Guide · 5 min read

You do not need WordPress to turn an Android phone into an SMS gateway. SwarmSMS Cloud is a hosted dashboard: you sign up, pair your phone and send texts through your own SIM plan — no per-message fees, no credits to buy and no server to run.

What you need

• An Android phone (8.0 or newer) with a SIM that can send texts
• A SwarmSMS account (every new account gets a 1-day free trial)
• A few minutes

Step 1: Create your account

Go to swarmsms.com/dashboard and sign up. Your account starts with a 1-day free trial with every feature unlocked, no card needed. You land on your dashboard with a short get-started checklist.

Step 2: Install the Android app

Download the SwarmSMS app from the checklist (or from the Add device screen) and open it on your phone. Allow the SMS permission when asked. On Android 15 and newer you may first need to open App info, tap the menu, choose Allow restricted settings, and then allow SMS.

Step 3: Pair the phone

In the dashboard click Add device. A QR code appears. In the app tap Scan QR code and scan it. The dashboard confirms “Connected” and your phone shows as online with its battery level.

Step 4: Send your first message

Open Messaging, enter a number and a message and press Send. The status moves from pending to sent and delivered. Replies appear in the same list, so it works as a two-way inbox.

Step 5 (optional): Connect your own app

Create an API key under New API key and send a text from any language:

curl -X POST "https://swarmsms.com/wp-json/swarmsms-cloud/v1/sms/send"   -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{"recipients":["+61400111222"],"message":"Hello from SwarmSMS Cloud"}'

Add a webhook to be told when a message arrives or is delivered. Every webhook request is signed with your secret so you can verify it, and the dashboard logs each delivery.

Plans and limits

SwarmSMS Cloud uses the same plans as the WordPress plugin, and one purchase covers both: Basic ($49/year, 2 devices), Pro ($89/year, unlimited devices) and Agency ($199/year, adds instant push delivery). All three include unlimited messages. After the free trial, without a plan, you can still send 10 messages a day from one device, and receiving is never limited.

Cloud or the WordPress plugin?

If you run WordPress or WooCommerce and want campaigns, automations and OTP login inside your site, the SwarmSMS Plugin for WordPress runs the same product inside your own site, and the same purchase covers it.