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TL;DR: Buy a number in Settings → Phone Numbers (local ~$1.15/mo at the time of writing). Use LC Phone, GoHighLevel's built-in telephony - not your own Twilio account - unless you have a specific reason. Then the part people miss: you cannot text US numbers until A2P 10DLC registration is approved, which adds ~$10–11/mo plus small one-time fees. All-in, expect a few dollars to a few tens of dollars per month depending on volume.
LC Phone or your own Twilio?
Use LC Phone. It's GoHighLevel's built-in phone system and the default for new accounts: numbers, A2P registration, call routing and usage billing all live inside GoHighLevel, and support can actually troubleshoot it. Bringing your own Twilio account still exists for older and specialised setups, but it means a second vendor, a second bill, your own A2P filings and a support team that can only see half the picture.
| LC Phone (built in) | Your own Twilio | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Minutes, inside GoHighLevel | Separate account, API keys, own configuration |
| Billing | One wallet inside GoHighLevel | Separate Twilio invoice |
| A2P registration | Guided in-app | You file it in Twilio |
| Support | GoHighLevel support handles it | Limited - you're between two vendors |
| Best for | Almost everyone | Existing Twilio infrastructure or unusual routing needs |
Setting up the number, step by step
- Open Settings → Phone Numbers in the sub-account you're setting up (not the agency account - numbers belong to sub-accounts).
- Add Number: choose country and area code, pick local or toll-free. A local number in the area you serve almost always out-performs toll-free for small business - it looks like a neighbour, not a call centre.
- Fund the wallet: numbers and usage are drawn from the account balance. Turn on auto-recharge or messages stop mid-campaign.
- Register A2P 10DLC before you send a single US text - see below. This is the actual blocker.
- Set the default number for the sub-account so workflows, the LeadConnector mobile app and manual replies all send from the right line.
- Configure calls: forwarding to your mobile, voicemail greeting, call recording (check your state's consent rules), and whether missed calls trigger missed-call text-back.
- Test live: text and call the number from a personal phone. Confirm both land in the Conversations inbox and that your automation fires.
The step that blocks everyone: A2P registration
Buying a number does not make it able to text. US carriers require application-to-person traffic to be registered under A2P 10DLC - brand plus campaign - and unregistered messages are blocked or silently filtered. This is the single most common reason a fresh GoHighLevel number "doesn't work," and the number-one cause of rejection is a weak opt-in description in the campaign form.
Budget a few days for approval and read the full walkthrough first: GoHighLevel A2P 10DLC registration, step by step. Toll-free numbers use a separate toll-free verification process with its own queue.
What it actually costs per month
| Item | Approximate cost* | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local phone number | ~$1.15/mo | Per number, per sub-account |
| Toll-free number | Slightly higher | Plus toll-free verification |
| A2P campaign fee | ~$10–11/mo | Plus small one-time brand/campaign fees |
| Outbound SMS | ~$0.013–0.018/segment | Carrier fees included; headline rate is lower |
| Inbound SMS | ~$0.0075/segment | Replies cost money too |
| Voice calls | Per minute, in and out | Check current rates in-app |
*At the time of writing. Telephony pricing changes - verify current rates inside your account.
The cost trap worth knowing: an SMS segment is 160 characters, but drops to 70 the moment you include an emoji or any non-standard character - so a friendly 👍 can double the cost of an entire campaign. Full breakdown in GoHighLevel SMS marketing costs and hidden costs.
Porting an existing business number
You can bring your existing number, but it's a support-ticket process, not a self-service one. You submit a port request with a recent carrier bill and a letter of authorisation whose details must match the losing carrier's records exactly - a mismatched suite number is the classic rejection. Ports typically take one to a few weeks.
Two rules: keep the old service active until the port completes, and remember the ported number still needs A2P registration before it can text.
Common problems and what causes them
| Symptom | Usual cause |
|---|---|
| Texts send but never arrive | A2P registration incomplete or rejected |
| Everything stops mid-campaign | Empty wallet, auto-recharge off |
| Messages come from the wrong number | No default number set for the sub-account |
| Calls ring nowhere | Forwarding not configured, or user has no number assigned |
| Toll-free number blocked | Toll-free verification still pending |
| Platform-wide outage suspected | Check GoHighLevel status before debugging your own setup |
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a phone number?
Settings → Phone Numbers → Add Number inside the sub-account. Pick country, area code, local or toll-free. Then register A2P before texting.
What does a number cost?
Around $1.15/month for a local US number, plus ~$10–11/month in A2P campaign fees, plus per-message and per-minute usage.
Do I need my own Twilio account?
No - LC Phone is built in and is the right choice for almost everyone. Bring-your-own Twilio means two vendors, two bills and thinner support.
Can I port my existing number?
Yes, via a support port request with a recent bill and a letter of authorisation. Allow one to a few weeks and keep the old line active.
Why can't my number send texts?
Almost always A2P registration. After that, check the wallet balance and whether a default number is set for the sub-account.