Call and text your customers right from your Aptly inbox. Connect Twilio to track inbound/outbound calls or send/receive SMS messages from Aptly. You can add a private phone number as well as a shared phone number.
In this article, you'll learn:
- What is Twilio?
- Twilio costs
- How to sign up for Twilio
- What is A2P 10DLC?
- How to register your phone number for A2P 10DLC
- What costs are associated with call tracking and SMS
- How to set up SMS for a business
- How to connect a Twilio phone line in Aptly
- How to configure personal phone line settings
- How to configure shared phone line settings
What is Twilio and why do I need it?
Twilio is a service that provides businesses with phone numbers for calling and SMS. When connecting a Twilio line to your Aptly account you’ll be able to:
- Send/receive SMS messages
- Track inbound calls that are routed to an existing phone line (ie. landline, mobile phone or VOIP provider) with caller ID and recording
- Make outbound calls with recording
- Automate SMS communications to trigger automatically within your workflows
Unlike other services, you own your Twilio account and the phone lines within them. This includes all your call and SMS history.
Twilio Costs
Call Tracking Costs
Calls are charged per minute and phone numbers are charged monthly according to Twilio’s Voice pricing. Per Twilio's pricing, all phone calls are rounded up to the nearest minute and cent (a 70-second call is charged as a 2-minute call). For reference, here are some example phone call per-minute rates based on Twilio's current pricing by country:
Country / # Type | Phone Numbers | To Make Calls | To Receive Calls |
US / Canada (+1) | $1.15 / month | $0.014 / min | $0.0085 / min |
United Kingdom - Local | $1.15 / month | $0.015 / min | $0.01 / min |
United Kingdom - Mobile | $1.15/ month | $0.029 / min | $0.01 / min |
Mexico- Local | $6.25/ month | $0.0139 / min | $0.01 / min |
SMS Costs
Like calling and email, SMS communication is built directly into Aptly. Use the SMS functionality to increase response rates with prospects and residents/owners when sending messages to support your workflows.
SMS usage is charged according to Twilio's current SMS pricing, rounded up to the nearest cent. SMS messages cannot be sent between phone numbers from different countries (except for the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico). For reference, here are our current SMS rates based on Twilio's current pricing:
Country | Outbound Local SMS | Inbound Local SMS | Outbound Local MMS | Inbound Local MMS |
United States | $0.0079 | $0.0079 | $0.02 | $0.01 |
Canada | $0.0079 | $0.0079 | $0.02 | $0.01 |
United Kingdom | $0.0420 | $0.0075 | N/A | N/A |
Mexico | $0.015 | $0.02 | N/A | N/A |
A note about SMS "segments"
SMS rates are charged per SMS "segment" not per message. An SMS sent via Aptly can consist of one or more segments. If you're only using characters in the English alphabet, each segment is 160 characters. When you send an SMS message over 160 characters, the message will be split and treated as more than one outbound for billing purposes. Learn more.
How to sign up for Twilio
You can sign up for a Twilio account online at
Once you’ve created an account, you will need to add a phone line. Here’s a short video walk-thru of that process.
You will need to upgrade to a paid account to ensure continuity with your Twilio service.
What is A2P 10DLC?
When using Twilio for SMS, there are additional considerations that need to be made. With tightening legislation around using SMS for business purposes, Twilio users need to register for A2P 10DLC in their Twilio account. You won’t be able to send outbound SMS messages from Aptly until you’ve completed the A2P 10DLC application.
We’ve collected some information about A2P 10DLC from Twilio to help with this process:
- What is A2P 10DLC - A2P 10DLC is a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers.
- Toll Free Number Verification: if you send more than 2k messages per day or regularly work with Canadian numbers this should be done.
How to Register Your Phone Number for A2P 10DLC
Every phone number used with a business needs to be registered for A2P 10DLC. You’ll need to complete this in your own Twilio account for every number. You can find more details on how to register here: Twilio Help Articles
A2P 10DLC Best Practices
- When you register for a campaign, this article explains what you need to include in each field: A2P 10DLC Campaign Approval Requirements
- Add Opt-In messaging to your SMS, Email, and Forms.
- Ex: By submitting this form, you’re agreeing to be contacted by Rise Properties via SMS, Email, and Phone. To opt-out, respond to any SMS with STOP.
- Include Opt-Out messaging on SMS.
- Ex: To opt-out, reply STOP.
If you need additional support, email our Customer Support team at help@getaptly.com.
Adding a Twilio Phone Line in Aptly
You can add a phone line to your Aptly account by connecting an existing Twilio account or signing up for a new account. Twilio phone lines can be added to Aptly as a private line dedicated to a user or shared between a group of users.
To add a Twilio phone line to your account:
- Click your avatar in the bottom left corner > Settings.
- To add a private phone line, click the Personal Phone Numbers option in the My Settings Menu. To add a shared phone line, click the Shared Phone Numbers option in the Company Settings menu.
- Click the Twilio button to connect a Twilio account.
- Add in your Twilio account details. You can find this information in your Twilio console. (Account > API Keys & Tokens). Alternatively, you can click Create your Twilio Account now to be taken to the new Twilio accounts page.
Once you've connected a Twilio account, you have the option of adding a new phone line or importing an existing one.
Adding a New Phone Number
- Click the New Number button.
- Enter a Friendly Name to help you identify this phone line throughout Aptly.
- Choose the Ring to Phone Number where incoming calls will ring. This can be a landline, VOIP line, or mobile phone.
- Search for a phone number by state/region or area code.
- Click the box to select the phone number you prefer and click Save.
Importing an Existing Phone Number from Your Twilio Account
- Click the Import Number button.
- Enter a search term if you know the name/number you are seeking. Otherwise, simply click the Search button.
- Find the number you'd like to import from Twilio and click Import.
- Check the features you'd like to manage in Aptly. Checking all is recommended unless you'd like to continue using a different service for call logs, inbound calls, or inbound SMS. Confirm your Ring To number is the number you'd like to receive the calls and texts.
- Click Import Number.
Twilio Personal Phone Line Settings
With your Twilio phone number connected to your Aptly account, you are ready to track calls and send/receive SMS in your inbox. Each phone line has its own settings which include a phone line feature, team access (shared lines), and automations that allow for the creation of Cards on a designated board for any inbound call/SMS and automatic SMS replies for missed calls.
How to Configure Automations
- Click on the blue Configure link.
- Choose the contact type by clicking on the pencil icon to select from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the Action by clicking on the pencil to select from the dropdown menu. Available actions are to create a new card & update the existing card or to only add to existing cards.
Twilio Shared Phone Line Settings
- Select a Shared Phone Line.
- Scroll down to Permissions.
- Type in the name of the user that needs to be added to the phone line and toggle the button on.
- The user will now have access to the phone line.