SMS API: India | Gateway, Pricing, & Best Services for 2024

Millions upon millions of people send SMS across India.

The question for businesses with an Indian audience then becomes…

“How can you reach these people?”

Here’s how: use an SMS API for India.

(You can give an SMS API a try for free here.)

But what is that, exactly? How can you use it? And which SMS API service should you use for India?

Let’s dive into all of that.

What is an SMS API for India?

An API is an interface that allows developers to program functions into their applications, websites, or systems.

An SMS API is an API that specifically allows for integrating SMS functionality into whatever software or processes you use.

And an SMS API for India is an SMS API that allows you to integrate SMS into your processes in order to send text messages to India.

CODE SAMPLE:

curl --location 'https://api.mobile-text-alerts.com/v3/send' \

--data '{"subscribers": [1112223333],"message": "test1234!"}'

Why use an SMS API for India?

The benefits of texting in India

We already mentioned that millions upon millions of people send SMS in India.

And there are over 1.1 billion people with a mobile subscription in India—a figure that’s simply staggering.

Plus, Indians reportedly spend almost 5 hours per day on their mobile phones, and send as many as 1 billion messages per day.

What this means is that there’s an incredible opportunity to reach a lot of people with texting.

SMS gives you a way to get your message right in front of your audience’s noses.

The benefits of an SMS API in India

Using an API to send out text messages to your Indian audience means that you can automate your processes through programmable integrations.

So, in other words, you can reach millions upon millions of people in the Indian market—automatically.

This is a much more scalable approach than trying to reach out to people manually.

How to use an SMS API for India

So how would an SMS API for India actually work? And what could you do with it?

The process

To use an SMS API for India, you need an SMS API service such as Mobile Text Alerts.

These services will provide API documentation that give your developers instructions on how to program the functions that you’re wanting to engage with.

So you’ll just need:

• An API key (a unique identifier that’s provided for you by your SMS service upon signup)
• The documentation to accomplish what you’re trying to do
• A developer who knows how to use an API client to implement the API functionalities

The use cases

Here are 6 use cases for how you could use an SMS API in India…

1. Promotions

“

Exclusive Offer! Get 25% off on all summer collections at [Brand Name]. Use code SUMMER25 at checkout. Shop now: [URL]

2. Appointment Reminders

“

Reminder: You have a dentist appointment scheduled tomorrow at 10 AM with Dr. [Name] at [Clinic Name]. Please confirm.

3. Transactional Notifications

“

Your order [Order#123456] has been shipped. Track your package at [URL]. Expected delivery by [Date].

4. 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)

“

Your OTP for secure login is 348921. Please enter this code to complete the verification process.

5. Employee Notices

“

Important Update: The quarterly team meeting has been rescheduled to [Date] at [Time] in [Location]. Attendance is mandatory.

6. Emergency Alerts

“

Attention: Due to heavy rainfall, [Road/Area] is currently flooded and closed for traffic. Seek alternative routes.

Best SMS API (India) for 2024

So how can you actually choose an SMS API for India?

Here are some factors to consider—and some of the top services to evaluate…

What to look out for…

• The ability to send mass and individual SMS: Select a service that allows you to send SMS both on a mass scale and on an individual basis
• The ability to scale: Select a service that has their API documentation and rate limits set up in such a way that you can scale without an issue if you grow
• High delivery: Select a service that uses the best delivery routes to make sure your messages actually reach their intended destinations
• Automation options: Select a service that allows you to implement various automation options, such as messaging scheduling, drip campaigns, and triggered auto-responses
• 2-way messaging: Select a service that allows you to send text messages both on a mass scale and an individual basis
• Reporting: Select a service that allows you to view and analyze reporting on data points such as delivery and link tracking
• Contact management: Select a service that gives you easy ways to add, remove, and manage your SMS contacts
• Corresponding platform: Select a service that gives you access to a corresponding web platform, so that you have the flexibility to use either API or platform as needed
• BONUS! iMessage sending: Mobile Text Alerts now offers sending through iMessage via API

9 Top SMS API services for India

Here are some API services you can consider for India…

• Our service Mobile Text Alerts
• TextLocal
• Clicksend
• Plivo
• SMSCountry
• MSG91
• SMS.to
• Fast2SMS
• Twilio

Pricing for an SMS API in India

The pricing for SMS APIs in India can vary depending on the provider and the specific features you require.

Most providers offer flexible pricing plans based on the volume of messages you send or receive.

Mobile Text Alerts allows you to send messages at a base rate of $.09/message. Custom high-volume pricing may be available as well—you can contact sales to get more info on high-volume pricing.

SMS API India FAQ

Here are some answers to other questions that may be on your mind.

How to get an SMS API for India?

To get started with an SMS API for India, you can try out any of the services listed in the “9 Top SMS API services for India” section above.

Most of these services will offer a free trial that you can use to test the waters and see how an SMS API would work for you.

Is there any free API to send SMS to India?

You’re better off going with a paid API service to send your messages.

Free services may exist, but you may find issues with message delivery or user-friendliness.

How to do SMS marketing in India?

To do SMS marketing in India, the first step is to get set up on an SMS marketing platform/API.

You can try out 1–3 services in order to try to determine which service would work best for you.

Get started with an SMS API for India

Now you’re armed with the knowledge you need to take the first step toward getting started!

Get a free trial account so you can try out an SMS API for yourself.