Paid feature — channels require a paid plan.
SMS works like any other channel: texts land in your console, the assistant answers, and operators take over when needed. There are two ways to get a number.
Option 1 — buy a number from the marketplace
The quickest path. Settings → Buy a Number.
- Choose a country (2-letter code — US, CA, GB, AU, DE…).
- Pick a number from the results. You'll see the monthly rental and any one-time setup fee.
- Buy. It's charged to your wallet balance — a one-time setup fee plus monthly rental.
The number becomes an SMS channel immediately, and works like any other channel from that moment. Top up your wallet first: without a balance the purchase can't complete.
Option 2 — connect your own Twilio number
If you already have Twilio:
- Settings → Channels → Connect account, choose SMS, and enter your
Twilio phone number in E.164 format (
+15551234567). - Copy the Twilio callback URL shown, and paste it into your Twilio console as the "A message comes in" webhook (HTTP POST) for that number.
- If you're submitting a Twilio Trust Hub / regulatory compliance profile, use the Twilio status callback URL shown alongside it.
If SMS isn't configured on your server yet, an admin needs to set the platform Twilio credentials before any number can be connected.
Can I forward calls to a real phone?
Yes. On a connected number, Set up call forwarding and enter the destination in E.164 format. Someone who calls your SMS number is forwarded there instead of reaching a dead line — which is what a customer with a phone in their hand will do, whatever your website says.
Why is my number "activating"?
Marketplace numbers can take a short time to provision. The purchase has gone through; check Settings → Channels shortly and it will appear there as a normal SMS channel.