If you run SMS through GoHighLevel from New Zealand, here's the short answer. GoHighLevel doesn't charge one flat SMS price. It bills by usage, you pay per message segment, and the rate depends on which SMS provider sits behind your account. The built-in option is aimed at the United States, so sending to New Zealand numbers works out expensive and delivery is patchy.
The common local fix is a New Zealand SMS provider plugged into GoHighLevel. With TNZ, the cost is $20 per month plus $0.10 per message segment sent or received, and a shared short code is included at no extra charge.
That's the figure most people are after. The rest of this guide explains how GoHighLevel SMS pricing works, why the New Zealand part matters, and how to estimate your own monthly spend so there are no surprises on the invoice.
GoHighLevel SMS is usage-based, not flat-rate. Your plan subscription doesn't include free texting. Every message you send and receive is billed on top, and the bill is built from a few moving parts.
✂️
Per Part, not per Message
SMS is charged in Parts (segments). One Part is 160 standard characters. Go over 160, or use a special character (like an emoji) and the message splits into more segments, and you pay for each one.
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Two-Way Supported
You pay for the outbound message. Mobiles can reply back to your messages (they pay 20c, free for you to receive, unless you opt for a Free-to-Text Short Code). These inbound messages funnel back into GHL.
So when someone asks "how much is a GoHighLevel SMS," the answer is that it depends on your message length, your message volume, and which provider delivers it. The provider is the part that makes the biggest difference for a New Zealand business.
🌏 Why GoHighLevel's Default SMS Costs More in New Zealand
GoHighLevel's default SMS provider is built for the United States, where messaging is cheap and the carrier rules suit local long-code numbers. New Zealand is a different market with different rules, and that's where the default option starts to hurt.
Two things work against you. First, routing a New Zealand message through a US-focused provider adds international cost and extra hops, which pushes the per-message rate well above a local provider. Second, reliability suffers. NZ carriers are particular about how bulk business messages are sent, and messages that don't follow local conventions can be filtered, delayed, or blocked. You pay more for a service that delivers less dependably.
⚠️ Compliance: short codes, not mobile numbers
In New Zealand, bulk business messaging is expected to come from a short code, not a standard 02X mobile number. Carriers block messages that look like bulk sending from an ordinary mobile. A local provider gives you a compliant short code as standard, so your messages are set up to deliver from day one.
💰 What GoHighLevel SMS Costs in New Zealand with TNZ
TNZ is a New Zealand SMS provider that connects to GoHighLevel and replaces the default option. It's a local business sending over local carrier relationships, so the pricing is straightforward and delivery is built for New Zealand numbers. The cost is:
| Item |
Cost |
| Base fee |
$20 per month |
| Per message segment (sent and received) |
$0.10 |
| Short code access |
Included free |
| Setup fee |
$0 |
Your messages send from a Short Code number. NZ customers are used to seeing short codes, it's fully compliant, and it delivers reliably. No setup fee, nothing extra to pay for it. NZ carriers do not support normal mobile numbers for computer-based SMS.
That's the whole core cost. No US-style registration fees. No separate number rental. No per-account minimums. If you later want your own dedicated short code for branding, that's a paid upgrade.
🧮 How to Work Out Your Own Monthly SMS Cost
The calculation is simple once you know your message volume. Count the segments you expect to send and receive in a month, multiply by $0.10, and add the $20 base fee.
📋 Example: a typical month
Say you send 100 appointment reminders and follow-ups in a month, each one a single 160-character Parts, and you receive 50 replies. That's 100 outbound at $0.10, which is $10. Add the $20 base fee and your total for the month is $35. (No charge for the 50 inbound messages).
The lever you control is message length. Keep each text under 160 characters and it stays one segment. Let a message run long, or drop in an emoji, and it splits into two segments and costs twice as much to send. For high-volume sending, that one habit makes a real difference to the monthly bill.
📊 Does Each Sub-Account Cost Extra?
No. If you're an agency running GoHighLevel sub-accounts, there's no per-sub-account fee. You pay one base fee, and your billing scales with the messages your accounts actually send, whether you manage ten sub-accounts or a few hundred. Each month you get one invoice plus a CSV that breaks down the cost per sub-account, so you can rebill your clients accurately and set whatever markup you like.
⚙️ Once You Know the Cost, Here's How to Set It Up
Pricing is usually the first question, and setup is the next one. Connecting TNZ to GoHighLevel is a one-click integration: connect your account, install SMS to the sub-accounts you choose, and switch the default SMS provider from the built-in option to TNZ. From there, every workflow and conversation in those accounts sends over TNZ automatically. You can see how it fits together on our GoHighLevel integration page.
The step-by-step setup depends on how you're set up. If you manage clients, follow our GoHighLevel agency setup guide. If you're a solo operator or a single team, use the standalone setup guide.
Our companion guide walks through the whole process end to end, including white-labelling for clients, the New Zealand sending rules, and the workflows agencies automate most.
Read Next: Complete SMS Automation Guide for Agencies →
❓ GoHighLevel SMS Pricing: Quick Answers
Is GoHighLevel SMS free?
No. Your GoHighLevel subscription doesn't include free texting. SMS is billed separately on a usage basis, per message segment, on top of your plan.
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How much does it cost to send a text through GoHighLevel in New Zealand?
Through a local provider like TNZ, it's $20 per month plus $0.10 per message segment sent or received, with short code access included free.
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What is an SMS Part?
A Part is one billable segment/unit of an SMS: 160 standard characters, or 70 characters if the message contains emoji or special characters. Longer messages split into multiple segments, and you pay for each (they compile into one message on the phone).
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Why can't I just send from my mobile number?
NZ carriers expect bulk business messaging to come from a short code, not a standard 02X mobile, and will block messages that look like bulk sending from an ordinary mobile. A local provider supplies a compliant short code so your messages deliver.
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Can I move off the default provider without rebuilding my workflows?
Yes. Switching the default SMS provider in your GoHighLevel settings leaves your existing workflows intact. They simply start sending over the new provider.
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🎉 Try It for Yourself
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