One node, hundreds of integrations

n8n already connects to hundreds of services. With this node, any of them can trigger an SMS sent from your own phone, on your own SIM — no per-message fees, and the message content never passes through a third-party SMS provider.

1. Install the node

1. In n8n, open Settings → Community Nodes
2. Click Install
3. Enter n8n-nodes-smstunnel
4. Accept and install

Self-hosted / Docker

npm install n8n-nodes-smstunnel

2. Add your credentials

Pair your Android phone in the SMSTunnel app, then create an API key in your dashboard with the sms:send permission. In n8n, create new SMSTunnel API credentials:

Field	Value
API Key	Your key. Sent as the `X-API-Key` header.
Base URL	`https://smstunnel.io` — change only for a self-hosted instance.

Click Test to confirm the key works before saving.

3. Available operations

MESSAGE

Send — one recipient
Send Bulk — up to 100
Send 2FA Code — separate quota
Get Status — delivery state
Get Received — incoming SMS

ACCOUNT

Get Usage — quota and consumption

DEVICE

Get Many — paired phones

Example: alert me when a workflow fails

This is the highest-value use of the node. When any workflow breaks, you get an SMS — which still arrives even if the destination has no internet connection.

1. Add an Error Trigger node
2. Add the SMSTunnel node → Resource Message → Operation Send
3. Set To to your number, and Message to the expression below

Workflow {{$json["workflow"]["name"]}} failed:
{{$json["execution"]["error"]["message"]}}

Example: appointment reminders

A daily schedule reads tomorrow's bookings from your database or calendar and sends each person a reminder. Reducing no-shows is the single most profitable use of SMS for most businesses.

[Schedule Trigger] — every day at 18:00

↓

[Postgres / Google Sheets / HTTP] — fetch tomorrow's appointments

↓

[SMSTunnel · Send] — To: {{$json.phone}}

Use the Default Country Code field (e.g. +40) so local numbers stored without a prefix still work.

Limits worth knowing

30 requests per minute. For many recipients use Send Bulk instead of looping Send — one request instead of hundreds.
100 recipients per bulk request. The node fails fast with a clear message if you pass more, so split into batches.
1600 characters per message (10 concatenated SMS). 2FA messages are capped at 320.
2FA validation. The server rejects a 2FA message that doesn't contain a recognizable code — include it in the text, e.g. "Your code is 12-345678".
Enable "Continue On Fail" if you'd rather have failed items return an error field than stop the whole workflow.

Responsible use

SMSTunnel is built for low-volume, transactional messaging — reminders, alerts, verification codes, order updates. Sending unsolicited bulk marketing from a consumer SIM generally breaches mobile carrier terms. Make sure your usage complies with your carrier's terms and with local regulations (in the EU, that includes GDPR and ePrivacy rules).

No phone paired yet?

Install the Android app, scan a QR code, and you're ready in about a minute.

Get the Android app