Textbelt review
A free and self-hosted SMS API with two-way messaging and MMS support.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Textbelt is an SMS API for developers and businesses that need programmatic text messaging. It sends SMS through HTTP POST requests, supports international destinations, and provides delivery status and quota checks. Hosted Textbelt also supports inbound webhooks for replies to U.S. phone numbers, while its self-hosted open-source version is based on carrier email gateways. It is a practical fit for basic messaging workflows that need an API without committing to a recurring subscription.
The free key makes Textbelt suitable for limited testing and small sending needs, but it is restricted to one SMS per day and cannot receive replies. Paid access uses one-time purchases of SMS credits rather than a recurring plan. The amount paid depends on the destination country selected during purchase, so the service fits teams that prefer usage-based credit purchases and can work with location-dependent pricing. Long messages are automatically segmented, and STOP replies receive automatic opt-out handling.
Textbelt’s strongest differentiator is its combination of HTTP sending, delivery checks, inbound webhooks, MMS chart attachments, and a self-hosted option. It can support two-way SMS workflows and international sending, although inbound replies through the hosted service are limited to U.S. phone numbers. The feature and integration breadth is narrower than broader SMS API platforms, so teams needing a wider ecosystem may prefer an alternative. Choose Textbelt for free or self-hosted basic sending, lightweight reply handling, and one-time credits; look elsewhere for broader integrations or fewer free-tier restrictions.
Textbelt pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free key for limited SMS sending
- Inbound webhooks support SMS replies
- Open-source self-hosted version available
- Where it doesn't
- Free key is limited to one SMS per day
- Free key cannot receive replies
- Paid pricing varies by destination country
Textbelt fact sheet, pricing and score →
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