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Public Beta

Custom Channels API

Connect any messaging channel to the Help Desk or Inbox and seamlessly integrate with HubSpot’s Customer Platform
Two people communicating via phone and messaging services
APPLICABLE PRODUCTS
  • Sales Hub
    • Enterprise
  • Service Hub
    • Enterprise

APIs for seamless omnichannel customer engagement

We're introducing a new Custom Channels API (BETA) to complement HubSpot's Conversations API (BETA) and revolutionize omnichannel communication. By allowing developers to integrate any text-based messaging channel into HubSpot, businesses can centralize customer interactions across platforms like WeChat, LINE, and more. This ensures a seamless, unified customer experience while leveraging the full range of HubSpot’s powerful features—resulting in more efficient support, faster response times, and improved customer satisfaction.

About the Custom Channels API and its functionality

The Custom Channels API (BETA) allows developers, admins, and support reps with Sales Hub Enterprise or Service Hub Enterprise accounts to integrate any text-based messaging platform into HubSpot’s Help Desk and Inbox. These custom channels function like HubSpot's native integrations (e.g., Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS), supporting two-way messaging, automated responses, and seamless use of HubSpot tools such as ticketing, reporting, and workflows. You can also publish your custom channel app in the HubSpot App Marketplace, enabling other admins to install and use it for customer communications.

 

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Developers Can

  • Create a channel in HubSpot.
  • Authenticate accounts.
  • Publish incoming messages.
  • Deliver outgoing messages.
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Admins can

  • Discover and connect your channel to help desk and inbox.
  • Set up ticket automation and routing rules for your channel.
  • Create custom views with your channel data.
  • Build workflows and reports with your data.
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Support Reps can

  • View and reply to conversations on your channel.
  • Use messaging tools to work more efficiently.
  • See rich CRM data about their contacts alongside the conversations on your channel.

Key benefits of Custom Channels API

Going omnichannel is a win-win for developers and customers.

Flexible Channel Integration

Companies can now choose their preferred messaging channels and unify all customer interactions within a single platform.

Streamlined Communication Workflows

Simplify communication processes, increase efficiency, and centralize your operations within HubSpot.

Monetization Opportunities for Partners

Unlock new revenue streams by leveraging this API to expand your offerings and services.

Developer-Friendly Design

Focus solely on message transfer—HubSpot handles the rest. Enjoy the power of native HubSpot UI elements like thread views, reply editors, reporting, filtering, and automation.

How are partners using the Custom Channels API?

Check out these testimonials from early adopters of the Custom Channels API and their experience...
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Tropical Hub

The Custom Channels API has opened up a long-awaited horizon of possibilities. We can now envision HubSpot as a single service center, centralizing multiple channels together with other technological stacks."
Bruno Amico, Co-Founder at Tropical Hub, building WhatsApp and CPaaS integrations for its LATAM (Latin American) customers
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MakeWebBetter

"The Custom Channels API is a game changer... especially for e-commerce businesses to offer a seamless buying experience and connected service from multiple channels (WhatsApp / SMS) and non-profits for donation management."
Umakant Sharma, Head of Product and Partnerships at MakeWebBetter, building regional integrations optimized for its APAC (Asian Pacific) customers
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Little Help Agency

"One-to-one messaging is a very important feature for my customers, but previously I had to design my own interface for this outside of HubSpot, which reduced efficiency. My customers have asked me for the longest time to integrate LINE into HubSpot’s Inbox, and I am so excited to finally be able to offer that to them!"
Shinobu Kawano, Founder, CEO, and Product Manager at Little Help Agency,
creator of the leading marketplace app that integrates the LINE messaging platform (popular in Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan) with HubSpot

Where can I find additional resources on the Custom Channels API?

Unlock Seamless Omnichannel Support with HubSpot’s Custom Channels API Beta

Check out our newest blog post and discover how this API makes communicating easy across different channels. It helps developers use all of HubSpot’s features to improve customer interactions and simplify support processes.

Learn more

Custom Channels API Beta Documentation

Explore detailed documentation and code examples to integrate and enhance your custom channels within HubSpot seamlessly.

Visit the API docs

Custom Channels API Beta Legal Terms

This API is in beta and may change; by using it, you agree to HubSpot's Developer Terms and Beta Terms and acknowledge the risks of testing a beta API.

View the beta terms

Frequently asked questions

Omnichannel customer service ensures that you meet your customers where and when they need you, while providing a seamless and consistent experience across all touchpoints. Your team can resolve issues across various channels with a unified, centralized view of all past customer interactions, ensuring that every engagement feels connected and personalized.

Difference Between Omnichannel and Multichannel:

  • Multichannel customer service involves engaging with customers on multiple channels (like email, phone, social media), but these channels often operate independently, leading to fragmented experiences.
  • Omnichannel customer service, on the other hand, integrates these channels into a single, cohesive system, allowing for a fluid and consistent customer experience, regardless of the channel the customer chooses to use.

MultiVsOmni

 

Custom Channels API can be applied to any reactive, team-based customer support across different channels. It unifies all customer support channels in one place with our new API.

Example Channels:

  • Regional/International: LINE, WeChat, Kakao
  • Social DMs: Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct
  • Niche/Industry Vertical Messaging: Real estate, property management, Yelp, Slack
  • Custom Integrations: Connect your custom-built customer/support center directly into HubSpot’s Help Desk using this API.

Conversations API: This API is also in public beta, which enables developers to export, update, and manage the conversation data on existing channels already connected to a customer’s portal.

Custom Channels API: This API allows developers to add entirely new, custom messaging channels to HubSpot, from popular platforms like WeChat or LINE to industry-specific or proprietary tools. It focuses on enabling real-time, two-way messaging across these channels, expanding Service Hub’s communication options.

Convo vs Channels API

Suppose you're an app partner with a Sales Hub Enterprise or Service Hub Enterprise account. In that case, you can leverage HubSpot's Custom Channels API Beta to integrate an external messaging service with HubSpot's inbox or help desk features. This integration allows you to create custom channels that bridge your external service and HubSpot, offering a seamless experience for users.

Steps to Get Started

1. Create a Public App:

  • In your HubSpot Developer account, Sales, or Service Hub Enterprise account, create a public app and request the following scopes:
    • conversations.custom_channels.read, conversations.custom_channels.write, conversations.read.
  • Save your App ID, Client ID, and Client Secret.

2. Register Your Custom Channel:

  • Use your Developer API Key and App ID to register the custom channel with a POST request: POST https://api.hubapi.com/conversations/v3/custom-channels?hapikey={YOUR_DEVELOPER_API_KEY}&appId={appId}
  • Provide details like the channel name, webhook URL, and capabilities in the request body.

3. Connect Channel Accounts:

  • To connect external messaging accounts to HubSpot, use the POST /conversations/v3/custom-channels/{channelId}/channel-accounts endpoint with the inbox ID and account details.

4. Handle Messages:

  • Incoming messages: Publish them to HubSpot using POST /conversations/v3/custom-channels/{channelId}/messages.
  • Outgoing messages: HubSpot will send a POST request to your webhook URL, which you’ll need to handle in your service.

5. Manage Channel Events:

  • HubSpot will notify your webhook URL for events like OUTGOING_CHANNEL_MESSAGE_CREATED or account updates.

By following these steps and referring to our API documentation, you can create a custom channel app that extends HubSpot's capabilities and offers additional value to users through the App Marketplace.

Custom Channels API GIF
Within this demo, you are introduced to the Custom Channels API, which is now available in public beta.

This API enables users to add text-based messaging channels, such as WeChat, Line, or industry-specific and custom SaaS channels, to HubSpot's Help Desk or Inbox. Developers can create new channels through the API endpoints, while admins can authenticate and connect them.

These channels integrate seamlessly with HubSpot’s conversation management features, including message handling, CRM synchronization, ticket management, and reporting. The demo showcases a custom messaging app, HuddleHub, integrated into Helpdesk, demonstrating how support reps can manage conversations across multiple channels. 
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Questions or feedback?

We value your feedback on the beta release. Please use this form to share your thoughts or report any issues. 

Note: This form is for feedback only and not for support requests. Join our developer community on Slack for questions or to engage with other developers using the API.

Join the conversation

Join the #custom-channels-api-beta channel on the HubSpot Developer Slack to connect with other developers, share insights, and ask questions.