The inst8 SMS Gateway
Built for agencies who send a lot of SMS.
Not a Twilio reseller. Not a per-message API. A real gateway you connect to a real Android phone with a real SIM — wrapped in the dashboard, queue and reporting tooling agencies actually need.
Four things every gateway should do.
Most fall over on at least two of them. Inst8 nails all four.
Send & receive
Two-way SMS at scale. Every reply lands back in your CRM, threaded against the right contact.
Real SIM, real number
Messages send from your actual mobile number. Higher trust, higher reply rates, no A2P brand registration.
Plugs into your stack
Native HighLevel, HubSpot, Zoho and Zapier integrations. One install, OAuth-authorised, done in minutes.
Full visibility
Every message status from queued to delivered. Per-device throughput. Conversation history that survives reboots.
Backend queuing
A smart queue between your CRM and your SIM.
When you blast a thousand messages, you don't want a thousand messages hitting the carrier in 30 seconds. The inst8 queue handles pacing, retries and multi-device distribution so your SIMs stay healthy and your messages actually arrive.
Carrier-safe batching
The gateway throttles outbound to 30–40 messages every 10 minutes. Stays well inside SIM fair-use limits without you thinking about it.
Multi-device load balancing
Higher tiers spread send volume across multiple Android devices automatically. Sending stays linear as your list grows.
Retry & resume
Failed sends queue for retry. If a device drops offline mid-blast, the queue picks back up where it left off when it comes back.
Templates, scheduling & auto-responders
Pre-built message templates, future-dated sends, and rule-based auto-replies — all driven from the same queue.
Every message, every state
Each SMS moves through a fixed lifecycle. The dashboard shows the count at every stage, in real time.
Plus inbound replies, USSD requests, and scheduled future sends — all in one ledger.
SIM health
Keep every SIM alive and sending.
A blocked SIM is a campaign that doesn't ship. Inst8 watches every paired device so problems surface before they cost you a send window.
Device online status
Every paired Android shows live in the dashboard. The moment a device drops off, you see it — and so does your team.
Throughput monitoring
Per-device send rate, queued count, and delivery success ratio. Spot a throttled SIM the same hour it starts struggling.
Fair-use guardrails
Built-in send pacing means SIMs don't trip carrier anti-spam. The result: longer SIM life, fewer blocks, cleaner sender reputation.
Battery & background warnings
The mobile app surfaces battery-optimisation and background-restriction conflicts that would otherwise silently break sending.
Detailed reporting
Know what sent, what landed, and what didn't.
The dashboard breaks down every message by status, every device by throughput, and every conversation by thread. If a campaign is under-performing, you can see why — by the hour, not the week.
- Per-message status — Pending → Queued → Sent → Delivered
- Per-device throughput, delivery rate and queue depth
- Conversation history with timestamps, persisted across devices
- Filter by date range, device, SIM, status, contact
- Inbound replies surfaced as a first-class status (not just a webhook)
The Android app
One install. Then it runs.
The inst8 Android app is the bridge between your queue and the SIM card. Pair once with a QR code, plug the phone in, leave it running.
Local message store
Sent and received messages persist locally — sync survives carrier hiccups and app restarts.
Auto-responder rules
Reply to inbound triggers without round-tripping to your CRM. Out-of-hours coverage built in.
Templates
Pre-saved message templates for one-tap sends and routine flows.
Contacts list
Local contact directory synced with the gateway. Search, send, archive.
USSD support
Run carrier USSD codes (balance, credit, plan lookup) right from the app.
Whitelabel option
On Enterprise and Ultimate plans, ship the app under your own brand.
CRM integrations
Native where your team already works.
Not webhooks bolted on after the fact. Real OAuth integrations with inbox routing, contact records, and workflow support.
HighLevel
All-in-one marketing platform
Learn more
HubSpot
Inbound marketing & sales platform
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Zoho CRM
Customer relationship management
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Zapier
Connect 6,000+ apps
Learn moreNeed something custom? Zapier connects inst8 to 6,000+ other apps, and we ship a documented REST API for direct integrations.
Who actually runs this.
Inst8 is opinionated about who it's for. Here's the buyer the product is built around.
Marketing agencies
Run dozens of HighLevel sub-accounts off a single inst8 plan. One SIM per client (or two clients per dual-SIM phone), unlimited messages each.
Lead-gen operators
Pump qualified leads into 2-way SMS without paying Twilio per touch. Your margins survive the campaign.
Real estate teams
Text from a number that's actually yours, not a shortcode. Replies land in your CRM. Listings move faster.
Local service businesses
Reminders, confirmations, follow-ups — at one flat fee instead of per-message fees that scale with your customer count.
See the gateway in action.
14-day free trial. No credit card. Setup takes five minutes. Cancel anytime.