Read-Only Messaging Access via Personal Access Token (No OAuth Required)

Currently, accessing guest messages through the API requires setting up an OAuth App with a signed messaging agreement. I understand why this exists for third-party integrations, but for a single owner accessing their own message threads, the OAuth setup is a significant barrier for a simple need.

My use case: I use the OwnerRez v2 API (via Personal Access Token) to pull my booking and financial data into an automated workflow. I'd like to also pull my guest message threads so I can:

- Draft faster, more consistent responses with AI assistance — I use Claude (Anthropic) as a business advisor. Right now I have to manually copy/paste each guest message into the tool. If I could pull message threads via API, I could automate this entirely.
- Identify unanswered messages — with bookings across Airbnb, Vrbo, and direct, messages come through multiple channels. A single API pull would show me everything that needs a response.
- Build a searchable library of my past guest communications — useful for maintaining consistent tone and referencing how I handled similar situations (discount requests, late checkout asks, pet policy questions, etc.)
- Review message history for a specific booking when resolving issues or preparing review responses.

What I'm NOT asking for: I don't need to send messages through the API. Read-only access to my own message threads via my existing Personal Access Token would cover everything above. The security concern around sending messages via API is reasonable — but reading my own conversations carries no risk of impersonating the host or sending unauthorized messages to guests.

I'm aware that self-use OAuth is technically possible today, but the setup overhead (creating an OAuth app, managing token refresh, signing a messaging agreement) is disproportionate for a single-owner operation that just wants to read their own data. The Personal Access Token already authenticates me as the account owner — extending read-only messaging access to PATs would be a natural addition.

Would anyone else benefit from being able to pull their message threads via the existing PAT-based API?

Hi Ryan,

A partnership agreement - or any other hoops - are no longer required for individual users as long as they meet these requirements

• ✅ You only need Messaging API access for your own OwnerRez account(s)
• ✅ You are NOT building a public integration
• ✅ You are NOT planning to connect multiple OwnerRez users to this OAuth app

Please note that the Messaging API is only available through OAuth app, not with a Personal Access Token. 

You create your Oauth app here: https://app.ownerrez.com/settings/api

And now we've gone further and made it possible for users to enable the messaging API themselves. When setting up the OAuth App, you should see the Types drop-down, where you can select which webhooks you'd like access to, and messaging is one of those options. Check that box, and you should have access to it:

If you haven't set up an OAuth App, we have this support article that goes over how to do that: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/api-oauth-app

If it's already been set up, and you'd like access, go to Settings > Developer/API Settings > click into the OAuth App you created > click the Change button. From there, scroll to the Types drop-down and select the Message option.

If you can't check the boxes above and need to travel the partner path instead, let us know and we can refer you to the right team.