Q: How are text messages counted?
A: Each text message you send out to an individual counts as a message.
You can send a text to a group of 100 people, and that will count as one message per person or 100 messages.
For example, sending one message to 5 people counts as 5 messages, and sending one message to 400 people counts as 400 messages.
If you send 3 separate messages to a Group of 20 people, it would count as 60 messages (3 x 20).
Q: How are text messages with picture attachments counted?
A: When you attach a file to a text, this turns your message into MMS instead of SMS.
Carriers count MMS messages as two messages, so each text with an attachment counts as two messages against your allotment.
For example, a text message with a picture sent to 100 people would count as 200 messages.
It's important to note that this rule applies to all recipients, regardless of Group size. This applies to all sizes and types of attachments.
Q: Do incoming text messages count towards my allotment?
A: No, all incoming messages are free and do not count toward your allotment.
Q: Are there character limits for text messages?
A: Text In Church allows up to 459 standard characters (plain text) or 3 message segments per message, which will count as a single message from your monthly allotment—even if it appears as separate segments on the recipient's device.
The split occurs purely for better deliverability.
Q: Do email messages count toward my allotment?
A: No, only outgoing text messages are counted.
Emails do not affect your text message quota, and email communications incur no additional charges.
Q: Do unused messages roll over each month?
A: No, the unused text messages do not roll over at the end of the billing cycle.
Q: Do undelivered messages count against my balance?
A: Messages that are successfully sent from the account to the carrier are counted against the allotment.
If the message failed before it left the account—such as when a contact opted out of SMS, lacks a phone number, or the account is inactive—it is not counted against the allotment.
You can check the status of your message failures by visiting the Sent tab on the desktop, selecting the message, and clicking the View button to the far right of each recipient.
Q: How are automated messages and compliance texts handled?
A: Automated compliance messages, like opt-in confirmations and industry-mandated communication, are crucial for legal adherence and recipient engagement.
These messages are counted towards your monthly quota and cannot be disabled as they are required by carriers.
Q: Is there an unlimited plan?
A: We do not have an unlimited text plan, but with all Text In Church plans, you can have unlimited emails, Keywords, Groups, People, Connect Cards, Workflows, and Account Users.
You can also add additional messages to the account as needed by adding bundles to the subscription via the Marketplace tab on the desktop.
We have many plans available; you can review them here: https://textinchurch.com/pricing
You can text over your plan's allotment; the system will not prevent you from sending texts after the allotment has been fully used.
Q: What happens if I go over my allotment?
A: When you are approaching your allotment and after you've incurred an overage, a banner will appear at the top of the page to notify you, and then you move to a pay-as-you-go system.
To address overages, you have multiple options:
- Pay $0.03 per extra message
- Add 500-message bundles for $12 per month from the Marketplace tab
- Upgrade your plan via the Subscriptions tab in your Settings to accommodate consistent higher usage.
Each text message sent over your allotment will be charged at $0.03 (3 cents) per message; you will be billed for that on your normal monthly invoice date when your allotment resets.
You can check to see when your allotment resets by going to the Subscriptions tab in your Settings.
The reset date will be displayed in grey text beneath the bar that tracks this month's usage:
Overages will be displayed in the purple banner at the top for quick reference.
Unexpected message volume increases, such as sending a Workflow to a large Group, or sending a text with an attachment to a large Group, can lead to rapid usage of credits.
For instance, sending a Workflow to 9,300 recipients will deduct 9,300 messages from your allotment.
To avoid an overage fee, you can upgrade to a plan that includes more messages via the Subscriptions page in your Settings or add bundles to your current plan via the Marketplace tab.
Q: Can I upgrade my subscription for more messages?
A: Yes, at any time you have the option to upgrade to the next level plan, which you can do at any time in the Subscriptions tab of your Settings.
Plans range from 500 to 100,000 messages per month, allowing you to scale according to your communication needs.
Q: What if I need more texts, but only for a few months?
A: If there are seasons where you need to send more texts than you normally would, like leading up to Christmas and Easter or following up after VBS, you can add additional bundles to your plan from the Marketplace tab.
For temporary increases, bundles offer flexibility, while upgrading your plan may be more effective for long-term increased usage.
After your busy season ends, you can remove any bundles by going to the Subscriptions tab of your Settings and clicking Remove by the bundles.
Q: How many extra messages are in a bundle?
A: We have bundles of 500 text messages, and each 500-message bundle adds an additional $12 to your monthly invoice.
Important: These bundles function as add-ons that will renew monthly.
They do not automatically fall off after a month, so you would need to manually remove them from the Subscriptions tab in your Settings once your busy season has ended.
Q: How do I add a temporary message bundle through the Marketplace tab?
A: If you need additional messages during busy periods, you can easily add a bundle through the Marketplace tab in your account.
