RCS carrier fees
Rich (text, reply buttons, call and browser links) is charged per 160-byte segment; Rich Media (any card or carousel, image, video or file) per message. The conversation fee applies to senders on conversation pricing, once per 24-hour conversation. As published on 29 September 2026.
| Carrier | Rich, out | Rich, in | Rich Media, out | Rich Media, in | Conversation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $0.0045 | $0.0045 | $0.0100 | $0.0100 | $0.03 |
| T-Mobile | $0.0062 | $0.0025 | $0.0125 | $0.0125 | $0.06 |
| Verizon | $0.0050 | None | $0.0070 | None | $0.009 |
| US Cellular | $0.0062 | $0.0025 | $0.0135 | $0.0135 | Not published |
| All other carriers | $0.0045 | $0.0045 | $0.0100 | $0.0100 | Not published |
SMS and MMS carrier fees
The same schedule applies to 10DLC local numbers, toll-free numbers and short codes, and to RCS messages that fall back to SMS or MMS. Last confirmed June 2026, with Verizon updated for 1 October 2026.
| Carrier | SMS, out | SMS, in | MMS, out | MMS, in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $0.0035 | $0.0035 | $0.0090 | $0.0090 |
| T-Mobile | $0.0045 | $0.0025 | $0.0100 | $0.0100 |
| Verizon | $0.0050 | None | $0.0070 | None |
| US Cellular | $0.0050 | $0.0025 | $0.0100 | $0.0100 |
A worked bill: 50,000 RCS messages a month
40,000 Rich text segments and 10,000 Rich Media messages, all sent to one carrier’s subscribers. The SimplyRCS line is the same everywhere, $306.00 at $0.0039 and $0.0150; the carrier line is what changes.
| If every message went to | SimplyRCS rate | Carrier fees, at cost | Month total |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $306.00 | $280.00 | $586.00 |
| T-Mobile | $306.00 | $373.00 | $679.00 |
| Verizon | $306.00 | $270.00 | $576.00 |
| US Cellular | $306.00 | $383.00 | $689.00 |
| All other carriers | $306.00 | $280.00 | $586.00 |
A real list mixes carriers, so the carrier line lands between the lowest and highest rows. Replies from customers, number rental and registration fees are extra and listed on the pricing page.
What changed
- 1 October 2026. Verizon raised its SMS (10DLC) and RCS text surcharge from $0.0045 to $0.0050.
- 29 September 2026. RCS carrier fees published as their own schedule: Rich per 160-byte segment, Rich Media per message, and a conversation fee for senders on conversation pricing.
Common questions
What is an RCS carrier fee?
A per-message surcharge the US mobile carriers charge on business RCS traffic, separate from the messaging provider's own rate. On SimplyRCS it is passed through at cost on its own invoice line: from $0.0045 to $0.0062 per Rich segment sent, depending on the carrier.
Are RCS carrier fees the same as SMS carrier fees?
No. RCS has its own carrier schedule, billed per 160-byte segment for Rich messages and per message for Rich Media, while the SMS and MMS schedule is the same across 10DLC, toll-free and short code. Both tables are on this page.
Do I pay carrier fees on messages customers send me?
Sometimes. AT&T, T-Mobile and US Cellular charge on inbound RCS and SMS as well as outbound; Verizon charges on outbound only. The inbound column of each table shows which.
Does SimplyRCS mark up carrier fees?
No. Carrier, registry and vetting fees are passed through at cost and shown on their own line, separate from the SimplyRCS message rate.