TextGrid is a Twilio-compatible alternative designed for agencies that want the same broad North American compliance posture and a similar setup style at a lower price point.
If your customer base is mainly in the US or Canada and cost matters more than global breadth, TextGrid is one of the strongest options to evaluate first.
Why TextGrid is worth considering
#TextGrid follows the same broad operational model as Twilio, which makes it easier to understand if you are already familiar with Twilio-style SMS setups. The main reason agencies choose it is cost efficiency for North American traffic.
Steps and details
- 10DLC support for US traffic
- MMS support in the US and Canada
- Lower US SMS cost than Twilio
- Twilio-compatible API style
- Strong fit for US and Canada agency use cases
What you need before starting
#A TextGrid account
Steps and details
- A TextGrid phone number
- The Account SID and Auth Token from TextGrid
- 10DLC registration if you are sending to US numbers from a standard local number
US and Canada compliance still matters
#TextGrid follows the same 10DLC reality as Twilio for US mobile traffic. If you are sending to US numbers, registration with The Campaign Registry is still required.
Steps and details
One operational difference is that TextGrid is often easier for agencies during the registration phase because they provide more direct support rather than expecting everything to be self-served in a larger console.
- Brand and campaign registration are still required for US local-number traffic
- Toll-free numbers are still an alternative path
- TextGrid support can be helpful if compliance setup is new to the agency
Set up TextGrid in the platform
#Go to Platform -> Messaging -> SMS, click Add SMS Provider, name the provider, keep the market set to United States & Canada. TextGrid is shown as a recommended alternative. Select it and continue through the setup.
Steps and details · includes a table
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | The TextGrid number including country code |
| Account SID | The SID from the TextGrid dashboard |
| Auth Token | The Auth Token from the TextGrid dashboard |
Field · What to enter
- Phone Number
- The TextGrid number including country code
- Account SID
- The SID from the TextGrid dashboard
- Auth Token
- The Auth Token from the TextGrid dashboard
TextGrid does not use a separate sender-name field in the same way. In normal use, the sending identity is the phone number itself.
Test the provider and save it
#Use the provider test step to confirm the credentials are valid, then save the provider and decide whether it should act as the agency default or be assigned more selectively.
TextGrid and MMS
#TextGrid is one of the three MMS-capable providers supported in the platform, alongside Twilio and SignalHouse.
Steps and details
- MMS support is mainly relevant in the US and Canada
- MMS adds an extra credit on top of the text segment cost
- Common supported formats include image and media formats appropriate for MMS use
TextGrid vs Twilio in practical terms
#Steps and details · includes a table
| Area | Twilio | TextGrid |
|---|---|---|
| US SMS price | Higher | Lower |
| MMS support | Yes | Yes |
| 10DLC setup style | More self-serve | More direct support |
| Global reach | Broader | More limited |
| Best fit | Global and maximum breadth | US and Canada cost efficiency |
How TextGrid interacts with custom-plan credits
#TextGrid changes the delivery provider, not the campaign credit model. In normal agency-managed sending, review request texts still consume the customer plan SMS credits based on segment cost.
Steps and details
The same SMS-provider exception still applies: customer-owned SMS provider sends do not consume the agency-side SMS credits.
- Message segments still determine the SMS credit cost
- MMS still adds one extra credit
- Agency-side TextGrid sending still respects the customer plan SMS limits