CoolFocus subscription packages are built around the features your organization needs, not how many names you store. You get unlimited database names, unlimited users, and unlimited locations. Your monthly package rate stays simple and predictable for the tools you use every day.
Once you select the subscription package that fits your organization, you may see additional charges above that flat package rate. Those usage-based charges only appear when your team uses certain communication features like text messages and voice calls. This article explains each one so your invoice is easy to understand.
Where to select or change your package: Sign in to CoolFocus at next.coolfocus.app with an administrator account. Go to Settings → Plan & Billing, select the package that fits your organization, and save. You can also compare packages on our public pricing page.
Your package subscription covers your CoolFocus software and the features included for that tier (Core, Plus, or Premium).
In addition, your organization may be charged for:
• Text messaging usage — Inbox text messages, appointment reminders, forms and consents sent by text, staff SMS notifications, portal texts when a message is actually sent, website chat delivered as text, and similar activity (see What Counts as a Text Message & What are the Text Usage Fees?)
• Phone / voice call usage — when your plan includes built-in calling and it is used
These are usage fees, not a second software subscription. They scale with how much your organization texts or calls.
For the full list of actions that can add a text messaging usage fee, see What Counts as a Text Message & What are the Text Usage Fees? In short, a charge applies when CoolFocus sends or receives a real text message (SMS or MMS) — not merely because a setting is turned on.
SMS stands for Short Message Service. That is a standard text message made of words, numbers, symbols, and emoji — no photo or video attachment. Carriers bill SMS by segment (about 150–160 characters per segment).
MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. That is a text that includes media such as a photo, video, or GIF. Carriers bill MMS per message, not by character segments the way SMS is billed. MMS usually costs more than a plain SMS.
Examples of what can generate a texting charge include:
• Appointment reminder texts (automatic and manual)
• Texts tied to online-scheduled appointments (for example, booking confirmation texts)
• Sending mobile forms and consents
• CoolFocus SMS notifications to users
• Inbox SMS and MMS texts (incoming and outgoing)
• Website chat widget messages delivered as text (incoming and outgoing)
• Client, donor, or volunteer portal texts for authorization access codes
Text usage is billed per segment for SMS and per message for MMS:
• SMS outgoing — $0.025 per segment
• SMS incoming — $0.025 per segment
• MMS outgoing — $0.07 per message
• MMS incoming — $0.05 per message
Most cell phone carriers consider one text message to be about 150–160 characters (one segment). That is the typical limit for a single SMS charge.
If a message is longer than that, carriers split it into multiple segments. Each segment can count as a separate charge on your texting usage — so one long outgoing message can show up as several SMS segments on your invoice. The same idea applies to longer incoming SMS.
A few practical notes:
• Emojis and some special characters can use more space than plain letters, so a message may hit the segment limit sooner than it looks.
• MMS (photos, videos, GIFs) is billed per message, not by character segments the way plain SMS is.
• Keep appointment reminders and day-to-day texts short when you can. For longer conversations or details that do not belong in a regular text, a phone call or a secured message is usually a better fit. See Sending Text Messages for writing guidance.
Plus and Premium subscriptions also charge a one-time $150 setup fee for texting compliance and number setup when you turn on two-way messaging.
If your package includes built-in voice calling (Premium), phone usage is billed by the minute:
• Outbound calls — $0.042 per minute (same rate for local and toll-free numbers)
• Inbound calls (local number) — $0.026 per minute
• Inbound calls (toll-free number) — $0.066 per minute
Inbound and outbound minutes both count when voice is used.
Administrators can review what is driving text and voice usage under Settings → Phone → Usage. That page can break usage down by channel, direction, purpose, audience, and phone number for the billing period and supports export. See What Counts as a Text Message & What are the Text Usage Fees? for which actions generate charges.
Think of your CoolFocus charges in two layers:
1. Your subscription package — the flat rate for Core, Plus, or Premium based on the features your organization needs (client, donor, and volunteer management and appointment scheduling with unlimited names, users, and locations).
2. Usage — texting and voice when you use those channels, billed at the rates above.
If you have questions about which package fits your team, what appears on a specific invoice, or how to turn a feature on or off, contact CoolFocus Support.
• What Counts as a Text Message & What are the Text Usage Fees?
• Plan & Billing Settings
• Inbox Overview
• Sending Text Messages
