GoHighLevel LC Phone vs Telnyx: A Complete Cost Comparison (2026)

If you're running a GoHighLevel agency, you're paying for every call and text through LC Phone — GHL's built-in telephony system. What most agency owners don't realize is that LC Phone is just Twilio with markup. And for many agencies, especially those with international clients, there's a significantly cheaper alternative: Telnyx.

What Is LC Phone, Really?

LC Phone (LeadConnector Phone) is GoHighLevel's native telephony provider. Under the hood, it runs on Twilio — one of the largest cloud communications platforms. When you make a call or send an SMS from GHL, it's Twilio processing that communication, and GHL is charging you Twilio rates (sometimes with additional markup).

This means you're paying retail Twilio rates with no ability to negotiate volume discounts, choose a different carrier, or optimize your per-minute costs. For US-based agencies with moderate volume, this might be acceptable. For international agencies or high-volume operations, it's expensive.

Telnyx: The Carrier-Grade Alternative

Telnyx is a carrier-grade telecommunications provider that owns its own IP network. Unlike Twilio (which resells carrier capacity), Telnyx operates its own global backbone. This means lower costs, especially for voice calls, and particularly for international routes.

Voice Rate Comparison by Country

Here's where it gets interesting. These are the per-minute outbound voice rates for the most common GHL agency markets:

The pattern is clear: the further from the US, the bigger the savings. Australian agencies save 75% per minute. Israeli agencies save 78%. Even US-based agencies save 47% — nearly half their voice costs.

SMS: Where It Gets Complicated

SMS savings are less straightforward. For US carriers specifically:

• AT&T: Telnyx is slightly cheaper (~6% savings)
• T-Mobile: Telnyx is actually more expensive ($0.0085 vs $0.00747)
• Verizon: Also more expensive on Telnyx ($0.008 vs $0.00747)
• MMS: Telnyx saves 25-30% across all carriers

This is why we recommend a voice-first approach. Start by routing voice calls through Telnyx (where savings are dramatic and undeniable), and evaluate SMS routing based on your specific carrier mix.

Real-World Savings Examples

US Agency — 10,000 Minutes/Month

• LC Phone cost: $170/mo voice
• Telnyx cost: $90/mo voice
• Platform fee: $19/mo
• Net savings: $61/mo ($732/year)

UK Agency — 5,000 Minutes/Month

• LC Phone cost: $220/mo voice
• Telnyx cost: $75/mo voice
• Platform fee: $19/mo
• Net savings: $126/mo ($1,512/year)

Australian Agency — 5,000 Minutes/Month

• LC Phone cost: $395/mo voice
• Telnyx cost: $100/mo voice
• Platform fee: $19/mo
• Net savings: $276/mo ($3,312/year)

How Does It Work with GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel offers two APIs that make this possible: the Custom Voice Provider API and the Custom Conversation Provider API. These allow third-party apps (like TelnyxForGHL) to replace the default Twilio routing with an alternative carrier.

From your end, nothing changes. Your GHL workflows, conversations, and automations work exactly the same. The only difference is the carrier routing the actual calls and messages — and the cost on your bill.

Voice-Only Mode: Zero Migration Friction

The biggest advantage of starting with voice-only routing is that there's no porting required. Your existing phone numbers stay with Twilio/LC Phone. We route outbound calls through Telnyx using your existing number as the caller ID.

No 10DLC migration. No number porting. No downtime. You can start saving on your next call.

The Bottom Line

If your GHL agency spends more than $100/month on telephony — and especially if you have international clients — you're likely overpaying by 47-78% on voice calls. Telnyx offers carrier-grade reliability at wholesale prices, and TelnyxForGHL makes it work seamlessly with GoHighLevel.