Developer REST API

Developer SMS & WhatsApp API with Zero Per-Message Fees

Integrate high-speed transactional SMS, one-time passwords (OTP), customer alerts, and two-way WhatsApp messaging into your application using standard HTTP JSON endpoints. Send through your own paired Android mobile gateways at a flat monthly cost.

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Standard REST API · 2-way Webhooks · Dual-SIM Routing · JSON Payloads

<100ms API Response Latency cURL / Node / Python / PHP SDKs $0 / SMS on Your SIM Plan Real-Time Delivery Receipts (DLR)

Quickstart Integration

Send Your First API Message in 60 Seconds

Simple, standard HTTP POST requests compatible with any programming language or backend framework.

cURL Request

curl -X POST "https://sharksms.com/api/send/sms"   -d "secret=YOUR_API_SECRET_KEY"   -d "mode=devices"   -d "device=YOUR_DEVICE_ID"   -d "sim=1"   -d "phone=+1234567890"   -d "message=Your verification code is 849201"

Form-encoded parameters, JSON back, HTTP always 200: read the status field. Full reference: /docs/api.

Node.js / Express

const res = await fetch("https://sharksms.com/api/send/sms", {
  method: "POST",
  body: new URLSearchParams({
    secret: "YOUR_API_SECRET_KEY",
    mode: "devices",
    device: "DEVICE_ID",
    sim: "1",
    phone: "+1234567890",
    message: "Your order #1042 has shipped!"
  })
});
const data = await res.json(); // check data.status === 200

Python (requests)

import requests

payload = {
    "secret": "YOUR_API_SECRET_KEY",
    "mode": "devices",
    "device": "DEVICE_ID",
    "sim": 1,
    "phone": "+1234567890",
    "message": "Security Alert: New login detected."
}
res = requests.post("https://sharksms.com/api/send/sms", data=payload)  # form body
print(res.json())

PHP (cURL)

$ch = curl_init("https://sharksms.com/api/send/sms");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query([
    'secret'  => 'YOUR_API_SECRET_KEY',
    'mode'    => 'devices',
    'device'  => 'DEVICE_ID',
    'sim'     => 1,
    'phone'   => '+1234567890',
    'message' => 'Appointment confirmed for 2:00 PM.'
]));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
$response = curl_exec($ch);

API Endpoints

Full-Featured Messaging Capabilities

Everything you need to send, receive, and automate transactional mobile messaging.

⚡ Single & Bulk SMS

Dispatch individual transactional alerts or batch payloads to multiple recipients simultaneously with custom parameters.

💬 WhatsApp Messages & Media

Send WhatsApp text, PDF receipts, and image notifications through your linked WhatsApp number with instant delivery confirmation.

🔄 Two-Way Webhooks

Configure webhook URLs to receive instant HTTP callbacks whenever a customer replies or delivery status transitions to delivered.

🔐 OTP & 2FA Authentication

Generate secure, time-expiring numerical verification codes and validate customer authentication attempts via dedicated endpoints.

📱 Dual-SIM & Gateway Pooling

Route traffic across multiple physical phones or balance load between SIM 1 and SIM 2 automatically to maximize throughput.

📊 Real-Time Delivery Reports

Query message status (Pending, Sent, Delivered, Failed) by unique message ID with precise carrier timestamp tracking.

Cost Analysis

SharkSMS API vs. Metered Cloud Aggregators

Stop paying 1¢ to 3¢ for every OTP and notification. See how our flat-rate model saves high-volume apps thousands.

Monthly API SMS	SharkSMS (Flat Monthly)	Twilio (~$0.0079 + carrier)	MessageBird / Sinch (~$0.012)
5,000 API Requests	~$15.00 / mo	~$47.50 / mo	~$60.00 / mo
20,000 API Requests	~$45.00 / mo (Fixed)	~$190.00 / mo	~$240.00 / mo
50,000 API Requests	~$45.00 / mo (Fixed)	~$475.00 / mo	~$600.00 / mo

Frequently Asked Questions · SMS API

Where do I find my API Secret Key and Device ID?

Log in to your SharkSMS Dashboard and navigate to API > Credentials to generate your API token. Your Device IDs are listed under Devices > Android Gateways.

Are there any rate limits on API requests?

The REST API accepts hundreds of concurrent requests and queues them in real-time. Messages are dispatched through your paired Android phones based on hardware capabilities and local carrier network limits.

Can I receive customer replies via Webhooks?

Yes. Enter your endpoint URL under Webhooks in the dashboard. Whenever an incoming SMS or WhatsApp response is detected, SharkSMS posts a JSON payload to your server immediately.

Does the API support international numbers?

Yes. Provide phone numbers in international standard E.164 format (e.g. +14155550100). The gateway will route through the matching SIM card or default active line.

Reference and examples

Full REST API reference: every parameter, bulk sends, delivery status, usage, error codes.
Webhooks for replies, and the Android gateway setup.
Copy-paste integrations: Python, Node.js, WooCommerce, Zapier and Make.

Start building with the SharkSMS API today

Generate your API secret, pair an Android phone, and send test messages in minutes.

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