--- "@context": https://schema.org "@type": TechArticle "@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms#article headline: Try out Twilio SMS Messaging description: Start building with a Twilio trial account. Send and receive your first SMS messages within a few minutes. url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/usage/trials/try-out-sms inLanguage: en dateModified: 2026-08-13T15:51:27.000Z author: "@type": Organization name: Twilio Developer Education Team publisher: "@type": Organization name: Twilio --- # Try out Twilio SMS Messaging To see how Messaging works, you can try it out with a few clicks. You'll be able to send and receive your first SMS messages within a few minutes. As you send messages, you'll be able to see the API request and response that Twilio uses. You can build using our API reference, knowing that everything you create can transfer to a fully featured account when you upgrade. For details about trial free units, restrictions, the 30-day expiration, and post-upgrade free units, see [Twilio trial account](/docs/usage/trials). To get started, go to the [Twilio Console](https://1console.twilio.com/), click **Messaging**. In **Popular channels**, locate **SMS** and click **Try out SMS**. During your SMS trial: * You can only send SMS messages to verified US numbers. To verify a number, Twilio will send a verification code to that number that you must enter on the page. * Each account can verify up to five numbers. * The phone number that you signed up with is automatically added as a verified number. * If you have multiple accounts, you can use the same verified number for up to three accounts, including subaccounts. If you sign up for a fourth Twilio account with the same number, your number is not added as a verified number. * Your message is sent from a Twilio trial phone number. Once you upgrade your account, messages will be sent from a Twilio number that you've purchased. * Verified recipients are shared across Messaging, WhatsApp, and Voice, but trial numbers can vary by product and by recipient. Make sure you use the correct trial number for the product and recipient you're testing. * You'll choose from a few message body examples, such as an order delivery notification or an appointment reminder. You won't be able to write your own message. When you're ready, you can upgrade your account to gain access to all SMS Messaging functionality. At any time, click **Logs** to view SMS logs or **Free units tracker** to see how many SMS messages you have left in your trial. ## Step 1: Send a trial SMS message On the **Try out SMS** page, follow the on-screen instructions to configure settings and send your message. We recommend sending your first message to yourself, because you'll need access to that message to receive an SMS in your trial account. Note that the API request and response for your message appear on the page. ## Step 2: Receive a trial SMS message On the **Try out SMS** page, select **Inbound**. Send an SMS from your verified phone number to the Twilio trial number shown in the **To** field. To inspect or customize responses, choose **Custom** in **Auto-Reply settings**, and add a webhook. ## Using the Messaging API During your trial, you can use [Messages resource](/docs/messaging/api/message-resource) with some limitations and differences. The fastest way to build during your trial is to copy your request from the code block on the **Try out SMS** page, then make adjustments as needed. You can build in your trial environment, then upgrade to a fully featured account when you're ready. Once trial limitations no longer apply, you can create your own custom SMS body content and set additional parameters that were not supported in your trial. ### Send an SMS This request uses the [Create a Message](/docs/messaging/api/message-resource#create-a-message-resource) resource. During your trial, you can only use or change the following parameters: * `to`: (Required) The recipient's phone number in [E.164](/docs/glossary/what-e164) format. * `body`: (Required) Must specify one of the following Twilio templates: * `sms\_2fa` * `sms\_appointment\_reminders` * `sms\_order\_confirmation` * `sms\_delivery\_updates`, `sms\_customer\_support` * `sms\_marketing\_promotions` * `sms\_event\_notifications` * `sms\_account\_alerts` * `sms\_feedback\_surveys` * `sms\_internal\_alerts` | * `statusCallback`: (Optional) URL to `POST` message status updates (for example, delivered, failed, and so on). ### Receive and reply to SMS messages Use the same approach described in [Receive and Reply to Incoming Messages - Python](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/python). However your SMS trial has the following limitations: * Twilio Functions, Twilio Proxy, and TwiML Bins are not supported. * Direct TwiML XML is not supported during response. ### Messaging logs See [Read multiple Message resources](/docs/messaging/api/message-resource#read-multiple-message-resources) for details about required and optional parameters.