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: If you attach a picture to your text message, this would count as 2 messages due to how carriers process media messages.
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 regardless of the type or size of the attachment.
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 characters (plain text) 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
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.
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.
Overages will be displayed in the purple banner at the top for quick reference.
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 and Invoices tab of your Account Settings.
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.
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.
