SMS and email are different technologies with different limitations. Understanding how each works helps you choose the right method and get better results.
Before you start
This article is part of our message delivery troubleshooting series. Looking for something else? Check out the full set:
- Message delivery troubleshooting: Common errors
- SMS vs. email delivery: What you need to know (this article)
- Before you send: Pre-delivery checklist
Have questions about your district's specific message setup or delivery options? Every organization is unique! Look in these two places first for your site's custom configurations and directions:
- Your Messages XR Enterprise Organization Config > Delivery options
- Still not sure? Contact site administrator or Finalsite support
SMS character limits: standard vs. SMS-Plus
Standard SMS has two possible limits depending on the language, and SMS-Plus doubles both. Unlike common assumptions, translating to Spanish, French, or German does not reduce your character limit. Only graphical languages do.
| Language type | Standard SMS | SMS-Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Most languages (English, Spanish, French, German, etc.) | 140 characters | 280 characters |
| Graphical languages (Mandarin, Korean, and fewer than 10 others) | 70 characters | 140 characters |
📱 Want more character space? Upgrade to SMS-Plus
SMS-Plus doubles your character limits for every language type: 280 characters for most languages and 140 characters for graphical languages.
Contact your Client Success Manager or email clientsuccess@finalsite.com to learn more!
SMS vs. email at a glance
| Feature | SMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Character limit* | 140 (most languages), 70 (graphical) | Unlimited |
| Delivery speed | 30 seconds to 1 hour | 1 to 30 minutes |
| Formatting, links, images, emoji | Not supported | Full support |
| Best for | Urgent alerts, quick reminders | Detailed info, multi-language, links |
| Open rate | High (checked immediately) | Variable |
*SMS-Plus doubles all SMS character limits. See the SMS-Plus section above.
When to use SMS
- Urgent notifications about schedule changes or emergencies
- Time-sensitive reminders (events, appointments)
- Quick confirmations ("Reply YES to confirm")
- Reaching families who check texts frequently
⚠️ Important Note
SMS is plain text only, with no emoji, formatting, or images. Symbols like ©, ®, and € may not render reliably across carriers. Use shortened links to save characters.
When to use email
- Detailed information (event details, policy changes)
- Content for graphical-language recipients where SMS is capped at 70 characters
- Links, attachments, and formatted content (newsletters, guides)
- Longer or less urgent messages
Email delivery takes 1 to 5 minutes for most recipients, up to 30 minutes for large sends. Character limits are essentially unlimited.
How to choose
- Need an immediate response? Yes = SMS. No = Email.
- Message fits in 140 characters (70 for graphical languages)?* Yes = SMS. No = Email, or consider SMS-Plus.
- Need links, attachments, or formatting? Yes = Email only.
- Sending to graphical-language recipients? Use email for anything beyond a very short message.
*SMS-Plus doubles these limits.
When in doubt, send both: a short SMS for immediate attention plus an email with the full details. This works well for event reminders, closure notifications, and anything urgent that also needs follow-up context.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming translations cut your limit: Spanish, French, German, and most other translations still get the full 140 characters (280 with SMS-Plus). Only graphical languages like Mandarin and Korean drop to 70.
- Defaulting to email for longer messages: If your message is between 140 and 280 characters, SMS-Plus may be a better fit than switching to email. Check with your Client Success Manager about upgrading to SMS Plus!
- Using emoji in SMS: Not supported. Emoji will fail or display as garbled text. Use standard text only.
- Forgetting graphical languages are half the limit: Mandarin, Korean, and fewer than 10 other graphical languages are capped at 70 characters (140 with SMS-Plus). For longer content in those languages, use email.
- Sending bare links without context: Write "Sign up for conferences: [link]" rather than pasting the link alone.