GoHighLevel (GHL) is a popular CRM and marketing automation platform among Australian marketing agencies and consultants. Its built-in SMS is powered by Twilio, which works globally but creates challenges for Australian businesses: higher per-message costs, no built-in AU compliance tools, and sending from numbers that customers do not recognise.

This guide covers how to connect Monster SMS as an SMS provider to GoHighLevel, import your existing Twilio numbers so you keep continuity, configure webhooks for two-way messaging, and get the full benefit of Australian-compliant SMS inside your GHL workflows.

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Why Australian GHL Users Look for a Better SMS Provider

GoHighLevel's native SMS works, but it has a few friction points for Australian operators:

• Cost: GHL's built-in Twilio SMS charges $0.075 to $0.085 per message to Australian numbers, plus LC Phone plan fees on top. For agencies billing clients or managing high-volume campaigns, the cost adds up fast.
• Compliance: AU-specific Spam Act 2003 requirements (consent tracking, opt-out handling, sender identification) are not managed by GHL natively. You are responsible for implementing them.
• Number recognition: GHL assigns US or international Twilio numbers by default. Australian recipients see an unfamiliar international number, which reduces open rates and increases STOP responses.
• No AI auto-reply in GHL SMS: AI conversation handling in GHL requires LC AI (additional cost) or custom workflow building. Monster SMS brings built-in AI agents to any integration.

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Integration Method 1: Monster SMS via Webhook (Recommended)

The recommended integration connects Monster SMS to GoHighLevel via webhook. When GHL triggers an SMS action in a workflow, it sends the message details to a Monster SMS webhook endpoint, which then delivers the SMS using Monster SMS infrastructure.

Inbound replies from customers come back to Monster SMS, which can either handle them via AI agent or forward them back to GHL via a response webhook for conversation tracking.

What you need before starting

• A Monster SMS account (Starter plan or above)
• A GoHighLevel account with workflow access
• An Australian phone number in Monster SMS (or an imported Twilio number)
• Monster SMS API key (found in your account settings)

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Step-by-Step Setup

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Twilio Number Import: Keeping Your Existing Numbers

If you already have Australian phone numbers set up in Twilio (including numbers provisioned through GHL's LC Phone), you can import those numbers to Monster SMS without losing them.

The import process:

1. Contact Monster SMS support at [email protected] with your Twilio account SID and the numbers you want to import
2. Monster SMS initiates a porting request with Twilio on your behalf
3. You complete a Letter of Authorisation (LOA) confirming the transfer
4. Numbers transfer within 5 to 10 business days
5. During porting, Monster SMS can route messages through Twilio so there is no delivery gap

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Using Monster SMS AI Agents alongside GoHighLevel

One advantage of using Monster SMS as your GHL SMS provider is access to Monster SMS's AI agent capability for inbound message handling. You can configure two modes:

Mode 1: Monster SMS handles all inbound replies

Configure Monster SMS's AI agent to handle inbound messages (confirmations, cancellations, FAQ, opt-outs). Replies that need human attention are flagged in Monster SMS and optionally forwarded to GHL's conversation inbox. This keeps GHL clean and avoids overwhelming your team with routine replies.

Mode 2: Monster SMS forwards all replies to GHL

All inbound replies are forwarded to GHL via webhook in real time. Your team handles them in the GHL conversation inbox, and GHL's automation rules trigger follow-up workflows based on reply content. This approach suits agencies that prefer to keep all client communications managed inside GHL.

Most agencies use a hybrid approach: Monster SMS AI handles routine replies (confirmations, opt-outs, FAQs) and forwards the rest to GHL for human follow-up.

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Integration Method 2: Zapier (Simpler, Less Technical)

If you want a simpler integration without custom webhook configuration, Monster SMS connects to GoHighLevel via Zapier. This works for less complex setups:

1. Create a Zapier account if you do not already have one
2. Create a new Zap with GoHighLevel as the trigger (e.g., "New Contact" or "Contact Stage Changed")
3. Add Monster SMS as the action ("Send SMS")
4. Map the contact's phone number and configure the message body
5. Test and activate the Zap

The Zapier method is simpler to set up but has limitations: it cannot handle inbound replies or two-way conversations natively. For two-way SMS or AI agent integration with GHL, the webhook method in the previous section is the better approach.

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Australian Compliance Inside GHL Workflows

One of the common compliance gaps for Australian GHL users is opt-out management. When a contact replies STOP to an SMS sent via GHL, the opt-out needs to be honoured at both the Monster SMS level (so no further messages are sent from that number) and at the GHL CRM level (so the contact is marked as opted-out in your database).

Monster SMS handles the suppression automatically. To update GHL when an opt-out occurs:

• Configure a Monster SMS webhook that fires on opt-out events
• Point that webhook at a GHL workflow trigger URL
• In GHL, create a workflow that marks the contact's SMS opt-in field as false and adds an opt-out tag

This two-way opt-out sync ensures you are compliant under the Spam Act 2003 and that GHL does not attempt to send future SMS campaigns to opted-out contacts.

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Agency Workspace: Managing Multiple GHL Sub-Accounts

Monster SMS's agency workspace feature was built for exactly this use case. Each GHL sub-account (client) gets their own Monster SMS workspace with their own numbers, templates, contacts, and AI agents. You manage everything from a single Monster SMS login without client campaigns mixing together.

This is a significant advantage over managing each client's Twilio account separately, which requires separate logins, separate billing, and separate compliance management for each.

For more on the agency workspace, see the Monster SMS features page.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Messages not sending from GHL

Check that the webhook URL in GHL is correct and that your Monster SMS API key is included in the Authorization header. Test the webhook endpoint directly using a tool like Postman before debugging in GHL.

Replies not appearing in GHL

Verify the inbound webhook URL in Monster SMS settings points to the correct GHL location webhook endpoint. GHL location webhook URLs are location-specific, so ensure you are using the URL for the correct sub-account.

Messages sending but from wrong number

Check the "from" field in your webhook payload. It must match an active number in your Monster SMS account. If you imported a Twilio number, confirm the import completed successfully before using it as a sending number.

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The Monster SMS support team is available at [email protected] to assist with integration setup at any stage. For agencies managing this for multiple clients, the team can assist with bulk number imports and multi-workspace configuration.