Custom Channel for Unifying B2C Chats From Any Messaging Platform

Connect proprietary apps or unlisted messaging platforms to respond.io through your own integration server, using our API and webhooks

Respond.io Custom Channel capabilities

Receive incoming messages, message echoes and delivery receipts by posting them to respond.io’s webhook URL
Send agents’ replies to your platform through your server’s /message endpoint
Exchange text, images, video, audio, files, locations and quick replies
Create contacts automatically from incoming messages, with name, email, phone, language and country
Identify contacts by phone number or by a custom ID of up to 50 characters
Track sent, delivered, read and failed statuses for every message
Give each custom channel its own name and icon so agents can tell channels apart
Start from respond.io’s sample Custom Channel project on GitHub

Why use respond.io for Custom Channels

Respond.io is built for mid-market B2C businesses that run conversations on a proprietary app or a platform respond.io doesn’t list. Custom Channel needs a custom integration server that you build, host and secure to pass messages between respond.io and your platform. If you don’t have developers to build and maintain it, check whether your platform is already a native respond.io integration first.

Custom channel conversations land in the same inbox as WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and every other channel
Phone number IDs let agents start conversations instead of waiting for the customer to message first
Bearer-token authentication on every outgoing message keeps your endpoint locked to respond.io
Enterprise-grade reliability with 99.999% uptime, ISO 27001, GDPR compliance and role-based access controls

FAQs about Custom Channel integration

Can I connect a local SMS provider to respond.io?

Yes, through Custom Channel on the Advanced plan. Any SMS provider with an API can be connected, so local carriers work even where respond.io's native SMS integrations, such as Twilio and Vonage, don't cover your market.

What do I need to build a Custom Channel?

A developer and a server you host. Your integration server passes messages between the messaging provider and respond.io in both directions, using the Channel ID, API Token and Webhook URL respond.io generates. Respond.io publishes a sample integration on GitHub to start from.

Can I send template messages through a Custom Channel?

No. Custom Channels can't send tagged or template messages, and respond.io can't detect whether the provider's messaging window is open. For WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram, use the native channel instead, which handles templates and messaging windows for you.

Which respond.io plan includes Custom Channel?

Advanced and Enterprise. Custom Channel isn't available on Starter or Growth, so connecting a local SMS provider or your own in-app chat requires Advanced.