# Spok Mobile — user reviews > 110 indexed App Store user reviews of Spok Mobile by Spok, Inc., rated 1.70/5 from 103 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spok-mobile/id418057657/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spok-mobile/id418057657.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 9 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 15 · 1★ 70 ## What do users think of Spok Mobile? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🔒 HIPAA-compliant secure messaging - 📱 Eliminates need to carry physical pager - 🌍 Works with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity - ✅ Messages generally deliver when functioning properly **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes - 📳 Unreliable push notifications - requires opening app to receive alerts - 🔊 Extremely loud audio alerts with no volume control - 🎨 Outdated, clunky user interface from 1990s-2000s era - ⏰ Inconsistent notification timing and delivery delays - 🔄 Constantly logs out unexpectedly - 🔧 Poor integration with iOS features (Focus mode, low battery mode, dark mode) - ❌ Fails to deliver critical patient safety messages - ⚙️ Very limited customization options - 🔌 Incompatible with VPNs and CarPlay - 📝 Missing basic text features (copy/paste, character count, special character support) - 🖱️ Difficult navigation between messages and threads - 📞 Phone number linking frequently broken - 🔐 HIPAA security concerns with multitasking preview - 🔇 Cannot silence pager independently from phone settings - ⏱️ Slow message loading and app responsiveness - 🚫 No way to disable pager when off-duty **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on startup or when opening messages - Push notifications fail to deliver unless app is open - Audio settings revert to high volume automatically - Status switcher disappeared after iOS updates - Alerts continue after message is opened - Messages arrive hours or days late - Null messages received with no information - App logs out unexpectedly - Badges show unread pages but app won't load them - Registration errors during setup - Login timeouts and unresponsive authentication - Dark mode makes text unreadable - Incompatible with iOS low battery mode - Phone number links require multiple taps to work - App breaks with iOS updates - Messages disappear from history quickly - Confirm receipt system broken on iOS - App freezes during update process - Incompatible with VPN connections - CarPlay compatibility issues - Notifications don't work with Focus mode enabled - Message body doesn't display in notifications - Slow app startup and message loading - Pages received out of order or with wrong timestamps **Most requested features** - Apple Watch support with message preview - Customizable alert tones and volume control - Ability to mute/silence pager independently from phone - Copy and paste functionality within messages - Search function for messages - Better message threading and group messaging - On-call directory integration - Character count display before sending - Repeat notification alerts until acknowledged - Message preview in notifications and lock screen - Delete all messages button - Better dark mode support - Improved Focus mode integration - Vibrate-only alert option - Custom ringtone selection from iTunes store - Message templates/canned responses - Improved favorites list - Better message history retention - Multimedia support expansion - One-time alert option instead of multiple alerts ## Newest reviews (20 of 110) ### 2/5 — Maybe better than a pager but looks and feels like it’s from 1998 *2025-12-03, version 4.9.0* Overall this application is one of the worst two-way messaging apps I have used. Though it does integrate with our system’s existing paging network and messages do seem to be delivered (bare minimum functionality), the UI is terrible. I have it two stars because 1 is the lowest and it does actually send and receive messages, so it should get some minimal credit. Very clunky to navigate between message “threads”. group message threading is essentially absent. Message history seems to disappear very quickly. No search function. Multimedia support is very bare bones. Certain characters are not supported “/“ and no error message is supplied! Our hospital system pays money for this. We have to use it to communicate. It should be less terrible, and allow us to quickly and easily navigate what are often many and complex messages. Paging is no longer just send a number to get called back. Modern two way asynchronous messaging should be much better than this. ### 2/5 — Fix the confirm receipt system please *2025-11-20, version 4.8.3* On ios, the paging system is frustrating. I will keep receiving reminder notifications until I “confirm” receipt. But there’s no way to do that for a message unless I force close the app and reopen it. As long as the app is open and you’re looking at the message, there’s no way to confirm that you’ve read it. ### 1/5 — The WORST *2025-10-15, version 4.8.3* This app is a patient safety hazard! It is so bad it’s almost unbelievable ### 1/5 — Garbage *2025-10-01, version 4.8.3* Frequently crashes, the alert goes off again when opening the app with no way to shut it off. I’d rather carry a physical pager than use this app. App developer needs to be fired. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-09-22, version 4.8.3* Use it for my on call service at the hospital. It’s constantly glitching, texts don’t come through, and sometimes only get to me hours later. It’s a huge patient safety issue. Do not purchase for any reason. ### 1/5 — Status switcher disappeared *2025-09-18, version 4.8.3* With ios 26 the status switcher disappeared, so I cannot make myself available/unavailable. ### 1/5 — Hope you don’t have a heart attack *2025-09-18, version 4.8.3* I use this for work. This app is what’s suppose to notify me when they need us at the hospital when someone is having a heart attack. This app is 99% glitch, 1% annoying because even when I’m not on-call (and have put the status in it to say that), it wants to notify me. Now when I am on call, hopefully it stays logged in, or I’ll just have to rely on our operators to call us (when they feel like it). I hope my hospital didn’t pay much for this system, it’s not worth the dirt on my shoes. ### 1/5 — For the love of God, fix this app! *2025-08-11, version 4.8.3* It’s been years and they still can’t write decent code. ### 1/5 — Annoying tech *2025-07-16, version 4.8.0* This tech should be so easy to make easy to use, but it’s so bad. Why does it keep alerting AFTER I have opened up the page I received. If I’m opening it, there is no purpose to repeating the audible alert (except to wake up my spouse too). I’ve asked OHSU IT and they know of no way to turn that “feature” off. Unbelievable ### 1/5 — Actually Impressive How Terrible This App Is *2025-06-14, version 4.7.2* There are no words for how bad this app is. I have used it for years for my job, and it never gets any better. I’ve deleted and reinstalled it countless times because it just stops working. Constantly logs itself out. Misses pages ALL. THE. TIME. Alerts that there’s a new page, shows a badge icon that there is a page, then won’t log in to display the actual page. This app does nothing well. It is hands down the most useless app I’ve ever installed. And yet, I have to keep trying to use to use it for work. Whomever built and maintains this heap of smoldering technological garbage should be embarrassed. ### 1/5 — Unreliable *2025-06-04, version 4.7.2* I can’t believe this is what my hospital MUSC is making us use for page notifications - it rarely works and frequently crashes. So incredibly stressful to have to rely on this awful app for messaging about urgent patient care needs! ### 1/5 — DONT OPEN A PAGE WITH YOUR HEADPHONES IN *2025-04-23, version 4.7.2* App is basic but largely fine. But please, for the sake of people's hearing please do not amplify the pager alert sound to 1000% because with headphones in I am certain it is causing hearing damage. Please fix that as soon as possible. ### 1/5 — Back to pager *2025-04-12, version 4.7.1* Poorly designed app with minimal features to customize alerts (no volume control?!?! No easy muting for the movie theater?!?!?!). Erratic alerting. Not safe for critical care use. ### 1/5 — Dangerous *2025-02-08, version 4.7.1* Constant glitching, I will turn my pager off and it will instantly turn back on. It will send pages without notifying you. This app should not be allowed at medical institutions. ### 1/5 — Not good with messaging *2025-02-03, version 4.7.1* Ive tried using the pager as a text and reply system with my patients. Im able to receive the text/page, but im unable to reply to the message. Furthermore the online instructions are useless. They do not provide any information. This pager system could be good if it were updated. ### 1/5 — Terrible app, constantly crashes *2024-12-23, version 4.7.1* This is one of the worst apps I’ve ever used, and it doesn’t get better with time. It crashes all the time so that I can’t view my pages. When I delete and re-download it, my pages are gone so I never know who paged me or why. Tiger Text is one million times better. ### 1/5 — Garbage *2024-10-29, version 4.7.1* The worse app for messaging and paging ever designed. Physicians are sheep and they know it. ### 1/5 — Constantly crashes *2024-09-04, version 4.7.1* App is totally unusable - crashes every time I try to open it despite updating the app, deleting and re-downloading app, updating phone, etc. I have not been able to open the app for over a month ### 1/5 — Buggy and inconsistent *2024-07-30* Everyone I work with are required to use this app. Unfortunately, all of those same people experience bugs on a consistent basis. One person has delayed page reception, another won’t receive any pages whatsoever, some will be notified of a page and aren’t able to see it due the app crashing immediately upon opening. Sometimes the app will even update when you open a page and there’s nothing you can do. It takes up to 10-20 minutes for it to “update”. Closing the app doesn’t work. Uninstalling and reinstalling is more trouble than it’s worth. Any organization looking to use this app should reconsider. ### 1/5 — Trash *2024-07-20* This app is trash. Seems to be stuck in the past with absolutely no updates. Interface is horrible, it doesn’t work if you’re connected to CarPlay… to mention a few of its problems. I would never use it if I have another option. it has absolutely no advantages over a physical PAGER. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Beyond Terrible -Well Beyond *2026-07-22, version 4.9.0* Recently upgraded to a new phone, but the log in information did not transfer over and the app wouldn’t let me login no matter how I tried. Oddly the app would still notify me of an incoming page but I couldn’t open the app to see the message or even turn off the repeating alerts. Called their technical support and the assistant was the rudest most unpleasant person. She was completely unhelpful and when I indicated that the app was less than satisfactory she said “If you don’t like the app then you should delete it from your phone”. I’m hoping Spok goes out of business so that my hospital is forced to find an alternative. ### 1/5 — Apple Watch *2026-07-21, version 4.9.0* Sad to see I no longer get the app on my Apple Watch like I use to. It was nice not having to carry my phone all over my house when I’m on call. The critical alerts alerted my Apple Watch. No longer the case and back to carrying my phone all over the house. ### 1/5 — O stars *2026-05-15, version 4.9.0* I’d give 0 stars if I could. UX is garbage and functionality is terrible. ### 1/5 — Awful app *2026-04-05, version 4.9.0* Horrible UI, horrible audio — a child can Vibe Code something better than this in an afternoon. Can’t wait to be done with this garbage app. ### 1/5 — Worse than an old school pager *2026-03-18, version 4.9.0* In an era when one can become overwhelmed by customization options, Spok distinguishes itself by giving its user very few options. The system is not intuitive, and the help options are worse. It’s not clear to me why anyone would choose this service over other options on the market. ### 1/5 — Not reliable *2026-03-12, version 4.9.0* App alerted but crashes on startup ### 1/5 — Completely useless *2026-02-07, version 4.9.0* I miss pages with this app all the time. It is absolutely a danger to patient safety. The other week, there was a code at my facility and nobody’s pager went off. It’s telling that no one from Spok is replying to any of these review reviews, they could clearly not care less. ### 1/5 — Glitches more than works *2026-01-22, version 4.9.0* Used for 3 years, half the time alerts for things that aren’t supposed to and the other half I click and it doesn’t open. I don’t understand why have an app that can’t consistently work? ### 1/5 — Audio settings *2026-01-22, version 4.9.0* My audio settings keep reverting to High. I change it several times a day and it keeps going back for all priorities. This is not my hospital system- it just started this a few weeks ago. It’s vey frustrating because the high is SO LOUD ### 1/5 — THE WORST PAGING APP (BY FAR) *2025-12-07, version 4.9.0* You can never be sure about a page, timing can be wrong. One may page you during the day and you can get the page middle of the night. There are more to complain but this is enough. Avoid using this, if you can. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Good secure messaging tool *2015-11-10, version 4.1.0* This application is a really good secure messaging tool connecting a corporate messaging infrastructure to hundreds or thousands of end-users. It leverages existing corporate directories and protects the information with end-to-end encryption as well as protection of the data at rest. Extremely valuable in healthcare because it protects against HIPAA violations for disclosure of PHI. ### 5/5 — Woohooooooo *2015-04-29, version 4.0.4* Yay spok mobile! Lots of problems, but usually boils down to people's wifi. Or at least that's what I've found with the organizations I've worked with. One person said to make push notifications download the page... Not possible? Lol ### 5/5 — Many years *2014-10-05, version 4.0.2* This app replaced my pager 3 years ago and I'm able to get Pages anywhere I can get Wi-Fi or cellular. Even when I travel out of the country as long as I have a cellular signal or Wi-Fi I will get pages. It has been very reliable. ### 5/5 — Great new version *2013-10-24, version 3.5* The latest update adds picture messaging and a great new icon. Also connected it to my USA mobility pager number in addition to my Amcom system so I can receive messages from my email and folks who page me. ### 4/5 — Great app but *2022-09-30, version 4.6.7* I would love to see Apple Watch support for this. It would be great when my hands are busy at work but I want to quickly read the page on my watch screen instead of having to stop and pull out my phone ### 4/5 — Generally useful paging app with some flaws *2021-07-23* Overall this app is useful and has allowed me to stop carrying an additional physical pager. Few suggestions: 1. On/off button, currently no way to “power off” your pager, thus I have had to uninstall the app when I’m not on service. 2. No way to view who is on call for a service, would be much more useful to start pages if it had built in on call directory functionality All in all though dependable app to replace your pager, which is great! ### 4/5 — Great option to avoid carrying a pager *2016-05-25, version 4.2.1* I appreciate the developers of this product because I don't want to have to carry a phone and a pager. Plus, the information is ? HIPAA protected. I wish that the option to see the oncall system for my institution, as well as the option to login to paging system was able to be controlled from the app. I hope for more alert tone options. Also, are you planning to develop an apple watch app? This way I could look at my page message without having to go to the phone. ### 4/5 — Great app, but could be better!! *2015-06-14, version 4.1.0* I use this app as the go to paging app at the hospital that I work at. It is great! I now don't even carry my pager because this app is so reliable. A couple of things that I would like to see in the new updates... #1. A way to see the number that I'll need to return the page from the lock screen. Same feature request for the Apple watch. It is annoying that all I can do on the Apple watch is dismiss the notification, I still have to pull out my phone unlock the phone to go to the app to get to the number that I need to call back. The experience would be much better if I can see the number for the lock screen / Apple watch notification. #2. A way to mute the page from the lock screen #3. A way to change the setting page so that when I open up the app, I am automatically in the list of most recent pages rather than have to hit 'Back' a gazillion times to get back to the listing page. That's all for now. It's a pretty sweet app, but I think with a few tweaks, it can be an amazing app. ### 4/5 — Does what it's supposed to *2015-03-20, version 4.0.4* The Spok Mobile app just keeps getting better. It provides our clinicians with secure texting which is what it's supposed to do. Some of the more critical reviewers may not realize that certain features such as ringtone, page alert repeat and so on are customizable within the app settings. Others might care to know that certain requested functionality is totally dependent upon Apple making that feature available to the Spok developers or any software developers. Keep up the good work Spok Team! ### 4/5 — I just solved my own problem... *2014-10-03, version 4.0.2* When I upgraded from my old iPhone 5 to a new iPhone 6 plus, the Spōk app suddenly stopped working — it simply quit upon opening. But I discovered that the app worked perfectly after I deleted it and reinstalled it from the App Store. Apparently, there is some sort of bug that renders the app useless after upgrading the phone and restoring the data from an old phone. And while the company needs to fix this bug, my workaround solve the problem and made to the app functional once again. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-21.*