SMS Textr

Hey Indie Hackers! 👋

I built SMS Textr as a simple, pay-as-you-go SMS API to help developers and businesses send SMS without monthly subscriptions. Today, I’m excited to launch a new feature:

👉 Receive SMS via Webhook 👈

Now, instead of just sending SMS, you can receive incoming messages and process them in real-time using webhooks. Whether you're building a two-way messaging app, chatbot, or verification system, you can now capture and act on incoming messages instantly.

How It Works

1️⃣ Set up a webhook URL in your SMS Textr dashboard.
2️⃣ When an SMS is received, we’ll send a POST request to your URL with message details (sender, text, timestamp, etc.).
3️⃣ Use the data however you like—store it, trigger an action, or send an auto-response!

Why This Matters

✅ More than just outbound SMS – Now you can build interactive messaging flows.
✅ Easy integration – Just provide a webhook URL, and you’re good to go!
✅ No subscriptions – Still keeping it simple & affordable with pay-as-you-go pricing.

I’d love to hear how you’d use this feature! Let me know what you’re building or if you have any feedback. 🚀

Try it now 👉 https://smstextr.web.app/

Hey Indie Hackers! 👋

I wanted to share a simple yet powerful automation I built using Zapier and SMS Textr that saves me tons of time and effort. If you're using Google Sheets to manage data and want to send SMS notifications to recipients based on that data, this is for you!

The Problem

I was manually sending SMS notifications for updates, reminders, and alerts, which was both time-consuming and inefficient. I wanted a way to automatically send SMS messages whenever a new row with contact info (like phone numbers) was added to a Google Sheet.

After exploring a few options, I decided to go with SMS Textr for its simplicity and pay-as-you-go pricing (no monthly subscription). Using Zapier, I set up an automated flow to send SMS whenever a new entry was added to Google Sheets.

The Solution

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how I set up this automation:

Step 1: Create a Zap in Zapier

The first thing I did was log in to Zapier and create a new Zap.

1. Go to Zapier and click "Make a Zap".

2. Select Google Sheets as your Trigger App.

3. Choose the trigger event "New Spreadsheet Row".

4. Connect your Google Sheets account to Zapier and select the spreadsheet and worksheet you want to monitor.

Step 2: Set Up the Action

After setting up the trigger, it’s time to define the action. This is where SMS Textr comes in!

1. In the Action app, search for Webhooks by Zapier.

2. Select the POST action event, as we need to send data to the SMS Textr API.

3. Set up the Webhook by specifying the API URL for sending an SMS through SMS Textr. Here's an example of how the body should look:

4. { "to": "{{PhoneNumberField}}", "message": "{{MessageField}}", "apikey": "Your_API_Key" }

   • Replace {{PhoneNumberField}} and {{MessageField}} with the corresponding Google Sheets columns.

   • Use your API Key from SMS Textr to authenticate the request.

Step 3: Test the Zap

Once your trigger and action are set up, it’s time to test the workflow!

1. Add a new row to your Google Sheet with a phone number and message.

2. In Zapier, click Test & Review to ensure the SMS is sent correctly to the specified phone number.

3. Verify that the SMS is successfully received.

Step 4: Turn on the Zap

Once the test is successful and everything looks good, it’s time to turn on the Zap.

1. Click Turn on Zap to activate the automation.

2. Now, every time a new row is added to your Google Sheet, Zapier will automatically send an SMS to the recipient based on the information in that row.

The Results

With this setup, I no longer need to manually copy and paste phone numbers or messages. Everything is automated!

• No more manual SMS sending: Zapier and SMS Textr take care of that for you.

• Affordable: SMS Textr’s pay-as-you-go pricing means no recurring subscriptions.

• Easy to scale: If I need to add more workflows or expand my SMS system, I can easily adjust things in Zapier.

Why You Should Try It

• Automation at its best: Save time on repetitive tasks.

• Quick setup: This process only took me a few minutes to set up.

• Cost-effective: Only pay for the messages you send.

Give SMS Textr a Try!

If you’re looking for an affordable, straightforward SMS API, check out SMS Textr! You can get started with minimal setup, and the API is perfect for developers who need SMS functionality without the hassle of complex subscription models.

🔗 Check out SMS Textr

I’d love to hear how you use this automation or if you have any questions about setting it up. Let me know in the comments!

Happy automating, and good luck with your projects! 💻📱🚀

Hey Indie Hackers! 👋

I’m excited to share that my side project, SMS Textr, has crossed a major milestone: over 1,000 SMS messages sent through the platform! 🎉

What is SMS Textr?

SMS Textr is a pay-as-you-go SMS API built for developers, small businesses, and startups in the USA and Canada. With a simple pricing model per SMS, it’s designed to be a straightforward and affordable alternative to expensive subscription-based SMS services. There are no hidden fees, and it’s perfect for small-scale projects that need reliable SMS delivery.

Why I Built SMS Textr

I’ve been working in the developer space for a while, and I noticed that many small businesses and indie developers were paying high prices for SMS APIs they didn’t fully utilize. Most SMS services were designed for larger businesses and came with bloated features, long-term contracts, and steep subscription fees.

That’s when I decided to build SMS Textr—a simple, reliable, and affordable SMS API that anyone could use without worrying about hidden fees or locking into expensive plans. It’s all about offering transparency and giving users control over their SMS usage.

Key Takeaways from Reaching 1,000 SMS

• Focus on Core Value: My initial product was very simple, but I focused on making sure that the core value—reliable and affordable SMS—was front and center. Users appreciate simplicity, especially when it’s done right.

• Transparency and Trust: The pay-as-you-go model resonated with early adopters. They loved that there were no subscriptions or surprises. This helped build trust from the start.

• Community is Key: Sharing my project on communities like Indie Hackers and Reddit has been crucial. Getting feedback from the community, iterating on suggestions, and just talking about the product has helped me improve SMS Textr and attract users.

What’s Next for SMS Textr?

• New Features: I’m currently working on adding delivery reports and usage analytics to better serve businesses and developers who need more insights.

• User Growth: I’m focusing on scaling the product and expanding the user base. I’d love to hear advice from fellow Indie Hackers on how to get the word out and grow sustainably.

If you’re a developer or small business in need of an easy-to-use SMS API, check out SMS Textr. New users even get 3 free credits to try it out!

Questions for the Community:

• How do you market a small SaaS product on a budget?

• What strategies have you used to increase user retention for early-stage products?

Final Thoughts:

Building SMS Textr has been an amazing learning experience. From launching a product with minimal features to refining it based on user feedback, I’ve learned a ton along the way. If anyone is interested in discussing how to build a simple, affordable SaaS product or needs advice on starting from scratch, feel free to reach out—I’d love to share what I’ve learned.