The acronyms SMS and MMS both refer to text messages (sent or received), with the main difference between the two types of messages being that MMS messaging includes multimedia content (pictures, videos, or other attachments), while SMS messaging is limited to text-only messages. SMS messages so no include any multimedia content – for example, images like JPG, PNG, GIF, etc.

SMS messaging vs. MMS messaging

SMS stands for Short Message Service. SMS is a standard text messaging protocol that allows the exchange of short text messages between mobile devices — it is used by all mobile phones. SMS messages have a limit of 160 characters each.

MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. MMS technology that allows users to send and receive messages that include multimedia content: images, videos, audio files and other attachments.

Through the TextingOnly platform, you are able to send and receive both SMS or MMS messages. The TextingOnly account structure is such that each MMS message sent counts as two message segments against any monthly limits that may be included with your plan.

MMS messages require more resources

MMS messages typically cost more than SMS messages to send and receive because they require the transmission of more data than standard SMS. This is why MMS messages count as two message segments within the TextingOnly platform. Additionally, some carriers impose lower sending limits for MMS messages because of the data resources needed for MMS transmission. It’s also of note that limitations vary between carriers regarding multimedia content – how large files can be, etc.