Carrier Fee Pricing Update Effective October 2026

TL;DR

Carrier fees for outbound SMS and RCS Rich messages via Verizon and 'Other' category carriers will increase. This change is effective October 1, 2026, giving agencies ample time to prepare.

Who this affects

HighLevel has not confirmed who is affected by this update. Agencies sending outbound SMS and RCS Rich messages to US numbers, particularly through Verizon and 'Other' category carriers, should review their messaging costs.

What changed

The following carrier fee adjustments apply to messages sent to US numbers, effective October 1, 2026:

• Outbound SMS (Long Code, Short Code, Toll-Free, Authy & Verify) via the Verizon network will increase from $0.0045 to $0.0050 per message.
• Outbound RCS Rich via the Verizon network will increase from $0.0045 to $0.0050 per message.
• Outbound SMS (Long Code, Short Code Group B, Toll-Free, Authy & Verify) via 'Other' Category Carrier networks will increase from $0.0040 to $0.0042 per message.
• Short Code Group A SMS via 'Other' Category Carrier networks remains unchanged at $0.0025 per message.

HighLevel has not confirmed any limits, plan gating, or rollout status beyond the effective date.

Where to find it

HighLevel has not published the specific location in the product where these changes would be reflected. Messaging costs are typically viewable in your HighLevel account's agency settings or within sub-account usage reports, usually under a 'Billing' or 'Twilio' section. We anticipate these updated rates will be reflected in usage reports and billing statements after October 1, 2026.

How agencies will use this

Agencies will need to factor these increased costs into their pricing models for clients using messaging services. For example, an agency managing lead nurturing campaigns for a client might use a workflow that sends 10,000 outbound SMS messages per month via Verizon. Currently, this costs the agency $45 ($0.0045 x 10,000). After October 1, 2026, the cost for the same volume of messages will be $50 ($0.0050 x 10,000). Agencies should review their client service agreements and adjust pricing to cover the increased per-message cost, especially for high-volume messaging users. This may involve updating custom package pricing or communicating changes to clients well in advance of the effective date.

Our take

This is a major change due to its direct impact on agency margins for messaging services. While the per-message increase seems small, it can accumulate significantly for agencies handling high volumes of outbound SMS and RCS messages. The effective date is October 1, 2026, providing a long lead time for agencies to adjust their pricing strategies and communicate with clients. Agencies should use this time to audit their messaging usage, understand their exposure to these price increases, and plan accordingly.