Can I Use 1 SIM and Phone for Multiple Sub-Accounts?
Learn whether you can share SIM cards and phones across multiple GoHighLevel sub-accounts, and how to set up dual-SIM phones with WhatSnap.
No, you cannot share the same SIM card across multiple GoHighLevel sub-accounts.
One SIM = One Sub-Account: Each SIM card must be dedicated to a single sub-account. Attempting to use the same SIM across multiple sub-accounts will cause message routing conflicts and delivery issues.
Why Can't I Share SIMs Across Sub-Accounts?
Technical Limitations
Message Routing:
Each Android device/SIM is connected to one specific sub-account in GoHighLevel
WhatSnap routes messages based on sub-account assignment
Using the same SIM in multiple sub-accounts would create conflicts:
Which sub-account receives incoming messages?
Which sub-account's contacts can send messages?
How to handle reply routing?
Authentication:
Each WhatSnap Gateway installation authenticates to one sub-account
The QR code used during setup links the device to that specific sub-account
No mechanism exists to switch between sub-accounts without re-authentication
Practical Issues
If you tried to share a SIM:
❌ Messages would only sync to one sub-account (the one it's connected to)
❌ Contacts in other sub-accounts couldn't send messages
❌ Incoming messages wouldn't know which sub-account to route to
❌ Tags and user assignments would fail
❌ Workflow automation would break
Required Setup: Dedicated SIMs
Proper Setup: Each sub-account that needs SMS capabilities must have its own dedicated SIM card and Android device (or dual-SIM configuration).
Single Sub-Account Setup
What You Need:
1 Android device
1 SIM card with SMS plan
WhatSnap Gateway app installed
Configuration:
SIM is dedicated to this sub-account
All messaging for this sub-account goes through this SIM
Clear, simple setup
Multiple Sub-Accounts Setup
What You Need:
1 Android device per sub-account (or dual-SIM phones)
1 SIM card per sub-account
WhatSnap Gateway app on each device
Example: 3 Sub-Accounts
Client A
Android 1
SIM 1
+1-555-0001
whatsnap-account-android-1
Client B
Android 2
SIM 2
+1-555-0002
whatsnap-account-android-2
Client C
Android 3
SIM 3
+1-555-0003
whatsnap-account-android-3
Each device operates independently, connected to its respective sub-account.
Exception: Dual-SIM Phones
What is Dual-SIM?
Dual-SIM Device:
Android phone with slots for 2 SIM cards (or 1 physical + 1 eSIM)
Both SIMs active simultaneously
Each SIM has its own phone number
Device can send/receive on both SIMs
Using Dual-SIM with WhatSnap
Two Approaches:
Approach 1: Two Numbers in One Sub-Account
Use Case: Scale volume, separate departments, or redundancy
Setup:
Install 2 SIM cards in one Android device
Install WhatSnap Gateway app
During setup, select both SIMs for WhatSnap use
WhatSnap creates 2 separate tags:
whatsnap-account-android-sim1whatsnap-account-android-sim2
Both SIMs connected to the same sub-account
Benefits:
2x message capacity (200-500 msgs/day total)
Load distribution across two numbers
Department separation (Sales vs Support)
Redundancy if one carrier has issues
Only need 1 physical device instead of 2
Use Case Examples:
SIM 1: Sales team number
SIM 2: Support team number
Route contacts to appropriate SIM via tags
See: Multiple SMS Accounts Guide for full dual-SIM setup
Approach 2: Personal + Business on Same Device
Use Case: Use one SIM for personal, one for business
Setup:
Install 2 SIM cards in one Android device
Install WhatSnap Gateway app
During setup, select only the business SIM for WhatSnap
Uncheck the personal SIM
Result:
Personal SIM: Regular use, not connected to WhatSnap
Business SIM: Connected to WhatSnap, syncs to GoHighLevel
Personal messages stay private
Business messages sync to CRM
Not Ideal: While technically possible, we don't recommend mixing personal and business on the same device. Better to use dedicated devices for clean separation. See: FAQ - Personal vs Business
Dual-SIM Device Considerations
Performance:
Ensure device has sufficient RAM: 4 GB minimum (2 GB may struggle)
Some cheaper devices may not handle dual-SIM + WhatSnap reliably
Recommended devices: Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, Nokia mid-range+
Setup:
In WhatSnap Gateway app settings, you can enable/disable each SIM
Uncheck any SIM you don't want connected to WhatSnap
Each enabled SIM gets its own unique account tag
Carrier Limitations:
Both SIMs must support SMS
Check that your carrier allows dual-SIM operation
Fair use policies apply to each SIM independently
Alternative: Multiple Devices for Multiple Sub-Accounts
Recommended for Agencies: If you manage multiple client sub-accounts, use separate devices for clean separation and easy management.
Best Practices for Multi-Sub-Account Setups
Agency Setup Example:
Restaurant A
Sub 1
Android 1
SIM 1
Local number
$20-30
Dentist B
Sub 2
Android 2
SIM 2
Local number
$20-30
HVAC C
Sub 3
Android 3
SIM 3
Local number
$20-30
Benefits:
Clear separation between clients
Easy troubleshooting (know exactly which device has issues)
Independent warm-up schedules
Different carriers/plans per client need
Can scale each client independently
Can physically hand off device if client leaves
Device Management:
Label each device clearly with client name
Keep devices in a dedicated location (charging station)
Document which phone number belongs to which device
Track SIM plan renewal dates per client
Cost Comparison
Single Sub-Account with Dual-SIM
Costs:
1 Android device: ~$100-150 (one-time)
2 SIM plans: 2 × $20 = $40/month
Total: ~$40-50/month (after device amortization)
Capacity:
200-500 messages/day (100-250 per SIM)
Three Sub-Accounts with Separate Devices
Costs:
3 Android devices: ~$300-450 (one-time)
3 SIM plans: 3 × $20 = $60/month
Total: ~$75-90/month (after device amortization)
Capacity:
300-750 messages/day total (100-250 per device)
Plus: Clean separation, easier management
FAQ: SIM and Device Sharing
Can I swap a SIM card between devices?
Yes, but not recommended:
You can remove a SIM from one device and put it in another
You'd need to uninstall WhatSnap Gateway from old device
Install and re-authenticate WhatSnap Gateway on new device
All messages would still go to the same sub-account (no issues there)
Why it's not ideal:
Causes downtime during swap
Risk of losing messages during transition
Re-authentication required
Device-specific settings need reconfiguration
Better approach:
Keep SIM in its dedicated device
If device fails, have a backup device ready to swap SIM into
Can I use the same phone number across multiple sub-accounts?
No:
A phone number (SIM) can only be connected to one sub-account at a time
There's no way to "share" the number between sub-accounts
Each sub-account needs its own unique phone number
Why:
Incoming SMS needs to know which sub-account to route to
Contacts are specific to each sub-account
GHL's architecture requires 1:1 number-to-sub-account relationship
What if I need multiple numbers in one sub-account?
Use Multiple SIMs:
Connect multiple Android devices to the same sub-account
Each device has its own phone number and tag
Distribute contacts across devices using tags
All messages sync to the same GoHighLevel sub-account
Example:
Sub-Account: "Joe's Plumbing"
Device 1: Sales number (+1-555-0001) → Tag:
sms-salesDevice 2: Support number (+1-555-0002) → Tag:
sms-supportDevice 3: Emergency line (+1-555-0003) → Tag:
sms-emergency
All three devices connected to "Joe's Plumbing" sub-account, but each has a distinct purpose and number.
Can I move a SIM to a different sub-account?
Yes, but requires reconfiguration:
Disconnect from old sub-account:
Uninstall WhatSnap Gateway app from device
Or: Remove device from WhatSnap dashboard
Connect to new sub-account:
Log in to new sub-account in GoHighLevel
Go through WhatSnap device setup process again
Scan new QR code for new sub-account
Device is now connected to new sub-account
Result:
SIM/device now operates for the new sub-account
Old sub-account loses access to this number
All future messages go to new sub-account
Use Case:
Client switches agencies
Internal reorganization
Testing/development to production migration
Recommended Device Setup Strategies
Strategy 1: One Device per Sub-Account (Agencies)
Best For:
Agency managing multiple clients
Each client has their own sub-account
Need clean separation between clients
Setup:
Each client gets their own Android device + SIM
Device stays dedicated to that client
Easy to add/remove clients (just add/remove devices)
Strategy 2: Multiple Numbers per Sub-Account (Single Business)
Best For:
Single business with departments
Need separate numbers for different functions
All messages go to one CRM
Setup:
Multiple Android devices OR dual-SIM devices
All devices connected to same sub-account
Use tags to route messages to appropriate number/device
Strategy 3: Hybrid Approach
Best For:
Growing agency with some large clients
Setup:
Small clients: 1 device per client (1 SIM each)
Large clients: Multiple devices per client (2-5 SIMs each)
Scales both horizontally (more clients) and vertically (more capacity per client)
Related Resources
Multiple SMS Accounts - Full guide to multi-device setups
SMS Device Specifications - Dual-SIM phone recommendations
Installation Guide - Set up your first device
Database Reactivations - Scale volume with multiple SIMs
Questions about multi-device or dual-SIM setups? Contact WhatSnap support at support@whatsnap.ai for architecture guidance.
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