BiteBot Billing Guide

Created by Shanta Adhikari, Modified on Wed, 29 Apr at 2:27 PM by Shanta Adhikari

1. How BiteBot Billing Works

BiteBot uses a two-part billing model:

Subscription Fee — A flat monthly or annual fee for access to the BiteBot platform (your plan).
Usage-Based Charges — Variable costs tied to actual activity: SMS messages sent/received, phone calls made/received, and phone number rental.

These are separate line items. Your subscription does not include unlimited SMS or phone usage. Think of it like a SaaS platform fee plus a phone/texting bill — both are necessary to run your communications through BiteBot.

2. What Can Generate Usage Charges?

SMS (Text Messaging)

Every text message sent or received through BiteBot contributes to your SMS usage. This includes:

Outbound SMS — Messages your team sends manually to leads or patients.
Inbound SMS — Replies coming back to your BiteBot number from contacts.
Automated Messages — Missed-call texts, follow-up sequences, appointment reminders, confirmations, reactivation campaigns, and any other automation that sends a text.
Multi-Part Messages (Segments) — A standard SMS holds up to 160 characters. If a message is longer, or uses emojis/special characters, it is split into multiple segments. Each segment is billed individually.
MMS / Media Messages — Images, GIFs, and file attachments sent via text are billed at a higher rate than standard SMS.

Phone Calls

Voice calls routed through your BiteBot number are billed per minute:

Outbound calls made from your BiteBot number to contacts.
Inbound calls received on your BiteBot number.

Phone Number Rental

Your dedicated BiteBot phone number carries a small monthly rental fee. This is separate from call or SMS usage.

Carrier Pass-Through Fees

Mobile carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) charge fees to route messages and calls depending on the destination, routing, and message type. These fees are passed through and included in your usage totals — they are not added by BiteBot.

3. Usage Rate Reference

The rates below are approximate and reflect standard Twilio-based carrier pricing. Your exact totals depend on volume and message type.

Charge Type	Rate	Notes
Outbound SMS (per segment)	~$0.0079 / segment	160 chars per segment; longer messages = more segments
Inbound SMS (per segment)	~$0.0079 / segment	Each reply from a contact is billed
MMS / Media Messages	~$0.02 / message	Images, GIFs, attachments — higher rate than SMS
Outbound Phone Calls (per min)	~$0.021 / min	Calls made from your BiteBot number
Inbound Phone Calls (per min)	~$0.0085 / min	Calls received to your BiteBot number
Phone Number (per month)	~$1.15 / number/mo	Dedicated BiteBot local number rental
Carrier Pass-Through Fees	Varies	Applied by mobile carriers; included in usage totals

Note: Rates are subject to change based on carrier pricing updates. Check your BiteBot account dashboard for real-time usage data.

4. Why You May See Multiple SMS Charges in One Month

It is common to see SMS usage billed more than once in a single billing cycle. This happens because charges are based on usage reconciliation periods — not a single end-of-month calculation.

For example, you may see:

A mid-cycle charge when your usage balance is reconciled.

An end-of-cycle charge when the remaining usage is finalized.
A catch-up charge if usage from a prior period finalizes slightly late.

This does NOT mean you were billed twice for the same messages. Each charge represents a distinct usage window being processed. The total across all charges reflects your actual usage.

If you believe you were charged incorrectly, please contact our support team with the specific dates and amounts. We can pull your usage logs and reconcile every charge.

5. Why Your Usage Amount Changes Month to Month

Your SMS and phone usage totals will vary each billing period based on activity. Common reasons for higher-than-expected charges include:

More leads or new patients — Every new contact who texts or calls generates usage.
Automations firing frequently — Missed-call texts, reminder sequences, and follow-up campaigns all send messages automatically. A busy week means more messages.
Long messages or emojis — Messages over 160 characters, or those containing emojis, are split into multiple segments and billed accordingly.
Media messages (MMS) — Sending images or files via text costs more than a standard SMS.
High reply volume — Inbound messages from contacts are also billed.

To monitor your usage in real time, visit your BiteBot dashboard and navigate to Settings > Billing & Usage.

6. Billing Frequently Asked Questions

Is SMS included in my subscription?

No. Your subscription covers access to the BiteBot platform. SMS, phone calls, and phone number rental are billed separately based on usage.

Can I set a usage limit or cap?

BiteBot does not currently support hard usage caps, but you can monitor usage in your dashboard and adjust or pause automations that generate high message volume.

Why did I get charged before my billing date?

Usage charges are reconciled in windows throughout the month — not just at the end. You may see a charge mid-cycle when a reconciliation period closes.

What counts as a 'segment'?

One segment = up to 160 standard characters. Messages with emojis or special characters use fewer characters per segment (typically ~70). A 320-character message = 2 segments = 2x the SMS rate.

Are inbound messages really charged?

Yes. When a contact replies to your BiteBot number, that inbound message is billed at the same per-segment rate as outbound messages. This is standard for carrier-routed SMS.

I barely sent any messages — why is my usage high?

Automations are the most common culprit. Missed-call texts, appointment reminders, follow-up sequences, and reactivation campaigns all send messages automatically, often without you realizing the volume. Review your active automations in BiteBot to understand what is firing.