SMS channel

The SMS channel sends text messages to your contacts' phone numbers. You configure a sender and provider, then reference the channel from a campaign's send message step.

Providers

SMS supports Twilio, Termii, BulkSMS, 5LinkxSMS, and Vonage. Each can run self-hosted (using your own provider credentials) or platform-managed. Your credentials are encrypted at rest.

Create the channel

1. Go to Channels → Add channel → SMS.
2. Choose a provider.
3. Set your sender id or number — the identity your recipients will see.
4. Enter the provider credentials and save the channel.

For Vonage, enter your API key and API secret from the Vonage dashboard, and a Vonage number or an approved sender name in From. Verify checks the key by reading your Vonage balance.

Phone number formats

Contact numbers don't have to be stored in any particular format. EngageApp converts each one to its full international form before sending, so 08012345678, 0801-234-5678 and +234 801 234 5678 all reach the same handset.

A number written in local form doesn't say which country it belongs to, so EngageApp resolves it against your workspace's phone number region, set under Settings → Messaging. Get this wrong and locally-formatted numbers resolve to the wrong country — a real number, just not your contact's. If your audience is mostly in one country, set it to that country; store anyone outside it with a leading + and their country code, which is unambiguous and ignores the setting entirely.

Changing the region also re-matches your existing contacts in the background, so it isn't a display preference — the app asks you to confirm before saving.

Write effective messages

Keep messages concise — SMS is a short, high-attention format, and long copy can split across multiple segments. Lead with the value and include a clear call to action.

Respect your recipients

SMS is intrusive, so always honor quiet hours so messages aren't delivered at inconvenient local times, and rely on your suppression list to skip anyone who has opted out.

Credit cost

SMS costs 3 credits per send. With platform-managed SMS, the provider's cost is added as extra credits per SMS.

Next steps

• Set quiet hours and frequency caps
• Manage your suppression list
• Review the channels overview