The SMS gateway lets you text customers straight from a job — a tracking link, a quote to approve, or a quick “ready for collection”. It is available on the Business plan and is outbound only for now.
RepairBench can send in more than one way, so you can pick what suits your shop. Choose a gateway on the Settings → SMS Gateway page (each one is a tab), then follow its setup guide below.
Choose your gateway
Android handset gateway
A spare Android phone with your own SIM does the sending. Best if you want no per-message fees beyond your existing mobile plan and do not mind keeping a phone plugged in at the counter. Messages come from the SIM mobile number.
- Pros: no extra per-SMS cost; uses a plan you already have.
- Cons: needs a dedicated phone kept online; the sender is a mobile number, not your business name; carriers may throttle high volumes.
Set up the Android handset gateway →
Mobile Message (cloud SMS)
Messages send instantly through the Mobile Message API — no phone to maintain — and can come from a branded Sender ID (your business name or a dedicated number). Best if you want a professional sender and hands-off reliability, and are happy to pay per message from a credit balance.
- Pros: nothing to keep charged; branded Sender ID; instant, reliable delivery.
- Cons: pay-per-message credits; alphanumeric Sender IDs need ACMA registration (mandatory from 1 July 2026).
Sending from a job
However you send, the job experience is the same: open a job for a customer with a mobile number, use the SMS panel to type a message or drop in a short tracking or approval link, and send. Each message moves through queued → sent → delivered. You can switch gateways at any time on the settings page; only the active gateway is used for new messages.
More gateways may be added over time — they will appear as extra tabs on the settings page, each with its own guide here.