Plivo

Common errors

import plivo

# Old (will cause error)
# client = plivo.RestAPI(auth_id='YOUR_AUTH_ID', auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN')

# New (correct)
client = plivo.RestClient(auth_id='YOUR_AUTH_ID', auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN')

import plivo

client = plivo.RestClient(auth_id='YOUR_AUTH_ID', auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN')

# Old (will cause error)
# response = client.send_message(
#     src='YOUR_PLIVO_NUMBER',
#     dst='RECIPIENT_NUMBER',
#     text='Hello from Plivo!'
# )

# New (correct)
response = client.messages.create(
    src='YOUR_PLIVO_NUMBER',
    dst='RECIPIENT_NUMBER',
    text='Hello from Plivo!'
)

print(response)

pip install plivo

# If you suspect an issue with a legacy installation, try uninstalling first:
pip uninstall plivo
pip install plivo

import plivo

# Replace with your actual Auth ID and Auth Token from the Plivo Console
AUTH_ID = 'YOUR_CORRECT_AUTH_ID'
AUTH_TOKEN = 'YOUR_CORRECT_AUTH_TOKEN'

client = plivo.RestClient(auth_id=AUTH_ID, auth_token=AUTH_TOKEN)

# Attempt an API call to test credentials
try:
    response = client.messages.create(
        src='YOUR_PLIVO_NUMBER',
        dst='RECIPIENT_NUMBER',
        text='Test message'
    )
    print(response)
except plivo.exceptions.PlivoAPIError as e:
    print(f"Plivo API Error: {e}")

Warnings

Install

Install compatibility verified last tested: 2026-05-12

Imports

• RestClient
  wrong

  import plivo
  
  # Legacy 0.11.3 API — fails on 4.x
  p = plivo.RestAPI(auth_id='YOUR_AUTH_ID', auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN')
  params = {'src': '+12025551234', 'dst': '+14155551234', 'text': 'Hello'}
  response = p.send_message(params)

  correct

  import plivo
  
  # Credentials from environment variables (recommended)
  client = plivo.RestClient()
  
  # Or explicit
  client = plivo.RestClient(auth_id='YOUR_AUTH_ID', auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN')
  
  # Send SMS
  response = client.messages.create(
      src='+12025551234',
      dst='+14155551234',
      text='Hello from Plivo!'
  )

  The legacy API (0.11.3) used plivo.RestAPI and dict-based method calls. The current 4.x API uses plivo.RestClient with attribute-based resource access. These are completely different interfaces — legacy code fails silently or with AttributeError on 4.x.

• plivoxml
  wrong

  # Old XML generation pattern from legacy docs
  from plivo import xml
  response = xml.PlivoResponse()
  # AttributeError — xml module renamed to plivoxml in 4.x

  correct

  from plivo import plivoxml
  
  response = plivoxml.ResponseElement()
  response.add(plivoxml.SpeakElement('Hello, welcome to Plivo!'))
  print(response.to_string())

  Plivo XML generation module is plivoxml in 4.x, not xml. Always import from plivo import plivoxml.

Quickstart verified last tested: 2026-04-23

Send SMS, make a call, generate Plivo XML. Store credentials in env vars.

import plivo
import os

# Use env vars: PLIVO_AUTH_ID and PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN
client = plivo.RestClient()

# Send SMS
sms = client.messages.create(
    src='+12025551234',   # Your Plivo number in E.164 format
    dst='+14155551234',   # Destination in E.164 format
    text='Hello from Plivo!'
)
print('SMS sent:', sms)

# Make a call
call = client.calls.create(
    from_='+12025551234',
    to_='+14155551234',
    answer_url='https://yourapp.com/answer_url'  # Returns Plivo XML
)
print('Call made:', call)

# Generate Plivo XML (for answer_url endpoint)
from plivo import plivoxml
xml = plivoxml.ResponseElement()
xml.add(plivoxml.SpeakElement('Hello! This call is powered by Plivo.'))
print(xml.to_string())