What is an SMS app?

Thomas_James — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:56:51 GMT

In general, an SMS app is a software application that allows you to send SMS messages. This application may be coded by your own organization, or it may be acquired from a third-party software vendor.

Sinch provides a set of several different APIs that can be integrated with your own platform, via your SMS app(s), that will let you send via the Sinch platform. You may create or obtain multiple SMS apps that use Sinch's platform; each app must connect to one of Sinch's APIs in order to send SMS messages.

When sending SMS messages using Sinch's platform, you may use the standalone SMS API, the Conversation API, or Sinch's SMPP service:

When sending SMS using the standalone SMS API, you'll use a service API to send your SMS messages. Your SMS app will need to connect to this service API to send SMS messages. See our SMS getting started guides for more information.

When sending SMS using the SMS channel of the Conversation API, you must create a Conversation API app, which is used to organize a set of connected channels and their channel credentials. You must configure the SMS channel on that app in order to send SMS messages using the Conversation API. See our Conversation getting started guides for more information, and note the following:
- Conversation API apps are used to organize various credentials and pieces of information; you'll still need to either create or obtain a software application to send your SMS messages.
- Sending SMS using the Conversation API requires an SMS service API, just as sending SMS using the standalone SMS API does.

When sending SMS using Sinch's SMPP service, you'll use a System ID and password to connect to Sinch's service and send SMS messages.

Please refer to our technical documentation for more information on our APIs and how they can work for you.

Take a look at the Sinch SMS Product page to learn more about our SMS products, or click here to sign up to our self-service portal and get started today.

article What is an SMS app? in SMS

What is an SMS app?