cordova-plugin-sms-otp-send — SMS + OTP for Cordova / Ionic, a free Twilio Verify alternative

Cordova plugin for Ionic / Cordova apps to send SMS and send/verify OTP codes on iOS and Android — through your own paired Android phone. No Twilio, no Vonage Verify, no MessageBird. No per-OTP fees, no markups, no A2P 10DLC. Free 5-day trial at sms8.io.

await SmsOtp.configure({ apiKey: 'sk_xxx' });
await SmsOtp.sendOtp({ phone: '+14155550100' });
const { verified } = await SmsOtp.verifyOtp({ phone: '+14155550100', code: '482937' });

For Capacitor apps (the modern Ionic stack), use capacitor-sms-otp-send-verify.

Install

cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-sms-otp-send

Or for Ionic Cordova projects:

ionic cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-sms-otp-send

The plugin's iOS Swift + Android Kotlin native code compiles into your app automatically.

Quick start

1. Get a free API key

1. Sign up at sms8.io — 5-day trial, no card
2. Install the SMS8 Android app, pair your phone
3. Copy your API key from app.sms8.io/api.php

2. Configure once at app boot

document.addEventListener('deviceready', async () => {
  await SmsOtp.configure({ apiKey: 'sk_xxx' });
}, false);

Production: never embed your master API key in the app bundle. Proxy through your backend.

3. Send + verify

async function loginFlow(phone) {
  await SmsOtp.sendOtp({ phone, length: 6 });
  const code = await promptUserForCode();
  const result = await SmsOtp.verifyOtp({ phone, code });
  if (result.verified) {
    navigateTo('home');
  } else {
    alert('Wrong code. Attempts left: ' + result.attemptsLeft);
  }
}

4. Plain SMS

await SmsOtp.sendSms({ phone: '+14155550100', message: 'Order shipped!' });

API

SmsOtp.configure({ apiKey, baseUrl? }): Promise<void>

Must be called once before any send/verify.

SmsOtp.sendSms({ phone, message, deviceId?, simSlot? }): Promise<{ success, messageId, error }>

Send a plain SMS through your paired Android phone.

SmsOtp.sendOtp({ phone, length?, template?, expiresIn?, maxAttempts?, deviceId?, simSlot? }): Promise<{ success, otpId, phone, expiresAt, expiresIn, error }>

Send a verification code. Defaults: 6 digits, 5-minute expiry, 5 attempts allowed.

SmsOtp.verifyOtp({ phone, code }): Promise<{ success, verified, error, attemptsLeft }>

Verify the code the user typed.

iOS SMS auto-fill

When your Ionic UI uses standard HTML inputs with these attributes, iOS shows the "From Messages" suggestion above the keyboard automatically:

<input type="text"
       inputmode="numeric"
       autocomplete="one-time-code"
       maxlength="6"
       pattern="[0-9]*" />

No extra plugin call needed — the attributes do the work.

How it works

1. JS calls SmsOtp.sendOtp (or sendSms, verifyOtp)
2. Cordova bridge routes to native iOS Swift or Android Kotlin
3. Native code POSTs to https://mcp.sms8.io with your API key
4. SMS8 queues the message; your paired Android phone polls, sends via its real SIM, reports back

Typical round-trip: under 4 seconds.

Why this instead of Twilio Verify?

| | Twilio Verify / Vonage Verify | This plugin | |---|---|---| | Per-OTP cost | $0.05 – $0.10 | $0 (flat $29/mo unlimited) | | A2P 10DLC paperwork | Required in the US | Not required — P2P from real SIM | | Sender ID | Short code / random LCN | Your real mobile number | | Free trial | None | 5 days unlimited, no card |

Related packages

• capacitor-sms-otp-send-verify — same flow for Capacitor (modern Ionic)
• react-sms-otp — React hook + components for web
• sms-otp-verify — same as react-sms-otp, alt name
• sms8-cli — terminal CLI
• sms8-mcp — MCP launcher for Claude Code / Cursor / Windsurf

Links

• Free signup: sms8.io
• Dashboard: app.sms8.io
• OTP API docs: sms8.io/sms-otp-verification-api-android
• GitHub: github.com/1fancy/sms8-sms-gateway

License

MIT