
|
3 ×
|
|
+227
|
Niger
|
3 ×
|
|
+228
|
Togo
|
2 ×
|
|
+229
|
Benin
|
3 ×
|
|
+230
|
Mauritius
|
2 ×
|
|
+231
|
Liberia
|
2 ×
|
|
+232
|
Sierra Leone
|
2 ×
|
|
+233
|
Ghana
|
2 ×
|
|
+234
|
Nigeria
|
4 ×
|
|
+235
|
Chad
|
3 ×
|
|
+236
|
Central African Republic
|
3 ×
|
|
+237
|
Cameroon
|
2 ×
|
|
+238
|
Cape Verde
|
3 ×
|
|
+239
|
Sao Tome and Principe
|
2 ×
|
|
+240
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
2 ×
|
|
+241
|
Gabon
|
2 ×
|
|
+242
|
Congo
|
3 ×
|
|
+243
|
Congo, Democratic Republic of
|
3 ×
|
|
+244
|
Angola
|
3 ×
|
|
+245
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
3 ×
|
|
+246
|
British Indian Ocean Territory
|
2 ×
|
|
+248
|
Seychelles
|
2 ×
|
|
+249
|
Sudan
|
2 ×
|
|
+250
|
Rwanda, Republic of
|
2 ×
|
|
+251
|
Ethiopia
|
2 ×
|
|
+252
|
Somalia
|
2 ×
|
|
+253
|
Djibouti, Republic of
|
2 ×
|
|
+254
|
Kenya
|
1 ×
|
|
+255
|
Tanzania
|
1 ×
|
|
+256
|
Uganda
|
2 ×
|
|
+257
|
Burundi
|
3 ×
|
|
+258
|
Mozambique
|
2 ×
|
|
+260
|
Zambia
|
2 ×
|
|
+261
|
Madagascar
|
2 ×
|
|
+262
|
Reunion
|
2 ×
|
|
+263
|
Zimbabwe
|
1 ×
|
|
+264
|
Namibia
|
2 ×
|
|
+265
|
Malawi
|
2 ×
|
|
+266
|
Lesotho
|
2 ×
|
|
+267
|
Botswana
|
2 ×
|
|
+268
|
Eswatini
|
2 ×
|
|
+269
|
Comoros
|
2 ×
|
|
+27
|
South Africa
|
2 ×
|
|
+291
|
Eritrea
|
4 ×
|
|
+297
|
Aruba
|
3 ×
|
|
+298
|
Faroe Islands
|
2 ×
|
|
+299
|
Greenland
|
2 ×
|
|
+30
|
Greece
|
2 ×
|
|
+31
|
Netherlands
|
3 ×
|
|
+32
|
Belgium
|
3 ×
|
|
+33
|
France
|
2 ×
|
|
+34
|
Spain
|
2 ×
|
|
+350
|
Gibraltar
|
2 ×
|
|
+351
|
Portugal
|
2 ×
|
|
+352
|
Luxembourg
|
2 ×
|
|
+353
|
Ireland
|
3 ×
|
|
+354
|
Iceland
|
2 ×
|
|
+355
|
Albania
|
2 ×
|
|
+356
|
Malta
|
2 ×
|
|
+357
|
Cyprus
|
2 ×
|
|
+358
|
Finland
|
3 ×
|
|
+359
|
Bulgaria
|
4 ×
|
|
+36
|
Hungary
|
3 ×
|
|
+370
|
Lithuania
|
2 ×
|
|
+371
|
Latvia
|
2 ×
|
|
+372
|
Estonia
|
2 ×
|
|
+373
|
Moldova
|
3 ×
|
|
+374
|
Armenia
|
3 ×
|
|
+375
|
Belarus
|
1 ×
|
|
+376
|
Andorra
|
2 ×
|
|
+377
|
Monaco
|
2 ×
|
|
+378
|
San Marino, Republic of
|
3 ×
|
|
+380
|
Ukraine
|
4 ×
|
|
+381
|
Serbia
|
1 ×
|
|
+382
|
Montenegro
|
2 ×
|
|
+383
|
Kosovo
|
4 ×
|
|
+385
|
Croatia
|
2 ×
|
|
+386
|
Slovenia
|
2 ×
|
|
+387
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
2 ×
|
|
+389
|
Macedonia
|
1 ×
|
|
+39
|
Italy
|
2 ×
|
|
+40
|
Romania
|
2 ×
|
|
+41
|
Switzerland
|
2 ×
|
|
+420
|
Czech Republic
|
4 ×
|
|
+421
|
Slovakia
|
2 ×
|
|
+423
|
Liechtenstein
|
1 ×
|
|
+43
|
Austria
|
3 ×
|
|
+44
|
Guernsey
Isle of Man Jersey |
1 ×
|
|
+45
|
Denmark
|
2 ×
|
|
+46
|
Sweden
|
2 ×
|
|
+47
|
Norway
|
3 ×
|
|
+48
|
Poland
|
2 ×
|
|
+49
|
Germany
|
4 ×
|
|
+500
|
Falkland Islands
|
2 ×
|
|
+501
|
Belize
|
3 ×
|
|
+502
|
Guatemala
|
3 ×
|
|
+503
|
El Salvador
|
2 ×
|
|
+504
|
Honduras
|
2 ×
|
|
+505
|
Nicaragua
|
3 ×
|
|
+506
|
Costa Rica
|
2 ×
|
|
+507
|
Panama
|
2 ×
|
|
+508
|
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
|
2 ×
|
|
+509
|
Haiti
|
3 ×
|
|
+51
|
Peru
|
2 ×
|
|
+52
|
Mexico
|
2 ×
|
|
+53
|
Cuba
|
2 ×
|
|
+54
|
Argentina
|
3 ×
|
|
+55
|
Brazil
|
2 ×
|
|
+56
|
Chile
|
1 ×
|
|
+57
|
Colombia
|
1 ×
|
|
+58
|
Venezuela
|
2 ×
|
|
+590
|
Guadeloupe
|
2 ×
|
|
+591
|
Bolivia
|
3 ×
|
|
+592
|
Guyana
|
2 ×
|
|
+593
|
Ecuador
|
1 ×
|
|
+594
|
French Guiana
|
2 ×
|
|
+595
|
Paraguay
|
2 ×
|
|
+596
|
Martinique
|
2 ×
|
|
+597
|
Suriname
|
4 ×
|
|
+598
|
Uruguay
|
1 ×
|
|
+599
|
Curacao (former Netherlands Antilles)
|
3 ×
|
|
+60
|
Malaysia
|
1 ×
|
|
+61
|
Australia
|
2 ×
|
|
+62
|
Indonesia
|
2 ×
|
|
+63
|
Philippines
|
1 ×
|
|
+64
|
New Zealand
|
3 ×
|
|
+65
|
Singapore
|
1 ×
|
|
+66
|
Thailand
|
2 ×
|
|
+670
|
Timor L'este
|
2 ×
|
|
+672
|
Norfolk Island
|
3 ×
|
|
+673
|
Brunei Darussalam
|
1 ×
|
|
+674
|
Nauru
|
2 ×
|
|
+675
|
Papua New Guinea
|
2 ×
|
|
+676
|
Tonga
|
2 ×
|
|
+677
|
Solomon Islands
|
1 ×
|
|
+678
|
Vanuatu
|
2 ×
|
|
+679
|
Fiji
|
2 ×
|
|
+680
|
Palau
|
3 ×
|
|
+681
|
Wallis and Futuna
|
4 ×
|
|
+682
|
Cook Islands
|
3 ×
|
|
+683
|
Niue
|
4 ×
|
|
+685
|
Samoa
|
3 ×
|
|
+686
|
Kiribati
|
4 ×
|
|
+687
|
New Caledonia
|
3 ×
|
|
+689
|
French Polynesia
|
2 ×
|
|
+690
|
Tokelau
|
4 ×
|
|
+691
|
Micronesia, Federated States of
|
2 ×
|
|
+692
|
Marshall Islands
|
1 ×
|
|
+7
|
South Ossetia
Kazakhstan Abkhazia Russian Federation |
4 ×
|
|
+81
|
Japan
|
3 ×
|
|
+82
|
Korea, Republic of
|
2 ×
|
|
+84
|
Vietnam
|
2 ×
|
|
+852
|
Hong Kong
|
3 ×
|
|
+853
|
Macau
|
1 ×
|
|
+855
|
Cambodia
|
3 ×
|
|
+856
|
Laos
|
2 ×
|
|
+86
|
China
|
2 ×
|
|
+880
|
Bangladesh
|
3 ×
|
|
+886
|
Taiwan
|
2 ×
|
|
+90
|
Turkey
Northern Cyprus |
2 ×
|
|
+91
|
India
|
3 ×
|
|
+92
|
Pakistan
|
2 ×
|
|
+93
|
Afghanistan
|
3 ×
|
|
+94
|
Sri Lanka
|
2 ×
|
|
+95
|
Myanmar
|
2 ×
|
|
+960
|
Maldives
|
2 ×
|
|
+961
|
Lebanon
|
2 ×
|
|
+962
|
Jordan
|
2 ×
|
|
+963
|
Syria
|
3 ×
|
|
+964
|
Iraq
|
2 ×
|
|
+965
|
Kuwait
|
2 ×
|
|
+966
|
Saudi Arabia
|
2 ×
|
|
+967
|
Yemen
|
2 ×
|
|
+968
|
Oman
|
1 ×
|
|
+970
|
Palestinian Territory
|
4 ×
|
|
+971
|
United Arab Emirates
|
2 ×
|
|
+972
|
Israel
|
3 ×
|
|
+973
|
Bahrain
|
3 ×
|
|
+974
|
Qatar
|
1 ×
|
|
+975
|
Bhutan
|
2 ×
|
|
+976
|
Mongolia
|
2 ×
|
|
+977
|
Nepal
|
2 ×
|
|
+98
|
Iran
|
2 ×
|
|
+992
|
Tajikistan
|
2 ×
|
|
+993
|
Turkmenistan
|
2 ×
|
|
+994
|
Azerbaijan
|
2 ×
|
|
+995
|
Georgia
|
2 ×
|
|
+996
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
2 ×
|
|
+998
|
Uzbekistan
|
2 ×
|
|
+882
|
Worldwide
|
Not supported
|