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Business texts get blocked for what they say and how they're built. Carriers filter restricted topics like high-risk finance and cannabis, link shorteners, and texts with no business name or "Reply STOP" line.
- 1Say who you are at the start.
- 2Avoid restricted wording and public link shorteners.
- 3Add "Reply STOP to opt out" and keep it to one or two segments.
How the score works
Every text starts at 100. Each flagged word or format issue takes off a few points, and the breakdown shows exactly how many. The score is a strong starting point: we recommend avoiding what’s flagged, but it isn’t a delivery promise. Sender setup, your list and your provider’s rules matter too.
Characters and segments
A standard text holds 160 characters. An emoji, curly quote or other character outside the standard set drops the limit to 70. Common accents like é and ñ don’t. Characters like { } [ ] ~ \ | ^ and € count as two. Longer messages split into segments, and each segment is billed separately, so we recommend one segment.
The checker works as an SMS character counter and segment calculator: it counts every character as you type, shows whether the text is standard (GSM-7) or Unicode, and tells you how many segments it will send as. More in our guide to the SMS character limit.
The flagged-word categories
SHAFT, cannabis and high-risk finance
Sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, cannabis, plus debt relief, credit repair, payday loans, cash advances, crypto and gambling.
Scare and claim phrases
"Verify your account", "account suspended", "final notice", "claim your prize".
Hype and pressure
"100% free", "act now", "urgent", "winner", "$$$".
How it's built
No business name, no "Reply STOP", bit.ly-style links, ALL CAPS and "!!!".
How to fix a failing text
Lead with your business name
"Sunrise Realty: …" tells the reader and the carrier who's texting.
Fix the red words
Tap each underlined word. Ordinary spam words come with safer swaps; restricted topics come with what to do instead.
Use your own link
Replace bit.ly and other shorteners with a link on your own domain.
End with "Reply STOP to opt out"
Required for marketing texts, and it keeps complaints down.
A short form your customers recognize keeps texts brief and avoids repeating a flagged word. It doesn’t change what your business does, so provider rules about your type of business still apply.
Why debt, loan, cash and payment wording gets texts blocked
US carriers follow the CTIA Messaging Principles and The Campaign Registry's rules for business texting. Because lending scams lean on the same words honest businesses use, debt relief, credit repair, payday loans, cash advances and crypto are treated as high-risk. Texts using them are often filtered unless the sender is registered for that use.
If you're in lending, debt relief or another restricted category
Register the campaign for what you actually send
Your texting provider registers each campaign with its use case. A campaign registered for your real category is what keeps your number from being filtered.
Text only people who opted in
Consent records matter most in high-risk categories.
Drop the promises filters hate
"Guaranteed approval" and "no credit check" are filtered hard and are often not allowed in lending ads anyway.
Don't disguise the offer
Carrier rules prohibit wording designed to slip past filters, and senders caught doing it can be fined or suspended.
No carrier publishes a full banned-word list. This checker scores word and format risk, the part you control. Registration and sending history matter too.
Age-restricted products: alcohol, tobacco, vape, firearms and gambling
Alcohol can be texted to confirmed adults when your number is registered for it and sign-ups are age-checked with a date of birth. Tobacco, vape and firearms are allowed by some carriers with age checks, but many providers, Twilio included, restrict or don’t carry them, so check yours. Gambling promotions aren’t carried on US business texting; a casino or venue can still text non-gambling updates.
These notices are about the type of business, not the wording, so they show up even when a text scores 95. They never change the score.
Did you know these everyday words are on the lists?
Plenty of normal business words show up on spam-word lists: real estate, quote, offer, deal, trial, sample, bonus, cash, payment, debt. Using one of them once in a text is usually fine. Repeating it, or stacking several in one message, is what tips a filter. The checker underlines each one and tells you when a word appears more than once.
Honest ways around it
Say it once, then vary it
"Real estate" once, then "home", "listing" or "property". Same meaning, less repetition.
Watch your business name
If your company name contains a flagged word, it gets counted in every text you send. Many businesses use a short form or abbreviation of their name in everyday texts like reminders and confirmations.
Keep the offer honest
Rewording helps a legitimate message read less like spam. It isn't a way to hide what you're offering: if your business is in a restricted category, register your texting campaign for it.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my business text messages being blocked?
Usually restricted wording (like debt or loan offers), public link shorteners, or missing basics like your business name and an opt-out line.
How many characters are in a text message?
160 for a standard text. An emoji, curly quote or other character outside the standard set drops the limit to 70. Common accents like é and ñ don’t. Longer texts split into segments of 153 (or 67 with Unicode).
Can I text customers about alcohol, vape or firearms?
Alcohol can be texted to confirmed adults when your number is registered for it and sign-ups are age-checked with a date of birth. Tobacco, vape and firearms are allowed by some carriers with age checks, but many providers, Twilio included, restrict or don’t carry them, so check yours. Gambling promotions aren’t carried on US business texting; a casino or venue can still text non-gambling updates.
Should I use a short version of my business name?
A short form your customers recognize keeps texts brief and avoids repeating a flagged word. It doesn’t change what your business does, so provider rules about your type of business still apply.
Do I need "Reply STOP" in every text?
It's expected in marketing texts and best practice in the first message to any contact. It keeps you compliant and lowers spam reports.
Can I use bit.ly links in text messages?
Avoid them. Carriers often block public shorteners. Use a link on your own domain instead.
Can I text customers about loans or debt relief?
Yes, through a texting campaign registered for that use and only to people who opted in. Carriers treat these topics as high-risk, so registration matters more than wording.
How are SMS segments calculated?
A text with only standard characters fits 160 characters in one segment; longer texts split into segments of 153. If the text has any emoji or special character, the limits drop to 70 and 67. Characters like { } [ ] ~ \ | ^ and € count as two. Paste your text above and the segment calculator shows the count.
Is this text checker private?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
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