Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

playSMS

playsms.org

Free plan Open source WebLinuxAndroidAPISelf-hosted
Visit playsms.org
Spec score 8.6 #8 of 36 in SMS Gateway Software

What it is

playSMS is free, open-source SMS management software with a web interface for gateways and bulk SMS services. It sends individual or bulk text, flash, and Unicode messages, and receives private SMS that can be forwarded to email or mobile phones or routed to users and URLs. Built-in tools include automatic replies, polls, quizzes, subscriptions, SMS-to-email, and email-to-SMS through mailbox polling. It connects with Gammu, Kannel, SMS Server Tools, Jasmin, Playnet, Uplink, and several SMS providers. Web services support sending, delivery reports, credit checks, and other operations. Plugins can add features, themes, tools, and gateway modules. Routing can use prefixes or users, with destination-based rating and per-user credits. The project reports one user tested 200,000 SMS per day. playSMS itself cannot send or receive messages without a separate gateway application or service. It is available for Android, Linux, self-hosting, web, and API use under GPLv3 or later, without warranty.

Spec sheet

What it does
playSMS is a web interface for managing SMS gateways and bulk SMS services.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Product
playSMS is free and open source SMS management software that provides a web interface for SMS gateways and bulk SMS services.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Platforms
The project describes a web-based interface and an Android app; its download page offers stable releases and a master branch version intended for developers that may have broken features.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
API
Webservices support sending SMS, retrieving delivery reports, checking credits, and other operations.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Integrations
It lists support for Gammu, Kannel, SMS Server Tools, Jasmin, Playnet, Uplink, and several SMS service providers.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Support
The project directs users to its forum for discussion and GitHub for source, issues and security reporting.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
License
The software is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3 or, at the user's option, a later version, without warranty.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Android client
The Android client uses the playSMS web-services API to control sending and receiving functions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Android client licence
The Android client repository identifies the application as GPLv3 licensed.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
API protocol
The API uses an index.php app=ws endpoint with username, token, operation, destination, message and format parameters, returning JSON or XML examples.Read 14 Oct 2026 · gist.github.com
Company identity
The GitHub organization identifies itself as playSMS, lists Indonesia and links to playsms.org.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Credits and rates
Administrators can assign per-user SMS credits and rate messages by destination prefix.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Customization
Users can create features, tools, themes, and gateway modules as plugins.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Docker deployment
The official how-to documents a Docker image running playSMS 1.4.3 on Ubuntu 20.04 with docker pull and docker run commands.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Documentation
Official documentation is mainly a how-to category and installation articles, with a warning that some articles describe old vulnerable versions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Extensibility
Developers can add features, tools, themes and gateway modules through plugins.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
External API
The web-services API supports sending SMS, reading incoming messages, retrieving delivery reports, checking credits and administrative operations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Founder and maintainer
Official project pages name Anton Raharja as founder and maintainer.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Gateway dependency
playSMS cannot send or receive SMS by itself and requires another application or service acting as an SMS gateway.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Gateway integrations
Documented gateway support includes Gammu, Kannel, SMS Server Tools, Jasmin, Playnet, Uplink and multiple SMS providers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Inbound messages
It can receive private SMS, forward messages to email or mobile phones, and route incoming SMS to users or URLs.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Inbound messaging
Incoming SMS can be placed in an inbox, forwarded to email or phones, and routed to users or URLs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Independent listing: G2
G2's PlaySMS listing shows 0.0 user-satisfaction information and 0 ratings, with headquarters listed as unavailable.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Independent listing: SourceForge activity
SourceForge lists 10 reviews, Linux support, PHP implementation, a web interface and a last update of 2 March 2021.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Independent review: legacy features
The Nixbit review highlighted bulk messaging, autoreply, SMS boards, polls, web services and custom gateway modules.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nixbit.com
Independent review: legacy requirements
A Nixbit review of playSMS 0.8.1 described Linux or another Unix system, Apache, MySQL, PHP, SMTP and administrator command-line skills as prerequisites.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nixbit.com
Latest release
GitHub lists prerelease 1.4.8-2508131200 from 13 August with watchdog, multiline-template, environment-variable and Jasmin Docker callback changes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Licence
The main application is licensed under GNU GPL version 3 or any later version, without warranty.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limit: ageing material
The documentation warns that some articles reference old software with vulnerabilities or unfixed bugs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Limit: gateway dependency
Official documentation says playSMS cannot send or receive SMS alone and requires another gateway application or service.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Limit: operational burden
Because it is self-hosted, operators must maintain Linux, web-server, database, PHP, SMTP and connected gateway infrastructure.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Messaging tools
Features include autoreply, SMS polls, quizzes, subscriptions, SMS-to-email, and email-to-SMS by polling a mailbox.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Messaging workflows
Built-in functions include autoreplies, SMS boards, polls, quizzes, subscriptions, SMS-to-email and email-to-SMS polling.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Praise: SourceForge users
SourceForge reviewers describe it as a great SMS application and a strong option for mass employee alerts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Project origin date
SourceForge records the project as registered on 11 December 2003.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Protection controls
The project includes blacklist, stoplist and firewall plugins for SMS-service protection.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Rating on SourceForge
5.0 out of 5 from 10 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Routing
Outgoing traffic can be routed by destination prefix or user, while multiple SMSCs can be active and routable.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Routing and credits
It supports routing outgoing messages by prefix or user, rating SMS by destination prefix, and per-user SMS credits.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Scale
The project says one user tested handling 200,000 SMS per day.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Scale claim
The project says one user tested handling 200,000 SMS per day.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
SDK
A PHP web-services class is published as the playsms/webservices Composer package, compatible with playSMS 1.0-rc4 and later.Read 14 Oct 2026 · packagist.org
Security policy
The security policy lists supported 1.5.0, 1.4.7, 1.4.6, 1.4.3, 1.4.2 and 1.4 branches and names several published CVEs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security updates
The project describes release 1.4.7 as containing security-related updates and says older versions have critical security vulnerabilities and should be upgraded.Read 8 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Security warning
The download page warns that previous releases contain critical security vulnerabilities and should be upgraded.Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org
Self-hosting
Installation is intended for Linux with a web server, MySQL, PHP and command-line administration; a GSM modem and internet connection are optional.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Sending
It sends individual, broadcast and bulk SMS, including text, flash and Unicode formats.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
System requirements
The installation guide lists Apache, nginx or lighttpd, MySQL 5.x or newer, PHP 5.5 or newer, PHP MySQL, CLI, gettext, mbstring and GD extensions, SMTP access and Composer.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

playSMS Free Free and open source; no paid tier stated Self-hosted web SMS management · Separate SMS gateway required Read 14 Oct 2026 · playsms.org

Every playSMS plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source
  • Bulk, Unicode, and flash SMS
  • Inbound routing and delivery reports
  • Plugin system for gateways and themes
  • API access and multiple platforms

Limits

  • Requires a separate SMS gateway
  • Cannot send SMS by itself
  • GPLv3-or-later license without warranty
  • Older versions have critical vulnerabilities

Who it suits

It suits organizations that need self-hosted or web-based SMS management and can connect a separate gateway. Developers can extend it through plugins and web services.

Verdict

playSMS provides extensive two-way SMS management without a license charge. Deployment depends on an external gateway, and the project specifically warns that older releases need upgrading for security updates.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to playSMSAll alternatives →