Why This Is Different From Most GoHighLevel SMS Setups
If you’re building workflows for Philippine clients or your own PH-based business, you’ve probably noticed that GoHighLevel’s default SMS sending assumes you’re routing through Twilio. That works fine for US numbers, but for Philippine mobile numbers it means international rates (roughly $0.20, or PHP 9-12, per message) plus a recurring phone number fee of around $120/month, and delivery to local PH carriers isn’t always reliable.
NOLA SMS Pro replaces that path with a native “Send SMS” workflow action that routes messages through local Philippine SMS infrastructure instead, at roughly PHP 1.00 per message. It installs from the GoHighLevel Marketplace and shows up as a regular workflow action, so there’s no separate platform to learn – you’re still building in GoHighLevel, just with a different action block.
Here’s how to actually set it up.
Step 1: Install NOLA SMS Pro From the GoHighLevel Marketplace
Find NOLA SMS Pro in the GoHighLevel Marketplace and install it on the sub-account (location) you want to use it with. Installation adds the app’s dashboard and the Send SMS action to that location – it doesn’t affect other sub-accounts unless you install it there too.
Step 2: Apply for Your Branded Sender ID
Before you can send messages, you’ll need a Sender ID – the name recipients see instead of a random number. This gets submitted for telco approval, which is a Philippine carrier requirement for branded SMS. NOLA SMS Pro’s web dashboard is where you submit this application and check its status. The Founding Member plan includes one year of branded Sender ID as part of the PHP 1,497/month price, so there’s no separate fee to budget for on top of the subscription.
Approval isn’t instant, so this is the step to do first, before you’re relying on the workflow for anything time-sensitive.
Step 3: Add the Send SMS Action to Your Workflow
Once the app is installed and your Sender ID is active, open the workflow you want to add SMS to (or start a new one). In the action picker, you’ll find “Send SMS” listed as a native action alongside GoHighLevel’s built-in actions – no separate integration or webhook setup required.
Configure it the way you would any other workflow action:
- Choose the trigger that should fire the message (form submission, appointment booked, tag added, pipeline stage change, etc.)
- Write the message body, using GoHighLevel’s standard merge fields for personalization (contact name, appointment time, and so on)
- Set the Sender ID the message should go out under
- Add any delays or conditional branches the same way you would for email or built-in SMS steps
Because it’s a first-class action rather than a bolted-on integration, it behaves like any other node in the workflow builder – you can drag it into sequences, combine it with email or task-creation steps, and use the same conditional logic you’re already using elsewhere.
Step 4: Test, Then Let It Run
Before publishing the workflow, run a live test to a PH mobile number to confirm the Sender ID displays correctly and the message lands. Once confirmed, publish the workflow and messages send automatically whenever the trigger condition is met – no manual sending required.
If you also want to manage SMS conversations manually (not just automated sends), NOLA SMS Pro connects to GoHighLevel’s Conversations inbox too, so replies and manual messages show up in the same place your team already checks. Worth noting: it’s currently one-way SMS, so this is for outbound messaging and inbox visibility rather than full two-way automated conversations.
Where This Fits
This setup works the same whether you’re an agency building workflows for multiple PH clients or a business running your own automations – appointment reminders, order or service alerts, promotional sends, whatever the workflow trigger is built around. The action itself doesn’t change; only the trigger and message content do.
Getting Started
NOLA SMS Pro’s Founding Member plan is PHP 1,497/month (discounted from PHP 2,497) and includes the native Send SMS action, Conversations integration, the web dashboard, one year of branded Sender ID, 500 free SMS credits per month, and free setup and onboarding.
If you’re ready to stop routing PH SMS through international providers, you can learn more and sign up at nolasmspro.com.