> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ugatext.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Frequently asked questions > Answers about UgaText SMS pricing, top-ups, Sender IDs, delivery, the API and invoicing. ## Pricing and billing > **How much does an SMS cost?** > > UgaText is pay as you go. Standard rates per SMS: > > | Country | Rate per SMS | Networks | > | - | - | - | > | Uganda (+256) | UGX 25 | MTN, Airtel, UTL / Lycamobile | > | Kenya (+254) | KES 0.40 | Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, Telkom | > | DR Congo (+243) | USD 0.035 | Vodacom, Orange, Airtel, Africell | > > Rates are per SMS segment. There are no hidden carrier surcharges. In Uganda, volume discounts apply automatically: > > | Volume | Rate per SMS | > | - | - | > | Up to 9,999 SMS | UGX 25 | > | 10,000 to 99,999 SMS | UGX 23 | > | 100,000+ SMS | UGX 22 | > > See [ugatext.com/pricing](https://ugatext.com/pricing) for the full rate schedule. > **How much do 1,000 SMS cost?** > > 1,000 SMS to Uganda cost UGX 25,000 at the standard rate. A message longer than one segment is billed per segment. See [Message segments](#what-is-an-sms-unit-or-segment). > **Are there hidden monthly or setup fees?** > > No. There are no setup fees, subscriptions or monthly minimums. You only pay for the messages you send. > **How do I top up my wallet with Mobile Money?** > > Top up instantly from your dashboard with MTN Mobile Money, Airtel Money, or M-Pesa. You receive a USSD push prompt on your phone to approve the payment, and funds are credited within seconds. > > * Uganda: UGX (minimum top-up UGX 500, which is 20 SMS) > * Kenya: KES > * DR Congo: USD or CDF > **Do my SMS credits expire?** > > No. Purchased SMS credits and wallet funds never expire as long as your account remains in active standing. > **Can I get VAT or tax invoices?** > > Yes. Download PDF tax invoices from your dashboard. Each invoice includes a cost breakdown for your accounting team. ## Sending messages > **How do I send bulk SMS?** > > 1. Choose a Sender ID: the default `UGATEXT` or your own approved Sender ID. > 2. Add recipients from a contact group, by pasting numbers, or by uploading an Excel or CSV file. > 3. Write your message, add personalization fields if needed, and review the segment count and cost. > 4. Send now or schedule it, then track delivery reports in your campaign history. > > To send from code, see [Sending SMS](https://docs.ugatext.com/sending-sms.md). > **What is an SMS unit or segment?** > > Each segment is billed as one SMS. Longer messages are split into multiple segments: > > | Encoding | Single SMS | Per segment in multi-part messages | > | - | - | - | > | GSM-7 (standard text) | 160 characters | 153 characters | > | Unicode / UCS-2 (emoji or non-Latin characters) | 70 characters | 67 characters | > > The composer shows the segment count and cost before you send. > **Can I upload contacts from Excel or CSV?** > > Yes. Upload `.csv`, `.xls` or `.xlsx` files with up to 500,000 rows. Numbers are normalized to +256, +254 or +243 automatically, and duplicates and invalid entries are removed before cost is calculated. > **Can I personalize messages?** > > Yes. Insert placeholders such as `{name}`, `{balance}` or `{date}`, or map any column from your uploaded spreadsheet. > **Can I schedule messages?** > > Yes. Send immediately or schedule for a future date and time (East Africa Time, UTC+3). You can reschedule or cancel a pending campaign before it is sent. From the API, see [Sending SMS](https://docs.ugatext.com/sending-sms.md). > **How quickly are SMS delivered and what delivery rates can I expect?** > > UgaText routes messages directly to tier-1 operators, with delivery typically in under 3 seconds on priority routes. Track every message with real-time delivery reports in the dashboard or through [webhooks](https://docs.ugatext.com/webhooks.md). > **Which countries and languages are supported?** > > Uganda, Kenya and DR Congo. Unicode is fully supported, including French, Lingala, Swahili and Luganda. ## Sender IDs > **Can I use my business name as a Sender ID?** > > Yes. Register a custom alphanumeric Sender ID of 3 to 11 characters (A to Z, 0 to 9), for example `MYBRAND`. Custom Sender IDs are currently available in Uganda and Kenya. > > | Country | Coverage | One-time fee | > | - | - | - | > | Uganda | MTN + Airtel | UGX 1,000,000 | > | Kenya | Safaricom + Airtel | KES 14,100 | > | Kenya | Single operator | KES 8,700 | > > Register from the **Sender IDs** page in your dashboard or with `POST /api/v1/sender-ids/requests`. Approval takes 5 to 10 working days in Uganda and 7 to 14 working days in Kenya. You can send with the default `UGATEXT` Sender ID while your application is under review. See [Sender IDs](https://docs.ugatext.com/sender-ids.md). > **What documents do I need for a Sender ID?** > > * A signed and stamped authorization letter (UgaText generates the template for you) > * Certificate of incorporation (URSB in Uganda, CR12 or Certificate of Registration in Kenya) > * Optional: URA TIN certificate (Uganda) or KRA PIN certificate (Kenya) > > Upload PDF, PNG or JPG files up to 5 MB each. ## Developers > **Does UgaText have an API?** > > Yes. The REST API lets you send single and bulk SMS, OTPs, scheduled messages and receive delivery webhooks. Start with the [Quickstart](https://docs.ugatext.com/quickstart.md) or browse the [API reference](https://docs.ugatext.com/api-reference/overview.md). > **Can I test without being charged?** > > Yes. Use sandbox test keys (`sk_test_...`) or send to the zero-cost test numbers `+256700000000` (Uganda), `+254700000000` (Kenya), and `+243810000000` (DR Congo). See [Sandbox](https://docs.ugatext.com/sandbox.md). > **What is the API rate limit?** > > Standard accounts can make 600 requests per minute (10 requests per second). Bulk sends (`POST /api/v1/sms/bulk`) accept up to 5,000 recipients per call. See [Errors and limits](https://docs.ugatext.com/errors.md#rate-limits). > **Can I restrict my API keys to my servers?** > > Yes. Add your server IPs or CIDR ranges to a key's whitelist. See [IP whitelisting](https://docs.ugatext.com/authentication.md#ip-whitelisting). > **How do I handle opt-outs?** > > Recipients who reply `STOP`, `UNSUBSCRIBE`, or `OPTOUT` are added to your suppression list automatically. See [Compliance and opt-outs](https://docs.ugatext.com/compliance.md). ## Still have questions? Email [support@ugatext.com](mailto:support@ugatext.com) for help with account setup, Sender ID registration or API integration. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.