# What is toll-free SMS?

> Toll-free SMS is A2P text messaging sent from a toll-free number (in North America, the 800/888/877-style numbers). Toll-free numbers can send and receive SMS at higher throughput than an ordinary long code once verified, and are a common choice for two-way business messaging in the US and Canada. They require verification to send at scale and sit between a long code and a short code in cost and capacity.

- Canonical URL: https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-toll-free-sms
- Language: en
- Last reviewed: 2026-09-30
- Publisher: BroadNet (https://www.broadnet.me)

## Where it fits

A toll-free number supports two-way SMS at higher volume than a standard 10-digit long code, without the cost and lead time of a short code — a practical middle option for US/Canada business messaging. See /answers/what-is-short-code-vs-long-code and /answers/what-is-long-code.

## Verification is required

To send A2P traffic at scale, a toll-free number must be verified with the messaging ecosystem, declaring the brand and use case; unverified toll-free traffic is heavily limited. See /answers/what-is-a2p-10dlc for the long-code equivalent.

## Two-way capable

Toll-free numbers receive inbound messages, so they support replies, keywords, and STOP handling. See /answers/what-is-two-way-messaging and /answers/what-is-toll-free-messaging.

## Related

- [All answers](https://www.broadnet.me/answers)
- [Glossary](https://www.broadnet.me/answers)
- [What is toll-free messaging?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-toll-free-messaging)
- [Short code vs long code — when to use each](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-short-code-vs-long-code)
- [What is a long code?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-long-code)
- [What is A2P 10DLC?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-a2p-10dlc)
- [Two-way SMS](https://www.broadnet.me/products/two-way-sms)