Marketing agency SMS list calculator
For marketing agencies running SMS and calling campaigns for clients: estimate how much of a client's list has a reachable phone number, and what the dead and landline numbers cost in wasted texts and dials. Every rate is editable; nothing is stored.
Why client phone lists go bad
- Clients hand over lists exported from old CRMs, point-of-sale systems or spreadsheets that were never cleaned.
- Numbers collected years ago pick up disconnected and reassigned numbers over time.
- Many lists mix landlines in with cell phones, and landlines cannot receive texts.
- Landing page form fills include mistyped digits and made-up numbers.
How to get your real numbers
- Pull a random sample of 500 to 1,000 numbers from the client's list.
- Validate it against live carrier data (TrueSearch for Business does this in about 30 seconds per 1,000).
- Enter the dead, landline and VoIP percentages you get back above.
- Repeat per client or list source to show each client what their list is really worth before the send.
See phone validation for marketing agencies, count message segments with the free SMS character counter, check single numbers with the free carrier lookup, or read the phone list cleaning guide.
Start 7-day free trialQuestions
Are the default rates typical for agency client lists?
No. They are editable placeholders, not industry statistics. Bad-number rates depend on where each client collected the numbers and how old the list is. Validate a sample of the client's list and enter what you find.
Can I clean a client's list before an SMS send?
Yes. Upload the client's CSV to TrueSearch for Business and download it back with each number marked valid or dead, with its line type (mobile, landline, VoIP or toll-free) and carrier, so you can drop numbers that cannot receive a text.
Does this check opt-in, Do Not Call or litigator lists?
No. The calculator only estimates reachability, and TrueSearch for Business checks validity, line type and carrier. It does not verify consent or opt-in status and does not scrub against Do Not Call registries or litigator lists. Use your clients' consent records and the official National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) for that.
Why do landlines count against texting?
Landlines cannot receive text messages, so every text sent to one is wasted. For calling, a landline can still reach the person, so only dead numbers count as wasted dials.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. TrueSearch for Business checks validity, line type and carrier from licensed telecom data. It does not check the National Do Not Call Registry, state DNC lists or the FCC Reassigned Numbers Database. Not a consumer reporting agency; not for FCRA purposes.