TNZ uses a usage-based pricing model: a monthly platform fee plus per-message charges.
This guide covers platform fees, how usage is charged per channel, and how invoicing works.
⚡ Overview of Our Pricing Model
Every plan combines a monthly platform fee with usage charges for each message sent. The platform fee covers everything you need to send messages at scale:
- The TNZ Dashboard, REST & SMTP APIs, and integrations (Zapier, HubSpot, GoHighLevel, and more).
- SMS, Email, Voice and Fax sending capabilities on a single account.
- NZ-based customer support.
For example, on the Starter Plan:
🏷️
Platform Fee
$20.00 / month
📧
Message Fee
$0.10 per SMS
$0.05 per Email
$0.10 per Voice Call
Etc.
⚠️ Note
We do not offer zero-monthly plans. Registered non-profits are eligible for a Charitable plan that includes monthly credit. Contact our team for details.
⚠️ Pricing AccuracyFor up-to-date pricing, see the
TNZ Pricing page.
📊 Invoicing
TNZ bills in arrears on a postpaid system. There is no prepaid credit or message credits to manage: at the end of each month, you are invoiced for what you used.
🗓️
Billing Frequency
Monthly
📄
Invoice Date
2nd of each month (covering the previous month's usage)
💳
Payment Due
20th of the month
⚠️ Included Allowances
If your plan includes a monthly usage allowance (e.g. "$300 of included SMS credits"), this allowance is applied at billing time. Unused credits expire at the end of the month and do not roll over.
If you overpay an invoice, this is loaded as account credit and offset against any future invoices. Unused prepaid credit expires after 12-months.
See the Paying TNZ guide for details.
💳 Payment
TNZ supports a variety of payment methods.
| Payment Type |
Currency Support |
Explanation |
| Bank Transfer |
NZD, AUD |
Payment expected via normal direct credit bank payment. For payment details for each currency, see Paying TNZ. |
| Credit Card |
NZD, AUD |
Payment automatically charged to your nominated credit card. You may make additional ad-hoc credit card payments at any time using the TNZ Dashboard. To activate this payment option, see Managing Credit Cards. |
| Direct Debit |
NZD |
Payment automatically charged to your nominated bank account. To activate this payment option, complete the Direct Debit form and email this to the TNZ team. |
⚙️ How Charges Are Calculated
Per Message Billing Units
Your charges are always based on the size, type, and destination of the message. Each communication channel has its own core billing unit:
💬
SMS
Charged per SMS part.
A standard SMS part is typically 160 characters (unless using special characters like emojis). More info.
📞
Voice
Charged per minute.
Billed in 60-second increments.
📧
Email
Charged per email sent.
Supporting attachments up to 15MB per message.
📠
Fax
Charged per page sent.
For per-page rates, see the TNZ Pricing page.
SMS Parts: Quick Reference
SMS splits long messages into parts and each part is billed separately. The character limit per part depends on whether you use emojis or other special characters:
| Parts |
Standard SMS (no emojis) |
SMS with emojis or special characters |
Cost per message |
| 1 part |
Up to 160 characters |
Up to 70 characters |
$0.10 |
| 2 parts |
161 - 306 characters |
71 - 134 characters |
$0.20 |
| 3 parts |
307 - 459 |
135 - 201 |
$0.30 |
| 4 parts |
460 - 612 |
202 - 268 |
$0.40 |
| 5 parts |
613 - 765 |
269 - 335 |
$0.50 |
| 6 parts |
766 - 918 |
336 - 402 |
$0.60 |
| 7 parts |
919 - 1071 |
403 - 469 |
$0.70 |
| 8 parts |
1072 - 1224 |
470 - 536 |
$0.80 |
| 9 parts |
1225 - 1377 |
537 - 603 |
$0.90 |
💡 Cost-saving tip
Removing emojis and other special characters from your SMS lets you fit more text into a single part.
When Do Charges Apply?
Charges apply when a message is sent to the carrier network. If the TNZ platform identifies a message as invalid before sending it (for example, an SMS to a known landline prefix), no charge is applied.
For chargeable outcomes on each channel, see the Result Code documentation for SMS, Email, Voice/TTS, Fax and WhatsApp.
📋 A Note on WhatsApp
WhatsApp pricing differs from standard SMS. Meta charges for the initial message, which opens a 24-hour conversational window. Subsequent messages sent within that 24-hour window may not incur additional per-message costs from Meta.
Cost Controls and Preventing Bill Shock
Every account has a credit limit that stops runaway spend from a coding error or a compromised account. The limit is set based on your plan and payment history, and can be increased on request.
- Once your usage hits this limit, outbound messaging is automatically paused.
- There are no default rate limits on sending, so you can send at scale as long as you stay within your credit limit.
💡 Tip
Restrict allowed destinations in the Dashboard (for example, NZ and AU only) to avoid unintended international sending.
💰 Real-World Pricing Examples
Four examples covering common customer types:
🔧 The Solo Operator
e.g. A Local Tradesperson
Use Case: Sending automated appointment reminders via SMS to New Zealand clients to reduce no-shows.
- Platform Fee: $20.00
- Usage: 200 short reminders (1 SMS part each) at $0.10/part = $20.00
Estimated Monthly Total
$40.00 NZD + GST
🏥 The Growing Practice
e.g. A Medical Clinic
Use Case: Sending out email newsletters and engaging patients via 2-way SMS. They often use emojis in their SMS, which changes the character encoding to UCS2 (reducing the character limit per part) and splits messages into 3 parts.
- Platform Fee: $20.00
- Email: 2,000 newsletters at $0.05/email = $100.00
- SMS: 500 reminders with emojis (3 parts each = 1,500 total parts) at $0.10/part = $150.00
Estimated Monthly Total
$270.00 NZD + GST
💻 The Software Developer
SaaS Platform via API
Use Case: An application integrating high-volume transactional alerts and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to users in both New Zealand and Australia.
- Platform Fee: $20.00
- NZ SMS: 1,000 standard OTPs (1 part each) at $0.10/part = $100.00
- AU SMS: 1,000 longer notifications (2 parts each = 2,000 parts) at $0.10/part = $200.00
Estimated Monthly Total
$320.00 NZD + GST
📣 The Marketing Agency
Multi-Client SubAccount Setup
Use Case: An agency running SMS campaigns for 5 clients, each with their own SubAccount and reporting. Volumes vary by client.
- Platform Fee: $20.00
- SMS: 3,200 messages across 5 clients at $0.10/part = $320.00
Estimated Monthly Total
$340.00 NZD + GST
⚠️ Note on Plans
For simplicity when comparing the above examples, the Starter Plan ($20 monthly fee) has been used. Depending on each client's requirements and usage, another plan may be better suited.
For up-to-date pricing, see the TNZ Pricing page.
🚀 Free Trials
New users get a 14-day free trial with 30 credits, usable across SMS, Voice, and Email.
⚠️ Note
Trials do not include access to dedicated numbers, WhatsApp services, or EDI/IoT services. When your trial ends, you will not be charged unless you actively choose to convert your account to a paid plan.
Register for a Free Trial →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why was my message split into multiple segments and charged multiple times?
SMS networks restrict messages to a specific number of characters (usually 160 for standard text, or 70 if you include special characters/emojis). If your message exceeds this limit, it is split into multiple "parts" to be transmitted across the network, and you are billed for each part. See the Multi-Part SMS guide for details.
|
Why do international messages cost more?
Every telecommunications carrier in every country sets their own pricing to receive messages. TNZ dynamically passes these regional costs through based on the destination of your message. See the SMS Geographies guide for pricing guidance.
|
Why was I charged for a failed message?
You are charged when TNZ incurs a cost from the carrier network. If a carrier accepts the message from us, but the message ultimately fails on their end (e.g., the destination mobile phone is disconnected or inactive), the carrier still charges TNZ, and that cost is passed on. See our specific Result Code documentation for SMS, Email, Voice/TTS, Fax and WhatsApp.
|
Do I get charged for incoming messages?
Generally, no. Standard replies to your dedicated numbers are free to receive. The only exceptions are specific inbound services designed to shift the cost away from the consumer, such as Toll-Free numbers (0800) or Free-to-Text (FTEU) short codes. With these services, you pay for the inbound communication so your customer doesn't have to. For example, the Understanding Short Codes guide outlines Standard vs. Free-to-Text NZ Short Codes.
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How many users can I have on my account?
As many as you need. Whether you have 1 user or 100 users on the account, the platform fee and per-message charges stay the same. See the Accounts, SubAccounts, Departments and Users guide for more.
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What happens if I go over my credit limit?
Services are automatically paused once your credit limit is reached. You'll receive a notification when this happens. To resume sending, request a higher limit (contact the TNZ team) or you can preload credit using the Dashboard.
|
Do unused monthly credits roll over?
No. If your plan includes a monthly usage allowance (e.g. "$300 of included SMS credits"), the allowance is applied at billing time and any unused portion expires at the end of the month. Allowances do not carry over into the following month.
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📞 Need Further Assistance?
For the most current rates per destination, always refer to our live Pricing Page.
If you are an enterprise sender looking for high-volume pricing, or if you need help optimising your payload sizes to reduce costs, please contact the TNZ support team.
Contact TNZ Support →