Key takeaways
- Billing per delivered message typically means that only messages with a delivery receipt from the operator count.
- The definition of “delivered” decides what you pay for. Ask about unknown status and about differences between operators.
- Check every fixed item: setup, system, minimum, subscription and support.
- Work out the total price for a typical month, and compare per delivered message.
What does pay per delivered mean?
There are three common ways to bill. The difference is who carries the risk for the messages that do not arrive. The models can also be mixed, for example a subscription with a price per delivered message beyond the included quota, so read the price list all the way through.
| Billing model | You pay for | Risk for messages that do not arrive |
|---|---|---|
| Per submitted message | Every message the provider receives from you | Sits with you |
| Per delivered message | Messages the operator reports as delivered | Sits mostly with the provider |
| Subscription with an included quota | A fixed amount per month | Depends on whether the quota counts sent or delivered messages |
What counts as delivered?
“Delivered” typically means that the operator’s delivery receipt reports that the message reached the handset. It comes in several statuses, and not every destination gives equally detailed receipts. Some operators report “delivered” when the message is accepted in their own network, and others do not report a final status at all. Our article on delivery receipts goes through it.
So ask how the agreement defines it:
- Which of the operator’s statuses count as delivered?
- How are messages billed where the status stays unknown?
- Within what time must the message be delivered to count?
- How are long messages made up of several segments billed?
- Can you see per message what you were billed for, and reconcile it against your own logs?
What about fixed fees and subscriptions?
A price per delivered message only says something about the message itself. Ask about everything else if you are looking for a platform without fixed monthly fees. Check these items:
- Setup fee
- Platform or system fee
- Monthly subscription or minimum spend
- A paid support plan or a fee for extra support
- Sender registration, numbers and extra services such as sender protection
- Payment method: prepaid balance or invoice, and in which currency
Does billing per delivered mean every message arrives?
No. You pay only for what is reported delivered, but a message that does not arrive still has a cost for you: a one-time code that never came, a reminder that was not seen, a customer who called. The billing model moves the invoice, not the delivery.
So you still need to measure delivery per country and operator, and have a plan for what happens when a message fails. Also check whether the price per delivered message is higher than the price per sent message, since a provider may price the risk in. Compare the two models per delivered message.
How to check the billing
Reconcile the invoice or balance against your own data during the pilot and again after go-live.
- Keep the message ID and status from webhooks or delivery reports
- Count delivered messages per country and channel, and multiply by the agreed price
- Compare with the provider’s billing, and look for differences in unknown status and segments
- Agree in advance how disagreements are handled
How ZafeConnect fits
ZafeConnect bills per delivered message: you pay for delivered messages, with no setup, system or operating fees and no subscription. There are two exceptions: SenderID Protection has a separate monthly fee, and phone numbers and voice have their own pricing.
List prices per message and country are in DKK and EUR, excluding VAT. Ask us how “delivered” is defined in your agreement and how messages with unknown status are billed. ZafeConnect reports a message delivery rate of over 98%, a reported rate and not a guarantee.