GoHighLevel integrates with Twilio to enable UK phone numbers, SMS sending, outbound calls and WhatsApp Business messaging from within the GoHighLevel platform. To set up the integration, you connect a Twilio account to GoHighLevel in Agency Settings - Phone Integration, add a UK 01/02/07/0800 number via Twilio, and configure calling and SMS settings. UK SMS via Twilio costs approximately 4.5p per message outbound and 1.5p inbound. GoHighLevel's native LeadConnector phone system uses the same Twilio infrastructure but with less granular control. Most UK agencies with high SMS volumes or custom number requirements use the direct Twilio integration.
GoHighLevel has its own built-in phone system called LeadConnector. LeadConnector handles SMS and calls using GoHighLevel's managed Twilio infrastructure without requiring a separate Twilio account. For most US-based GoHighLevel users, LeadConnector is the default and the simplest setup.
For UK agencies and businesses, direct Twilio integration offers several advantages over LeadConnector:
GoHighLevel was founded in 2018 and reached 10,000 agency customers by 2022, growing to over 60,000 by 2025. The platform processes over 1 billion automation actions per month globally. UK GoHighLevel adoption grew 340% between 2022 and 2025, driven by agency adoption of white-label reselling. The Agency Unlimited plan at £220/month supports unlimited sub-accounts; agencies with 10+ clients achieve platform margins of 500-900% on the subscription cost. UK businesses using GoHighLevel report average lead response time reduced from 4 hours to under 5 minutes after deploying the automated follow-up feature. SMS open rates on GoHighLevel campaigns in the UK average 94%, compared to 22% for email. GoHighLevel's appointment booking feature eliminates an average of 3.2 hours per week of manual scheduling for UK service businesses. The average UK GoHighLevel sub-account setup takes 4-6 hours using a pre-built snapshot. GoHighLevel handles GDPR opt-out management automatically when configured, processing unsubscribe requests within 10 seconds of receipt.
Create a Twilio account at twilio.com. Verify your email and phone number. For a UK business account, complete the Twilio business verification with company name, registered address and Companies House number. UK businesses are typically verified within 24 hours.
UK SMS regulations require businesses to register with Twilio's compliance system before sending commercial SMS. In the Twilio Console, navigate to Phone Numbers - Regulatory Compliance - Bundles. Create a UK regulatory bundle with your business registration details. Twilio will review and approve within 2-3 business days. Without this approval, UK SMS will have delivery rate restrictions.
In Twilio Console - Phone Numbers - Buy a Number, search for UK numbers. Select a number type: geographic (01/02 prefix for location-specific businesses), mobile (07 for more natural SMS sending) or 0800 freephone (for customer service lines). UK numbers cost £1-£2 per month each. Purchase the number and note the phone number and SID.
In GoHighLevel, navigate to the relevant sub-account - Settings - Phone Numbers. Import your Twilio numbers here. Each sub-account (client) can have their own dedicated UK number for calls and SMS. Assign numbers to sub-accounts based on which client needs UK communication capabilities.
Set up call forwarding rules: when a lead calls the sub-account's GoHighLevel number, where does the call go? Options: ring a specific user's phone, ring multiple phones simultaneously (blast ring), send to voicemail, or trigger an AI voice agent. Configure voicemail drop settings for outbound campaigns.
| Message type | Twilio cost (approx) | LeadConnector credits (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| UK SMS outbound | 4.5p per message | 6-7p equivalent (via GHL credits) |
| UK SMS inbound | 1.5p per message | 2-3p equivalent |
| UK inbound call (per minute) | 1.0p per minute | 1.5-2p equivalent |
| UK outbound call (per minute) | 2.0p per minute | 2.5-3p equivalent |
| WhatsApp template message | 3-6p per conversation (24-hour window) | Not available via LeadConnector |
For a UK agency sending 10,000 SMS messages per month to clients: direct Twilio costs approximately £450. Via LeadConnector credits, the same volume costs approximately £650. Direct Twilio saves approximately £200 per month at this volume - nearly covering the cost of a GoHighLevel Agency plan.
At higher volumes (100,000+ messages per month), negotiating a Twilio committed-use contract reduces the per-message rate by 20-40% further.
Setting up WhatsApp Business API through Twilio for use in GoHighLevel requires additional steps beyond basic Twilio integration:
Total setup time for Twilio WhatsApp Business API connected to GoHighLevel: typically 1-2 weeks including Meta verification and template approval. Softomate Solutions handles this setup as part of GoHighLevel implementations for UK agencies.
If SMS messages are not delivering to 07 numbers, the most common causes are: regulatory bundle not approved by Twilio, sender ID not pre-registered for UK delivery (UK mobile operators filter unregistered sender IDs), or the number type purchased is not approved for A2P SMS. Solution: ensure your UK Regulatory Bundle is approved and consider using a UK Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) for sender ID.
UK numbers purchased as "voice capable" via Twilio must be configured with voice webhooks in the Twilio console pointing to GoHighLevel's webhook URL. If the GoHighLevel-side phone number settings do not have the Twilio number properly mapped, inbound calls go to Twilio's default (unanswered). Check: Agency Settings - Twilio - Incoming Number - WebhookURL field is populated.
Meta rejects WhatsApp templates that contain: promotional language ("Buy now", "Limited offer"), personalised pricing claims, or variables that could be used for spam. UK templates for appointment confirmations, service reminders and delivery notifications have high approval rates. Marketing-focused templates require careful wording review before submission.
UK mobile carriers (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three) actively filter bulk SMS that appears spammy. Signs of filtering: messages not delivered despite Twilio showing "sent", delivery receipts showing "failed" after initially "delivered". Solutions: reduce sending speed (max 1 message per second per UK number), avoid spam trigger words in message body, use registered sender IDs.
The choice between Twilio direct integration and LeadConnector in GoHighLevel for UK agencies depends on several factors:
Yes. Twilio provides UK geographic numbers (01/02 prefix), UK mobile numbers (07 prefix), UK 0800 freephone and UK 0330 numbers. All of these can be connected to GoHighLevel via the Twilio integration in Agency Settings. UK numbers via Twilio cost £1-£2 per month plus usage charges.
Connect a Twilio account with a UK Regulatory Bundle approved, purchase a UK number and link it to your GoHighLevel sub-account. SMS sending from GoHighLevel workflows, conversations and campaigns will then route through Twilio using your UK number. UK outbound SMS costs approximately 4.5p per message via Twilio direct integration.
Yes, via Twilio's WhatsApp Business API. You need a Meta Business Manager account verified for your UK business, a WhatsApp Business Profile, Twilio WhatsApp API approval and pre-approved message templates. Once configured, WhatsApp conversations appear in GoHighLevel's conversation view alongside calls, SMS and email. Setup typically takes 1-2 weeks.
UK SMS regulations (enforced by Ofcom and the mobile operators) require business SMS senders to register a UK Regulatory Bundle with Twilio. This includes your business name, registered address and Companies House number. Without registration, UK SMS may be filtered by mobile carriers. The registration process through Twilio takes 2-3 business days and is free.
Twilio charges approximately 4.5p per outbound SMS to UK numbers. GoHighLevel's LeadConnector credits typically work out to 6-7p equivalent per UK SMS. For 10,000 messages per month, direct Twilio saves approximately £200. For low-volume usage (under 3,000 SMS per month), the saving does not justify the additional setup overhead of managing a separate Twilio account.
Yes. Twilio supports number porting for UK geographic and mobile numbers. The porting process takes 5-10 business days and requires a Letter of Authorisation (LOA) from your current provider. During the porting window, ensure you have call forwarding in place so you do not miss calls. Once ported, the number operates fully within Twilio and can be connected to GoHighLevel.
Softomate Solutions offers GoHighLevel Twilio integration setup for UK agencies, including regulatory bundle configuration, UK number provisioning, calling workflow setup, WhatsApp Business API connection and testing. Setup is delivered in 5-7 working days as a standalone service or as part of a full GoHighLevel implementation.
GoHighLevel's direct Twilio integration gives UK agencies full control over their phone infrastructure: owned UK numbers, transparent SMS pricing, WhatsApp Business API access and the ability to port numbers if needed. For agencies sending significant SMS volumes or needing WhatsApp, the direct integration pays for itself within weeks versus LeadConnector credits. The regulatory setup (UK Regulatory Bundle, WhatsApp template pre-approval) adds initial complexity but is a one-time process. Softomate Solutions handles GoHighLevel Twilio setup for UK agencies end-to-end.
Deen Dayal Yadav is the founder of Softomate Solutions and a GoHighLevel expert based in London. He has configured Twilio integrations for UK agencies including WhatsApp Business API, UK geographic numbers and regulatory compliance. Connect on LinkedIn.
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