Add the VirtualSMS MCP server to Hermes — Nous Research's self-improving agent — and it buys real-SIM phone numbers and reads verification codes inline. Real carrier SIMs, not VoIP.
Hermes speaks standard MCP over stdio. Add the block above to your Hermes MCP servers configuration and set VIRTUALSMS_API_KEY in the environment. Restart Hermes — the 18 virtualsms tools register automatically, no custom integration required.
VirtualSMS provisions physical SIM cards on operators like Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Lebara. Each number lives on a real handset on a real carrier. WhatsApp, Telegram, Google, Discord and 2500+ other services accept these numbers because they pass carrier_lookup checks — the API every modern verification provider runs to filter out VoIP and eSIM pools.
VoIP numbers (Twilio, TextNow, Google Voice) and eSIM-only numbers fail those checks. The verification request bounces with a generic "this number cannot receive verification codes" error — so your Hermes agent burns budget on numbers that never deliver. Every number we sell is a carrier_lookup pass before it ever lands in your order.
That is the entire pitch: real numbers, real delivery. Verifications from $0.05, full refund if no SMS arrives.
Compatible services
Twelve of the most-requested verification surfaces work today through the Hermes mcp — and 2,500+ services in total on the same backend.
Messaging
WhatsApp
Telegram
Discord
Signal
Identity & social
Google
Instagram
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Apps
TikTok
Snapchat
LinkedIn
Tinder
Hermes FAQ
What is Hermes and how does it load MCP servers?+
Hermes is Nous Research's agent ("the agent that grows with you"). Any Hermes build with MCP support loads stdio MCP servers from its configuration — add the block above, set the API key, and restart. The 18 virtualsms tools then appear to the agent.
Do I need a custom integration or adapter for Hermes?+
No. virtualsms-mcp is a standard MCP stdio server — the same npm package every MCP client uses. Hermes loads it like any other MCP server; there is no Hermes-specific shim to install or maintain. Prefer zero-install? Use the hosted StreamableHTTP endpoint above instead.
Do the numbers actually receive WhatsApp and Telegram codes?+
Yes. Numbers come from real physical SIM cards on operators like Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Lebara. WhatsApp, Telegram, Google, Discord and 2500+ other services accept them because they pass carrier_lookup checks. VoIP and eSIM pools fail those checks — we do not use them.
Can Hermes place orders autonomously without confirmation?+
Yes — buy_number, cancel_order and swap_number run without a prompt by default. Gate them behind an approval step in your Hermes policy if you need one. cancel_order is fully refundable until an SMS arrives, so most workflows ship without gates.
Does the Hermes MCP cost more than the REST API?+
No surcharge. Activations bill from $0.05 — the same backend, auth, and pricing as the dashboard and REST API. One VirtualSMS API key works across every surface; spend rolls up to one account.
How do I give my Hermes agent its own phone number?+
Add the VirtualSMS MCP server above to your Hermes config and set VIRTUALSMS_API_KEY. Hermes can then call buy_number to provision a real-SIM phone number on demand and wait_for_code to read the incoming SMS — a working number for any verification, available to every subagent.
Is VirtualSMS in the Hermes curated MCP catalog?+
You don't need it to be. Hermes loads any standard MCP stdio server from your config — paste the block above, set your API key, restart, and the 18 virtualsms tools register like any other MCP server, whether or not it ships in the bundled catalog.
Looking for the full MCP setup across every client?
· About the authors ·
Written by
VirtualSMS Team
Real-SIM verification infrastructure · Operating since 2022
VirtualSMS ships its own physical SIM infrastructure for SMS verification across 2,500+ services and 145+ countries, then exposes it to Hermes through the Model Context Protocol. The virtualsms-mcp package is published on npm, listed on Glama's MCP directory, and open-source on GitHub — the same backend behind the dashboard and REST SDKs. When Hermes asks for a number, the same real-SIM order goes through. Real physical SIM numbers, not VoIP.
Claude
Perplexity
Gemini
