Overview
Email Distribution Limits
Default Limit: 500 emails per 7-day period
This limit applies to all email types sent from your Qualtrics account, including:
- Initial survey invitations
- Reminder emails
- Thank you emails
- Any other distribution emails
Need to send more emails? Submit a limit increase request form as soon as possible. This form can be used to:
- Request your initial limit increase as a new user
- Adjust your existing email limit
SMS Distribution Limits
Default Quota: 0 credits (SMS must be requested)
Planning Timeline: Submit requests at least 10 business days in advance of when you need to send SMS messages.
SMS Credit Calculation:
- 1 SMS message = 0.7 credits
- 700 credits = 1,000 messages
To request SMS credits: Complete the SMS consent form. This form can be used to:
- Request SMS capability as a new user
- Adjust your existing SMS quota
Compliance Requirement: For each survey using SMS distributions, you must provide all recipients with the ability to
opt in and
opt out of receiving messages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Email Distribution Questions
Who needs the limit increase - the survey owner or the person sending the emails?
The increase must be applied to the account of the user who will actually be sending or scheduling the emails. For example, if you own a survey but a collaborator will be distributing it, the increase must be applied to the collaborator's account.
Can I track how close I am to my weekly limit?
Yes, please follow these steps to track your limit:
1. Login to your Qualtrics account and go to your Account Settings;
2. Once in Account Settings choose to "Switch to older version"
3. Navigate to the Account Usage tab
4. On this page you will see your total allowed weekly emails as well as how many you have already used:
What should I consider when calculating my limit request?
Account for all email types you plan to send within any 7-day period:
- Initial distribution emails
- Reminder emails
- Thank you emails
- Any follow-up messages
SMS Distribution Questions
For comprehensive SMS information, see the Qualtrics SMS Distribution Guide.
Do multiple survey owners each need their own SMS quota?
Yes. If you have two surveys for the same study with different owners, each owner needs their own SMS quota covering their estimated message volume. Each owner should also submit separate consent forms to ensure compliance with SMS guidelines.
How do quotas work if I own multiple surveys?
If you're the owner of surveys across multiple research studies, your SMS quota should cover the total estimated messages for all surveys you own. You can list one or all studies in your consent form—you don't need to submit separate forms for each project.
Important: While you may submit one consent form covering multiple projects, you must obtain proof of consent from each participant for each individual study. Participant consent from one study does not carry over to future studies, as participants may change their preferences or contact information.
What does it mean for a quota to be "used" by the owner?
When an SMS message is sent from a survey, 0.7 credits are deducted from the survey owner's quota, regardless of who schedules the message. Collaborators must have their own quota to schedule messages, but their quota is not reduced when sending messages for someone else's survey—only the owner's quota is affected.
Can I see who scheduled an SMS distribution?
SMS quotas are updated hourly, so you can track credit usage. However, Qualtrics does not automatically show which collaborator scheduled a distribution. You can use the distribution name field to track this manually (for example, "Week 1 Distribution - Scheduled by Jane").
What if I need to adjust my quota after my initial request?
You can request quota adjustments by either:
- Submitting a help ticket to Technology Help Desk
- Completing the SMS consent form again with your new requirements
What happens when I reach my SMS quota?
Once you exhaust your SMS quota, you cannot send SMS messages for any survey until you request additional credits. This applies even if you're scheduling messages for someone else's survey—if your personal quota is depleted, you'll need to request more credits even if the survey owner has credits remaining.
Planning Note: Be aware that a collaborator may have more SMS credits than the survey owner. If a collaborator schedules more messages than the owner's available quota, this can cause distribution issues. Plan ahead and coordinate quota management among all team members.