What is GSM-7 vs Unicode?
Also known as: GSM-7, UCS-2, SMS encoding
GSM-7 and Unicode (UCS-2) are the two character encodings used for SMS. GSM-7 fits 160 characters in a single message part; Unicode is required for emoji and non-Latin characters and cuts a single part to 70 characters.
A message stays in GSM-7 as long as every character is in the GSM standard alphabet. One curly apostrophe, em dash, ellipsis or emoji pushes the whole message to Unicode — and more than halves how much fits in a part.
This is the single most common cause of unexpected SMS costs. Text pasted from Word, Google Docs or a design tool routinely contains smart quotes that look identical to straight quotes but change the encoding.
GSM-7 vs Unicode: quick facts
- GSM-7: 160 characters single, 153 per part when concatenated
- Unicode: 70 characters single, 67 per part when concatenated
- A single emoji converts the entire message to Unicode
Texto and GSM-7 vs Unicode
See your encoding live and convert non-standard characters to GSM.
SMS character counterKeep exploring
Send your first SMS in minutes
3¢ per message to Australia. Australian-owned, no contracts, five free credits on signup.
Get started free