GumLeaf · answers by SMS
Ten miles past the trailhead, your bars are gone but your questions aren't.
Text GumLeaf a question and an answer comes back as a plain text, sized to read on a bad signal. Tomorrow's weather on the ridge. How to treat a blister. Whether to filter that creek water. It works over satellite, so there's no app to install, no bars to chase, and no internet needed on your end.
Example exchanges with GumLeaf. You: weather in Bergen, Norway this weekend? GumLeaf: Bergen Sat rain, 8°C, wind 6 m/s SW; Sun heavy rain easing after midday, 9°C; driest window for the hike is Sun after 15:00. You: how do I treat a blister mid-hike? GumLeaf: clean it, don't pop it, ring it with moleskin or a donut of padding, cover with a bandage, and change socks if damp. You: is it safe to drink straight from a fast stream? GumLeaf: no, fast water can still carry Giardia and bacteria. Filter, boil for 1 minute, or use purification tablets first.
01 · The route
How it works
- 01
Text a question
Any question, from any phone. That includes iPhone satellite messaging and Starlink direct-to-cell.
- 02
Get an answer that fits
GumLeaf replies in one text: real forecast data for weather, a short clear answer for everything else.
- 03
Ask a follow-up
Plus remembers your last exchange, so "what about tomorrow?" or "and Sunday?" just works, no need to repeat yourself.
02 · The coverage gap
Most of the map has no signal
Sources: cellular reaches only about 10 to 15 percent of the Earth's surface (industry estimates); 111.7M acres of designated US wilderness (wilderness.net).
03 · Why GumLeaf
For the moment your bars disappear
Summit ridges, canyon camps, the last 40 miles of washboard road. If you can send a text, even by satellite, you can get an answer, however far the nearest tower is.
Real forecast data
Weather answers come from live National Weather Service and MET Norway data, the same sources meteorologists use. Not a chatbot's guess.
Answers from a top AI model
GumLeaf runs on a genuinely capable model, the same class you'd use in a browser, so you get real reasoning and clear answers, not a scripted bot.
No app, no account
Nothing to install, no login. Your phone number is your account. Three free answers every month, forever.
04 · Provisions
Pricing
Free
- 3 answers every month
- Weather and general questions
- No signup, just text
Plus, monthly
Billed every month.
- 50 answers per month
- Weather and general questions
- Remembers your last question for follow-ups
- Cancel anytime
Plus, annual
Two months free. Works out to $4.17 a month.
- 50 answers per month
- Weather and general questions
- Remembers your last question for follow-ups
- Cancel anytime
Pay right from your phone with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your number activates the moment checkout completes.
05 · Field notes
Questions, answered
Can I use GumLeaf in an emergency?
No. GumLeaf is an informational convenience, not a safety service. Messages can be delayed, lost, or answered incorrectly. In an emergency contact local emergency services (911 in the US, 112 in Europe), or use your device's built-in Emergency SOS.
How do I get started?
Two ways. Text any question straight to the GumLeaf number, or enter your mobile number in the form at the top of this page and GumLeaf texts you first. Reply to that text and you're off.
How do I activate GumLeaf Plus?
Tap the upgrade link GumLeaf texts you, pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay (or a card), and you're done. Your number activates the moment checkout completes. Just text your next question.
Can I move my subscription to a new phone number?
Send a note through our contact form from the email you used at checkout and we'll move it over.
What does the free plan include?
3 answered questions every month, resetting on the 1st. Each question gets one clear answer. Plus raises that to 50 a month and adds follow-up memory.
Does it remember what I asked?
On Plus, yes. For about half an hour it remembers your last exchange, so a follow-up like "what about tomorrow?" works without repeating the place or topic. Free answers are standalone.
Does it really work over satellite?
Yes. iPhone Messages via satellite (iPhone 14 and later) and T-Mobile/Starlink direct-to-cell both deliver to GumLeaf as ordinary SMS. One tip: satellite texting is slow, so keep questions short and give replies a few minutes.
What do you store about me?
Your phone number, a usage counter, and your last answer (kept 1 hour so MORE works). For Plus, we also store the link to your subscription. Question text is processed by OpenAI to generate answers and transits Twilio like any SMS. Full details in the privacy policy.
How do I stop messages?
Text STOP at any time. That's handled at the carrier level, and GumLeaf will never text you again unless you text START.
Can I run this myself?
Yes. GumLeaf is open source (github.com/codestin/gumleaf), so you're welcome to self-host it on your own Twilio number and OpenAI key. The reason to pay for the hosted version is everything around the code: US carriers make you register a number for A2P texting, which is paperwork and a review that can take days to weeks; you'd hold your own API keys and cover every message's cost; and someone has to keep it deployed, updated, and running. The hosted plan is you paying to skip all of that.
Why the name GumLeaf?
GumLeaf is what a koala lives on. In Australia, eucalyptus trees are called gum trees, and their leaves, gum leaves, are almost the only thing a koala ever eats. A koala gets nearly everything it needs, food and water both, from that one humble source. That's the whole idea. One simple, low-power channel, a plain text message, is all it takes to keep you going off the grid. No app, no data plan, no Wi-Fi. Like a koala on a single gum leaf, GumLeaf does a lot with almost nothing, which is exactly why the koala is our mascot.