Getting started with the Zapier integration

Using OpenPhone’s Zapier integration, you can connect your phone with thousands of applications. 

• Zapier integration is a part of the Starter plan on OpenPhone.

• All triggers described here are already included in the OpenPhone Starter plan.

• Create or update contact action is included in the OpenPhone Starter plan as well.

We'll show you how to get started and what's possible with a brief overview of Zapier. If you're a Zapier pro, you can skip the next bit.

What's Zapier?

Zapier is a workflow automation tool that connects to and moves information between different applications you use.

So instead of manually copying and pasting information between spreadsheets and your email marketing tool, for example, you can create Zapier workflows (or Zaps) to do that work automatically. Neat, eh?

Every Zap has a trigger and an action:

• A trigger is an event that you’re waiting for in order to execute a workflow.

• An action is an event Zapier performs after the workflow is triggered.

Zapier connects with 7,000+ tools. This means that there’s an infinite number of workflows you can create.

If you want to see Zapier in action, watch our demo below.

How do I set up the Zapier integration?

1. Log in to your Zapier account or create a new account.

2. Navigate to "My Apps" from the top menu bar.

3. Click on "Add connection".

4. Search for "OpenPhone".

5. Use your credentials to connect your OpenPhone account to Zapier (you'll need to be an owner or admin user in OpenPhone to be able to set up the Zapier integration).

6. Success! You can now start creating OpenPhone automation.

When you make a Zap, you'll be able to see OpenPhone both as a trigger and as an action.

What's possible with the OpenPhone Zapier integration?

Here are the triggers and actions that are available in OpenPhone.

Triggers:

• Incoming message received. Triggers when you receive a message on OpenPhone.

• Outgoing message delivered. Triggers when an outbound message was delivered to the recipients.

• Incoming call completed. Triggers when an incoming call is completed. If the call is not picked up by you, the answeredAt field will be null. If the user leaves a voicemail, you will get the recording and transcription on the same object.

• Outgoing call completed. Triggers when an outgoing call has ended.

• Call recording completed. Triggers when a call recording has been generated.

Actions:

• Create or update contact. Creates a contact or updates an existing contact.

• Send a message. Sends a new message via OpenPhone.

Popular use cases

Here are a couple of examples of Zaps we use ourselves.

1. When someone fills out a Typeform survey, this Zap adds them to our OpenPhone address book. Then sends them a confirmation text message.

2. When you register for our live demo, we send you a message via OpenPhone.

3. When someone books a demo via Calendly with someone on our sales team, we send them a confirmation message.

Zapier Pricing Structure

Starting February 1, 2025, OpenPhone will charge for each outgoing message segment sent via Zapier. This model lets you pay only for what you use. By keeping messages to a single segment, you can reduce your costs. 

Pricing details

What is a segment?

A segment is a unit of measurement for text messages. For SMS, one segment is generally up to 160 characters. Longer messages are split into multiple segments. This is a standard all companies use when determining text messaging fees; we want to make sure you fully understand how it works.

For a detailed understanding of how messages are segmented, you can use this Segment Calculator. This tool will help you estimate the number of segments for your messages, so you can more accurately project costs.

Tips for Minimizing Costs

We’ve provided the tips below to help you minimize segment counts and save money.

• Watch Your Character Count - Standard Latin alphabet characters, numbers, and basic punctuation use 160 characters per segment.
• Be Cautious with Special Characters - Some special characters (é, ñ, ß) reduce segment capacity to 70 characters.
• Minimize Emoji Usage - Most emojis count as two characters. Extensive use can quickly increase segment count.
• Avoid Line Breaks - Each line break counts as a character.
• Use URL Shorteners - Long URLs can span multiple segments. Shortened links save space.
• Leverage Common Abbreviations - Use widely understood abbreviations to reduce character count.

Current rates

Here's a clear breakdown of our current rates:

• Local (US and Canada) SMS

           $0.01 per segment

• International SMSInternational rates vary by country. Please refer to our International Pricing Guide for current rates.

           $0.01 + destination-specific rate* per segment

Billing and Credit System

We use a straightforward credit-based system for Zapier messages, identical to API-powered messaging charges and international text message rates.

Important - If a message costs more than your available credit balance, the message will not be sent. Partial credits cannot be used. If your credit balance is insufficient for the full cost of the message, an error will be returned.

Here’s how it works:

1. Add funds - Add funds to your account’s credit balance under the “Plans & Billing” tab.
2. Send a Message - When you send a message via the API, we deduct the appropriate amount from your credit balance based on the number of segments and the message destination (local or international).
3. Replenish as Needed - You can continue sending messages as long as you have sufficient credits in your account. We recommend turning on the auto-charge feature to prevent interruptions in service.

Excited to get started? Automate your workflows ⤴️

If you have any other questions, please submit a request here. We're happy to help!