Twilio Add-ons
Add-ons are pre-integrated partner technologies that let developers do more with the Twilio API. They make it possible to quickly build rich communications experiences by combining Twilio and 3rd-party capabilities, giving you the ability to choose the right technology for your needs without having to learn, test, and manage different platforms.
Add-ons are available through the Twilio Marketplace; you can choose from a list of verified Add-ons and install them in a single click. Once installed, they enhance Twilio APIs to deliver the capabilities of the installed Add-on. Examples of Add-ons include Phone number based queries for demographic & marketing data, Number fraud/spam blocking, Recordings Transcription, Message sentiment analysis, etc.
Supported Products
Add-ons are currently available for Programmable SMS, Calls and Recordings for Programmable Voice, and Lookups.
These Add-ons process the content that Twilio provides by tapping into the Add-on Provider’s data sources or using their technology to analyze it, and provide their results back to you as a JSON dictionary, added to the existing Twilio APIs that you use today.
The following Twilio content is available for Add-ons to enhance: Phone Numbers, Incoming Message body, Call recordings.
| Product | Supported Add-on Type | When is the Add-on invoked | Data available to Add-on | Consumption Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lookups | Phone Number Add-on | For every Lookup that specifics Add-on parameter | Phone Numbers | Synchronous |
| Programmable SMS | Phone Number Add-on | For every Incoming SMS. Outbound SMS is not supported. | Phone Numbers | Synchronous |
| Programmable SMS | Message Analysis Add-on | For every Incoming SMS. Outbound SMS is not supported. | Phone Numbers, Message Body | Synchronous |
| Programmable Voice | Phone Number Add-on | For every Incoming Call. Outbound Calls are not supported. | Phone Numbers | Synchronous |
| Programmable Voice | Recording Analysis Add-on | For every Incoming Call that is recorded. | Audio File (single & dual channel) | Asynchronous |
Terms of Service & Data Storage
Add-ons are provided and supported by Add-on providers in the Twilio Marketplace. As a part of the Add-on installation process, you will be required to accept the Add-on provider’s Terms of Service. Note that the Add-on is provided under the Partner’s Terms of Service & Privacy policy.
Configuration & Identifiers
Installing an Add-on creates an Instance of that Add-on that is tied to your account. The Add-on Instance holds the configuration information required to operate the Add-on. This includes the following:
| Configuration Information (available in Console) |
What is it | User Configurable |
|---|---|---|
| Enabled Twilio Products | A list of Twilio products that this Add-on supports and is enabled on. | Yes |
| Configuration Parameters | Add-on specific configuration parameters. | Yes |
| Add-on Unique Name | Human readable unique identifier used to invoke specific Add-ons and consume their results in the Twilio APIs. Example: twilio_caller_identity |
Yes (Suffix only) |
| Add-on Install Sid | Unique Identifier for this Add-on Instance. Used for debugging and billing queries, and required for support requests when you are communicating with the Add-on provider. Example: MC000003333333333345678901234566 |
No |
For Add-ons that support Configuration Parameters, you can create additional Instances, each with a different set of Enabled Twilio Products and Configuration Parameters. This allows you to create & invoke different configurations of an Add-on, for example, to analyze English and French language text. Refer to the specific Add-on’s documentation for information about the Twilio Products & Configuration Parameters it supports.
Add-ons are currently installed and enabled at an Account level. In other words, when you enable an Add-on for a specific product such as Incoming SMS, it will be invoked for every incoming SMS. Some Twilio products (such as Lookups) may require that you specify the Add-on’s unique name to invoke that Add-on, in addition to enabling them for that product via the Console.
Consuming Add-On Data
See Using Add-ons
Pricing & Billing
The Marketplace allows Partners to set their own pricing for their Add-ons and invokes the Twilio Billing system for usage-based billing. Use of an Add-on will be metered by Twilio and deducted from the developers account.
The following billing models are supported by the Marketplace for an Add-on:
- Pay-per-use
- Pay-per-minute : For Recording Analysis Add-ons
- Subscription (coming soon)
- Installation (coming soon)
You can check pricing for Add-ons in the Marketplace catalog, and usage inside the Usage page in the Console.
Add-On Support
Add-ons are provided and supported by Add-on Partners in the Twilio Marketplace. Support information for Add-on Partners (Phone numbers, support email, expected resolution times and process) varies from Add-on to Add-on, and is documented in the Add-on detail page.
The following table outlines when to contact Twilio for Add-on related issues and when you need to reach out to the Add-on Partner.
| Issue | Support provided by |
|---|---|
| I don’t see AddOns parameter in my callbacks | Twilio |
| Error Codes 61000, 61003, 61006, 61009 | Twilio |
| Error Codes 61001, 61002, 61004, 61005, 61007, 61008, | Add-on Partner |
| Error Codes other than those specified above | Twilio |
| Add-on results are not accurate or as per expectations specified in the Add-ons documentation | Add-on Partner |
When you contact Twilio or an Add-on Partner to request support for an Add-on, you should provide the following information to help identify and resolve your issue.
| Identifier | What is it | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Add-on Unique Name | Human readable unique identifier used to invoke specific Add-ons and consume their results in the Twilio APIs. Example: twilio_caller_identity |
Available in the Console, under the Installed Add-ons section. |
| Request Sid | The unique identifier of a particular Add-on request. Used for billing and debugging. Example: XR000009775bb6d43d1cabc4955723fae1 |
This is available in the API response or callback you receive from Twilio that contains the Add-on results. |
| Add-on Install Sid | A unique identifier for a developers install of an Add-on. Example: MC000003333333333345678901234566 |
Available in the Console, under the Installed Add-ons section. |
Examples of Add-on Usage
There are a variety of ways to leverage Add-ons and consume the data they return. In this section, we have an example utilizing the Prove TCPA Compliance Add-on, along with an example of a modified SMS Webhook having a new POST parameter containing data returned from the Add-on. For more information on how to install and begin working with Add-ons, visit Add-ons Quickstart.
Add-ons are only supported by the most recent major version of the Twilio Helper Libraries.