What is a short code?

A short code is a 5 or 6 digit number, such as 12345, leased from the United States mobile carriers and dedicated to one brand. It is used only for messaging, and shoppers see the digits as the sender of your SMS.

Why brands ask for one

  • If you already lease a short code, it is printed on your site, your receipts and your in store signage, and your shoppers recognise it.
  • Carriers apply the highest level of trust and the highest sending throughput to short codes, which matters for large sends going out in a narrow window.
  • If you are already paying for a short code on another platform, moving to a new number means paying for something you stop using.

The standard setup in the US

Every United States brand on Instant sends from a dedicated toll free number, verified with the carriers before your first send. That is the standard path, it is included in your SMS plan, and verification usually takes a few days.

A short code is an optional addition you can ask for. The lease is paid to the mobile carriers, so it is an extra cost and it takes considerably longer to set up. Toll free is the right answer for most brands.

To start, tell your Customer Success Manager that you want to use a short code. They will confirm your options and the cost before anything is ordered.

Your two options

Option 1: bring across a short code you already own

This is the path most brands want. Your existing lease is moved to Instant’s messaging provider, then each carrier moves its connection across.

  • If your short code is already hosted on the same messaging platform Instant sends through, which is the case for short codes running on Klaviyo, the move can be completed in as little as two business days.
  • If it is hosted somewhere else, the carrier connectivity migration takes 6 to 10 weeks.
  • Expect up to an hour where messages cannot be sent on the day of the cut over.
  • You will need to export your subscribed and unsubscribed lists from your current platform, so consent carries across cleanly and nobody is texted who has opted out.
  • Sending from your short code on two platforms at the same time is a compliance risk, so plan the cut over as a single switch rather than an overlap.

Option 2: apply for a new short code

Available in two forms. A random short code is whatever digits the carriers assign. A vanity short code is a specific set of digits you choose, if it is available.

  • Instant submits the application, which is reviewed in 1 to 2 weeks.
  • The carriers then review the application and your website, ask questions, connect the code for testing and approve it. This takes 6 to 10 weeks on average and can run longer.
  • Billing for the lease starts when the carriers begin their review, so you pay for the code for several weeks before you can send from it.
  • Because of that timeline, we set you up on toll free first so you can send from day one, then move you to the short code when it is approved.

What it costs

Short code pricing is set by the United States mobile carriers, not by Instant. We pass the cost through to you directly at what the carriers charge us, and it is quoted on top of your SMS plan.

Indicative monthly lease costs, so you know the order of magnitude before you decide:

Option Indicative monthly lease
Toll free number (the standard setup) Included in your SMS plan
Short code you already own, moved to Instant From about US$500
New random short code From about US$1,000
New vanity short code From about US$1,500
  • A one off setup fee applies to a new short code, on top of the monthly lease.
  • Carriers bill short code leases quarterly.
  • Your per message price does not change. Toll free and short code cost the same per SMS, so the whole difference is the lease.

Your CSM will confirm the exact figures in writing before anything is ordered. Do not treat the ranges above as a quote.

Before you start

  • A short code is dedicated to one brand. United States carriers banned shared short codes in 2021, so the code and its cost belong to your business alone.
  • Your keywords have to be recreated. Any keywords you run today on your existing custom number, such as STOP, HELP or a join keyword, have to be set up again on Instant’s side and have to match what is submitted in the application.
  • Your consent list does not move by itself. Subscribers stay attached to the code, but your subscribed and unsubscribed lists need to be exported and imported around the cut over.
  • A short code does not show your brand name. United States numbers and short codes cannot display an alphanumeric sender, so your shoppers see digits either way. Your business name appears in the message itself.
  • Restricted categories still apply. The business categories the carriers do not allow on toll free apply to short codes too.
  • Instant SMS is text only. Short codes can be enabled for picture messaging at extra cost, but Instant does not send images, so there is nothing to gain from paying for it.

What to prepare

Bring these to your CSM and the application can be submitted without going back and forth.

Decisions

  • Whether you are moving a short code you already own, or applying for a new one.
  • For a new code, whether you want a random or a vanity code, and your preferred digits if vanity.
  • Your target go live date, and whether you are happy to start on toll free in the meantime.
  • Who is paying and who holds the lease, so billing is agreed before the code is ordered.

Documents and details

  • Your legal entity name, business address and website.
  • Your business registration number.
  • The name, email and job title of an authorised representative.
  • For a code you already own, your current lease or registration details and the name of the provider hosting it.
  • A release or letter of authorisation from your current provider, so the lease can be moved.
  • Proof of how shoppers opt in, which is a screenshot or the URL of the sign up form where they agree to receive SMS from you.
  • Your opt in and opt out keywords, and the reply message each one sends today.
  • Two to five sample messages of what you will send.
  • Your privacy policy URL and your terms and conditions URL.
  • Exports of your subscribed and unsubscribed lists, ready for the cut over.

FAQ

Do I need a short code to send SMS with Instant? No. Toll free is the standard setup and needs no extra cost or lease. A short code is only worth it if you already own one, or if your sending volume needs the throughput.

Will my shoppers see my brand name as the sender? No. United States numbers and short codes show digits only. Sending under a brand name is possible in Australia, not in the United States.

Does a short code make my SMS cheaper per message? No. The per message price is the same as toll free. The lease is the only difference in cost.

Can I keep sending while my short code is being set up? Yes. You send from your toll free number throughout, and the short code takes over once it is live.

How long does it really take? Moving a short code that is already on the same platform Instant uses can be as quick as two business days. Anything else involves a carrier migration or a carrier review, which runs 6 to 10 weeks.

What happens to my short code if I leave Instant? The lease can be moved to another provider the same way it was moved to us. Your CSM will confirm who holds the lease when it is set up, because that determines what the exit looks like.

Can two of my brands share one short code? No. Shared short codes are not allowed in the United States. Each brand needs its own code and pays for its own lease.