How to get started

How Textly works

Textly is business texting for UK companies. Three steps from sign up to sent:

• Build your lists. Paste numbers or grow lists over time, grouped in folders by branch, service or audience.
• Get a sender name approved. Tell us the name recipients should see (up to 11 characters). We review and approve it so nobody can send under a name they are not entitled to.
• Send and track. Write your message, confirm consent, and send. We deliver in steady batches of 200 and show you what was delivered and what failed.

Where messages are sent from

We currently send through Twilio as our SMS gateway. Support for more providers is on the way. There are two ways to use it, and you pay a simple platform fee either way:

• Managed: we run the Twilio side for you. Best if you would rather not touch any technical setup.
• Bring your own Twilio: you connect your own Twilio account and we send through it.

Managed messaging: what we need from you

With managed messaging we handle the Twilio account, buy any UK number, register your sender name with the networks, and keep it all running. To do that on your behalf, UK rules require us to verify who you are, so we’ll ask you to provide:

• Your business’s legal name and registered address.
• Company registration number (if registered).
• Proof of business address (a recent utility bill or similar).
• A photo ID for an authorised representative (passport or driving licence).
• The sender name you want, what you’ll send, a sample message, and how your recipients agreed to be contacted.

These details are used to create a Twilio UK regulatory bundle and to register your sender name. Tell us during onboarding and we’ll guide you through sending them securely. Once verified, we get you sending. There’s nothing else to set up.

Bring your own Twilio: step by step

Prefer to run your own Twilio account? Here is the full setup. Set aside an afternoon, plus a few days’ wait for Twilio’s approvals.

1. Create and upgrade a Twilio account

Sign up at twilio.com and upgrade to a paid account (add a card). Free trial accounts can’t send from a brand name, so you’ll hit error 21267 if you try.

2. Connect Twilio to Textly

Copy your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console dashboard, then paste them into Textly under Settings → Twilio. Your Auth Token is encrypted and never shown again.

3. Choose and register your sender name

Request your sender name in Textly (up to 11 characters; we approve it). UK networks block brand names they don’t recognise, so also register the name with Twilio. See the UK document requirements for what to prepare. Approval usually takes a few business days.

4. Get a UK number for opt-outs

A brand name can’t receive replies, so you need a real UK number for people to text STOP. Buying a UK number requires a UK regulatory bundle (business details and ID). Create the bundle, then buy a UK mobile, SMS-capable number and attach it.

5. Tie it together with a Messaging Service

In Twilio, create a Messaging Service, add both your sender name and your UK number to its sender pool, and turn on Advanced Opt-Out so STOP requests are handled automatically. Copy the Messaging Service SID (it starts with MG) and paste it into Textly under Settings → Twilio.

Staying compliant

• Get consent. Only message people who agreed to hear from you. Textly records consent at send time.
• Offer a clear opt-out. Include “Reply STOP to opt out” and make sure STOP is handled (Advanced Opt-Out, above).
• Be identifiable. Make it clear who is texting and keep your sender name consistent with what you registered.

Need a hand?

Stuck on any step, or would rather we handle the technical side? Email hello@textly.co.uk or ask about managed messaging when you create your account.