Quick answer. An RCS campaign's cost is the number of messages times the per-message rate for the message type, plus per-message carrier surcharges, a share of any platform fee and one-time registration, plus telecom taxes. For example, a 50,000-message rich-media campaign at a ~$0.02 send rate is about $1,000 in message cost, plus carrier surcharges (roughly $150–$250 across carriers), plus registration (mostly one-time) and applicable taxes. The exact total depends on message type, your carrier mix, volume discounts, and your provider's fee structure.
The biggest swing factors are message type (basic text vs rich media) and your provider's extra fees. A campaign of mostly branded text costs far less than one full of video carousels; and two providers quoting the "same" message rate can produce very different invoices once setup, per-sender, and feature fees are added.
Illustrative 50,000-message rich-media campaign (not a quote; replace with SimplyRCS rates):
| Line item | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RCS rich-media messages × 50,000 | ~$1,000 | At a ~$0.02 send rate; basic text would be far less. |
| Carrier pass-through surcharges | ~$150–$250 | Per-message, all four carriers; passed through, no markup. |
| Registration / campaign fees | mostly one-time | TCR brand/vetting once; small monthly per campaign. |
| RCS Agent (verified sender) | $250.00 | $250/month per agent — covers app, API, and all features; no separate platform fee. |
| Estimated telecom taxes | estimated up front | USF, state/local, E911 — itemized, not hidden. |
| All-in minimum | $250/mo | Carrier surcharges included; you pay your itemized total if higher. |