What Is the Cost of Bulk SMS in India?

Bulk SMS is priced per message, and the rate depends on how many you buy, which route you use and how long your messages are. Here is how pricing works and how to get the best rate.

From ₹0.12 per SMSPay only for delivered SMSNo monthly minimumVolume slabs

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₹0.12Rates from, per SMS

Pay As You GoNo monthly minimum

Delivered onlyYou pay for delivered SMS

Since 2009Bulk SMS provider

Quick Answer

Bulk SMS in India usually costs a few paise per message. On SMSGatewayHub, rates start from ₹0.12 per SMS on higher-volume slabs, plus 18% GST, and you pay only for delivered SMS. Your exact price depends on the volume you buy, the route (promotional, transactional or OTP), message length and any DLT charges.

What decides the price of bulk SMS

Two quotes can look different because they include different things. These are the factors to compare.

Factor	Effect on price
Volume	The more SMS you buy in one go, the lower the rate per SMS. Small packs cost more per message than lakh-scale packs.
Route	Promotional, service and transactional routes are priced differently. OTP and priority transactional routes usually cost a little more because they run 24x7 and reach DND numbers.
Message length	One SMS is up to 160 English characters. Longer messages are split into parts of 153 characters, and each part is charged as one SMS.
Language	Unicode SMS (Hindi and other Indian scripts) fit 70 characters in one SMS, so the same message can use more credits.
DLT scrubbing charges	Some providers add operator DLT charges on top of the quoted rate. Always ask whether the rate is all-inclusive.
GST	18% GST applies to SMS services. Check whether a quote includes it.
Billing basis	Paying per delivered SMS is cheaper in practice than paying for every submitted SMS, because failed numbers are not charged.

Bulk SMS price on SMSGatewayHub

Our bulk SMS rates start from ₹0.12 per SMS on higher-volume slabs, before GST. Smaller packs are priced a little higher per SMS, and OTP routes have their own slab. Current slab-wise rates for promotional, transactional and OTP SMS are always on the pricing page, and you can estimate the total for your volume, including GST, with the SMS cost calculator.

All plans are Pay As You Go with no monthly minimum, and you pay only for delivered SMS. For very high volumes or a mix of SMS, WhatsApp and voice, our sales team can share a custom rate card.

How to estimate a campaign cost

A simple formula you can use before any send.

Step	Example
Number of recipients	50,000 numbers
SMS parts per message	140 characters in English = 1 part
Credits needed	50,000 x 1 = 50,000 SMS
Rate for your slab	Check the slab for 50,000 SMS on the pricing page
Add GST	Credits x rate x 1.18

If the same text runs to 200 characters, it becomes 2 parts and the credits double. Trimming a message under 160 characters is often the easiest way to save money.

Best rates

How to get the best bulk SMS rates in India

Buy the right slab

Buying a larger pack you will actually use lowers the rate per SMS.

Keep messages short

Stay within 160 characters to avoid multi-part charges.

Pay for delivered only

Delivery-based billing means failed numbers cost nothing.

Clean your list

Remove invalid and duplicate numbers before every campaign.

Use the right route

Do not pay OTP route rates for promotional campaigns, and do not put offers on transactional routes.

Compare like for like

Compare rates with GST and DLT charges included, not headline numbers.

Is the cheapest rate always the best?

Not always. A very low rate is of little use if messages are slow, are sent on the wrong route or are not delivered. When you compare providers, also check DLT compliance, delivery reports, uptime and support. SMSGatewayHub has been sending SMS in India since 2009, runs DLT-approved routes with a 99.9% uptime SLA, is ISO 27001 certified and is used by 10,000+ registered businesses. New to SMS? Read what bulk SMS is or how to send bulk SMS.

Related Services & Guides

SMS Pricing →

Current slab-wise rates.

SMS Cost Calculator →

Estimate cost with GST.

Bulk SMS Service →

Our bulk SMS platform.

OTP SMS Pricing →

OTP route rates.

WhatsApp Pricing →

Compare with WhatsApp costs.

How to Send Bulk SMS →

Panel, Excel and API steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of bulk SMS in India?

Bulk SMS usually costs a few paise per message. SMSGatewayHub rates start from ₹0.12 per SMS on higher-volume slabs, plus 18% GST, and you pay only for delivered SMS. Check the pricing page for the current slab for your volume.

Which bulk SMS provider has the best rates in India?

The best rate is the lowest all-inclusive price for SMS that are actually delivered. Compare quotes with GST and DLT charges included, check whether you pay for delivered or submitted SMS, and look at delivery speed and support as well as the headline rate.

Is GST charged on bulk SMS?

Yes. 18% GST applies to bulk SMS services in India. Our listed rates exclude GST, and the SMS cost calculator shows the total with GST.

Why does a long message cost more?

One SMS holds 160 English characters or 70 Unicode characters. Longer messages are split into parts and each part is billed as one SMS, so a 200-character English message costs two SMS.

Do I pay for undelivered SMS?

No. SMSGatewayHub bills only for delivered SMS, so messages that fail because a number is invalid or switched off for too long are not charged.

Is there a monthly fee or minimum purchase?

No. Bulk SMS is on Pay As You Go with no monthly minimum. You buy credits when you need them, and larger packs get a lower rate per SMS.

Get a bulk SMS rate for your volume

See current slabs, calculate your cost, or ask sales for a custom rate card.

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