Overview
SMS messages sent through Scrypt HQ are billed on a per-message basis. Charges apply whenever your pharmacy sends an outbound SMS, whether that is for:
Automated reminders (e.g. prescription refills or health surveys)
Bulk communications (e.g. flu vaccination campaigns)
One-to-one patient communications
Inbound replies from patients are free of charge.
How SMS Charges Are Calculated
Per SMS segment – A single SMS can contain up to 160 standard characters. If your message is longer, it will be split into multiple segments, and each segment is charged as one SMS. Large messages will still be received by the customer as one large message, they will not split.
Unicode characters (such as emojis or non-Latin scripts) reduce the character limit to 70 per segment.
Links (URLs) – When drafting your message, URL links may look long. After sending, they are automatically shortened to 25 characters:
https://scryp.co/<shortcode>
This keeps your SMS neat and helps reduce character count so fewer segments are used.
Delivery confirmations and system logging are included at no additional cost.
SMS charges appear on your monthly invoice, separate from your subscription fee.
Example
A message with 120 characters = 1 SMS charge
A message with 200 characters = 2 SMS charges
A message with 2 emojis and 60 characters = 1 SMS charge (because Unicode applies)
A message with a long URL (e.g.80 character long URL) = shortened automatically back to 25 character only and will help keep your message within only 1 SMS charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are replies from patients charged?
A: No, inbound SMS messages from patients are free.
Q: How do I know how many SMS credits I’ve used?
A: You can view how many messages have been sent in tue Commications SENT tab. but there is no direct way to view exact SMS credits have been used. Request this report from support@scrypt.com.au
Q: Can I avoid messages being split into multiple charges?
A: Yes. Keep messages under 160 characters, avoid unnecessary emojis, and note that URLs are automatically shortened after sending.
Q: How are bulk campaigns charged?
A: Each recipient counts as one SMS per segment. For example, sending a 2-segment message to 100 patients = 200 SMS charges.
Q: When are charges billed?
A: SMS charges are consolidated and billed monthly, alongside your subscription invoice.
Q: What other strategies can I employ to keep my SMS cost low?
A: Sign your customers up to use the Scrypt Mobile app to communicate. Inside the app contains a messenger chat line that used the internet rather than SMS which is free of charge. To learn more about Scrypt Mobile, Click here.