The Twilio alternative that uses your own phone and SIM
SimGate turns an Android phone into a programmable SMS gateway. Send and receive texts through your own SIM over a REST API — a flat monthly price instead of per-message billing and number rental.
Two different models for sending SMS
Twilio is a carrier-network CPaaS: you rent a phone number and pay per message segment, with separate A2P/10DLC registration and carrier surcharges. It scales to enormous volumes and offers short codes, but costs grow with every message and the sender number is provisioned by Twilio.
SimGate takes the opposite approach. You connect an Android phone running the SimGate app, and messages are sent through that phone's own SIM. You pay a flat monthly plan for a generous message allowance instead of paying per segment, and the recipient sees your real mobile number.
For OTPs, alerts, reminders, and conversational replies at low-to-mid volume, that usually means dramatically lower and more predictable cost — and you keep the number you already own.
SimGate vs Twilio at a glance
| SimGate | Twilio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly plan | Per-message + number rental |
| Sender number | Your own SIM/number | Number provisioned by Twilio |
| Setup | Install app, scan QR, call the API | Account, number purchase, A2P registration |
| Inbound SMS | Included, via signed webhooks | Per-message inbound + number fees |
| Best for | OTP, alerts, reminders, 2-way chat | High-volume A2P, short codes |
The same one API call you already expect
1curl -X POST https://api.simgate.app/v1/sms/send \2-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \3-H "Content-Type: application/json" \4-d '{5"deviceId": "android-5q15b182f2704gbz",6"phoneNumber": "+1234567890",7"message": "Hello from SimGate!"8}'
POST /v1/sms/send with your API key — SimGate routes it to your connected phone.
When SimGate is the better fit
SimGate shines when you want your own number and predictable cost:
- One-time passwords and 2FA codes from a real mobile number
- Server, uptime, and monitoring alerts to your team
- Appointment and booking reminders for small businesses
- Two-way conversations and keyword auto-replies
- Side projects and internal tools that shouldn't carry per-message billing
Where a carrier CPaaS still wins
If you need to blast hundreds of thousands of messages an hour, run short codes, or guarantee carrier-grade A2P throughput across many countries, a traditional CPaaS like Twilio is built for that scale. SimGate is built for sending from your own number at a flat, predictable price.
Frequently asked questions
Is SimGate really cheaper than Twilio?
For most low-to-mid volume use cases, yes. SimGate charges a flat monthly plan instead of per-message fees and number rental, so cost is predictable and doesn't grow with each text. Very high volume senders should compare against their specific message counts.
Can I keep my own phone number?
Yes. SimGate sends through your Android phone's SIM, so recipients see your real number and you don't provision a new one.
Do I need to register for A2P / 10DLC?
Because you send from your own consumer SIM rather than a carrier A2P route, you avoid the separate A2P registration flow that CPaaS providers require. You remain responsible for following local messaging laws and consent rules.
How do I receive inbound SMS?
Inbound texts to your SIM are forwarded to your backend as signed webhooks, and you can trigger auto-replies or forwards with automation rules — included in your plan.
How fast can I migrate from Twilio?
The send endpoint is a single POST with an API key, so swapping your outbound calls usually takes minutes. Install the app, connect a device, generate a key, and point your existing code at SimGate.
Keep exploring
Turn your phone into an SMS API
Send and receive SMS from your own SIM at a flat monthly price. Install the app, connect a device, and call the API in minutes.
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