You might not be able to signup with us right now as we are currently experiencing a downtime of 15 mins on our product. Request you to bear with us.

Home
Right Chevron Icon
Blog
Right Chevron IconRight Chevron Icon
Cost of Sending Text in Another Country

Cost of Sending Text in Another Country

Profile Headshot of Nisha Bhakar
Nisha Bhakar

4
mins read

October 21, 2024

Cost of Sending Text in Another Country- Thumbnail

Key Takeways

A report says that the roaming tariff market size is expected to reach USD 81.58 billion in 2024. Sending an SMS or the cost of that SMS to another country depends on certain factors like: -

  1. Country you are sending and receiving the message from, 
  2. Phone you are using to send and receive and 
  3. Network carrier or service provider being used
  4. Type of message i.e. whether it is OTP SMS verification, transactional SMS or promotional SMS
  5. Local/ global SMS regulations

Sending an SMS or text message to a number with roaming facilities in another country will not cost you charges however if the sim originates in another country, the charges may apply.

SMS charges in different countries

Different countries have different charges for sending and receiving text messages. These charges are based on the various rules & regulations followed in the country. 

For instance, In India, where DLT registration is required, the roaming charges of particular network carrier may be applicable which may or may not have limitations of number of messages to send or receive, length of texts, roaming package validity when travelling internationally. 

You can check out our SMS pricing calculator for the detailed country wise pricing.

Here are some charges applicable in different countries for text messages with Message Now by Message Central.

  1. United States

0.0078 USD per message.

  1. United Kingdom

0.053 USD per message.

  1. Canada

0.0104 USD per message.

  1. Australia

0.0185 USD per message.

  1. France

0.0798 USD per message.

  1. Brazil

0.0234 USD per message.

  1. China

0.0436 USD per message.

  1. Japan

0.084 USD per message.

How to save SMS Charges in other Countries

Here are some ways to save messaging or SMS charges when sending a message to a different country

  1. WhatsApp 

WhatsApp is a popular and widely used application for communicating not just personally as well as professionally. One can send text messages, multimedia messages, documents and connect over calls.
The application only requires a stable internet connection like mobile data or Wi-Fi to send and receive messages therefore, there are no extra charges for sending SMSs. In addition to WhatsApp marketing, businesses can also use WhatsApp OTP for authenticating users. 

  1. Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is the official messaging application of Facebook which allows users to send and receive messages through internet connection. You can use it on your mobile phone and desktop.
Facebook Messenger allows users to send and receive multimedia messages, video & audio calls and share Facebook posts. As such, it can be vital way for sending SMSs without any extra charges.

  1. Viber

Viber lets you send messages and make calls without any extra charges, using just your internet connection. You can chat, share photos and make voice or video calls for free with other Viber users with just a stable internet connection like mobile data or Wi-Fi without any extra charges.

  1. RCS Messaging

RCS (Rich Communication Services) allows you to send and receive messages over the internet without extra charges. One can enjoy texting, sharing & receiving photos and videos for free with other RCS users as long you have internet connection. Hence, RCS messaging allows to communicate without any extra charges.
We can head over to our guide on RCS and our coverage of SMS vs RCS for understanding RCS better.

  1. WeChat

WeChat is a messaging application that allows users to send and receive text messages, photos and videos through internet connection. It is a free application that does not require any extra charges for sending or receiving messages, all that you require is a stable internet connection to communicate with users.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the complexities and costs of text messages when travelling to another country requires being knowledgeable of certain factors pertaining to that country. One must be extremely careful when selecting their mobile network service provider and must consider this as a major factor.

Send SMS with Message Now

Message Now is an SMS API provider by Message Central. The platform enables both transactional and promotional SMS across the globe. With the most competitive SMS rates in the industry, the deliverability is maintained by the direct operator connectivity. The platform is trusted by some of the fastest growing enterprises across 70+ countries. 

You can simply signup for free to try or get in touch with the team for any custom needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the right OTP service provider?

When selecting an OTP SMS service provider, focus on:

  • Delivery reliability and speed
  • Global coverage and local compliance
  • Multi-channel support and fallback
  • Ease of integration
  • Pricing transparency

The right provider should not just send OTPs but ensure they are delivered consistently across regions and networks.

Not all OTP SMS service providers are built the same.

Some optimize for cost, others for flexibility but very few balance delivery reliability, global coverage and ease of use. And that balance is what actually impacts whether your users receive OTPs on time.

If OTP is critical to your product, focus on:

  • reliable delivery (not just sending)
  • multi-channel fallback
  • scalability across regions

Try It for Yourself

Why is multi-channel OTP important?

Relying only on SMS can lead to failed verifications due to:

  • network issues
  • telecom filtering
  • device limitations

Multi-channel OTP systems (SMS + WhatsApp + voice) improve success rates by automatically retrying through alternative channels if one fails.

What is the best OTP SMS service provider in India?

Some of the commonly used OTP SMS service providers in India include MSG91, Exotel and 2Factor.

That said, India has additional challenges like DLT compliance and operator filtering. Platforms that handle these internally while also offering fallback options tend to provide more consistent OTP delivery.

Which is the cheapest OTP service provider?

Providers like Fast2SMS and 2Factor are often considered among the cheapest OTP service providers, especially in India.

However, lower pricing can come with trade-offs such as:

  • lower route quality
  • higher delivery delays
  • limited fallback options

For mission-critical OTP flows, reliability often matters more than just cost.

Which is the best OTP service provider in 2026?

The best OTP service provider depends on your use case.

  • For global scale and flexibility: Twilio, Infobip
  • For cost-effective APIs: Plivo
  • For India-focused SMS OTP: MSG91, Exotel

However, platforms like Message Central stand out by balancing global coverage, multi-channel fallback and ease of deployment, making them suitable for businesses that prioritize delivery reliability.

What is an OTP service provider?

An OTP service provider enables businesses to send temporary verification codes to users via channels like SMS, WhatsApp or voice to authenticate logins, transactions or sign-ups.

Modern OTP SMS service providers go beyond just sending messages, they ensure reliable delivery using optimized routing, retries and sometimes multi-channel fallback.

Ready to Get Started?

Build an effective communication funnel with Message Central.

Weekly Newsletter Right into Your Inbox

Envelope Icon
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
+17178379132
phone-callphone-call