Pricing
Bulk SMS prices in Tanzania
Simple, volume-based pricing. Registration is free, there are no monthly fees, and you pay only for the SMS credits you buy. The more you buy at once, the lower the price per SMS.
Basic
1 to 5,000 SMS
A simple entry point for schools, NGOs, churches, and growing businesses.
Popular
5,001 to 10,000 SMS
A balanced package for active teams sending reminders, alerts, and promotions every week.
Ultimate
10,001 SMS or more
Lower per-SMS pricing for high-volume campaigns, product notifications, and recurring outreach.
How SMS pricing works
DARSMS uses prepaid SMS credits. Choose how many credits you need, pay with mobile money from your dashboard, and the credits are added to your account. Each SMS part sent to one number uses one credit.
The price per credit is set by the size of each purchase. A purchase of 8,000 credits is charged at the Popular rate of TZS 22 for all 8,000 credits. Buying a larger bundle in one purchase is the simplest way to lower your cost per message.
Example costs
| SMS credits | Plan | Price per SMS | Total (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 | Basic | TZS 25 | TZS 50,000 |
| 8,000 | Popular | TZS 22 | TZS 176,000 |
| 20,000 | Ultimate | TZS 20 | TZS 400,000 |
Message length and SMS credits
| Credits per recipient | Standard text (characters) | With emoji / symbols (characters) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Up to 160 | Up to 70 |
| 2 | 161 – 306 | 71 – 134 |
| 3 | 307 – 459 | 135 – 201 |
| 4 | 460 – 612 | 202 – 268 |
The DARSMS composer shows the character count and credits before you send. Learn more in how many characters are in one SMS.
Included with every account
- Free registration with 5 SMS credits to test.
- Default DARSMS sender ID, ready to use.
- Excel contact import, groups and personalised messages.
- Scheduled campaigns and reminder schedules.
- Delivery reports for every message.
- SMS API access with your own API keys.
Pricing FAQ
How does bulk SMS pricing work?
You buy prepaid SMS credits. The price per credit depends on how many you buy in one purchase: TZS 25 for 1 to 5,000 SMS, TZS 22 for 5,001 to 10,000 SMS and TZS 20 for 10,001 SMS or more. The whole purchase is charged at the rate for its size.
Is registration free?
Yes. Creating a DARSMS account is free, and new accounts receive 5 SMS credits to test the platform. There are no monthly or setup fees for bulk SMS.
What is an SMS credit?
One SMS credit sends one SMS part to one phone number. A 160-character message to 1,000 people uses 1,000 credits.
Why can one message use more than one credit?
A single SMS holds 160 standard characters, or 70 if the message contains emoji or special symbols. Longer messages are sent in parts (153 or 67 characters each) and each part uses one credit.
Does a Sender ID cost extra?
Every account can send with the default DARSMS sender at no extra cost. A custom Sender ID with your business name costs a one-time fee of TZS 5,000.
Are delivery reports included?
Yes. Delivery reports for every message are included at no extra cost, in the dashboard and through the API.
Does API access cost extra?
No. Messages sent through the SMS API use the same credits and prices as the dashboard. Creating API keys is free.
Are prices inclusive of VAT?
The per-SMS prices shown exclude VAT. If you request a VAT (EFD) receipt when buying credits, 18% VAT is added to the purchase.
How do I pay?
Buy credits from your dashboard with mobile money. Credits are added to your account as soon as the payment is confirmed.
Start with 5 free SMS credits
Create a free account, test the platform, then buy credits with mobile money when you are ready.