At Pony Express HQ, we heard you loud and clear - you want to reach larger audiences via mass text messaging. Pony Express HQ is happy to offer the option of texting customers from a toll-free number. 🎉
Should you keep your local phone number or switch to a toll-free phone number? Keep reading to find out.
How is a toll-free number different from a local phone number?
👨👨👧👦 Toll-free numbers can reach more people:
Local phone number: Text messages are limited to 100 recipients a day per phone number.
Toll-Free: Text messages are unlimited per toll-free phone number.
⚡ Toll-free numbers send text messages faster:
Local phone number: The speed of sending text messages varies depending on carrier and time of day. Toll-Free: Up to 3 messages per second are sent at a time.
🖼️ Pony Express HQ's Toll-free numbers support MMS:
Local phone number: You can send picture messages/images.
Toll-Free: Regular toll-free numbers don't support regular picture messaging (MMS). Pony Express HQ's new feature helps you overcome this limitation.
With our new feature, you can send an image just as you would with a local phone number; but when you add an image, Pony Express HQ automatically generates a web link and append it to the end of your message. Images will be converted to previewable web links and sent as text messages.
See examples: Picture Messaging with Toll-Free Numbers
📱 Toll-free numbers do NOT have local area codes:
Local phone number: You can select your local area code, for example: (415)-###-####.
Toll-Free: All numbers start with a specified 3-digit prefix; we offer 888, 877, 866, 855, and 844. Example: 888-###-####.
How are toll-free numbers and local phone numbers the same?
You'll get the same great pricing: 1 cent per message and less on our pay-as-you-go plan
You can chat 1-on-1 with people as they respond
Keep using the Pony Express HQ dashboard the same way, whether you're using a local phone number or a toll-free phone number
You'll get unlimited groups and keywords
If I currently have a local phone number, can I switch to a toll-free number?
Yes. To do so, log in to your account, click on "phone numbers," and then the "Switch to Toll-Free Number" button. When you switch to a toll-free number, your long-code number will go back into the pool of available numbers, and you will get a new toll-free number.
If I switch to a toll-free number, can I switch back to a long-code phone number whenever I want?
Yes, you can switch between toll-free and long-code phone numbers at your convenience. All unused phone numbers will return to the pool of available phone numbers.
Text messaging from a toll-free number sounds great! How much does a toll-free number cost?
$2.99/month, billed monthly. Our competitors charge $14/month and more and require annual contracts.
What if I want to message more than 100 people but less than 1,000?
We recommend purchasing additional local numbers, available for $1.25/month per phone number, billed monthly. You can select your local area code. We'll make sure to assign existing customers to the same phone number, so they'll know it's you.
Read more about: Purchasing additional local phone numbers
Summary of local and toll-free numbers:
If you need to text message 100+ recipients at a time, care about sending mass text messages quickly, and are okay with sending plain text messages (emojis are still supported!), then we recommend upgrading to a toll-free number for $2.99/month.
If you care about maintaining a local area code, enjoy sending images and photos, and are text messaging groups of 100 recipients and less per day, then we recommend sticking with a local phone number and purchasing additional local phone numbers for $1.25/month per phone number as needed.
💡 Discover: Can you spot 7 differences between SMS and MMS?
To celebrate this new feature, we are giving away a 6-month free trial of a toll-free number for a limited time.🎉 🙌 If it sounds like it's a good fit for you, try it out today! 📢
Discover more about mass text messaging: What is text marketing? Types, users, benefits...
Excited? Got questions about text marketing? Leave us a comment below.
Happy texting! ✨