For US business SMS, choose 10DLC for local-number, conversational and moderate-volume traffic; toll-free for nationwide notifications and support on one number that also reaches Canada; and a short code for the highest volumes and time-critical OTP or marketing bursts. All three are approved A2P routes, but each has its own gatekeeper: The Campaign Registry for 10DLC, toll-free verification for toll-free numbers, and a carrier-reviewed application for short codes.
This guide compares the three on registration, timelines, fees, throughput and fit, using current carrier and registry sources, so you can choose the right route for bulk SMS in the United States.
What are 10DLC, toll-free and short code numbers?
10DLC
10DLC (10-digit long code) is a standard US local number, such as a 212 or 415 number, registered for A2P messaging. It replaced unregistered long codes for business traffic. It supports two-way SMS and can also be voice-enabled. Every sender must register a brand and at least one campaign with The Campaign Registry (TCR) through its provider.
Toll-free
Toll-free numbers use prefixes such as 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 and 888. Text-enabled toll-free numbers send and receive SMS across the US and Canada, and can share a number with your voice support line. Before sending, each number must pass toll-free verification.
Short code
A short code is a 5 or 6-digit number used only for messaging. The CTIA Short Code Registry issues five-digit codes from 20000 to 99999 and six-digit codes from 200000 to 999999. You lease the code, then each carrier approves your messaging programme before it goes live. Shared short codes, where many brands used one code, were phased out by the major carriers in 2021 (Digital Commerce 360), so today a short code belongs to one brand.
How do 10DLC, toll-free and short codes compare?
| Factor | 10DLC | Toll-free | Short code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | 10-digit local number | 10-digit 8XX number | 5-6 digits |
| Registration | TCR brand and campaign, carrier review | Toll-free verification per number | Registry lease plus carrier programme approval |
| Typical timeline | Days, longer if vetting or review asks for changes | Up to about 5 business days of manual review | 2-4 weeks provisioning after lease |
| Throughput | Set per carrier by vetting score and use case | Set per number by the provider; lower by default, can be raised | Highest of the three |
| Fixed costs | Low one-off brand fees plus monthly campaign fee | Number rental; some providers add small per-number registry fees | $500-$1,000 per month lease plus provider setup |
| Voice | Possible | Possible | No |
| Coverage | US carriers | US and Canada | US only (other countries run their own schemes) |
| Best for | Local presence, two-way chat, moderate volume | National alerts, support, US + Canada | High-volume OTP, alerts and campaigns |
How does 10DLC registration with The Campaign Registry work?
Your provider, acting as a Campaign Service Provider, submits your details to TCR. The TCR CSP User Guide (October 2025) sets out the flow:
- Brand registration. Legal company name, country of registration, EIN or tax ID, address, website and contacts. The details must match official records exactly, or verification fails.
- Authentication+ for public companies. Brands registered as publicly traded must complete an Auth+ check before creating campaigns. A business contact confirms a PIN sent by email, which is valid for 7 days. The whole check must be completed within 30 days.
- Optional standard vetting. An external vet returns a score from 0 to 100 that sets throughput with some carriers. Verified brands on the Russell 3000 list get the top tiers automatically; others start at entry level and can improve through vetting.
- Campaign registration. For each use case (2FA, account notifications, customer care, marketing, mixed and so on) you describe the flow, give sample messages, explain how users opt in and show your HELP and STOP replies. Campaigns carry a 3-month minimum commitment.
- Carrier review and number linking. Upstream aggregators and carriers review the campaign. Once approved, your 10DLC numbers are linked to it and can carry live traffic.
Sole proprietors without an EIN have a separate, lower-throughput route, available only to US and Canadian registrants.
What does 10DLC cost, and how fast can it send?
TCR’s own fee schedule is available to providers, not the public. The figures below come from fee tables published by providers (Vonage, updated February 2026; Aerialink). Your provider may add its own charges.
- Brand registration: $4.50 one-off.
- Authentication+ (public companies): $12.50.
- Standard external vetting: $41.50; enhanced vetting: $101.50.
- Campaign vetting: $15 per submission.
- Monthly campaign fee: typically $10 for standard use cases and $1.50 for low-volume mixed.
- Carrier pass-through fees on registered SMS: $0.003 per message on T-Mobile and AT&T, $0.004 on Verizon.
Throughput is set by each carrier. Per the TCR guide, AT&T assigns a per-campaign limit in messages per minute: 4,500 for vetting scores of 75-100, 2,400 for 50-74, 240 for 1-49, 75 for low-volume mixed and 15 for sole proprietors. T-Mobile applies a daily cap per brand instead: 200,000 (Top tier), 40,000, 10,000 and 2,000 (Low), with 1,000 for sole proprietors. Bandwidth notes that the T-Mobile cap resets at midnight Pacific time and that traffic over it is rejected. At the top AT&T class, 4,500 messages per minute is 75 per second per campaign. That is enough for most OTP flows, but a hard ceiling for large bursts.
How does toll-free verification work?
Toll-free numbers must be verified before they send. Bandwidth’s verification handbook confirms that numbers still pending verification have been blocked since 31 January 2024. A submission covers:
- Business name, address, website and contact.
- From early 2026, a business registration number (such as an EIN), its issuing country and entity type. Sole proprietors without an EIN are exempt (Bandwidth; Twilio changelog). Numbers verified before the change do not need resubmitting.
- Use case, expected monthly volume and sample messages.
- Opt-in method with evidence, such as a URL or screenshot of the consent form.
Review is manual and can take up to about five business days. Certain content is not accepted on toll-free: Bandwidth’s handbook lists cannabis, alcohol, tobacco and vape, gambling, sweepstakes, cryptocurrency, payday loans and debt relief among prohibited use cases. That matters for iGaming, crypto and lending brands, who should confirm the route before building a programme on toll-free.
Throughput is set per number. One large provider documents a default of 3 message segments per second on a new toll-free number, with higher rates available on request. There are no TCR-style brand and campaign fees, but providers charge number rental and some add a small monthly registry fee per number (Aerialink lists $0.02).
How do you get a US short code?
- Lease the code from the CTIA Short Code Registry: $500 per month for a random code, $1,000 per month for a select (vanity) code, on 3, 6 or 12-month terms.
- Submit a programme brief through your provider: brand, use case, message flow, opt-in wording, HELP and STOP replies, message frequency and terms.
- Carrier review and provisioning. Each carrier approves and provisions the code. The registry puts this at two to four weeks.
- Launch and stay compliant. Carriers audit short code programmes, and content that drifts from the approved brief can get the code suspended.
The registry describes short codes as having one of the highest throughput rates of any sender type. Exact rates are agreed with your provider and the carriers. Short codes have the highest fixed cost, but they are the most trusted and fastest US route for high-volume OTP, alerts and campaigns.
Which US number type should you choose?
- OTP and 2FA at scale: a short code if you send large daily volumes or sharp login peaks; a 2FA-registered 10DLC campaign or verified toll-free number at moderate volume. Our guide to choosing a Verify API covers fallback design.
- Customer care and two-way conversations: 10DLC, especially where a local area code builds trust (clinics, branches, field services).
- National notifications, billing and support: toll-free, particularly if you also serve Canada or want one number for calls and texts.
- Large marketing campaigns and time-sensitive broadcasts: a short code.
- Restricted content (gambling, cannabis, lending, crypto): check each route’s content rules before registering. Some categories need special campaign types or are not accepted at all.
Many brands combine routes, for example a short code for OTPs, toll-free for support and 10DLC for local teams. Keep each number’s traffic matched to what it was registered for.
What compliance rules apply to all three?
All three follow the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices:
- Get clear consent for the type of messages you send, and keep a record of it.
- Honour opt-out keywords such as STOP straight away, and answer HELP with contact details.
- Identify your brand in messages and keep content consistent with what you registered.
- Put links on domains you control rather than shared public shorteners, and disclose message frequency at sign-up.
Our guide to SMS compliance and automated opt-outs shows how to automate the opt-out side.
How SMS.to handles US messaging
SMS.to supports US messaging through registered routes. Registration is not optional: unregistered senders see reduced throughput or blocking, so we guide each customer to the right setup before launch. For SMS gateway for the USA, that means:
- Advice on 10DLC, toll-free or short code for each use case, and help preparing brand, campaign or verification details.
- Toll-free and short code options arranged through your account manager.
- Delivery receipts and webhooks, so you can see carrier outcomes per message.
- HTTP API or SMPP connectivity, run by Intergo Telecom, the licensed operator behind SMS.to. See our SMPP vs HTTP API comparison to pick one.
Rules change often. This guide reflects the rules as of September 2026; check with your account manager before launching a campaign.
FAQs
Is 10DLC or toll-free better for business texting?
10DLC suits local-presence and conversational traffic and gives well-vetted brands higher throughput, while toll-free suits nationwide support and notifications on one number that also works in Canada. Toll-free verification is usually quicker; 10DLC gives more predictable carrier limits once registered.
Can I send US SMS without registering?
Not reliably. Unregistered 10DLC traffic is filtered or blocked, unverified toll-free numbers have been blocked since 31 January 2024, and short codes cannot send until carriers approve the programme.
How long does each option take to set up?
Toll-free verification is manually reviewed and can take up to about five business days with some providers. 10DLC brand and campaign registration usually takes days, longer if vetting or carrier review asks for changes. A short code takes two to four weeks to provision after you lease it.
How much does a US short code cost?
The CTIA Short Code Registry leases random codes at $500 per month and select (vanity) codes at $1,000 per month, on 3, 6 or 12-month terms. Provider setup and carrier fees come on top.
Does 10DLC work for international senders?
Yes. Brands registered outside the US can register for 10DLC through a provider with their own business registration details. Sole proprietor registration is limited to the US and Canada.
Planning US traffic and not sure which route fits? Talk to our sales team about your volumes, use cases and timelines, and we will recommend a registered setup.
