OtterText API
Official vendor OpenAPI document · agent-readyCommunicationsSms Messagingapikey8 EndpointsREST
For Agents
Manage SMS marketing campaigns: send messages, manage subscribers, create templates, configure webhooks, and automate customer engagement via text.
Use for: Send a promotional SMS to all subscribers, Add a new subscriber to my SMS list, Create a message template for weekly specials, Schedule a campaign for tomorrow morning
Not supported: Does not provide phone number provisioning, carrier integration, or transactional SMS - use only for marketing campaigns, promotional messages, and customer engagement via OtterText infrastructure.
OtterText is an SMS marketing and customer engagement platform designed for restaurants, retail, and service businesses. The API provides programmatic access to subscriber management, message sending, message templates, campaign automation, and webhook configuration. OtterText focuses on compliance-first SMS marketing with opt-in management, scheduled messaging, and analytics for customer retention and promotional campaigns.
Install Jentic One Beta
Connect the OtterText API to your agent
Jentic One is a self-hosted execution layer for AI agents. It lets your agent call the OtterText API, or any other public or private API you need. You set the rules, the agent never sees your credentials, and every call is logged.
Two steps, two machines. Install the instance in a safe environment, then register your agent from wherever it runs.
1
Step 1: Jentic One Host machine
# On the machine that will host your Jentic One instance:
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fottertext.com%2Fottertext" | sh2
Step 2: Agent machine
# On the machine where your agent runs (keep this separate from the instance):
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fottertext.com%2Fottertext" | sh
jentic register # connects your agent to your Jentic One instanceJentic One is in public beta. The setup above keeps your agent separate from the instance, which is what you want before using real credentials: an agent running as the same OS user as Jentic One can read its stored keys directly. Just evaluating? A single local install is fine to start. See the secure deployment guide for the tiers.
Capabilities
What an agent can do with OtterText API.
Send individual and bulk SMS messages to subscribers
Manage subscriber lists including opt-ins, opt-outs, and segmentation
Create and manage message templates for consistent campaigns
Schedule messages for future delivery and recurring campaigns
Configure webhooks for delivery receipts, replies, and subscriber events
Track message delivery status and engagement metrics
Manage compliance with opt-in/opt-out regulations and TCPA requirements
Segment subscribers by tags, behavior, or custom attributes
Use Cases
Patterns agents use OtterText API for, with concrete tasks.
★ Restaurant Promotional Campaigns
Restaurants can send targeted promotions, daily specials, and event announcements to their SMS subscriber base. POST /messages sends bulk campaigns, POST /templates creates reusable message formats, and GET /subscribers retrieves segmented lists by tags like 'lunch-specials' or 'VIP-customers'. Agents can automate weekly special announcements or flash sales with scheduling and template management.
POST /templates to create a 'daily-special' template, then POST /messages with the template ID and subscriber segment to send the campaign.
Automated Appointment Reminders
Service businesses like salons, clinics, or repair shops can automate appointment reminders. POST /messages with scheduled delivery sends reminders 24 hours before appointments, reducing no-shows. The API integrates with booking systems to trigger reminders, and webhook configuration captures replies for rescheduling requests.
When an appointment is booked, POST /messages with scheduled delivery for 24 hours before the appointment time, using a reminder template and the customer's phone number.
Customer Loyalty and Re-Engagement
Retail and hospitality businesses can re-engage inactive customers with targeted campaigns. GET /subscribers filters by last-interaction date, and POST /messages sends re-engagement offers to the segment. Tags and segmentation enable personalized campaigns like 'first-time-customers', 'lapsed-subscribers', or 'high-spenders'. Webhook tracking captures replies for two-way engagement.
GET /subscribers with filters for inactive customers, then POST /messages with a re-engagement offer template targeting that segment.
Two-Way Customer Support via SMS
Businesses can enable two-way SMS conversations for customer support. POST /webhooks configures reply handling, and GET /messages retrieves incoming messages. Agents or chatbots process replies, send follow-up messages with POST /messages, and maintain conversation threads. This complements phone and email support with text-based customer service.
POST /webhooks to configure reply webhook, then when replies arrive, GET /messages/{messageId} to retrieve context and POST /messages to send follow-up responses.
AI Agent for SMS Campaign Management
Let an AI agent handle SMS marketing tasks for a restaurant chain - sending promotions, managing subscriber lists, scheduling campaigns, and creating templates. Through Jentic, the agent loads only the required operations and OtterText API keys are injected at execution time.
Use the Jentic search query 'send sms campaign' to find POST /messages, load its schema, and execute with the campaign message and subscriber segment.
Key Endpoints
8 endpoints — ottertext is an sms marketing and customer engagement platform designed for restaurants, retail, and service businesses.
METHOD
PATH
DESCRIPTION
POST
/messages
Send SMS messages to subscribers with optional scheduling
GET
/messages
List sent messages with filtering by status or date
GET
/subscribers
List subscribers with filtering by tags or status
POST
/subscribers
Add a new subscriber with opt-in status
POST
/templates
Create a message template for campaigns
POST
/webhooks
Configure webhooks for message events
POST
/messages
Send SMS messages to subscribers with optional scheduling
GET
/messages
List sent messages with filtering by status or date
GET
/subscribers
List subscribers with filtering by tags or status
POST
/subscribers
Add a new subscriber with opt-in status
POST
/templates
Create a message template for campaigns
POST
/webhooks
Configure webhooks for message events
Why Jentic?
What agents get from Jentic-routed access to this vendor.
Setup
Wiring OtterText by hand means setting up its bearer token auth, targeting the app.ottertext.com host, and managing your own retries across messaging and subscriber calls. Through Jentic you install once, import the OtterText API from the API Directory, store the token once, and your agent calls it.
Permission scoping
OtterText identifies messages and subscribers through request bodies and list queries rather than URL path ids, so scope by operations: limit the agent to the operations it needs, such as listing subscribers or reading messages, and leave sending messages or creating templates out unless you add them. You choose the allowed set, so a read-only agent can review activity without sending anything.
Credential isolation
Your OtterText token is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
Intent-based discovery
Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'send a marketing message' or 'list current subscribers', and Jentic returns the matching OtterText operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.
Related APIs
Alternatives and complements available in the Jentic catalogue.
FAQs
Specific to using OtterText API through Jentic.
What authentication does the OtterText API use?
The OtterText API uses API key authentication. API keys are generated in the OtterText dashboard and sent via an authentication header. Through Jentic, keys are stored encrypted and injected at execution time.
How does OtterText handle SMS compliance and opt-outs?
OtterText automatically manages opt-in and opt-out compliance. The API tracks subscriber consent status, honors opt-out requests, and includes required opt-out language. GET /subscribers shows opt-in status, and opt-outs are automatically excluded from campaigns.
Can I schedule SMS campaigns for future delivery?
Yes, POST /messages supports scheduled delivery. Specify a future timestamp when creating the message, and OtterText will deliver it at that time. This is useful for campaign planning and time-zone targeting.
What are the rate limits for the OtterText API?
Rate limits depend on your OtterText plan and are enforced per account. Check your dashboard for specific limits. The API returns HTTP 429 when limits are exceeded.
How do I handle incoming SMS replies?
Configure a webhook with POST /webhooks to receive real-time notifications when subscribers reply to messages. The webhook payload includes the reply content, sender phone number, and message thread context.
Is the OtterText API suitable for transactional messages?
OtterText is primarily designed for marketing and promotional SMS. For transactional messages like order confirmations or OTP codes, consider dedicated transactional SMS APIs like Twilio or Plivo.
Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the OtterText API?
Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which OtterText operations and credentials the agent may use. Since OtterText identifies messages and subscribers through request bodies and list queries rather than URL path ids, you scope by operation: grant an agent only what it needs, such as GET /subscribers and GET /messages, and leave POST /messages and POST /templates out. That way a read-only agent can review subscribers and message activity without ever sending an SMS or creating a template.
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