httpSMS is a service that lets you use your Android phone as an SMS gateway to send and receive SMS messages via a simple HTTP API.
The service solves the problem of programmatically sending and receiving SMS in regions where virtual phone numbers are unavailable or difficult to obtain. It works by installing a native Android application on your phone that communicates with an HTTP API. When you make a request to the API, it triggers your Android phone to send an SMS. Incoming SMS messages on your phone can be forwarded to your webhook endpoint. The system supports end-to-end encryption, message expiration, back pressure handling, and webhook delivery for received messages.
You should choose this tool if you need SMS capabilities in a country or region where traditional SMS gateway services do not operate or where obtaining virtual phone numbers is impractical. It suits projects that require bidirectional SMS communication and can tolerate the dependency on a physical Android device. The service is available as a hosted offering, but also supports self-hosting via Docker, which requires setting up Firebase, SMTP email service, Cloudflare Turnstile, and building the Android app yourself. The hosted API is built with Go and Fiber, uses CockroachDB as its database, and runs on Google Cloud Run. The web interface is built with Nuxt and Vuetify.
The project maintains active community engagement through a Discord server and GitHub issues for questions, features, and bug reports. Integration testing is included in the codebase. The tool provides API clients for programmatic integration and comprehensive documentation at its docs site.
