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New accounts land in a five-step setup wizard, with a coach that tracks your progress and guided tours on every page. This quickstart mirrors that wizard, so you can follow along here or just click Next in the app.
You’ll need a ThunderPhone account. Sign up is free and takes under a minute. Prefer the terminal? The API quickstart reaches the same first call in four REST calls.
1

Create your agent

The wizard opens the agent builder with a draft agent already created. Three things to do here:
  1. Write your prompt. The prompt is the script for your voice agent — describe, in any language, who the agent is and how it should handle the call. Call actions like transfers, keypad presses, and hang-ups are plain prompt lines too; no separate configuration.
  2. Talk to your agent. Click Talk and say hello — the agent answers right in the browser (it’ll ask for mic access).
  3. Deploy your changes. Every edit autosaves to your draft, but drafts aren’t live until you click Deploy. Each deploy is snapshotted in the History tab, so you can restore any version later.
On the Config tab you can also pick an engine tier (cost vs. speed vs. intelligence), set the primary and additional languages, and attach connected apps and API connections. The builder shows your all-in per-minute rate live as you change settings. Full detail: Build your first voice agent.
2

Set up billing

ThunderPhone is pay-as-you-go: calls draw from your org’s balance at the agent’s per-minute rate — no subscriptions, no seats. Under Organization → Billing Settings:
  1. Add a payment method. A card unlocks top-ups and phone numbers. It’s only charged when you add funds — never automatically.
  2. Load at least $3.00 to start making real calls. Funds never expire.
Optionally flip on auto top-up (threshold, refill amount, and an optional monthly spending limit) so a call never dies mid-sentence. Full detail: Add funds and turn on auto top-up.
3

Add a phone number

On Phone Numbers, click Add number. Two paths:
  • Demo number — a real U.S. number, live in seconds. Free, inbound-only, and it answers with a short spoken disclaimer — perfect for a first test.
  • Connect VoIP provider — import numbers you already own (recommended for production).
Provisioning auto-routes the number to your agent; the Inbound select on the number row shows (and changes) who answers. Full detail: Get a phone number.
4

Run a simulation

Back in the agent builder, click Simulation. An AI caller rings your number and has a real conversation with your agent — generate a caller scenario with AI or write your own, approve the charge, and place the call. A floating activity pill shows the call happening live. (Or just dial your number from your own phone — that counts too.) Full detail: Simulate a call.
5

View your call

Every call lands in Call History, newest first. Open the top row — your simulation. If it’s still in progress you can listen in live and even whisper instructions only your agent hears. Once it ends, read the transcript turn by turn and scrub the recording waveform. Full detail: Review, listen to, and coach your calls.
Lost the wizard? Every tour is replayable from the sidebar’s Guided tours menu, and the in-app copilot can walk you through any of these flows on demand — just ask it “how do I add a phone number.”

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Next steps

Invite your team

Bring in teammates with Member or Admin roles.

Create an API key

Ready to automate? Mint an sk_live_ key and switch to the API.

Core concepts

The map of everything else — campaigns, knowledge, experiments, alerts, and more.

Quickstart (API)

The same first call in four REST calls.