Sandbox
Test keys (cm_test_…) run against the same API as live keys, but nothing leaves CloudMetis.
| Test key | Live key | |
|---|---|---|
| Messages reach phones | No | Yes |
| SMS units used | None | 1 per SMS part |
units_available | Always 1000 | Your real balance |
| Message status | delivered immediately | sent, then updated by the network |
| Webhooks | Sent immediately | Sent as statuses change |
| Webhook URL | http or https | https only |
| Responses | Include "sandbox": true | Include "sandbox": false |
Everything else behaves exactly like live: validation, errors, rate limits, idempotency, batches and sender ID checks. A request that fails in the sandbox will fail the same way live.
What you still need
- An approved sender ID for your organisation — sandbox requests are validated against it, just like live ones.
- Any phone number format that is valid — sandbox numbers are not dialled, so you can use made-up numbers such as
+254712000001.
Test messages in the app
Sandbox messages appear under Developer API → Recent API messages with a sandbox badge. They are not counted in your SMS dashboard totals.