Every major CRM platform structures billing differently, and understanding those differences helps explain why GoHighLevel’s usage-based system is transparently the best.

Traditional CRM Platforms

Most email and CRM tools - like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and ActiveCampaign - charge primarily based on how many contacts you store.
Even if you send no messages, you pay for the size of your database. Plans quickly rise into hundreds or thousands of dollars per month simply for storing contacts.

Other systems such as Monday, HubSpot, or Keap include limited usage (for example, a few thousand emails or texts) inside higher-tier plans, then apply steep overage fees once you exceed those limits.

Their model is predictable for small businesses, but it penalizes sales agents like you.

How GoHighLevel® Works

GoHighLevel® takes a different approach. You can have unlimited users, contacts, and automations - there are no storage or user fees. Instead, costs are based solely on real usage: when a call, text, email, workflow, or AI event actually happens.

The GHL platform runs on its own in-house communications backbone called LeadConnector (LC).
This combines the power of Twilio (for voice/SMS) and Mailgun (for email) into a unified, fully managed infrastructure. That means you don’t need your own Twilio or Mailgun accounts - IUL.org maintains the master LC account and simply rebills the actual usage charges directly to you.

This ensures scalability, reliability, and cost fairness:

• You’re never charged for storing contacts.

• You only pay for what’s actually sent or performed.

• Every cost maps directly to measurable activity in the GoHighLevel® system.

  
  

AI, Tokens, and Model Integrations

In addition to messaging and calls, many GoHighLevel® tools use artificial intelligence (AI) for writing, summarizing, generating ads, or handling conversations. These actions use a token-based system - similar to how Twilio bills per minute or SendGrid per email.

A token represents a small piece of text, usually a few characters or part of a word. Both input tokens (what you send to the AI) and output tokens (what the AI writes back) are counted. The more text or complexity involved, the more tokens are consumed.

GoHighLevel’s LeadConnector AI connects directly with industry-leading providers such as:

• OpenAI (ChatGPT models) - for conversational and creative writing tasks.

• Google Gemini - for reasoning, summarization, and data interpretation.

• Anthropic Claude - for long-form, context-aware responses.

Each provider charges per 1,000 tokens processed, just like infrastructure platforms such as AWS, Twilio, or OpenAI API.
GoHighLevel consolidates those token costs automatically into your account.

Users can optionally link their own OpenAI, Gemini, or Anthropic keys if they prefer direct billing, but for most users, IUL.org manages that integration transparently and passes through the usage cost at published retail rates.

Why This Matters

This usage-based model ensures fairness and scalability. If you send fewer messages or use less AI, your bill decreases automatically. If you scale up and close more sales, your costs rise only in proportion to real performance.

In short:

• No per-user or per-contact limits.

• No hidden bundles or storage fees.

• Real-time billing based on measurable usage - whether that’s a text, a call minute, or an AI token.