Linq Blue alternative for GoHighLevel (GHL): WhatSnap vs Linq
Linq's notice to affected customers, as reported, set an extended cutoff of Friday, October 23, 2026 for iMessage accounts used for sales. WhatSnap BYOP keeps blue bubbles in your GHL workflows on a Line you own: your number, your SIM, your Apple ID, on a Mac and an iPhone you run, with the iPhone in your rep's pocket.
Prices and terms checked October 22, 2026 on each vendor's public pages.
The short answer
Price
$29/mo per GHL Subaccount with 1 Line included, plus $15/mo per extra Line in the same Subaccount. Software only: your devices and carrier plans are extra.
Linq has not published a Linq Blue price. Its developer API's Pro plan starts at $260/mo, per its pricing page as of October 22, 2026, without saying how many lines that covers.
Who provides the number
On BYOP, you do. The number, SIM, Apple ID and carrier plan are yours. Leave WhatSnap and you keep the number.
Linq provides it: Linq Blue sends from "a dedicated phone number provided by Linq." Per its notice as reported, a released line cannot be recovered.
Who holds the phone
Your rep. The Line's iPhone is one they carry (paired with a Mac on the same Apple ID), so they can reply, record a voice note or call the lead from the same number.
Linq runs the hardware and provides the number. Reps message through the Linq app or GHL. Per Linq, its API has "no manual devices to manage."
What 1, 5 and 10 Lines cost
Published prices only, as of October 22, 2026. WhatSnap BYOP is software only: you bring your own devices and carrier plans. The $29 base is per GHL Subaccount and includes 1 Line. Each extra Line in the same Subaccount is $15/mo. Linq has not published a per-line price, so its column reads "Not published".
| Lines | WhatSnap BYOP | Linq |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Line | $29/mo | Not published |
| 5 Lines | $89/mo | Not published |
| 10 Lines | $164/mo | Not published |
- WhatSnap BYOP: software only, with no per-message fees from WhatSnap. Your devices (a Mac and an iPhone per iMessage Line, an Android phone per SMS Line) and carrier plans are extra. Prices assume every Line sits in one GHL Subaccount; each additional Subaccount is $29/mo.
- Linq: per linqapp.com/s/pricing on October 22, 2026, its developer API plans are Hobby at $0 (up to 20 contacts), Pro from $260/mo and Enterprise at custom pricing. The page does not say whether Pro is priced per line, per number or per account, so we do not place it in a per-line row.
- Linq Blue, the product GHL teams used, has no public price. Per Linq's help center, Linq Blue is billed by line, and a Partner Success Manager confirms pricing for extra lines.
WhatSnap vs Linq, line by line
| Criteria | WhatSnap BYOP | Linq |
|---|---|---|
| Who provides the number | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row On BYOP, you do: your SIM, your carrier plan, your Apple ID. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Linq provides it. Linq Blue uses "a dedicated phone number provided by Linq." On the API, there is no self-serve option: you contact Linq support to add or release a line, per its docs. |
| What happens to the number if you cancel | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row On BYOP, you keep the number and the Apple ID. You lose the GHL connection, not the Line. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Per Linq's notice as reported, a port must start before the account closes, and a released line cannot be recovered. Cancelling Linq Blue requires an offboarding meeting with your Partner Success Manager. |
| Whose devices | WhatSnap BYOP Not the stronger option on this row Yours: a Mac (your own, or one hosted in the cloud) and an iPhone per iMessage Line, an Android phone per SMS Line, kept powered and online. | Linq Stronger on this row Linq's. Per Linq, its API has "no manual devices to manage." |
| Where the phone is | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row The iPhone stays with your rep, in a pocket or on a desk. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row With Linq, which describes "dedicated lines across redundant data centers." |
| Call the lead from the same number | WhatSnap BYOP Yes, from the iPhone itself, as an ordinary call on your carrier line, placed from the phone, not from GHL. WhatSnap does not route calls; GHL calling still uses Twilio or LeadConnector. | Linq Linq Blue offers calling from GHL: outgoing calls show your Linq Blue number, with inbound routing and call recording in GHL, per Linq's help center. Linq's own guide suggests calling from a separate number, because one number for both can trigger a "Spam Likely" label. |
| Reply or voice note from your own phone | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row Yes. Pick up the iPhone, reply or record a voice note in Messages, and the conversation keeps syncing to GHL. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Linq Blue lets teams message from the Linq app or GHL, with voice notes sent from a GHL button that needs custom JavaScript from your Linq Partner Success Manager. |
| Setup | WhatSnap BYOP Self-serve. Install from the GHL Marketplace and connect your own devices; a fresh Line then warms up over 14 days. | Linq Managed. A Partner Success Manager supplies a custom JavaScript snippet for GHL. New lines need approval, then typically take up to 48 hours to provision and warm. |
| GHL integration | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row Runs as your GHL telephony provider. Native Send SMS, Wait for Reply and GHL AI bots keep working. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Linq Blue can be set as GHL's messaging and calling provider, per Linq's help center. Linq's main site lists no GHL integration as of October 22, 2026. |
| Channels | WhatSnap BYOP iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and Twilio. | Linq iMessage with RCS and SMS fallback, plus a WhatsApp partner API in its docs. |
| Messaging new leads first | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row Supported, for leads who expect to hear from you: form fills, ad responders, booked calls, past customers. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Per its notice to affected customers, as reported, Linq is moving away from sales, prospecting and outreach, with an extended cutoff of October 23, 2026 for those accounts. |
| New conversations per day | WhatSnap BYOP About 50 new conversations a day per Apple ID: Apple's limit, and our Acceptable Use Policy's default for a new Line's first 14 days. The same for every provider; on BYOP, the Line is yours. | Linq About 50 per line, per Linq's guide: "Cap at 50 unique new conversations per line per day." |
| Pricing model | WhatSnap BYOP Stronger on this row Public: $29/mo per GHL Subaccount with 1 Line included, plus $15/mo per extra Line in the same Subaccount. Software only: your devices and carrier plans are extra. | Linq Not the stronger option on this row Linq Blue: billed by line, priced by a Partner Success Manager. API: Hobby $0, Pro from $260/mo (unit not stated), Enterprise custom. |
Stronger on this rowA check marks the stronger option on that row.
When a vendor changes course, the number should stay with you
Linq announced Linq Blue in November 2024, for a January 2025 launch. It sends from "a dedicated phone number provided by Linq." Linq runs the hardware. When a line is flagged, its help center says "Linq works with Apple on recovery (you cannot fix this yourself)," and the fix may be a replacement number. Extra lines go through a Partner Success Manager.
Linq's notice, as reported, says it is "moving away from supporting sales enablement, prospecting, and outreach as a primary use case." It frames that as where Linq is investing, not a verdict on its customers. Still, teams that built a pipeline on those numbers have to start a port before the account closes. Per the notice as reported, a released line cannot be recovered.
On WhatSnap BYOP, your number does not depend on our roadmap. It sits on your SIM, under your carrier plan and your Apple ID, on an iPhone your rep carries and a Mac you run. Owning it does not lift Apple's limits. It decides who keeps the number when plans change.
The line lives in your rep's pocket, not in someone else's rack
With BYOP, WhatSnap connects iPhones, Macs and Android phones you own to GHL. Your workflows send from your number. On an iMessage Line, your rep holds the iPhone. Here is what that changes for sales and marketing teams.
Your number, your Apple ID
On BYOP, the number, the SIM, the Apple ID and the carrier plan belong to you, not to us. If you leave WhatSnap, you lose the GHL connection; the phone, the number and the Apple ID stay with you.
The iPhone stays in your rep's pocket
On an iMessage Line, the iPhone is a real phone on your own carrier plan, paired with a Mac on the same Apple ID. When a text thread needs a voice, the rep can call the lead from the same number, on that iPhone. It is an ordinary call on your carrier line, placed from the phone, not from GHL. Carriers set their own rules for calls too, so the same spam-labeling risks apply to any number.
Reply from the phone
On an iMessage Line, the rep picks up the iPhone and replies, or records a voice note, right in Messages. The conversation keeps syncing to GHL, so your team sees the thread there too.
Leads may already know the number
Connect a mobile number your leads already have saved, and your message arrives from a contact they know. With Apple's Share Name and Photo turned on, iMessage can also show your name and photo.
You pay us for software, not hardware
$29 a month per GHL Subaccount, with 1 Line included. Each extra Line in the same Subaccount is $15 a month: 5 Lines come to $89, 10 Lines to $164. No per-message fees from WhatSnap. These prices exclude your devices and carrier plans: you buy the devices (or rent a cloud Mac) and pay your carrier directly.
Grow at your pace
Add a Line when you add a rep: $15 a month in the same Subaccount, plus the devices and carrier plan for that Line. There is no platform cap on Lines per agency, and each Line builds its own reputation. Keep a mobile number you already use, area code and all. Or port one onto your SIM, or get a new number from the carrier you choose.
What you take on with BYOP
Owning the line means running the devices. Here is what that takes, in plain terms.
iMessage Line: a Mac on macOS 11 or later (your own, or one you rent in the cloud; the iPhone, number and Apple ID stay yours) plus an iPhone with an active carrier plan, both signed into the same Apple ID.
SMS Line: an Android phone on Android 9 or later, with a SIM on an active SMS plan.
WhatsApp: connects by QR code, from Linked Devices on the phone that runs WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
Devices stay powered, online and awake. Keep the Mac, and an Android SMS phone, plugged in on stable Wi-Fi. If a device drops offline, delivery pauses, and WhatSnap queues messages for up to 24 hours; after that, they are marked failed.
A fresh Line warms up over 14 days. A number with history and inbound traffic may not need a formal warm-up, but our Acceptable Use Policy's first-14-day pacing still applies unless we confirm otherwise in writing.
Apple watches how many brand-new conversations each Apple ID starts. Providers typically keep it near 50 a day per line: our Acceptable Use Policy allows up to 50 new recipients a day per Apple ID in a new Line's first 14 days, and Sendblue's and Linq's docs use the same figure. Apple's rules are the same for every provider; the difference is who owns the line.
Apple and your carrier set their own rules and can act on any line, so we do not promise immunity. WhatSnap is built for leads who expect to hear from you, not for cold outreach at scale.
Devices and carrier plans are on you: hardware you buy once (or a Mac you rent in the cloud), a monthly carrier plan you pay directly, and power and internet to keep the devices online.
Rather not run devices? WhatSnap also offers managed plans, from $77/mo per line: we provide and operate the iPhone, and you focus on the conversations. Managed Lines use numbers we provide, so the ownership points above apply to BYOP. See every option on the pricing page.
When Linq may fit better
You are building an AI agent or a product on iMessage, not running GHL sales workflows. Linq titles its API page "iMessage API for AI Agents and Products," and its own blog describes its fit as "production AI agents and enterprise customer messaging."
You need enterprise paperwork. Linq lists SOC 2 Type II and a contractual 99.95% SLA. WhatSnap makes no SOC 2 or SLA claim.
You want no devices on your side and need developer API features. Per Linq, its API has "no manual devices to manage" and supports group chats of up to 31 recipients, Find My and iMessage Apps through a developer-first REST API. If you only want no devices, WhatSnap's managed plans run the device for you, from $77/mo per line (pricing).
Moving from Linq to WhatSnap BYOP in five steps
If your account is still open, start the port now
Linq's notice to affected customers, as reported, set an extended cutoff of Friday, October 23, 2026. A port has to begin before the account closes, and a released line cannot be recovered. If a number matters, ask a mobile carrier to port it onto a SIM you own. If it is already released, get a new number and send active leads a short note from it.
Export, and get the credit in writing
While you still have access, export contacts, conversation history and your opt-out list. Ask Linq in writing how unused time will be credited; its notice, as reported, says you will not be charged for time you cannot use. Per Linq's help center, removing Linq Blue from a GHL Subaccount does not delete messages already logged in GHL.
Set up your first Line
For iMessage, a Mac on macOS 11 or later (your own, or a Mac hosted in the cloud) and an iPhone with an active carrier plan, both on the same Apple ID. For SMS, an Android phone on Android 9 or later with a SIM. WhatsApp links by QR code. Connect your first Line walks through each one.
Connect GHL and re-import opt-outs
Install WhatSnap from the GHL Marketplace and set it as the telephony provider for each Subaccount. Mark every contact who opted out on Linq as DND in GHL before any workflow fires. If Linq Blue was also your GHL calling provider, switch calling back to LeadConnector or Twilio; WhatSnap does not route calls.
Warm up, then resume
A fresh Line follows a 14-day warm-up; a ported number that already receives inbound messages may not need a formal one. Repoint every workflow step that sent through Linq to GHL's native Send SMS action, rebuild steps that used Linq's own GHL actions, and start with leads who have already replied.
Frequently asked questions
Is Linq Blue still available for sales and outreach?
Linq's notice to affected customers, as reported, says it is "moving away from supporting sales enablement, prospecting, and outreach as a primary use case," and it set an extended cutoff of Friday, October 23, 2026 for those accounts. Linq itself is not shutting down. It still sells its iMessage API for AI agents and products.
What is the closest Linq Blue alternative inside GHL?
Look for one that sends blue bubbles from the same GHL workflows and Conversations Linq Blue did. WhatSnap runs as your GHL telephony provider, so native Send SMS steps send through a Mac and an iPhone on your own Apple ID (BYOP). On BYOP, the number and the Apple ID stay with you.
Can I keep my Linq phone number?
Per Linq's notice, as reported, a port has to start before the account closes, and a released line cannot be recovered. If your account is still open, start the port now, onto a carrier SIM you own. If the line is already released, get a new number and send active leads a short note from it. On WhatSnap BYOP, the number then stays yours, even if you leave us.
Will my GHL workflows keep working after I leave Linq?
Most will, once you repoint them. Any step that sent through Linq stops delivering when the line goes. With WhatSnap as the telephony provider, native Send SMS actions and GHL AI bots send through your BYOP devices, and Wait for Reply steps keep working. Rebuild steps that used Linq's own GHL actions, such as Share Contact or voice memo actions; WhatSnap sends iMessage voice messages from a workflow webhook. If Linq Blue was also your GHL calling provider, switch calling back to LeadConnector or Twilio; WhatSnap does not route calls.
How much does WhatSnap cost compared with Linq?
WhatSnap BYOP is $29/mo per GHL Subaccount with 1 Line included, plus $15/mo per extra Line in the same Subaccount: $89/mo for 5 Lines, $164/mo for 10. That is software only; your devices and carrier plans are extra. Linq has not published a Linq Blue price or a per-line price. Its developer API's Pro plan starts at $260/mo, per its pricing page as of October 22, 2026, without saying how many lines that covers.
How fast can I move my Linq lines to WhatSnap?
Setup is self-serve, so you can connect a Line as soon as its devices are ready. Two things set the pace: the port, which you start with a mobile carrier, and the 14-day warm-up for a fresh number. A ported number that already receives inbound messages may not need a formal warm-up. If your Linq account is still open, start the port first.
Put the line in your rep's pocket
Open a free demo account and start testing right now, with one limited Line and no credit card. When you are ready, move to BYOP and send from your own number in GHL. On an iMessage Line, your rep can reply from the iPhone, and the conversation keeps syncing to GHL. Add Lines as the team grows: $29 a month per GHL Subaccount with 1 Line included, $15 a month for each extra Line in the same Subaccount. Devices and carrier plans not included.
WhatSnap is not affiliated with Linq. Linq, Linq Blue, GoHighLevel, iMessage and other names are trademarks of their owners. Competitor details reflect Linq's public pages on October 22, 2026, and may change. Linq's notice is quoted as reported by affected customers; Linq has not published it on its site. Spot an error? Email [email protected] and we will review it.
