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Introduction

The Messaging settings page is where you manage your Messages Plus subscription, dedicated phone number, email reply handling, and SMS credits. Messages Plus is an add-on that lets you have two-way conversations with clients by SMS and email — both in the same threaded inbox. SMS uses a dedicated phone number; email works without one. To access these settings, go to Settings → Messaging. Access: Owner only (requires the Manage messaging settings permission)
Messaging settings page with Messages Plus subscription, dedicated phone number, and SMS credit balance

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Messages Plus Subscription

Messages Plus is a monthly add-on subscription that includes:
  • A dedicated local phone number for your business (required for SMS only)
  • A two-way inbox for sending and receiving both SMS and email messages
  • Two-way email messaging — email a client and have their reply land back in the same conversation, with no dedicated number required (available in every country)
  • A monthly SMS credit allowance included in your plan
  • Unlimited email campaigns (fair use) — branded marketing and announcement emails with no per-send cost; see Campaigns (SMS and Email)
  • SMS campaigns to many clients at once, using your credits
  • Automated birthday and new-client offers — birthday greetings and rewards, plus first-visit welcome offers, send automatically (configured under Programmes)
  • Threaded conversations integrated with your client records

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Subscribing

  1. Go to Settings → Messaging
  2. Click Subscribe to Messages Plus
  3. Complete payment through Stripe
  4. Your subscription activates immediately — you will be redirected back to the settings page

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Cancelling

  1. Go to Settings → Messaging
  2. Click Cancel Subscription
  3. Confirm the cancellation in the dialog
Your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period. You can continue to send and receive messages until then. Your dedicated phone number will be released when the subscription ends.
Changed your mind? You can resume your subscription at any time before the billing period ends by clicking Keep Subscription on the settings page.

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Payment Issues

If a payment fails, your subscription enters a payment failed state. While in this state:
  • You cannot send new messages
  • Inbound messages are still received
  • A banner appears with a link to update your payment method in the Stripe billing portal

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Email Messaging

With Messages Plus active, you can send a client an email straight from the Messages inbox — and their reply threads back into the same conversation, right alongside any SMS. Email messaging needs no dedicated phone number and works in every country. To email a client, open a conversation (or start a new message), choose the Email channel, add a subject, and send. The Email option appears whenever the client has an email address on file that hasn’t bounced.

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Forward email replies to your business email

By default, a client’s email reply appears only in your Messages inbox. Turn on Forward email replies to also receive a copy in your own business email, so you can keep an eye on replies from your normal inbox.
  1. Go to Settings → Messaging
  2. Find the Forward email replies card
  3. Toggle Also send replies to my business email on
When this is on, each incoming email reply is forwarded to your business email address. You can reply to that forwarded email directly to respond to the client, or reply from the Bella Messages inbox as usual.
The forwarded copy goes to the business email set in your Business Settings. Make sure that address is correct so replies reach you.

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Dedicated Phone Number

Each location gets its own dedicated local phone number. This is the number your clients see when they receive messages from your business, and the number they reply to.

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Provisioning a Number

  1. Go to Settings → Messaging
  2. Click Provision Number
  3. A local phone number is assigned automatically — this usually takes under a minute
Once provisioned, the number appears on the settings page along with the date it was provisioned.
Verify your business. Messaging regulations require a one-time verification so your dedicated number is registered under your own business’s details. From Settings → Messaging, select Verify your business and follow the steps. What’s required depends on your country — see Verifying your business for the full walkthrough. If you already have a number, it keeps working while you complete verification.

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Releasing a Number

Your dedicated number is automatically released when your Messages Plus subscription ends. You do not need to release it manually.
Once a number is released, you may not get the same number back if you resubscribe. Clients who saved your old number will no longer reach your inbox.

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SMS Credits

Your plan includes a monthly SMS allowance that resets each billing period. When this runs out, messages draw from your additional credits pool — purchased credit packs and Messages Plus renewal credits. Credits apply to SMS only — email campaigns are unlimited within Messages Plus and never consume credits. Credits are managed on the SMS Credits page: go to Settings → Messaging and click Manage SMS Credits (credits are shared across all locations on your account).

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How credits are counted

One credit covers one SMS segment. A segment is about 160 characters for standard text, or roughly 70 characters if your message includes emoji or other special characters (these switch the message to a format carriers charge more for). Longer messages are automatically split into multiple segments and use one credit per segment — so a 350-character text uses 3 credits, and the same text with an emoji uses more. The message composer shows you exactly how many segments and credits a message will use before you send it, so there are no surprises. To keep costs down, keep messages short and avoid emoji where you can.

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How SMS consumption works

  1. Plan allowance — your monthly SMS allocation (resets each billing period)
  2. Additional credits — purchased credit packs + Messages Plus renewal credits (never expire, roll over)
  3. Auto-top-up — if enabled, automatically purchases a credit pack when both pools are empty
If all pools are empty and auto-top-up is disabled, SMS notifications will not be sent until your billing period resets or you purchase a credit pack.

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Purchasing credit packs

  1. Go to Settings → Messaging → Manage SMS Credits
  2. Choose a credit pack size — pricing is shown on each pack
  3. Complete payment through Stripe — credits are added to your account immediately
Credit packs are one-time purchases (not recurring). Credits never expire and carry over month to month.

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Auto-top-up

Auto-top-up ensures your business never runs out of SMS credits. When enabled, Bella Booking automatically charges your saved payment method for your selected credit pack size whenever both your monthly allowance and additional credits are exhausted. To configure auto-top-up:
  1. Go to Settings → Messaging → Manage SMS Credits
  2. Toggle Auto-Top-Up on
  3. Select your preferred credit pack size
Auto-top-up requires a saved payment method. If the charge fails, SMS sending pauses until you manually purchase credits or update your payment method.

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Checking your balance

The SMS Credits page shows your current balance, including:
  • Total credits available
  • Monthly allowance used and when it resets
  • Purchased credits remaining
  • Auto-top-up status and recent credit transactions