Create an SMS chatbot

SMS chatbots help you automate customer interactions through text messages. They run on preconfigured flows and reply to incoming messages using specific triggers.

With an SMS chatbot, you can:

• answer customers’ frequently asked questions;
• request and save customer data;
• run flows based on keywords or events;
• personalize messages using variables and filters;
• use AI to process free-form messages;
• retrieve data from external systems through API.

Let’s talk about how SMS chatbots work, as well as how to register a phone number and set up flows for it.

Basics

An SMS chatbot is an automated multi-purpose assistant that sends and receives text messages.

SMS chatbot setup involves two steps:

1. Get a dedicated phone number that will send your messages.
2. Create flows in the chatbot builder.

The cost of using an SMS chatbot includes the phone number registration fee, monthly phone number maintenance fees, and fees for each message sent. In Canada and the United States, incoming messages are charged as well.

One SMS message can include up to 160 Latin characters or 70 Unicode characters. Spaces count as characters. If your text is longer, the system splits it into multiple messages and charges you for each one.

Current pricing for your selected country appears when you submit your phone number registration form.

Register a phone number

An SMS chatbot uses a phone number registered in your recipients’ country. A registered phone number can send SMS messages only within the country where it was registered. For example, a phone number with the +1 country code can send SMS messages only in the United States.

To get a phone number, submit a request through the SMS Bridge app.

Go to Chatbots > Manage bots and click Add bot. In SMS bots, click Open in marketplace.

You can also find the app in SendPulse’s app directory by searching for SMS Bridge.

On the app page, click Install. In the next window, review the data the app wants to access, and click Accept.

Next, click Buy number and fill in the following fields:

Depending on your selected country, more fields may appear in the form, requiring you to provide other details.

Once you've selected a country, check the pricing terms and the estimated review time for your request.

Before submitting the form, make sure your account balance has enough funds to cover the registration fee and monthly charges. If needed, enable automatic payments.

Canada

Fill in the following fields:

Next, upload a subscription form screenshot from the website you’ve listed, the UPL license, and the completed TFN registration form.

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 5 days.

United States

Fill in the following fields:

Next, upload a subscription form screenshot from the website you’ve listed, the UPL license, and the completed TFN registration form.

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 5 days.

United Kingdom

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 45 days.

Ukraine

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 45 days.

Germany

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 45 days.

Poland

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 45 days.

Portugal

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 14 days.

Spain

Fill in the following fields:

Once you’ve filled out the form, click Submit. The review process takes up to 14 days.

Set up your chatbot

Once your request is approved, you will receive an email with your registered phone number. Your chatbot will automatically appear in the Chatbots section, where you’ll be able to start creating triggers and flows.

To find your chatbot, open the SMS Bridge app and click the link in Connected bots. You can also go to Chatbots and select it from the sidebar on the left.

To go to chatbot conversations, click the three dots and select Open chats. You can also go to Chatbots and open the Conversations section.

The Standard reply flow is set up by default. You can also create custom triggers using keywords.

Plan the key conversations your chatbot will handle and build flows using ready-made elements. You can also manage your flow branches using the Filter and AI agent elements.

Read more: Create an automated SMS chatbot flow, Create your bot structure, and Tips on chatbot flow design.

Last Updated: 06.03.2026