Phase 3 · Allow time for verification

Set Up Your GoHighLevel Account

Choose the right account, understand charges, and prepare payment and email access.

Why this matters

Starter at $97/month includes three locations and core tools. You can manually invoice for your service without SaaS Pro. Upgrade for capacity or automation you need. Platform, AI, communication, and optional add-on charges are separate.

Before you begin

Your niche and business name.
A realistic budget and eligible payment method.
Check whether you own an agency or only have a location under someone else.

Finish with this

Administrative access, a saved billing plan, and a plan for tested payment/email services.

Use the checks below to record actual work. They do not certify third-party approval or client results.

Choose a plan and budget before checkout

Base plan	Monthly	Relevant difference
Starter	$97	Three locations. One practice location leaves two client slots. Core voice/chat and payments are available; usage may cost extra.
Unlimited	$297	Unlimited locations and supported phone/email rebilling. Check current availability and settings.
Pro	$497	SaaS Mode, automated location creation, and eligible AI Employee usage rebilling. Manual service invoices do not require this plan.

Other cost	What to budget
AI Employee	Pay per use, Growth at $50/location/month, or Unlimited at $97/location/month. Growth includes 1,000 conversation responses and 100 combined voice minutes, with overages. Unlimited has fair-use conditions. Verify current scope.
Phone/SMS	Number rental, calls, SMS/MMS, carrier charges, and registrations vary by number type, country, and use. Phone/SMS charges remain extra under AI plans.
Domain/inbox	Domain registration renews, usually annually. A mailbox may cost extra. A sending domain does not create an inbox.
Optional products	AI Studio, Agent Studio, marketplace agents, premium prospecting, and other add-ons may charge separately. Check before enabling.

The checkout terms control your trial

HighLevel's public offer is a 14-day trial. Our affiliate link may show an extended offer; use the duration shown at checkout. A base-plan trial does not make every AI/usage service free. The Summer of AI promotion ended August 31, 2026. Budget for renewal without assuming client income arrives first.

Do this and verify

Loading your checklist…

If new, read the linked offer's checkout terms. Save trial end, plan, first renewal amount, and cancellation path before enrollment.
If already enrolled, use your existing login and check Agency View access. Do not create a duplicate subscription.
Choose capacity: Starter has three locations including your practice location; Unlimited adds unlimited locations; Pro adds SaaS Mode.
Add accurate agency details and timezone. Review wallet/top-up and spending controls for usage services.
Record the available payment provider or separate invoicing route you will use. Schedule location-specific connection and payment verification for Phase 4.
Record your domain and monitored reply inbox, or the plan to create them after the practice location exists. Complete any available agency email setup; note remaining location-specific work for Phase 4.

Check an item after you do it or document why that channel is outside your agreed scope. Reading a phase does not complete it.

Matching tools

Use these to prepare drafts and estimates. Complete actual configuration in the correct HighLevel location.

⚡ Name ideas for your agency

Agency Name Generator

Stuck on what to call your agency? Enter your niche and get a dozen name ideas for your brand and domain. Tap any name to copy it.

Review the linked GoHighLevel trial offer

Check checkout duration, renewal, and usage charges. Eligible signups through this affiliate link can unlock the snapshot bonus. Load, customize, connect, and test it in Phase 4.

View trial offer ↗

Instructions and examples

Website domain, sending domain, and inbox

Use a domain you control, or register one. HighLevel offers domain purchase inside a location; if absent, check agency permissions or your existing registrar.
Your website domain points to a site. In the location's domain settings, connect the intended website/funnel and check its public URL.
A sending subdomain such as send.yourdomain.com authenticates outgoing email. Use Email Services for the agency or location you are configuring.
Copy exactly the DNS records HighLevel provides: type, host, value, and any priority. Preserve existing website/mailbox records unless documented instructions require a specific change.
MX priority is a numeric mail-routing preference. TTL is how long a record may be cached. They are different settings; do not turn an MX priority of 10 into ten minutes of TTL.
Wait for verification, select the sender, and check a test email's sender/reply address. DNS can take time. A subdomain guarantees neither inbox placement nor isolation of all reputation risk.
Use a monitored mailbox for replies. Send to it from another account and reply back. Sending-domain verification alone does not create an inbox.
Use relevant, permission-aware email and monitor bounces/complaints. A seven-day warm-up does not guarantee deliverability or permission for bulk cold outreach.

Under someone else's agency?

Your role may lack Agency View, snapshot-library access, or feature controls. Ask the agency owner which permissions and delivery options you have. Check the logged-in account before buying an upgrade.

HighLevel invoice documentation ↗

Optional: automated software resale (optional)

Manual service invoices and a custom service price do not require SaaS Mode.

Check supported rebilling for each product and plan.
Use Pro's SaaS Configurator when you need automated subscription provisioning.
Define usage terms, limits, failed-payment handling, and margins before automatic resale.

Your next action

Create your practice location in Phase 4, then finish its payment and email connections before using them.

If blocked, note this phase, account view, location, expected/actual result, and a redacted screenshot. Use your available community/support channel. Menu names can change; confirm the right view before changing a plan.

Written instructions reviewed October 8, 2026. Official links are the reference for current prices and requirements. Older recordings may show different menus or terms.