textbee.dev - android sms gateway

Send and receive SMS messages using your own Android phone - no Twilio, no per-message fees. Free, open-source, and self-hostable.

The open-source SMS gateway for developers, automations, and AI agents. Manage SMS messages through a web dashboard, a REST API, or the MCP server for AI agents. textbee is ideal for businesses, developers, and hobbyists looking for a reliable and cost-effective solution to automate SMS messaging.

Website: https://textbee.dev

Why textbee?

	textbee	Twilio & similar APIs
Cost per SMS	Your carrier plan (often free/unlimited)	~$0.008+ per message
Phone number	Your own SIM	Rented number
Self-hostable	✅ Full control over your data	❌
Open source	✅	❌
Setup time	~2 minutes	Account approval, compliance forms

Features

• Send & receive SMS messages via API & dashboard
• Use your own Android phone as an SMS gateway
• REST API for easy integration with apps & services
• Send bulk SMS with CSV file
• Multi-device support for higher SMS throughput
• Secure API authentication with API keys
• Webhook support for incoming messages
• Self-hosting support for full control over your data

Getting Started

1. Go to textbee.dev and register or login with your account
2. Install the app on your Android phone from textbee.dev/download
3. Open the app and grant the permissions for SMS
4. Go to textbee.dev/dashboard and click register device / generate API key
5. Scan the QR code with the app or enter the API key manually
6. You're ready to send SMS from the dashboard or from your application via the REST API

Sending an SMS

Messages go out through your default device, or otherwise the enabled device with the most recent heartbeat. Pass an optional deviceId in the request body to send from a specific device instead. The older /gateway/devices/{deviceId}/send-sms route still works but is deprecated.

const API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
 
await axios.post('https://api.textbee.dev/api/v1/gateway/send-sms', {
  recipients: [ '+12025550123' ],
  message: 'Hello World!',
}, {
  headers: { 'x-api-key': API_KEY },
});

Python

import requests
 
API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
 
requests.post(
    'https://api.textbee.dev/api/v1/gateway/send-sms',
    json={
        'recipients': ['+12025550123'],
        'message': 'Hello World!',
    },
    headers={'x-api-key': API_KEY},
)

curl

curl -X POST "https://api.textbee.dev/api/v1/gateway/send-sms" \
  -H 'x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "recipients": [ "+12025550123" ],
    "message": "Hello World!"
  }'

Receiving SMS

Enable SMS receiving in the mobile app, then access incoming messages via the REST API, the dashboard, or webhook notifications delivered to your preferred URL. Message history is account-level: one call covers every device, no device id needed.

const API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
 
await axios.get('https://api.textbee.dev/api/v1/gateway/messages?direction=received', {
  headers: { 'x-api-key': API_KEY },
});

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.textbee.dev/api/v1/gateway/messages?direction=received" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Use with AI agents (MCP)

The official textbee MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client send and read SMS through your account. Three tools: send_sms (send to one or many recipients), get_messages (read replies and verification codes, check delivery status), and list_devices. Plan limits apply server-side like any other send.

claude.ai, Claude Desktop, and the Claude mobile apps (nothing to install; the Free plan allows one custom connector):

1. In claude.ai or Claude Desktop, open Customize, then Connectors, then + Add and Add custom connector.
2. Enter the name textbee and the URL https://mcp.textbee.dev/mcp, then click Continue twice.
3. Choose Sign in now, leave the OAuth client on the recommended option, and click Add.
4. Paste your API key on the textbee sign-in page and click Connect.

The mobile apps use connectors added on the web or desktop. On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner adds the connector for the organization first.

Claude Code:

# Hosted: run /mcp afterwards and choose Authenticate to sign in with your API key
claude mcp add --transport http -s user textbee https://mcp.textbee.dev/mcp

# Or local: the key stays on your machine
claude mcp add textbee -s user -e TEXTBEE_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY -- npx -y @textbee/mcp

Cursor and other MCP clients (local server, the key stays on your machine):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "textbee": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@textbee/mcp"],
      "env": { "TEXTBEE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

With the hosted connector, textbee checks your key and does not store it. Self-hosted instances use the local server with TEXTBEE_BASE_URL. Full setup at textbee.dev/mcp and the MCP docs.

Use Cases

• OTP / 2FA delivery for your app
• Order and appointment notifications
• Alerts from servers, cron jobs, and home automation
• Form-to-SMS and lead follow-ups
• Bulk announcements to a contact list (CSV upload)

FAQ

Will my carrier block my number for sending too many messages? Carriers apply their own rate limits and anti-spam policies, which vary by country and plan. For personal and low-volume use this is rarely an issue. For higher throughput, use multiple devices/SIMs and keep sending rates reasonable. You are responsible for staying within your carrier's terms.