How SMS Credits Work
SMS credits are the prepaid balance Inkfree uses whenever it sends a text message on your behalf. One credit sends one SMS. You buy credits once, they never expire, and you only spend them on texts that actually go out. Email delivery is not affected and stays free of credits.
What Uses an SMS Credit?
Every text Inkfree sends for you costs one credit:
- Signing links by SMS. When you deliver a sign request to a recipient's phone instead of (or as well as) their inbox. Available on the Business plan.
- Reminders and notifications by SMS. Each reminder or status text sent to a recipient's phone.
- SMS one-time passcodes. When a signer verifies their identity with a code sent by text before the document opens. Available on Standard and above.
Before a request goes out, Inkfree works out how many credits it needs, so you know the cost in credits before you click Send.
How Do I Buy SMS Credits?
Credits are bought as a one-off purchase, not a subscription:
- In the Inkfree web app, open Settings → Plan details.
- Scroll to SMS Credits, where your current balance is shown.
- Click Buy SMS Credits.
- Pick a pack, or type your own amount. The minimum purchase is 100 credits.
- Complete the payment. The credits are added to your balance immediately.
How Much Do SMS Credits Cost?
Larger packs lower the price of each text. The four standard packs are:
| Pack | Price | Price per SMS |
|---|---|---|
| 250 credits | $40.00 | $0.16 |
| 1,000 credits (Popular) | $140.00 | $0.14 |
| 2,500 credits | $325.00 | $0.13 |
| 10,000 credits (Best value) | $1,200.00 | $0.12 |
A custom amount is charged at the rate of the tier it falls into: $0.16 per credit from 100 to 999, $0.14 from 1,000 to 2,499, $0.13 from 2,500 to 9,999, and $0.12 from 10,000 up.
Do SMS Credits Expire?
No. SMS credits never expire. They also sit outside your subscription, so upgrading or downgrading, renewing, or canceling your plan leaves your balance exactly where it was.
What Happens If a Text Fails to Send?
The credit comes back to you. If a text message cannot be delivered by the carrier gateway, Inkfree refunds that credit to your balance automatically. You never pay for a text that did not go out.
Where Can I See My Balance and History?
Your current balance is shown in the SMS Credits section of Settings → Plan details. The activity feed lists both sides of your history: every credit purchase and every text sent, so you can match spending to the requests that used it.
What Happens When I Run Out of Credits?
A request that needs SMS cannot be sent until you have enough credits for it. Inkfree blocks the send rather than dropping the text messages silently. Top up from Settings → Plan details → SMS Credits → Buy SMS Credits and send again. Requests delivered only by email are never blocked by your SMS balance.
For how plans and seats are billed separately from credits, see understanding Inkfree's pricing plans.
Questions, answered.Everything you need to know about How SMS Credits Work
No. Credits stay in your balance until you use them, and upgrading, downgrading, renewing or canceling your plan does not remove them.
No. If a text message fails to send, the credit it used is returned to your balance automatically.
No. Each purchase is a one-off payment. Nothing renews, and you only buy more when you choose to.
Sending signing links by SMS is part of the Business plan, and SMS one-time passcodes are available on Standard and above. Both draw on the same SMS credit balance.