{"id":5503,"date":"2025-09-02T11:10:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T11:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=5503"},"modified":"2025-09-02T11:11:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T11:11:23","slug":"sms-short-code-or-long-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/sms-short-code-or-long-code\/","title":{"rendered":"SMS short code or long code: Which one to choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SMS short code or long code: Which one to choose?<\/h1>

If you\u2019re planning to let customers reply to your SMS messages, the type of number you choose makes a big difference. In the UK, your two main options are short codes and long codes. They both work, but they offer very different experiences for you and your customers.<\/p>

Short codes are fast & recognisable, but for specific use<\/h2>

A short code is a 5-digit number that comes with a keyword. It’s designed for large-scale messaging and are instantly recognisable as business numbers.<\/p>

Short codes are great if you need keyword-driven responses. We have a shared shortcode (88440), where you choose a unique keyword on this for your business. For example, you often see recruitment campaigns with posters or billboards saying things like ‘Text APPLY to 88440\u2019.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0<\/h2>

What are SMS short codes used for?<\/h2>

Short codes are often useful for competitions or voting, allowing the public to easily text in for thousands of replies in a short time.<\/p>

Another common use case is data capture at scale, such as surveys with one-word answers that trigger an auto-response upon texting in.<\/p>

Can my short code be unique?<\/h2>

While it\u2019s possible to get a unique short code for a brand, this isn\u2019t something businesses tend to opt for, as it can cost a lot. Last time we checked, dedicated shorts cost about \u00a3800 to set up and about \u00a3850 per month to retain. There is also a minimum 12 month term.<\/p><\/div>

Best practice for keywords on short codes<\/h2>

General rule of thumb: Keep it snappy.\u00a0Choose a keyword between 3 and 7 characters. The longer the keyword is, the more likely people are to make typos.<\/p>

Choose an actual word rather than an abbreviation or slang word. If you use anything but a real word, the person’s mobile will attempt to correct it with predictive text.<\/p>

Avoid using numbers in the keyword. The sender has to switch keyboard, which also makes mistakes more likely. <\/span>Make the keyword relevant to the campaign. Choose a keyword that matches the context. For example, If your advertising is about a gym membership, choose GYM or FIT.<\/span><\/p>

How much does a keyword cost?<\/h2>

SMS keywords cost \u00a314.00 + VAT a month, with no setup fee. 3-month minimum term (\u00a342 + VAT).
<\/span><\/p>

Outbound auto-response texts are charged in line with our standard SMS rates (4.15 pence per automated response). There’s a minimum order of \u00a310 + VAT, which buys you 317 text credits.<\/span><\/p>

Our SMS short codes page<\/a> <\/strong>goes into a little more detail about how it works, and how to set one up.\u00a0<\/p>

How does it differ from a long code?<\/h2>

The catch is short codes aren\u2019t built for natural, back-and-forth conversations. They work best for simple, structured replies. If someone sends a long, free-text message back, you\u2019ll still get it if it\u2019s preceded with the keyword – but it\u2019s not how they\u2019re meant to be used.<\/p>

Long codes (also known as virtual mobile numbers) are conversational and personal<\/h2>

A long code (also called a Virtual Mobile Number<\/a><\/strong>) is like a regular 11-digit phone number, and businesses can purchase these to have their own one. Using one of these means businesses can receive incoming SMS.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Long codes are ideal for customer service chats with back-and-forth problem solving. The key here for any business is to ensure a proper introduction if texting the customer first.<\/p>

It may also be useful as a call to action for appointment changes, including rescheduling or clarifying details.<\/p>

And finally, order queries, where customers can ask the notorious \u2018where\u2019s my delivery?’ question without feeling like they\u2019re texting a robot.<\/p>

The trade-off is that long codes send and receive messages aren\u2019t as memorable if you\u2019re advertising the number publicly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0<\/h2>

How much does a long code (or Virtual Reply Number) cost?<\/h2>

Reply Numbers cost \u00a313.50 + VAT a month, with no setup fee, minimum term or contract. Incoming texts are not charged. Outbound texts are charged in line with our standard SMS rates.<\/p>

Users are charged one text at their normal rate to send messages to your dedicated reply number (this is included in their free monthly SMS bundle, if they have one.)<\/p>

Which should you choose for replies?<\/h2>

It comes down to how you expect customers to respond:<\/strong>
Quick, simple responses at scale? Go for a short code.
Open-ended, personal conversations? Go for a long code.<\/p>

Some businesses use both:<\/strong>
A short code for marketing campaigns where replies are structured (e.g. ‘Text WIN’).<\/p>

A long code for back-up, as some people are wary of non-premium shortcodes charging the customer, depending on what their contract says.<\/p>

The long and the short of it is..<\/h2>

We support both options, so you can pick the one that fits or run them side-by-side.<\/p>

If you\u2019re inviting customers to reply, think about the type of conversation you want. Short codes are perfect for quick-fire, high-volume interactions. Long codes make it feel like a genuine chat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Short code or long code – perhaps both? We look at the use cases they’re most useful for. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5504,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}