Messaging in CloudTalk is always billed separately from your calling plan. This article explains how SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp messages are charged and what affects their cost.
User level: Admin
SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp messages are not included in your subscription.
All messaging is charged from your account credit based on usage.
This means:
Every message you send has a cost
There are no included message bundles in standard plans
Messaging will stop if your credit balance runs out
How messaging is billed
Messaging follows a simple usage-based model:
You are charged per message
Charges are deducted from your prepaid credit balance
Pricing depends on the destination country and message type
This applies to SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp.
SMS and MMS pricing
Per-message billing
SMS and MMS are billed individually. Each message is charged based on the recipient’s country.
Message fragments (important)
SMS messages are billed in fragments, where one fragment equals up to 160 characters.
Messages longer than 160 characters are split into multiple fragments
Each fragment is billed separately
Inbound messages are charged at $0.008 per fragment
Messaging rates vary by country. For a full list of SMS pricing by destination, contact Support or your account manager or refer to your pricing agreement.
SMS availability and reachability
Not all CloudTalk numbers support SMS, and message delivery may vary depending on the country and carrier.
Some numbers are SMS-capable only for domestic messaging
Some countries do not support international SMS delivery
In certain cases, messages may be filtered or the sender ID may be changed
To learn more, see the guide on SMS-capable numbers and reachability.
WhatsApp pricing
Requirements
To use WhatsApp in CloudTalk:
You must be on the Expert plan
Your account must have at least 3 users (seats)
WhatsApp must be activated via the dashboard setup
How pricing works
WhatsApp messages are charged at a fixed rate of $0.01 per message, for both inbound and outbound messages
Charges are deducted from your CloudTalk credit balance
US SMS compliance (A2P 10DLC)
If you send SMS messages to US numbers, you must comply with A2P 10DLC regulations.
What is A2P 10DLC
A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC is a US messaging standard required by carriers to:
Reduce spam
Improve message deliverability
Ensure sender transparency
How to register
You need to register your messaging use case through CloudTalk.
This typically includes:
Business verification
Campaign details (what messages you send and why)
Approval from carriers
⚠️ Why registration is required
Without A2P 10DLC registration, all SMS sent to US numbers from a CloudTalk number with the +1 country code will be blocked.
To learn more, see the guide on registering US numbers for A2P 10DLC messaging.
How to track messaging charges
You can monitor your messaging usage and costs in two ways.
Credit movement export
Download the Credit Movement export to review a detailed breakdown of your messaging charges. This includes:
Individual message charges
Date and time of each message
Destination numbers
Cost per message
This is the most accurate way to verify how your messaging usage is billed.
Messages report in Analytics
Use the Messages report to track:
Total messages sent
Usage trends
Activity by user or number
Need help or have a question? Just reach out through our Support portal — we’re here for you.