An SMS API lets developers send and receive text messages from their own applications with a few lines of code. 160.com.au offers an Australian SMS API with an OpenAPI spec, Swagger sandbox and webhooks for delivery receipts, backed by a Sydney-based team since 2000, a 100% delivery guarantee, no monthly fees and free trial credits.


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Australian SMS API

One onshore route to every Australian network Your applicationPOST /v1/messages api.160.com.auDual Sydney data centresautomatic failover Telstra Optus Vodafone / TPG All MVNOs One onshore carrier route to every Australian network — messages never leave Australia
Real-time delivery receipt flow Your application 160 API POST /v1/messages 200 — statusCode -1, Queued Carrier delivers Webhook POST to your callbackURL — Delivered Endpoint down? Retried up to 10 times over 6 hours
Send SMS from your code through direct Australian carrier routes. JSON in, JSON out, real-time delivery receipts pushed straight to your webhook. Built for developers: integrate SMS into your app in 3 simple steps — get an API key, make your first API call, go live.

curl https://api.160.com.au/v1/messages \
  -u "your_username:your_sms_secret" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"messages":[{"recipient":"61412345678","message":"Your appointment is confirmed for 2pm Friday."}]}'
{"messages":[{"messageId":84212951,"recipient":"61412345678","cost":1.00,"statusCode":-1,"status":"Queued"}]}

That is the entire integration for one SMS message. Authentication is HTTP Basic with your account username and SMS secret, both on your profile page. No tokens to refresh, no HMAC request signing, and no SDK (software development kit) required, though the OpenAPI spec means your AI coding tool can write the SMS API code for you. Send your first SMS in minutes, then automate the rest.

The API documentation, Swagger sandbox, sample codes available and the staging server are one click away:
Get your API key + free test credits Docs, Swagger sandbox & OpenAPI spec

SMS API Integration Built For Production

One REST API for every kind of SMS functionality: single sends, bulk messaging, two-way conversations and OTP verification.

REST and JSON
A clean RESTful REST API: predictable endpoints, standard HTTP status codes and JSON everywhere. Our older SOAP interface is still maintained for legacy integrations.
Real-Time Delivery Receipts
Pass a callbackURL and we POST each SMS delivery status to your application by webhook in real-time. If your endpoint is down, we retry up to 10 times over 6 hours.
Batch Up To 100 Per Request
Send bulk SMS as arrays in a single POST — up to 100 messages per call, with per-SMS results in the response. 10,000 messages is 100 requests.
International Coverage
Reach global audiences through our extensive international coverage in 200+ countries.
Free Staging Sandbox
Nine test numbers simulate every delivery outcome, including failures, without sending on air or spending a credit.
Built-In OTP Verification
Send and verify one-time codes with two API calls. Code length, expiry and sender ID set per use case. See the 160Verify implementation guide.
Get a free API key
Frequently Asked Questions About SMS APIs In Australia

What is an SMS API?

An SMS API lets your software send and receive text messages programmatically through an SMS gateway, instead of a person sending them from a dashboard. It is the easy-to-integrate SMS layer that adds SMS capabilities to business applications, and a straightforward SMS integration is usually a day’s work. Booking confirmations, delivery alerts, 2FA codes and appointment reminders are the usual first projects.

Is the API REST or SOAP?

The current interface is a REST gateway API with JSON. The same SMS gateway API retains SOAP support for older integrations, so nothing existing breaks.

How much does an SMS API cost in Australia?

There is no monthly platform fee: you buy SMS credits and each standard send costs one credit, with current rates on our pricing page. When hunting for the cheapest SMS API, compare the per-SMS rate together with delivery quality, since offshore routes can be cheaper per message and slower or less reliable to Australian handsets.

Is there a free SMS API?

Delivering production SMS costs carrier fees, so nothing serious is free forever. What is free here: SMS credits when you sign up for a free trial to test real sends, and the staging sandbox, which stays free permanently for integration testing.

What is the best SMS API for Australian businesses?

The best SMS API depends on where your customers are. For Australian and mobile marketing traffic, weigh direct carrier routes, onshore data, local support and Sender ID handling. That is the checklist this SMS service was built against.

Can I use my business name as the sender?

Yes, with a registered Sender ID. Australian carriers now block or flag unregistered brand senders, and we handle the ACMA Sender ID registration for you.

How do long messages and MMS work?

Longer texts are sent by concatenation across multiple standard SMS parts and reassembled on the handset as one SMS message. The API is built for SMS; for multimedia messaging (MMS) requirements, talk to our support team.

Is there an API rate limit?

Yes — accounts can submit up to 1,600 messages per minute by default, and we raise this once we know your sending profile. Requests over the limit return HTTP 429 Too Many Requests and can be safely retried.

Where is my data processed and stored?

In Australia. Message processing, routing and storage all happen onshore, across dual Sydney data centres with failover between sites.

Documentation & Sandbox

Full API documentation and reference, an interactive Swagger sandbox with live test sends, sample code for every endpoint, and the OpenAPI spec your AI coding tool can build from.
API reference & Swagger sandbox Download OpenAPI spec (YAML)

An Australian SMS Gateway You Can Verify

Your messages route through direct Australian carrier connections delivering to Telstra, Optus and Vodafone/TPG cellular networks, not through offshore aggregation. All message processing, routing and storage happens in Australia, nothing moves offshore, and failover between sites protects uptime.

Secure Australian Infrastructure
  • Dual Equinix data centres in Sydney with automatic failover and daily backups
  • Gateway infrastructure we own and operate, not resell
  • Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles
  • Industry code C661:2022 (Reducing Scam Calls and Scam SMS)
  • Spam Act 2003 compliance tools: automated opt-out handling and suppression
  • Operated by Bay Call Pty Ltd (ABN 34 101 997 175), Australian owned since 2003
SMS API Pricing

No monthly fee and no lock-in: SMS pricing works on prepaid SMS credits, and each standard SMS message costs one credit. Staging traffic is always free. See pricing and coverage.

Sender IDs And Two-Way SMS

Send from an approved alphanumeric sender ID registered with the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) so your brand name is protected and your messages are not stamped Unverified. For conversations, virtual number provisioning gives you two-way SMS: send and receive SMS messages, with replies pushed to your webhook or forwarded to your inbox. Email to SMS sending is on the platform too, so you can personalise every message with template tags and access your API from any workflow.

Ways to Use the 160.com.au Platform for SMS API in Australia

Use an SMS API to add SMS to the applications your team already runs. Each workflow below can send SMS via the same API endpoints, so one integration covers automation across the business: Here are a few ways to use 160.com.au SMS API for your enterprise:

  • Customer notifications and alerts
  • Marketing and promotional campaigns
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • Customer support
  • Surveys and feedback collection
  • Appointment and reservation management
  • Emergency alerts
  • Payment reminders and invoicing
  • Loyalty programs
  • Automated service messages

An Australian SMS gateway allows you to automate many of your customer-relations tasks, helping employees to focus on growing your enterprise. With an SMS API, your customers will feel supported, engaged, and informed throughout every step of their buyer journey.

We Use Australian Carriers
Logos of Australian businesses using 160.com.au
Questions?
Call our SMS support team on 1800 671 823 to get any questions answered.