Before you start
Apprise is an open-source notification tool. Many apps use it to send alerts, including Uptime Kuma, changedetection.io, Healthchecks.io and Home Assistant. Anywhere you can enter an Apprise URL, you can send SMS through BulkSMS.
You need a BulkSMS account with credits.
Apprise sends plain text only, up to 160 characters per message.
Create a BulkSMS API token
Log in to your BulkSMS account and go to Settings > Developers.
Click Create API Token and give it a name, for example Apprise. Copy the Token ID and Token Secret. The secret is only shown once.
Apprise's documentation asks for your BulkSMS username and password. The Token ID and Token Secret go in the same places and keep your password private.
Build your Apprise URL
The BulkSMS URL format is:
bulksms://{TokenID}:{TokenSecret}@{PhoneNumber}
For example, to text two numbers from a Sender ID:
bulksms://ABC123:mysecret@447700900123/447700900456?from=MyCompany
Optional settings you can add after ?:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
from |
The number or Sender ID to send from. |
route |
The BulkSMS routing group: ECONOMY, STANDARD (default) or PREMIUM. |
unicode |
Send emoji and accented characters correctly. On by default. |
batch |
Send to all numbers in one request. Off by default. |
If your token secret contains special characters such as /, ? or @, URL-encode them.
Use it and test
Paste the URL wherever your app asks for an Apprise URL, for example in Uptime Kuma's Apprise notification type.
Or test from the command line:
apprise -b "Test from Apprise" "bulksms://ABC123:mysecret@447700900123"
Troubleshooting
Authentication errors: check the Token ID and secret, and URL-encode any special characters. If the token isn't accepted, try your BulkSMS username and password.
Messages aren't delivered: check numbers include a country code and that your account has credits. Look for the message under Sent Messages in BulkSMS.
All setup and ready to go!
If you have any questions, please contact our support team. Include your account name and put Apprise in the subject line, and we'll be happy to help.
See also Apprise's BulkSMS notification docs.