> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.withallo.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Quick answers to frequently asked questions

## Getting Started

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I get started with Allo?">
    Download the app, create an account, and you'll be assigned a business number immediately. The setup takes less than 2 minutes.

    [Complete getting started guide](/en/get-started/index)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I get a free trial?">
    The Business plan includes a 7-day free trial with full features. Credit card required, but you won't be charged until the trial ends. The Starter plan (\$16/month, billed annually) does not include a free trial.

    [View plans and pricing](/en/billing/plans-and-pricing)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I keep my existing phone number?">
    Yes. You can port most landline and mobile numbers to Allo. Mobile numbers take 2 to 4 business days in the US, around a week in France. Landlines take 7 to 15 business days depending on your carrier.

    [Start porting process](/en/phone-numbers/port-existing-number)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does setup take?">
    Most workspaces are live in under 30 minutes. You pick your number, invite your team, configure the AI Receptionist if you want one, and set up routing. If you need a guided walkthrough, book a call with our team.

    [Full setup guide](/en/get-started/index)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need a new phone number?">
    Yes, Allo assigns you a business number during setup. You can also connect your personal number to forward calls to Allo for recording and features.

    [Learn about connecting personal number](/en/phone-numbers/connect-personal-number)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a desktop app?">
    Yes, available on the Business plan. You get access to desktop apps for Mac and Windows, plus a web app accessible from any browser.

    [View Business plan features](/en/billing/plans-and-pricing)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Plans & Billing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What's the difference between Starter and Business?">
    Starter ($16/month, billed annually) includes the mobile app, call recording, AI summaries, and 30 mins of AI Receptionist. Business ($45/month) adds desktop apps, Unlimited AI Receptionist, SMS sending, and CRM integrations.

    [Compare plans in detail](/en/billing/plans-and-pricing)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I try before buying?">
    The Business plan includes a 7-day free trial. The Starter plan has no trial, but you can upgrade or cancel anytime with no penalties.

    [Start free trial](/en/billing/plans-and-pricing)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I cancel my subscription?">
    Cancel anytime from Settings > Billing (web/desktop) or Settings > Profile > Manage Subscription (iOS). You keep access until the end of your billing period.

    [Cancellation instructions](/en/billing/manage-subscription)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How much do additional phone numbers cost?">
    Most countries: $5/month per number. Some countries like Germany ($15) and Belgium (\$45) have higher pricing due to carrier costs.

    [View number pricing](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are there any hidden fees?">
    No. All features are included in your plan. The only additional costs are extra phone numbers (\$5/month) and additional team members (same price as your plan).

    [View all pricing](/en/billing/billing-and-payments)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where can I get an invoice?">
    Invoices are automatically sent to your email after each payment. For web subscriptions, invoices come from Stripe. For iOS/Android, they come from Apple/Google.

    [Learn about invoices](/en/billing/billing-and-payments)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I extend my free trial?">
    Yes. If you need more time to evaluate Allo, especially when SMS verification or porting delays cut into your testing window, reply to your onboarding email or [contact support](/en/support/contact) and we'll extend it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are call minutes or AI credits pooled across the team?">
    The Business plan includes unlimited calling and unlimited AI Receptionist minutes at the workspace level, so there's no shared pool to run out of. Adding more users doesn't change your call capacity, only your seat count. International calls are billed as you go.

    [See Business plan details](/en/billing/plans-and-pricing)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Call Features

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Are all calls automatically recorded?">
    Yes, every call made through Allo is automatically recorded, transcribed, and summarized by AI. You cannot disable recording in-app (contact support if needed).

    [Learn about call recordings](/en/features/call-recordings)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I customize my voicemail greeting?">
    Yes. You can write a custom greeting message and Allo's AI will read it with a natural voice. You can also choose voice type and tone.

    [Set up custom voicemail](/en/features/ai-assistant)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the AI Receptionist?">
    The AI Receptionist answers calls automatically 24/7, answers questions about your business, and collects information. Starter includes 30 minutes/month; Business includes Unlimited minutes.

    [Learn about AI Receptionist](/en/features/virtual-receptionist)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When does the AI Receptionist pick up?">
    You decide. Common setups: only after no one on your team answers, only outside business hours, or as the primary handler 24/7. You can also send specific IVR options straight to the AI. It works alongside your team, not instead of them.

    [Configure when AI takes calls](/en/features/virtual-receptionist)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can the AI Receptionist transfer the caller to a live person?">
    No. The AI handles the conversation on its own, takes a message, and notifies your team by email and in the app. Think of it as a smart receptionist that takes detailed notes, not a call center queue. If you need live coverage, use [call routing](/en/features/call-routing) to ring your team first and only fall back to the AI on missed calls.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if no one answers and the AI Receptionist isn't set up yet?">
    The call goes to standard voicemail with transcription. Setting up the AI Receptionist takes a few minutes and gives callers a much better experience, so we recommend doing it early.

    [Set up your AI Receptionist](/en/features/virtual-receptionist)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I screen calls before answering?">
    Yes, using the Gatekeeper feature. Unknown callers must state their name and reason before you answer. You see this info before deciding to accept.

    [Set up Gatekeeper](/en/features/call-screening)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I set up business hours?">
    Go to Settings > Business Hours, set your schedule for each day, and choose what happens outside hours (voicemail, AI, or forwarding).

    [Configure business hours](/en/features/business-hours)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I create a phone menu (IVR)?">
    Yes. Create an interactive menu with up to 8 options that route callers to different team members, voicemail, or external numbers.

    [Set up IVR menu](/en/features/ivr)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I transfer calls to team members?">
    Yes. During a call, tap the transfer button and select a team member or external number. The caller stays on the line during transfer.

    [Learn about call transfer](/en/team/overview)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Phone Numbers

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I get a phone number in another country?">
    Yes. Allo provides numbers in 50+ countries. Most cost \$5/month. Some countries have higher pricing or require contacting support.

    [View available countries](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I get a toll-free number?">
    Yes, US toll-free numbers (800, 833, 844, etc.) are available on the Business plan. Contact support to request one.

    [Request toll-free number](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I get a French mobile number (06/07)?">
    Yes, but only on the Business plan. French mobile numbers cost €5/month and can be used to create WhatsApp Business accounts.

    [Get French mobile number](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I port my French mobile number?">
    Yes. French mobile numbers (06/07) are eligible for porting, directly from the Allo app: **Settings > Numbers > Port a number**. Porting typically takes around one week. Dial **3179** from the line to be ported to get your RIO code first.

    [Learn about porting](/en/phone-numbers/port-existing-number)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I pick my own number? Any US area code?">
    Yes. At signup, you search by area code and pick from available numbers. You're not limited to your own region: any US area code is fair game. The same flow is available later under Settings > Numbers.

    [Get a number](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I add a toll-free number later?">
    Yes. You can add a toll-free number (833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) at any time from Settings > Numbers, alongside your local lines. True 1-800 numbers are very limited and cost significantly more, so most teams pick another toll-free prefix.

    [Add a toll-free number](/en/phone-numbers/buy-additional-numbers)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can two users make outbound calls at the same time from a shared number?">
    Yes. Allo isn't tied to a single physical line, so two or more users sharing a number can each be on their own call simultaneously, inbound or outbound. The same applies to incoming calls: if one user is on the line, the next call rings every other available user instead of being dropped.

    [How numbers and users work together](/en/get-started/numbers-and-users)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Hardware & devices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does Allo work with desk phones?">
    No. Allo runs as a mobile app (iOS, Android) and a desktop app (Mac, Windows, web). There's no SIP or VoIP hardware integration. For most small teams, that means using the app on the smartphones and laptops they already have, with no extra equipment to buy or maintain. If your workflow relies on physical desk phones, Allo isn't the right fit today.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What devices do I need?">
    Any modern iPhone or Android phone runs the mobile app. The desktop app works on macOS and Windows. The web app runs in any browser. A wired or Bluetooth headset is recommended for call quality.

    [Download Allo](https://withallo.com/download)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use a Bluetooth or USB headset?">
    Yes. Standard Bluetooth, USB, and wired headsets work with Allo on both mobile and desktop. We recommend using one for clearer calls, especially in shared workspaces.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Team & Collaboration

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I add team members?">
    Yes, on the Business plan. Each team member costs \$45/month and gets their own number and full features. Add unlimited team members.

    [Learn about team features](/en/team/overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I invite someone to my team?">
    Go to Settings > Manage my team > Invite a member. Enter their email and they'll receive an invitation to join.

    [Add team members](/en/team/manage-members)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can team members share one number?">
    Yes. Multiple team members can be assigned to the same number. Calls can ring everyone simultaneously or in sequence (cascade).

    [Configure call routing](/en/team/manage-members)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I see my team's call performance?">
    Yes, on the Business plan. The desktop app includes a team dashboard with call metrics, answer rates, and performance analytics.

    [View team monitoring features](/en/team/analytics)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change my login email?">
    Not from the app. Login emails can't be edited directly — contact support and we'll update it for you.

    [Contact support](/en/support/contact)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Messaging & SMS

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I send and receive SMS?">
    Starter plan: Receive only (limited). Business plan: Send and receive (Unlimited). Both plans include automatic SMS logging to your CRM.

    [Learn about SMS features](/en/phone-numbers/sms-overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I receive verification codes (OTP)?">
    Limited support. Many verification services don't support VoIP numbers. Use your personal phone for account verifications.

    [SMS limitations](/en/phone-numbers/sms-overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I send images via SMS?">
    No. MMS (multimedia messages) are not supported yet. You can only send text messages.

    [What's not supported](/en/phone-numbers/sms-overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there an SMS sending limit?">
    The Business plan includes unlimited SMS (fair use policies apply). The Starter plan is limited to 100 incoming SMS per month.

    [SMS limits and pricing](/en/phone-numbers/sms-overview)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Integrations

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Which CRMs does Allo integrate with?">
    HubSpot, Salesforce, Attio, folk, Zoho CRM, Odoo, Streak, and more. Native integrations are available on the **Business plan**.

    [View all integrations](/en/integrations/overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do calls automatically log to my CRM?">
    Yes. When you connect a CRM, every call syncs automatically with recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries. No manual work required.

    [See how integrations work](/en/integrations/overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I connect multiple integrations?">
    Yes. You can connect as many integrations as you need. For example, use HubSpot for CRM and Google Sheets for backup.

    [Integration features](/en/integrations/overview)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I connect to Zapier or Make?">
    Both require webhook URLs. Get your webhook from Zapier/Make, enter it in Allo Settings > Integrations, and select which events to send.

    [Zapier setup](/en/integrations/zapier) | [Make setup](/en/integrations/make)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My CRM isn't in the list (monday.com, Housecall Pro, etc.). Can I still sync calls?">
    Yes. On the Business plan, you can push every call (with recording, transcript, AI summary, and contact data) into any tool that accepts webhooks, either directly or through Zapier and Make. We support hundreds of destinations that way. If you want a native integration, tell us which one and we'll add it to the roadmap.

    [Webhooks](/en/integrations/webhooks) | [Zapier](/en/integrations/zapier) | [Make](/en/integrations/make)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Technical Issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I check if Allo is down?">
    If calls, SMS, or the app stop working for everyone (not just you), check the [Allo status page](https://status.withallo.com) for real-time service status. Any ongoing incident is posted there with live updates, so you can see what's affected and when it's resolved before contacting support.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Call quality is poor or choppy">
    Check your internet connection. You need minimum 1 Mbps. Try switching between WiFi and cellular data, or use headphones instead of speakerphone.

    [Troubleshoot call quality](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Calls aren't ringing">
    Check that your phone isn't on silent or Do Not Disturb. Verify notification permissions are enabled for Allo. Review business hours and call forwarding settings.

    [Fix ringing issues](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can't connect my personal number">
    Try manual setup if automatic fails. Ensure your carrier supports call forwarding and that you've authorized it. Temporarily disable Gatekeeper during setup.

    [Connection troubleshooting](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="App crashes or freezes">
    Force close and reopen Allo, restart your phone, update to the latest app version, or reinstall the app. Contact support if issues persist.

    [App troubleshooting](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Recording or transcript missing">
    Recordings only work for calls made through Allo app (not native dialer or WhatsApp). Transcripts take 1-2 minutes to process.

    [Recording issues](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Integration not syncing">
    Verify the integration shows as "Connected" in Settings. Check that contacts exist in your CRM with matching phone numbers. Disconnect and reconnect if needed.

    [Integration troubleshooting](/en/support/common-issues)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Privacy & Legal

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is Allo GDPR compliant?">
    Yes. Allo is fully GDPR compliant. All data is encrypted and stored securely. You control who has access to your call recordings.

    [Learn about security](/en/support/faq)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to tell callers about recording?">
    In many jurisdictions, yes. You're responsible for complying with local call recording laws. Allo can play an automatic consent message before calls connect, or you can add announcements to your IVR.

    [Call Recording Compliance guide](/en/features/call-recording-compliance)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I keep transcripts but delete recordings?">
    Yes. Enable **Privacy Mode** to disable audio storage while keeping transcripts and AI summaries. Your CRM still gets the full transcript — just no audio file.

    [Configure Privacy Mode](/en/features/call-recording-compliance)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where is my data stored?">
    Data is stored on secure Allo servers with encryption at rest and in transit. SOC 2 compliant. You can delete recordings anytime from the app.

    [Trust Center](https://trust.themobilefirstcompany.com/)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I disable call recordings?">
    Not from the app. Consider Privacy Mode (no audio, keeps transcripts) or transcription-only mode first. For full disable, contact support.

    [Recording compliance options](/en/features/call-recording-compliance)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Still have questions?

<CardGroup cols={3}>
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</CardGroup>