Getting started: a checklist for your first 14 days

HighLevel's trial is 14 days, and billing starts automatically when it ends unless you cancel. [HighLevel pricing page; checked 2026-10-25] The goal of this checklist is to run one real workflow end to end before then, so the decision is based on evidence rather than demos.

Days 1–2: decide what you are testing

• Write down the one job HighLevel has to do for you. Examples: "answer missed calls with a text back", "book consultations from a form", "replace our funnel builder and email tool".
• List the tools it would replace and what they cost today. You'll compare against this on day 13.
• Pick a plan with the plan picker. Most agencies trial Unlimited; a single business only needs Starter.

Days 2–4: the account foundations

• Agency vs sub-account. The agency view manages billing and client accounts. Day-to-day CRM work happens in a sub-account. Create one sub-account for yourself (or your first client) and work there.
• Business profile. Fill in the legal business name, address and website exactly as they appear on tax records. A2P registration later checks these against your EIN.
• Users and permissions. Users are unlimited on every plan, so add teammates now rather than sharing a login.
• Domain. Connect a subdomain (for example go.yourdomain.com) for funnels and forms rather than your main site.
• Email sending domain. Set up a dedicated sending subdomain for LC Email. Without one, a sub-account is treated as a shared domain with lower daily limits. [What is LC Email?, updated 2026-08-20; checked 2026-10-25]

Days 4–7: phone and texting

• Buy one local number ($1.15/month). [LC Phone Pricing & Billing Guide, updated 2026-10-12; checked 2026-10-25]
• Start A2P 10DLC registration immediately. Business texting to US numbers from a 10-digit local number needs an approved campaign before you send.
• While A2P is pending, test calls: inbound routing, voicemail, call recording and missed-call text-back (to your own phone).
• Decide whether calls ring the mobile app or forward to a cell. Forwarding bills two call legs. Model it in the usage calculator.

Days 6–10: build the one workflow

• Create a pipeline with the stages your leads really go through (no more than 5–6 to start).
• Build one form or survey and one calendar.
• Build one workflow: trigger (form submitted / call missed / appointment booked) → actions (tag, opportunity, SMS or email, internal notification).
• Test it with your own phone and email at least three times, including the "unhappy path" (no answer, wrong number, unsubscribe).
• Install the mobile app and confirm notifications reach the person who needs them.

Days 8–12: optional extras worth testing

• Voice AI: build a receptionist agent and test with web calls first. Follow the Voice AI guide and check costs with the estimator.
• Reviews: connect Google Business Profile and send a review request to a friendly customer.
• API or Zapier-style integrations: if you'll connect other systems, create a Private Integration token at the sub-account level and make one test call.
• Agencies: turn the working sub-account into a snapshot and load it into a second test sub-account.

Days 12–13: decide

• Did the one workflow run without you touching it? If not, what broke?
• Check the wallet: what did a week of usage cost? Multiply by four.
• Compare plan + usage with the tools on your day-1 list. Agencies: run the profitability calculator.
• If it's a no, cancel before the trial ends and export anything you built that you want to keep.
• If it's a yes, consider annual billing: it's 10x the monthly price, two months free.

Facts last checked against official sources: 2026-10-25