--- "@context": https://schema.org "@type": TechArticle "@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/usage/tutorials/how-to-use-your-free-trial-account#article headline: Get started with your Twilio free trial account description: Start building with a Twilio trial account. Verify recipient phone numbers, try Twilio products, and learn about trial account restrictions and limitations. url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/usage/tutorials/how-to-use-your-free-trial-account inLanguage: en dateModified: 2026-09-25T19:46:24.000Z author: "@type": Organization name: Twilio Developer Education Team publisher: "@type": Organization name: Twilio --- # Get started with your Twilio free trial account You can sign up for a Twilio free trial account without a credit card. After you sign up, explore the solutions for your use case in the Twilio Console. ## What you get with your Twilio trial account Your trial includes product-specific free units — such as 100 SMS messages, 100 WhatsApp messages, 3,000 emails, and 75 voice minutes — instead of a shared dollar balance. Trial accounts expire after 30 days. You can track your consumption at any time using the **Free units tracker** in the Console. Click it to see a summary of your current usage and the percentage of units remaining. For full details on free units, restrictions, and supported countries, see [Twilio trial account](/docs/usage/trials). ## Sign up for your Twilio trial account Sign up for your [Twilio account](https://www.twilio.com/try-twilio). The sign-up process includes the following steps: * Verify your email address. * Verify your personal phone number. * Customize your account by providing information about your project. After signing up, the [Twilio Console](https://1console.twilio.com/) opens so you can find your Twilio credentials, check your usage, and use Twilio products. ## Explore Twilio from your Console home page After signing up, your Console home page shows options based on the product you selected during signup. ## Twilio Console From the [Twilio Console home page](https://1console.twilio.com/), you can do the following: * Continue building with your selected product. * View your **Account SID** and **Auth Token** for API authentication. * Navigate to other Twilio products using the sidebar. * Click **Upgrade** when you're ready to move to a paid account. ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, you can still explore products from your [Console home page](https://console.twilio.com/). The setup steps are similar, but URLs and navigation paths differ from the Twilio Console steps. > \[!NOTE] > > The fastest way to get started is to use the Try out flows directly from the Console home page. Each product trial walks you through setup in minutes and shows you real API requests and responses as you build: > > * [Try out SMS Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms) > * [Try out Voice](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-voice) > * [Try out Email](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-email) > * [Try out WhatsApp](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-whatsapp) ## Work with phone numbers If you're using SMS or Voice, you'll be working with phone numbers. ### Use phone numbers during your trial ## Twilio Console In the Twilio Console, product trials guide you through the trial setup for SMS, Voice, WhatsApp, and Email. For SMS, Voice, and WhatsApp trials, the Try out flow provides the trial resources needed to send messages or make calls. You don't choose a trial phone number during sign-up. To start with SMS, Voice, or WhatsApp, use one of the product trial flows: * [Try out SMS Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms) * [Try out Voice](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-voice) * [Try out WhatsApp Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-whatsapp) ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, go to the [Console home page](https://console.twilio.com/) and click **Get phone number**. If you don't see this option, you can purchase a number from the [Buy a number](https://console.twilio.com/us1/develop/phone-numbers/manage/search) page using your preloaded trial balance. ### Learn about phone number types Twilio offers the following types of phone numbers for purchase: * Local * Mobile * Toll-free * National For an overview of the capabilities of each type, see [Twilio Phone Number Types and Their Capabilities](https://help.twilio.com/articles/223135367-Twilio-Phone-Number-Types-and-Their-Capabilities) in the Twilio Help Center. ### Understand phone number regulatory requirements Countries have different regulatory requirements for each type of number and method of communication. * Learn about [country-specific guidelines](https://www.twilio.com/en-us/guidelines) for phone numbers, SMS, Voice, porting, and short codes. * For messaging to the US and Canada, see [Differences between long codes (A2P 10DLC), short codes (paid accounts only), and toll-free numbers](https://help.twilio.com/articles/360038173654) in the Twilio Help Center. #### Toll-free verification (US and Canada only) Toll-free numbers must be verified before you can use them to send messages to the United States or Canada. Toll-free verification is an industry-wide regulatory requirement to help protect message recipients. Toll-free verification is free to complete. If your trial setup includes a verified toll-free number, you can message up to five pre-designated phone numbers across the mobile network. Legacy Console trial users can also message the [Twilio Virtual Phone](/docs/messaging/guides/guide-to-using-the-twilio-virtual-phone). Learn more about [toll-free verification](/docs/messaging/compliance/toll-free/console-onboarding) and see [Trial Limits and US Toll-Free Number Restrictions](https://help.twilio.com/articles/11853148778523-Trial-Limits-and-US-Toll-Free-Number-Restrictions) in the Twilio Help Center. #### A2P 10DLC (US only) > \[!WARNING] > > To complete [A2P 10DLC registration](/docs/messaging/compliance/a2p-10dlc), you must have a paid Twilio account. US and Canadian 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers must be registered before you can use them to send messages from your application to US-based recipients. A2P (Application-to-Person) 10DLC is the standard enforced by telecom carriers in the United States to ensure that SMS traffic through long code phone numbers to US recipients is verified and consensual. #### Regulatory compliance bundles (worldwide) Regulatory compliance (RC) bundles help you organize and submit the information and documentation you need to meet regulatory requirements for individual countries. ## Twilio Console In the [Twilio Console](https://1console.twilio.com/go?to=/account/__account__/us1/phone-numbers/regulatory-compliance/bundles), you can create RC bundles from **Phone numbers** > **Regulatory compliance** > **Bundles**. You can also use the [Regulatory Compliance API](/docs/phone-numbers/regulatory/getting-started/create-new-bundle-public-rest-apis). ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, you can create RC bundles from the [Regulatory Compliance Bundles](https://console.twilio.com/us1/phone-numbers/regulatory-compliance/bundles) page or by using the Regulatory Compliance API. For detailed phone number requirements for each country, see [Phone Number Regulations Guidelines](https://www.twilio.com/en-us/guidelines/regulatory). ### Use additional verified recipients You can call or message only verified recipients from a trial account. Twilio removes this security restriction when you upgrade your account. When you signed up, you verified a personal phone number. While you have a trial account, you must verify each non-Twilio phone number that you want to use to do the following: * Receive SMS or MMS messages from Twilio numbers. * Receive phone calls from Twilio numbers. * Call Twilio numbers. ## Twilio Console To verify additional recipient phone numbers, use the Try out page for the product you're testing, then add and verify recipients from that page. * [Try out SMS Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms) * [Try out Voice](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-voice) * [Try out WhatsApp Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-whatsapp) ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, go to the [Verified Caller IDs](https://console.twilio.com/us1/develop/phone-numbers/manage/verified) page to verify additional numbers for your trial. > \[!WARNING] > > You must select SMS as the verification method and have access to the device to receive the text with your verification code. ### Test SMS with the Twilio Virtual Phone in the legacy Console The [Twilio Virtual Phone](/docs/messaging/guides/guide-to-using-the-twilio-virtual-phone) is available in the legacy Console trial experience. You can use it to test sending and receiving messages. The Virtual Phone is a simulated mobile device that uses a phone number owned by Twilio. To send your first SMS message using the Twilio Virtual Phone in the legacy Console, follow our [SMS developer quickstart](/docs/messaging/quickstart) or [SMS no-code quickstart](/docs/messaging/quickstart/no-code-sms-studio-quickstart). To test SMS in Twilio Console, use [Try out SMS Messaging](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms). ### Format phone numbers When your application sends messages or makes phone calls, the phone numbers must be in E.164 format. E.164 is an international standard for phone number formatting that includes the country code and omits any leading zeros or special characters. For more information, see [What is E.164?](/docs/glossary/what-e164) in the Twilio glossary. ## Learn how Voice uses TwiML TwiML is Twilio's XML-based instruction language for controlling call behavior. For example, TwiML can specify how to read text aloud, gather speech or keypad input, play audio, route a call, or end a call. To see TwiML in action during your trial, try [Twilio Voice](/docs/usage/trials/try-out-voice). For more information, see [Voice TwiML docs](/docs/voice/twiml). ## Monitor your trial activity As you build, you can monitor your trial activity and consumption: * **Free units tracker**: Shows your current usage and remaining units for each product. Available from the Console home page or within each product's trial page. * **Logs**: View detailed logs for SMS, Voice, Email, and WhatsApp activity. View logs from each product's page in the Console to see delivery status, errors, and requests/responses. ## Use your Twilio credentials for the API Your Twilio trial account uses the same account credentials (Account SID and Auth Token) that you use after you upgrade. There are no separate trial-only credentials. Trial restrictions are enforced by your account status, not by different credentials. You can view your credentials directly from your Console home page to start using the API immediately, or access them from the API Keys & Tokens page to manage additional API keys. ## Twilio Console * View your **Account SID** and **Auth Token** on the [Console home page](https://1console.twilio.com/). * Manage credentials and create [API keys](/docs/iam/api-keys/keys-in-console) from the [API Keys & Tokens](https://1console.twilio.com/go?to=/account/__account__/settings/us1/api-keys/list) page. ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, go to the [API Keys & Tokens](https://console.twilio.com/us1/account/keys-credentials/api-keys) page to manage your credentials and API keys. ## Send messages internationally During your trial, SMS messages and voice calls are restricted to your sign-up country, determined by the phone number you used during registration. After you [upgrade your account](#upgrade-your-account), you can send messages to other countries and regions when you meet the following general conditions: ## Twilio Console * Your number is SMS-enabled and not restricted to sending or receiving messages and calls from only local numbers. Check your phone number's capabilities on the [Active Numbers](https://1console.twilio.com/us1/develop/phone-numbers/manage/incoming) page in the Console. * The target country you're sending messages to is enabled in your [Messaging Geographic Permissions](https://1console.twilio.com/us1/develop/sms/settings/geo-permissions). * You own the phone numbers you're sending to. ## Legacy Console If you're using the legacy Console, you can send messages to other countries and regions from your trial account when your verified trial number is SMS-enabled, the target country is enabled in [Messaging Geographic Permissions](https://console.twilio.com/us1/develop/sms/settings/geo-permissions), and you own and have verified the destination phone numbers. See [Verified Caller IDs](https://console.twilio.com/us1/develop/phone-numbers/manage/verified) in the legacy Console. For a list of countries where trials are available, see [Supported countries](/docs/usage/trials#supported-countries). ## Trial account restrictions and limitations Trial accounts expire after 30 days and include product-specific free units instead of a dollar balance. Restrictions include: * **30-day expiration**: Trial ends 30 days after sign-up. Upgrade before expiration to continue building. * **Geographic restrictions**: SMS and voice are limited to your sign-up country. Email is restricted to your sign-up email address. * **Verified recipients**: You can only send to verified phone numbers (up to 5 per account). Your sign-up number is automatically verified. * **Pre-defined content**: You must use Twilio-provided templates. Custom message bodies, email content, and WhatsApp templates aren't available during trial. * **Trial numbers**: Product trials can use Twilio-provided trial phone numbers. You don't choose these numbers during the Twilio Console trial experience, and trial numbers can vary by product and by recipient. After upgrading, you use numbers you've purchased. For the full list of restrictions and product-specific limitations, see [Trial restrictions](/docs/usage/trials#trial-restrictions). ## Upgrade your account When your project is ready for production or you need more resources than a trial account allows, upgrade to a paid account. ## Twilio Console To get started, click the **Trial** banner or **Upgrade your account** in the Console. You can also search for **Upgrade** in the Console search bar. You'll create a profile, add your address, load a starting balance, and add payment details. ## Legacy Console In the legacy Console, click **Upgrade** at the top of the page. You'll create a profile, add your address, load a starting balance, and add payment details. When you upgrade, you automatically receive a fresh set of **post-upgrade free units** for eligible products, regardless of what you used during your trial. Twilio deducts these units before charging any usage to your account. > \[!NOTE] > > After you upgrade, Twilio refreshes free units for eligible products. These post-upgrade free units help you continue building your proof of concept into a production application, or try another Twilio product without additional upfront cost. For full details on upgrade benefits, post-upgrade free unit allocations, and trial restrictions, see [Twilio trial account](/docs/usage/trials). ## Take the next steps * [Send and receive SMS](/docs/messaging/quickstart) * [Make phone calls](/docs/voice/tutorials/how-to-make-outbound-phone-calls) * [Learn how to make requests to Twilio APIs](/docs/usage/requests-to-twilio) * [Get started with Twilio Video (JavaScript)](/docs/video/javascript-getting-started) * [Set up an Elastic SIP Trunk](/docs/sip-trunking)