Campfire SMS
Claude Code's official Telegram plugin connects a Telegram bot you create to a running Claude Code session. Your messages go straight into the session, Claude replies in Telegram, and current versions let you allow or deny tool-permission prompts with a tap. It's free, but it works only with Claude Code, needs a bot and Bun, and the session has to stay open. Campfire SMS lets Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, or Grok Bot text your own phone number, with no chat app or bot. Pick Telegram if you use Claude Code and already live in Telegram. Pick Campfire SMS if you use other agents or want plain texts.
| Decision | Claude Code Telegram plugin | Campfire SMS |
|---|---|---|
| How it reaches you | A Telegram message from a bot you create. | A text message in your normal SMS inbox. |
| How your reply reaches the agent | The plugin polls Telegram and pushes each message into the open Claude Code session as it arrives. | The agent retrieves your reply the next time it checks Campfire SMS. |
| Tool-permission prompts | Current versions relay tool-use approvals, such as Bash, Write, and Edit, with Allow and Deny buttons. The first answer, terminal or phone, wins. | Not supported. Replies steer the task; native approvals stay in the agent. |
| Agents it works with | Claude Code only. | Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, and Grok Build through the local connector, and Grok Bot through hosted MCP. |
| What you set up | Install Bun and the plugin, create a bot with @BotFather, save its token, start Claude Code with the channel turned on, pair your account with a code, then switch to an allowlist. | Sign up, verify your phone, and run the one-time install command from your account. |
| Runtime | The Claude Code session must stay open. Channels are a research preview, aren't available on Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Foundry, and must be enabled by an Owner on Team and Enterprise plans. | For local agents, the computer stays awake and the session stays running. A text can start Grok Bot's cloud routine. |
| Pricing model (as observed) | Free. The plugin is open source (Apache 2.0) and Telegram bots cost nothing. Claude Code usage is billed as usual. | 40 free messages after phone verification, no card required. Then $8 a month for 500 messages, or one-time packs from $5 for 200. |
| Best for | Claude Code users who already use Telegram and want chat plus tool approvals from their phone. | People using several agents, or anyone who wants plain texts without a chat app or bot. |
What the Telegram plugin does
Telegram is one of the official plugins in Claude Code's channels research preview, alongside Discord and iMessage. A channel is an MCP server that pushes outside messages into a running session. The Telegram plugin polls your bot for new messages, forwards them to Claude Code, and gives Claude tools to reply, react, and edit its messages in the chat. It can also send and receive photos and files.
Setup, from the plugin's README:
- Install Bun, which runs the plugin's server.
- Create a bot with @BotFather and copy its token.
- Install the plugin and save the token with
/telegram:configure. - Start Claude Code with
claude --channels plugin:telegram@claude-plugins-official. - Message the bot, enter the pairing code it sends with
/telegram:access pair, and lock access with/telegram:access policy allowlist.
Telegram's Bot API has no message history, so Claude only sees messages that arrive while the session is open.
Where Telegram is stronger
- Your message reaches Claude right away. The plugin pushes each message into the open session, so Claude can react without first deciding to check for replies.
- It can answer permission prompts. In the plugin's current source, a tool approval arrives as a message with See more, Allow, and Deny buttons. You can also reply "yes" or "no" with the request's five-letter ID. Claude Code applies whichever answer arrives first, from the terminal or your phone. Project trust and MCP consent dialogs don't relay. A GitHub issue reported that earlier versions didn't relay prompts, so test it on your setup.
- It's a full chat. Long replies, photos, and files work, which SMS doesn't handle well.
- It's free.
The trade-offs are setup and reach. You run a bot, keep its token safe, and keep Bun installed. The channel works only in Claude Code, and only while the session is open. Anyone on your allowlist can approve or deny tool use once relay is active.
Choose the Telegram plugin if…
- You use Claude Code and don't need the same setup for Codex, Cursor, or other agents.
- You already use Telegram and want to chat with Claude there.
- You want to approve tool permissions from your phone, not just steer the task.
- You're comfortable creating a bot, managing its token, and running a research-preview feature.
Choose Campfire SMS if…
- You use Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, or Grok Bot, or switch between them and Claude Code.
- You don't use Telegram and don't want another chat app, a bot, or a token to manage.
- You want questions and results in your normal SMS inbox, on an iPhone or an Android phone.
- You use Grok Bot and want a text to start its cloud routine while your PC is off.
Setup is three steps: sign up at campfiresms.com, verify your phone (40 free texts, no card), and run the one-time install command from your account. Then send a test text and reply. See the setup guide for each agent, or Claude Code by SMS for Claude Code.
What Campfire SMS does not do
Campfire SMS does not answer native permission prompts, push your reply into the session the moment it arrives, or carry photos and files.
- Local agents need a live session. Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, and other local agents need the computer awake and online and the session running. Campfire SMS does not wake a stopped local session. Grok Bot is the exception: an active webhook routine can start it in the cloud when you text.
- Replies don't grant new permissions. A text can steer the task, but the agent keeps the permissions it already had. Native approvals stay in the agent's own interface.
- SMS isn't end-to-end encrypted. Don't text secrets, and keep sensitive detail on the computer.
Try a text and a reply
Campfire SMS starts with 40 free messages after phone verification. No card required. The monthly plan is $8 for 500 messages, and one-time packs never expire. See current pricing and message counting. Your agent's own costs are separate.
Start with a harmless exchange: ask your agent to text you a short status, reply with a question, and check that it reads your exact reply and answers.
Telegram plugin details checked October 16, 2026 against Claude Code's channels guide and channels reference (research preview, requirements, availability, and permission relay), the plugin's README and source (setup, Allow and Deny buttons, plugin version 0.0.7), and claude-code issue 37505. Features can change during the research preview; check the linked pages before you decide. Product names belong to their owners. Campfire SMS is independent of Anthropic and Telegram.
Common questions
Can I approve Claude Code permission prompts from Telegram?
Yes, with a current version of the official plugin. It relays tool-use approvals such as Bash, Write, and Edit with Allow and Deny buttons, or you can reply "yes" or "no" with the request's five-letter ID. Whichever answer arrives first, in the terminal or on your phone, wins. Project trust and MCP server consent dialogs stay in the terminal. Early versions didn't relay prompts, so update the plugin if they don't appear.
Does the Telegram plugin work with Codex or Cursor?
No. Channels are a Claude Code feature, and the official Telegram plugin is built for Claude Code. Campfire SMS works with Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, and Grok Bot.
Does the Telegram plugin work when Claude Code is closed?
No. Messages only arrive while the session is open, so Anthropic suggests a background process or a persistent terminal for always-on use. Campfire SMS has the same requirement for local agents. Grok Bot is the exception: a text can start its cloud routine.
Is the Telegram plugin free?
Yes. The plugin is open source under the Apache 2.0 license, and creating a Telegram bot costs nothing. Your Claude Code usage is billed as usual. Campfire SMS has 40 free messages, then a paid plan or packs.
Are there Discord or iMessage versions?
Yes. Telegram, Discord, and iMessage are included in Claude Code's channels research preview. The iMessage channel runs on macOS only.