Send SMS from a CrewAI agent

Attach TextKit's MCP server to a CrewAI agent with the mcps field, so a crew can text customers and check what was delivered.

1. Get a test key

Create a test key on the API keys page of the console. It starts ssms_sk_test_, runs everything in the sandbox, and texts no real phone except your own verified one. Put it in your environment as TEXTKIT_API_KEY:

bash

export TEXTKIT_API_KEY=ssms_sk_test_...

2. Connect the MCP server

CrewAI's built-in MCP support needs the mcp package next to CrewAI:

bash

uv add crewai mcp

python

import os

from crewai import Agent, Crew, Task
from crewai.mcp import MCPServerHTTP
from crewai.mcp.filters import create_static_tool_filter

textkit = MCPServerHTTP(
    url="https://mcp.jointextkit.com",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['TEXTKIT_API_KEY']}"},
    tool_filter=create_static_tool_filter(
        allowed_tool_names=["send_message", "get_message"]
    ),
)

notifier = Agent(
    role="Customer notifier",
    goal="Send customers short, accurate texts",
    backstory="You write one-line SMS updates and confirm every send.",
    mcps=[textkit],
)

task = Task(
    description='Text +15005550006 "Your order shipped."',
    expected_output="The message id and its status",
    agent=notifier,
)

print(Crew(agents=[notifier], tasks=[task]).kickoff())

MCPServerHTTP uses Streamable HTTP by default, which is what the TextKit server speaks. The filter keeps the agent to sending and reading messages; remove it, or add names, to hand over more. The server exposes 142 tools: messages, verification, numbers, contacts, segments, broadcasts, automations and account reads. Each one is a single API call with your key, so the key's scopes, rate limits and send checks apply unchanged. The full list is on the MCP server page.

3. Check the sandbox run

+15005550006 is a sandbox number that always ends delivered, so the agent's tool call returns a message with an id starting msg_ and nothing reaches a phone. The message also shows in the console's message log, tagged Test. Ask for a text to your own number instead and, once that number is verified under Settings, it really arrives (up to 10 a day, ending "- via TextKit sandbox").

Go live

Swap the test key for a live one (ssms_sk_live_). A live text needs a number on your account: buy one and register your use case with the carriers. When the account has one number, from is optional and the text goes out from it. To limit what an agent can do with a live key, give it one with only the scopes it needs.

Sources

CrewAI: MCP servers as tools