Connect your website, app, CRM or ERP to Indian mobile networks through one gateway. OTP, transactional and promotional routes, live delivery reports, and a flat ₹0.12 per SMS including GST.
Most teams don't go looking for a new SMS provider until something breaks. Login OTPs arrive two minutes late, a payment alert never shows up, or the developer finds out the "API" they were sold is a reseller panel with no delivery data behind it.
We've run business SMS for Indian companies since 2016, and the pattern is familiar. The cheapest rate on a sales sheet rarely turns out to be the cheapest per delivered message. What matters is clean DLT mapping, the right route for each message type, and delivery reports you can trust and query from code.
This page explains how our platform works, how to connect to it, what it costs, and how to compare it with other providers. If you only need the endpoint reference, go straight to the SMS API documentation.
The facts most buyers ask for on the first call, in one place.
| What you need to know | MetaReach |
|---|---|
| Connection methods | HTTP API (HTTPS GET), SMPP binds, web panel with CSV upload |
| Message types | OTP, transactional, service (implicit and explicit), promotional |
| Networks reached | All Indian mobile operators: Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL |
| Compliance | TRAI/DLT-compliant; every message is matched to a registered header and template |
| Sender ID | DLT-registered 6-character alphanumeric header |
| Message length via API | Up to 1,000 characters (500 in Unicode), billed per segment |
| Regional languages | Hindi and all Indian scripts via the unicode parameter |
| Delivery tracking | Per-number status and timestamp through the DLR API and the panel |
| Extras | Scheduling, personalised bulk send, trackable short URLs, balance API |
| Price | Flat ₹0.12/SMS including 18% GST; packs from 5,000 SMS (₹708) |
| Free trial | 99 SMS credits to test the API and panel |
| Support | Phone, WhatsApp and email, Monday–Saturday, 10 AM–6 PM |
Here is what happens in the few seconds between your code firing a request and a customer's phone buzzing:
Step 3 is where most Indian SMS failures happen, not at the network. One extra space, a changed variable or a missing template ID is enough for the operator to drop the message. That is why a good gateway provider spends as much time on template structure as on routing. The PE-TM binding chain between you and every provider in the delivery path also has to be declared correctly, or approved messages can still fail.
Every connection method reaches the same routes, DLT mappings and prices. Pick the one that fits your team and your volume. You can switch later without re-registering anything.
| Factor | HTTP SMS API | SMPP gateway | Web panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most apps, websites, CRMs and SaaS products | Sustained high-volume senders such as banks, large e-commerce and aggregators | Marketing and ops teams without developers (see the bulk SMS panel guide) |
| How it works | One HTTPS GET request per send, JSON response | Persistent TCP bind to the SMSC (SMPP v3.4) | Upload a CSV or paste numbers, then send or schedule |
| Setup effort | Low: any language that can make an HTTP call | Higher: SMPP client, bind credentials, IP whitelisting | None |
| Throughput | Comfortable for OTPs, alerts and campaigns at typical business volumes | Built for continuous high throughput with no per-request connection overhead | Campaign-sized batches |
| Delivery reports | Poll the DLR API with the message ID | DLRs come back over the bind as deliver_sm | On-screen reports and exports |
If you're unsure, start with HTTP. Most of our clients never need anything else. Move to SMPP only when your peak volume or latency targets demand it. Our SMPP vs HTTP guide covers that decision in detail, and the SMPP connectivity service page explains bind setup.
This is a real request to the Send SMS endpoint. Replace the key, sender ID and number with your own:
A successful call returns a message ID you can use for delivery tracking:
The same pattern works for the delivery report endpoint and the balance check. Ready-made snippets for PHP, Python, Node.js and Java are on our code samples page. For a broader view of the developer platform, including OTP and WhatsApp, see the messaging API overview.
Anything that only looks good in a demo has been left off this list. These are the features you'll actually use in week one.
OTP, transactional, service and promotional traffic each go out on their own route, so a marketing blast never queues behind your login codes.
Pass the
templateid explicitly, or let the gateway match your sender ID and text against
registered templates automatically.
Status and timestamp for every recipient through the DLR API, plus searchable logs in the panel. Error codes explained here.
Send a different message to each number in one call with the customise endpoint. It's handy for names, order IDs and due amounts.
Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and more. Check segment counts first with our SMS character counter.
Queue messages for a future slot and wrap links in trackable short URLs to see who clicked.
Promotional lists are filtered against NCPR preferences before sending, so you don't pay for messages the network will block. See how DND filtering works.
Check remaining credits per route from code and trigger a top-up alert before an OTP flow ever runs dry.
Key-based authentication over HTTPS, designed to live in your backend. Never ship it inside a mobile app or browser code.
When an OTP is late, users tap "resend", get two codes and enter the wrong one, or simply leave. Keeping OTPs on a priority route, separate from campaigns, is the simplest fix for that drop-off.
Automatic order, dispatch and delivery updates triggered from your system answer the question before customers pick up the phone. Support teams notice the difference within weeks.
One flat per-SMS rate, GST included, means finance can forecast spend from message volume alone. There are no slab surprises or hidden setup charges.
Every message is tied to a registered header, template and entity. If a regulator, bank partner or auditor asks, you have the delivery record and the DLT trail.
In India, the message type decides the route, the DLT category and whether DND applies. So getting the category right matters more than any other setting. The category itself depends on your sender type, the message purpose and the use case, not just on what the text says.
| Type | Typical examples | DND treatment | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTP | Login, sign-up, payment and password-reset codes | Generally not subject to promotional DND preferences when registered under the applicable non-promotional category | OTP SMS services |
| Transactional | Bank debit and credit alerts, payment confirmations | Generally not subject to promotional DND preferences when correctly registered | Transactional SMS |
| Service (implicit) | Order and shipping updates, appointment reminders, fee due notices | Allowed for existing customers under the service category | Transactional and service SMS guide |
| Service (explicit) | Updates sent with the customer's recorded consent | Depends on valid consent captured through DLT | DLT registration explained |
| Promotional | Offers, sale announcements, event invitations | Filtered against DND; sent only within the TRAI-permitted time window | Promotional SMS |
Building OTP flows specifically? Our OTP API service page covers retry logic, code expiry and SDKs. If your users are in low-coverage areas, pair SMS with a voice OTP fallback as described in the SMS-to-voice fallback guide.
OTPs, debit and credit alerts, EMI reminders and KYC status. This is where SMPP and strict template hygiene pay off. See our banking and insurance solutions.
Order confirmation, COD verification, dispatch and delivery updates, plus abandoned-cart recovery campaigns.
Sign-up OTPs, invoice and renewal alerts, and system notifications pushed straight from your backend. Read the SaaS and ERP integration guide.
Appointment confirmations, lab report alerts and patient verification, without sharing clinical details in the text.
Attendance alerts, fee reminders and exam notices for parents and students. See SMS for educational institutions.
Delivery windows, site-visit reminders, lead follow-ups and store offers, triggered from the CRM your team already uses.
We charge one flat rate: ₹0.12 per SMS, inclusive of 18% GST. That covers HTTP API, SMPP and panel access. You buy credits in packs and use them at your own pace within the validity period.
| SMS pack | Pack price | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 SMS | ₹708 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 10,000 SMS | ₹1,416 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 25,000 SMS | ₹3,540 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 50,000 SMS | ₹7,080 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 75,000 SMS | ₹10,620 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 1,00,000 SMS | ₹14,160 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 5,00,000 SMS | ₹70,800 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
| 10,00,000 SMS | ₹1,41,600 | ₹0.12/SMS (GST incl.) |
The full plan list is on our pricing page. For a deeper cost breakdown, see bulk SMS price in India or the 2026 SMS pricing comparison.
If your DLT approvals are already in place, most clients send their first production message the same day the API key is issued. First-time registrations take longer. The timeline depends on how quickly the operator reviews your documents and templates.
Some of these figures come from the rules every Indian A2P provider works under. Others describe us.
DLT exists because of TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018. You can read the current rules on the TRAI website. Operator portals such as Jio TrueConnect publish their own registration guides. SMPP itself is an open standard, and the SMPP v3.4 specification is freely available.
Price per SMS is the first number everyone compares, and usually the least useful one. A provider at ₹0.10 that loses a fifth of your OTPs costs far more than one at ₹0.12 that delivers them. Ask these questions before you sign:
SMS works on every phone with no app and no data connection. That's why it remains the default for OTPs and critical alerts. For rich media, two-way chat or carousels, compare it with WhatsApp messaging or RCS business messaging. Many of our clients use SMS for verification and WhatsApp for conversations, all from one account.
These are the integration patterns we set up most often, described as general patterns rather than individual client results.
Login and e-mandate OTPs go on the priority route via HTTP API. EMI reminders run as service-implicit templates scheduled three days and one day before the due date. Failed OTPs fall back to voice after a short timeout.
The store platform fires a webhook on each order event. A small middleware maps it to the right DLT template and calls the personalised endpoint, so order ID, amount and tracking link are filled per customer.
The ERP exports absentees at 10 AM and pushes them to the API in Hindi and English. Fee reminders go out as a scheduled batch on the 1st and 5th of each month.
Public endpoints, parameters and error codes, so your developer can check the integration before talking to sales.
₹0.12/SMS including GST on every pack size, with no setup fee and no separate API charge.
We review templates before you submit them, which is where most first-time rejections start.
SMS, WhatsApp Business API, RCS, voice OTP and IVR under one vendor and one point of contact.
Support Monday–Saturday, 10 AM–6 PM, from people who handle DLT issues every day. We serve clients across India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
For enterprise volumes, we put routing, support response and reporting commitments in the contract.
An SMS gateway is the system that takes a message from your software, such as a website, app, CRM or ERP, and hands it to mobile operator networks for delivery to a phone. In India it also checks each message against your DLT-registered header and template before the operator accepts it, and it returns a delivery report for every number.
The SMS gateway is the full delivery platform: routing, DLT checks, operator connections and delivery reporting. An SMS API is one way of talking to that gateway from your code. MetaReach's gateway can be reached through an HTTP API, through SMPP binds or through a web panel, and all three use the same routes and pricing.
MetaReach charges a flat ₹0.12 per SMS, inclusive of 18% GST. Packs start at 5,000 SMS for ₹708 and go up to 10,00,000 SMS for ₹1,41,600. API and panel access carry no separate fee. The one cost outside the pack is the DLT entity registration fee charged by some operator portals, commonly ₹5,900 including GST.
Yes. Under TRAI's commercial communication regulations, every business sending A2P SMS in India must register its entity, sender header and message templates on an operator DLT platform. Messages that do not match an approved template are rejected during scrubbing. MetaReach helps you prepare and file the registration as part of onboarding.
Use the HTTP API if you want the quickest integration. It is a plain HTTPS GET request that works from any language and suits OTPs, alerts and campaigns for most businesses. Choose SMPP when you send sustained high volumes and want a persistent connection with lower per-message overhead. Many teams start on HTTP and move their heaviest traffic to SMPP later.
OTP and transactional messages registered under the applicable non-promotional DLT category are generally not subject to promotional DND preferences. The category depends on your sender type, message purpose and use case, so the template must be registered correctly. Promotional SMS is always filtered against DND preferences.
Every Send SMS request returns a message ID. Pass that ID to the Delivery Report (DLR) API to get a per-number status such as delivered, submitted or failed, along with the delivery timestamp. The same reports are visible in the web panel and can be exported.
Yes. Set the unicode parameter in the API call to send Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi or any other Indian script. A Unicode SMS segment holds 70 characters instead of 160, so regional-language messages use more credits per message than the same text in English.
It depends mainly on DLT. If your entity, header and templates are already approved, you can usually start sending the same day your API key is issued. If you are registering for the first time, the timeline depends on the operator's review of your documents and templates.
Yes. The time parameter schedules a message for a future date and time. The personalised SMS endpoint accepts a comma-separated number list and a caret-separated list of messages, so each recipient gets their own text in a single API call.
If you're moving from another provider, bring your existing DLT IDs and we'll map them. Otherwise, we'll walk you through registration from the start. Either way, you'll talk to someone who has debugged a rejected template before, not a chatbot.
Get 99 free SMS to test the API today, or book a call and we'll review your use case, templates and expected volume.
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