See what kept a message from arriving.
Separate unreachable handsets, permanent failures, and expired messages.
SMS API
for developers
Send updates. Receive replies. From your app or agent.
Build with Bird MCP, CLI, and SDKs.
Trusted every day by teams that
build world-class software.
From prompt to delivered.
Send an SMS from your app or agent. Follow the carrier receipt.
Send messages and inspect delivery with MCP, CLI, and SDKs.
Send an SMS appointment reminder to +14155550100 from my eligible sender +15557654321: Hi Maya, your appointment at Harbor is tomorrow at 10:00. Reply YES to confirm. Use the transactional category, then check the message’s delivery status.
Send Maya her reminder.
Check that it arrived.
Bird MCP
sms_Acceptedsend sms_Deliveredget
Hi Maya, your appointment at Harbor is tomorrow at 10:00. Reply YES to confirm.
DeliveredCarrier receipt
Your sender.
Ready for its destination.
See where your sender can send, which registrations are in review, and what needs your attention before the first message.
Make every
character count.
SMS is billed per segment. Resolve your template, check the final text, and use smart encoding when typographic characters add an unnecessary segment.
Receive the reply.
Build what happens next.
Receive texts on a reply-capable number. Pass the incoming event to your app, update the appointment, and send an acknowledgement through the SMS API.
Honor the next STOP.
In supported countries, Bird recognizes opt-out keywords and blocks subsequent sends for that sender and subscriber. Workspace-wide preferences provide broader opt-out control.
The customer’s preference stays in effect.
Ready to build?
Every message.
A clearer picture.
Follow delivery over time. Find the carrier, outcome, and message behind a failure.
Customer story
Built for the next market.
Airwallex expanded SMS into 30 new countries in two months with Bird, bringing its authentication messages to more customers.
Read the customer storyLess debugging.
More building.
Test requests, trace delivery, and recover from errors with clear feedback at every step.
Inspect before you send.
Preview the CLI request locally. Check the sender, recipient, and category before making the API call.
Retry with confidence.
Retry with the same key and body to retrieve the original response.
Handle delivery events.
Verify webhook signatures with the SDK, then act on delivery events.
Know what needs fixing.
A destination that is switched off is rejected before delivery. Enable the intended country and check sender requirements before retrying.
Scale without
losing control.
Organize teams in workspaces, control API access, and trace changes through audit logs.
Go further.
With SMS API.
Everything from your first send to delivery at scale.
Sending API
Send updates and track each message.
Numbers
Choose a number or brand-name sender.
Destinations
Check coverage and country requirements.
Two-way messaging
Turn incoming replies into app events.
Routing
Understand the path to the carrier.
Marketing
Send campaigns to opted-in audiences.
Templates
Reuse content with recipient variables.
Compliance
Manage registrations and opt-outs.
10DLC registration
Register your US brand and campaign.
Before your
first message.
Can I send from my business name?
In supported countries, an alphanumeric sender puts your business name on the message. These senders are one-way, and some destinations require registration. For replies, use an SMS-capable number that supports inbound messages in that country.
What determines the cost of an SMS?
The destination, carrier, and number of segments affect the cost. GSM-7 fits up to 160 characters in a single segment; UCS-2 fits up to 70. Longer messages use smaller concatenated segments. Check the final message after variables are resolved, then use the current destination pricing.
Does accepted mean delivered?
No. A 202 response means Bird accepted the request for processing. Delivery is asynchronous: inspect the message or subscribe to SMS events for carrier-reported outcomes. A delivery receipt is not a read receipt.
How do replies and opt-outs reach my application?
Subscribe to sms.received for inbound messages on an eligible number. Your application handles the reply and decides what happens next. In countries where Bird supports default STOP handling, the reply suppresses further messages from that sender to that subscriber. Workspace SMS preferences can apply broader suppression.
Should I use SMS API or Verify for login codes?
Use SMS API when your application owns code generation and validation. Use Verify when you want Bird to manage verification codes, checks, and the verification lifecycle across supported channels.
Start with one.
Build across channels.
Bring your next customer conversation into the same workspace.
Send, receive, and track email.
SMS
Send updates. Keep replies connected.
Rich messages and conversations.
Apple Messages
Help customers in Messages.
Voice
Connect calls and guide conversations.
Verify
Confirm access with a code.
Lookup
Check contact details before sending.
Mailbox
Give your application an inbox.
eSIM
Build mobile connectivity into your product.
Realtime
Keep your applications in sync.