CanSMS Knowledge Center

Virtual Numbers, Free SMS and Customer API Usage Guide

Understand product boundaries, order states and safety rules before choosing a service entry.

Platform overview

CanSMS is an independent professional communications platform. It offers on-demand virtual numbers, a Customer API for developers and a public free SMS entry isolated from paid transactions. Price, inventory and availability are confirmed before order submission.

Core distinction: a purchased API number serves its customer during its validity period; free numbers and messages are public; a customer API key only authorizes CanSMS endpoints.

Three service entries

Paid virtual numbers

Sign in, buy from the live catalog and manage orders and messages.

Customer API

Signed-in members can access approved programmatic operations and their private integration documentation.

Free public SMS

Publicly shared, read-only and unstable, so it is unsuitable for sensitive accounts.

Number and card types

TypeMeaningLimit
First-timeA card not used in the current service flow.No third-party acceptance promise
RestartA card returned after expiry.May have usage history
RenewalExtended when current conditions allow.Depends on supply and window
One-timeEnds after its receiving flow.Not for long-term recovery

Purchase flow

  1. Register or sign in.
  2. Select country, project, number type, validity and quantity.
  3. Review current price, inventory and transaction status.
  4. Create the order; disabled transactions do not submit a real purchase.
  5. Use the Member Center for numbers, messages, state and expiry.

Order and number states

Processing, confirmed, active, completed and expired describe lifecycle, not third-party acceptance. Only a deterministic failure explicitly confirming that no order was created may permit a controlled backup attempt. A timeout or unknown result enters exception reconciliation and is never purchased again automatically.

Customer API

The customer API supports secure automation for signed-in members. Detailed endpoints, authentication instructions, examples and the machine-readable contract are available only from Member Center β†’ API Management β†’ API documentation.

Never expose credentials in browser code, public repositories, screenshots or support messages. Sign in before reading or downloading technical documentation.

Free public SMS

The free system is isolated from paid transactions. The center and useful country hubs may be indexed; each number and inbox uses noindex, follow. Numbers can disappear, be reused or rejected, and delivery is not guaranteed. Never use a public inbox for personal, payment, health, employment, recovery or other sensitive accounts.

Renewal rules

Renewal depends on country, number type, state, supply, renewal window and current price. An available renewal action is not a permanent-number promise.

Number renewal periods, expiry requirements and support

Price, inventory, balance and ledger

Final price and inventory are confirmed before submission. The customer ledger records frozen funds and later confirmation, failure, refund or release. Customer balance is separate from supplier balance; free SMS does not spend customer funds.

Security, privacy and compliance

  • Protect credentials, passwords, API keys and order data.
  • A public inbox has no privacy.
  • Spam, fraud, harassment, policy bypass and unlawful use are prohibited.
  • CanSMS is independent of third-party applications mentioned on the site.
  • Necessary logs and request IDs support security, support and reconciliation.

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