Help centre
How Catchline works, in plain words.
Setup, forwarding codes, texts, bookings, your own domain and billing, written for an owner with ten minutes and a phone. Every page describes how the product works today.
Results appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to move through them and Enter to open one.
Jump to: Set up call forwarding for your carrierOpt-outs and STOPWhy a text says Not deliveredConnecting a domain you ownCancelling
Start here
The six pages every owner needs first
Read these in order, before your first customer calls.
- Getting startedWhat Catchline doesThe safety net behind your business number: what happens when a call goes unanswered, and what you do next.
- Getting startedSet up call forwarding for your carrierDial one code on your business phone so that only the calls you do not answer forward to your Catchline number.
- Getting startedMake your first test callCall your own business number from your mobile, let it ring out, and watch the missed call and the text arrive.
- MessagesThe automatic texts and when each is sentEvery text Catchline can send by itself, who gets it, when, and which plan includes it.
- BookingsYour booking pageEvery business gets a public booking page. What is on it, who can use it, and how to make it yours.
- TroubleMy customers are not getting textsWork through the five reasons a caller does not get a text, from the most common down.
Setup
The setup process
Eight short steps. You see the product working before you have configured everything. Each step has a guide.
Step 1: Business
Your business name, your name, where you are, your time zone, and the number customers already call. We say why we ask for each one.
What Catchline doesStep 2: Industry
Pick your trade. Common services, hours and a missed-call message load right away. Other is a real option, not a dead end.
Pick your industryStep 3: Phone
Choose a Catchline number, local or toll-free. Then dial one code so only unanswered calls forward to it. Your own number does not change. US carriers approve every new number for business texting first, which usually takes a few business days; until it clears, texts to some carriers can fail, and the inbox shows the delivery state of every text.
Set up call forwarding for your carrierStep 4: Services
Edit the list, the durations and the prices. Mark emergency services so they get the right wording.
Services and hoursStep 5: Availability
Working hours, breaks, closed days, and how far ahead customers can book.
Time off and special hoursStep 6: Message
Read the text-back next to a preview with your business name in it, and change the wording if you like. The missed-call text is editable on every plan.
Editing your wordingStep 7: Test
Call your business number from another phone and let it ring out. Watch the missed call appear, get the text, open the booking link.
Make your first test callStep 8: Ready
Catchline is protecting your number. The last screen shows which number is covered, your hours, your current message, and how to pause.
Pausing protection
Browse
Every topic, one page each
Ten topics, from the first test call to cancelling. Each article says what the product does today, nothing more.
- Getting startedWhat Catchline does, forwarding, your first test call, and what customers see.5 articles
- Your numberKeeping your number, how forwarding works, closed hours and pausing.4 articles
- MessagesEvery automatic text, editing the wording, STOP, and delivery problems.4 articles
- BookingsYour booking page, services and hours, time off, and changes to a booking.5 articles
- Your own domainServe your booking page from a domain you own.1 article
- EmbeddingPut the booking page inside your own website.1 article
- ReviewsHow review requests work and connecting your Google review link.2 articles
- TeamInviting people and what each role can do.2 articles
- BillingPlans, what counts as a text, the free trial, and cancelling.3 articles
- TroubleWhen texts, forwarding or alerts are not doing what you expect.3 articles
Straight answers
Questions owners ask
Do I keep my number?
Yes. Customers keep calling the number they already have. On most mobile carriers you dial one code so that only the calls you do not answer forward to Catchline, and another code turns it off whenever you like. Landline, VoIP and Google Voice numbers are set up in your provider's settings instead.
What happens when I answer?
Nothing. An answered call never reaches Catchline. It only sees the calls that ring out or go to voicemail.
How quickly is the text sent?
In about ten seconds after the call goes unanswered. How long your phone rings first depends on your setup. If you forward from your existing number, your carrier decides, usually 20 to 25 seconds. If you publish your Catchline number as your business line instead, you choose the ring time in Settings, from 8 to 60 seconds.
Can I change the message?
Yes. Every plan starts with wording written for your trade, with your business name in it, and on every plan you can rewrite the missed-call text and the after-hours text in your own words. Pro also lets you rewrite the booking confirmation, the day-before reminder and the review request.
Can customers reply?
Yes. Replies land in your Catchline inbox and you get a text alert. You answer from your phone like any other text. A customer can reply STOP at any time and Catchline honours it automatically.
Can I use my existing calendar?
Not yet. Bookings live in Catchline: you get a text and an inbox entry for each one, and the customer gets a confirmation and a day-before reminder.
Can multiple employees use it?
Yes, on Growth and Pro. Invite team members as managers or staff, assign conversations, and let each person choose their own alerts. Starter is one login.
Can I pause Catchline?
Yes. Pause protection from Settings and text-backs stop while calls are still logged. Unpause when you are ready. You can also switch forwarding off with your carrier code.
How is customer information protected?
Encrypted in transit, stored with Supabase (hosted Postgres with per-business access rules), so only your team can see your conversations. We never sell customer data. You can export or delete everything from Settings at any time.
How difficult is call forwarding?
Usually one dial code on your business phone. We show you the code for your carrier, then a test call from your own phone confirms it worked before you go live. Landline, VoIP and Google Voice numbers are set up in your provider's settings instead, and the help page has each one. If a code does not work, your carrier can switch on conditional forwarding for you.
What happens after the trial?
Texts pause until you choose a plan. Your number, services, and conversations are kept. Nothing is charged during the trial, and no card is needed to start.
Support
Still stuck?
Email hello@catchlinehq.com with your business name and what you were trying to do. Screenshots help. If a page here does not match what you see in Catchline, say so and we will fix the page.