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RCS message types and pricing plans

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Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the next step up from SMS messaging. It offers interactive features and rich media that help you connect better with your customers. Unlike SMS, which can cost more than expected due to character limits, RCS gives you predictable pricing and better engagement.

The key to success with RCS is understanding the different message types and how they're priced.

RCS message types

RCS has 3 main message types. Each serves different purposes and has different pricing.

Basic messages

What they include: Text only, up to 160 characters
Best for: Simple, one-way messages

Basic messages work just like SMS but with better delivery and your brand name attached. 

They're perfect for:

  • Simple promotional messages

  • Account notifications

  • Appointment reminders

  • One-time passwords

Why they're useful:

  • You can reuse the same content you already send through SMS. 

  • Automatically fall back to SMS if the customer's phone doesn't support RCS.

  • Show your verified business name.

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Note

Basic messages are priced as single messages.

Single rich messages

What they include: Text, images, buttons, cards, and more
Best for: Eye-catching, interactive one-way messages

Single rich messages let you use all of RCS's visual features. They work well for:

  • Product showcases with photos and carousels

  • Promotional campaigns with rich visuals

  • Event invitations that add to calendars

  • Location-based offers with maps

Why they're useful:

  • Support images, videos, and PDFs.

  • Include interactive buttons and quick actions.

  • Look professional and branded.

  • Get higher engagement than plain text.

Conversational messages

What they include: Everything RCS offers
Best for: Back-and-forth conversations with customers

Conversational messages enable cost-effective, real-time chat between your business and customers. They're ideal for:

  • Personal product recommendations

  • Customer support

  • Sales conversations

  • Order help and tracking

Conversational messages offer the best value using the 24-hour conversational window for ongoing conversations. Once a customer responds, you pay one flat conversation fee and then can send unlimited messages for the next 24 hours free of charge.

What starts a conversation window?

A conversation window opens when:

  • A customer replies to your business message with actual text.

  • A customer initiates a new conversation after 24+ hours of silence.

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Important

Button clicks and link taps don't start the window. Only text replies do.

RCS pricing models

You can choose from 2 pricing models. RCS pricing varies by provider and commercial agreement.

For details on plans and pricing, contact your Customer Success or Account Manager.

Single pricing model

  • Every message gets charged separately as a single message.

  • No conversational window benefits.

  • Single messages have a lower rate than conversational messages.

  • Simpler billing but costs more for interactive conversations.

Conversational pricing model

  • Every message gets charged as single, conversational, or free within the conversational window. 

  • Includes 24-hour free conversation windows.

  • Single messages have a lower rate than conversational messages, but conversational pricing becomes more cost-effective for ongoing customer chats.

  • Requires understanding how windows work.

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Note

Pricing model is subject to your commercial agreement. For details on your plan and pricing, contact your Customer Success or Account Manager.

SMS fallback messages

RCS supports SMS fallback. If a recipient can't receive RCS, the message sends as SMS instead. SMS fees apply to fallback messages.

Pricing model examples

The following scenarios apply when you use the conversational pricing model. If you use the single pricing model, all business messages are charged as single messages. 

Business message to customer with no customer reply 

  1. You send an RCS message → Charged as single 

  2. You send another message → Charged as single.

  3. Customer doesn't respond → All messages charged separately.

Business message to customer with customer reply

  1. You send an RCS message → Charged as single.

  2. You send an RCS message → Charged as conversational.

  3. Customer responds within 24 hours → Opens 24-hour conversation window

  4. You reply within the window → Free (included in conversation fee).

  5. All other messages in the window → Free (included in conversation fee).

Customer message to business

  1. Customer sends a message (after 24+ hours of no reply and no business messages) → Free.

  2. You respond → Charged as conversational (opens 24-hour window).

  3. All messages within the window → Free (included in conversation fee).

Best practices for managing windows

  • Window timing: Starts with the first message from the customer, not your business message.

  • Window restart: The window doesn't restart with every new customer reply.

  • Window closure: Closes automatically after 24 hours after the first customer reply 

  • New window: A new window can be opened with the first customer reply once the current window is closed.

Get more value from your RCS messages

Make basic and single messages work harder

  • Time messages well: Send them when customers are most likely to respond.

  • Create compelling content: Use rich media in single messages to get higher response rates.

Maximize conversational messages

  • Encourage quick responses: Use personal CTAs to get customers talking fast.

  • Keep conversations going: Share relevant info, recommendations, or offers during the free window.

  • Cross-sell and upsell: Use the free messaging period to suggest additional products.

  • Provide complete support: Handle multiple customer needs in one session.

Advanced strategies

  • Target the right customers: Focus on people with RCS-compatible phones who engage often.

  • Personalize your messages: Tailor content based on what customers do and prefer.

  • Make it fun: Use interactive elements like quizzes or challenges to boost engagement.

  • Coordinate across channels: Align RCS campaigns with email, WhatsApp, and other messaging.

Know the rules and limitations

Different rules by location

Multiple country-specific rules apply to RCS pricing. For example:

USA: No conversational messaging available (basic and single only). You pay a fixed price for each message you send.

Reach out to your CSM for details.

Start using RCS messaging

  1. Find use cases that would benefit from rich media or two-way chat.

  2. Choose non-conversational (simpler) or conversational (more features) based on how customers interact with you.

  3. Begin with basic or single messages, then move to conversational as you build engagement.

  4. Track response rates, conversions, and customer satisfaction to refine your approach.

Updated 8 days ago