A short code is a special type of phone number, typically consisting of five to six digits, that’s used primarily for SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) messages. Unlike traditional phone numbers, short codes are designed for mass messaging and are often used by businesses for marketing campaigns, alerts, and other communication needs.

Short codes work in conjunction with mobile carriers. When a message is sent to a short code, it is routed through a mobile carrier to the intended recipient. Similarly, when someone sends a message to a short code, it is directed to a specific application or service. Short codes are especially useful for businesses because they can handle a high volume of messages at once.

Short codes are beneficial for businesses as they are easier to remember due to their fewer characters, and they can be customized for vanity metrics to make a brand’s SMS marketing campaign more memorable. 

Leasing a short code is generally expensive compared to a 10DLC or Toll-Free texting number.. The price for a non-vanity short code is around $500 per month, while a vanity short code costs around $1,000 per month. There are additional costs for Mission Mobile manage the short code process and support the campaigns associated with it. 

The time it takes to set up a short code can vary based on several factors, including whether you’re leasing a vanity or regular short code, the specifics of your application, the use case, and any reviews by the carriers that may be necessary. On average, it takes between 8-12 weeks to set up a new dedicated short code.

Short codes are obtained through a process known as leasing. Mission Mobile helps take care of the paperwork for this process and we also provide the platform and or API’ depending on your application.