Twilio Issues: Why Trial Numbers Cannot Be Used for Testing

Twilio allows users to explore the platform using a trial number. However, Twilio trial numbers cannot be used for real message delivery and are not sufficient for proper testing of SMS workflows.

Warning: Messages sent from a Twilio trial number will fail when attempting to reach real contacts. Trial numbers are intended for limited evaluation only.

To send or receive real messages, you must purchase and connect a Twilio phone number.

When a Twilio trial number is connected:

• Messages may appear to send, but will not be delivered
• Contacts must be explicitly verified in Twilio
• Many delivery errors will occur during testing

Important: Because of these restrictions, trial numbers often lead to confusion when troubleshooting message delivery.

To send and receive real messages:

1. Purchase a phone number directly from Twilio
2. Connect the purchased number to your RapidPro workspace

[CAPTURE: RapidPro Settings page with a Twilio channel connected, displaying a purchased phone number.]

Tip: Using a purchased number eliminates the most common cause of SMS delivery failures on Twilio channels.

If you want to test your flows before committing to a Twilio number, you can use an alternative channel.

A common option is Telegram, which:

• Is free to use
• Is easy to set up
• Allows full testing of flows and logic

[CAPTURE: Settings page with a Telegram channel configured and active.]

When to use each option

• Twilio trial number → Short-term exploration only (no real delivery)
• Purchased Twilio number → Required for real SMS testing and production use
• Telegram channel → Best option for testing flows without SMS costs