You get a toll-free number from a provider that manages toll-free numbers: you pick a prefix like 800 or 888, choose an available number and point it at your phone system. If you also want to text from it, you have to submit toll-free verification first, because carriers block unverified toll-free texts. That is the short version of how to get a toll free number. The rest of this post covers each step, what verification asks for, and whether a toll-free number is the right choice for texting.
Toll-free numbers are a good fit for some jobs and a poor fit for others. They work well for national support lines and printed ads. For conversational texting with customers, a local number often makes more sense. We make Ready, and our texting runs on local numbers registered under 10DLC, plus the iMessage blue line. We don't sell toll-free numbers yet. You'll get the steps for the toll-free route here, and a comparison so you can decide which number type to use for texting.
What a toll-free number is (and who controls them)
A toll-free number in the US and Canada uses one of these prefixes: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888. The caller pays nothing and the business pays for the call. For texting, nobody is charged extra for the "toll-free" part. The name is a leftover from voice.
The numbers sit in a central registry. Companies called RespOrgs (Responsible Organizations) reserve numbers from that registry and manage them. You rarely deal with a RespOrg directly. Your phone or messaging provider either is one or works through one. This matters for two reasons:
- Portability. A toll-free number can move between RespOrgs, so you can change providers without losing the number printed on your trucks.
- Vanity numbers. Memorable numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS are first-come, first-served across the whole registry. The 800 prefix is mostly taken, so newer prefixes (833, 844) are where open vanity combinations usually are.
How to get a toll free number: step by step
Here's the sequence most providers follow.
- Decide what the number is for. Inbound calls only? Calls plus texts? Outbound texting at volume? The answer decides which provider fits, and whether you need verification at all (calls-only numbers don't).
- Pick a provider that supports both voice and SMS on toll-free. Some sell toll-free voice but can't text from it. Ask before you buy.
- Search and reserve a number. Search by prefix, or by letters if you want a vanity number. Reserving is usually instant.
- Route it. For voice, forward the number to a cell, a desk phone or a call center. For texting, connect it to the messaging system or API your team uses.
- Submit toll-free verification before you text (next section). Don't send a campaign while verification is pending.
- Put it everywhere it belongs. Update your website, Google Business Profile, invoices and print materials. A toll-free number only helps if people can find it.
If you're porting an existing toll-free number in instead of buying a new one, plan for an extra step. The losing provider has to release it, and texting usually has to be re-verified under the new provider.
Toll-free verification for texting
Toll-free texting used to work without any registration. That changed. Carriers now require toll-free verification, and unverified toll-free traffic gets blocked. It is the toll-free counterpart to A2P 10DLC registration for local numbers. It is a separate process with its own form.
What the verification form asks for
The fields vary by provider, but expect to supply:
- Business details: legal name, address, website and a contact person.
- Use case: what you send, such as appointment reminders, order updates, support replies or promotions.
- Opt-in description: exactly how people agree to receive texts. Include a link or screenshot of the form or checkout box if you have one.
- Sample messages: two or three real examples, including your business name and opt-out language ("Reply STOP to opt out").
- Expected monthly volume.
Why verifications get rejected
The common rejection reasons are the same ones that sink 10DLC campaigns:
- A vague opt-in description, such as "customers opt in on our website" with no proof.
- Sample messages that don't match the stated use case.
- A website that doesn't show what the business does.
- Content in restricted categories.
Rejection timelines vary by provider and by how clean your submission is. A complete, specific form is the best way to speed it up. Our 10DLC rules and requirements post covers what carriers check, and nearly all of it applies to toll-free verification too.
Toll-free vs local numbers: which gets more replies
This is the question that matters for texting, and the answer depends on the conversation.
A toll-free number reads as "a company is texting me." That suits two-factor codes, shipping alerts and national brands people already recognize. A local area code reads as "someone near me is texting me." That is why sales teams, clinics, contractors and local services tend to prefer local numbers for two-way conversations.
We don't publish a measured reply-rate lift for local numbers, and you should be skeptical of anyone quoting an exact figure. Recipient familiarity is the reason teams choose local numbers. You can test it on your own list.
| Toll-free number | Local 10DLC number | |
|---|---|---|
| How it reads to the recipient | National, corporate | Local, personal |
| Registration to text | Toll-free verification | A2P 10DLC brand + campaign registration |
| Good for | Alerts, OTPs, national support, print ads | Two-way conversations, appointments, sales follow-up |
| Vanity options | Yes (letters across 833, 844, etc.) | Limited |
| Matching the contact's area code | Not possible (no area code) | Possible with multiple local numbers |
| Available on Ready | No | Yes |
That last row is a real limitation for Ready. If you need a toll-free number, buy it from a provider that sells them. Neither choice is wrong. They suit different jobs.
The local number route on Ready, with the math
If you decide local numbers fit your texting better, here's what that costs on Ready. We'll use one number as the example.
Registration (A2P 10DLC): handled in-app with no setup fee. The charge when you submit is the first month, $25. After that, the monthly cost is $25 for registration + $2 per number. Most approvals take 2 to 7 days. The 10DLC explainer covers what registration is, and 10DLC cost breaks down every fee.
Worked example (one number):
Assumptions:
- One brand, one campaign and one number.
- 2,000 appointment reminders a month.
- Each reminder stays under 160 plain characters, so each is one segment.
The cost works out as follows:
- Registration: $25/mo for registration and $2/mo per number.
- Texts: 2,000 × $0.0075 = $15, plus 2,000 × $0.0045 in carrier fees. The carrier fee is itemized separately.
- Total: about $42 a month plus the carrier fee line.
This excludes the compliance surcharge. Scrubbing and landline validation are each $0.003 extra per segment when switched on, and both are off by default.
Two details can change that math:
- Segments. Add an emoji and the per-segment limit drops to 70 characters. A 140-character reminder with one emoji becomes 3 segments instead of 1, which roughly triples the text cost. Ready swaps curly quotes, long dashes and ellipses for plain ones before sending, so those don't change the count.
- Local presence. If you hold numbers in several area codes, Ready sends from the number closest to each contact's area code. It has a listed price of $0.0015 for each segment of a delivered text. Every number still sits on your registered 10DLC campaign. Local presence chooses among registered numbers and does not bypass registration.
If you're building this into an app, buying phone numbers with an API walks through POST /v1/numbers. The messages API docs cover sending.
A third option: the blue line
There's one more route that skips both toll-free verification and 10DLC. A blue line sends your texts as iMessage, so they appear blue on iPhones with your business name and photo. It needs no 10DLC registration, so you can start texting as soon as the line is set up.
Pricing and limits:
- Cost: $99 a month per line, plus 6 cents a segment for each text. Replies to a blue line are also 6 cents a segment, and reactions are free.
- New conversations: each line can start up to 50 new conversations a day.
- Before a reply: you can send up to 2 texts to someone until they reply, and photos only after they reply.
- Android recipients: texts go from your regular number, at the regular price if you already had a number; if the blue line came with its green number, your account's texts bill at 6 cents a segment once you register.
The blue line suits conversational work. It does not suit bulk sends, because campaigns and drip campaigns go from regular numbers. Our post on blue bubble texting for business covers when it is worth the cost. The blue line guide has the setup.
What to do next
Match the number to the job:
- Calls from print ads, or a national support line: get a toll-free number. If you'll text from it, file toll-free verification before you send anything.
- Two-way texting with local customers: a registered local number is usually the better fit.
- Mostly iPhone conversations where you want your name to show: consider a blue line.
If the local route fits, you can sign up for Ready and use the first 20 free one-to-one texts to test before you register. The free texts end once a registration is paid for. To send, you add a card and get a number, which is $2 a month with the first month charged when you get it. Pricing is on the pricing page.
FAQ
How long does it take to get a toll free number?
Reserving the number is usually instant. Calls can work the same day. Texting has to wait for toll-free verification, and the timeline depends on your provider and how complete your submission is.
Can I text from a toll-free number without verification?
No. Carriers block unverified toll-free texting. Verify first, and don't send campaigns while it's pending.
Is a toll-free number better than a local number for texting?
It depends on the message. Toll-free suits alerts, codes and national brands. Local numbers suit two-way conversations, because recipients recognize the area code. Test both on your own list if reply rate matters.
Does Ready sell toll-free numbers?
No. Ready's texting runs on local numbers registered under A2P 10DLC, plus the iMessage blue line. If you need toll-free, buy it from a provider that offers toll-free texting and verification.
What does a local texting number cost on Ready?
Registration charges $25 at submit for the first month. After that it's $25 for registration + $2 per number, monthly. Texts are $0.0075 per segment plus a $0.0045 carrier fee, which excludes the optional compliance surcharge. Enterprise pricing is custom, so talk to us.