SMS Shield vs SMSProxy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SMS Shield
This app uses machine learning to automatically filter unwanted SMS messages, including promotions, phishing attempts, and scam texts. It offers features like a frequent traveler mode to block international carrier messages and a custom block list for specific numbers or keywords. All filtering is done offline, ensuring 100% privacy.
- Automatic spam filtering
- Frequent traveler mode
- Custom block list
- Offline filtering
- Multi-lingual spam detection
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SMS Shield is a Machine Learning-based SMS spam filter for iPhone. We trained it on what spam SMS looks like by showing it tens of thousands of spam SMSs beforehand. SMS Shield then learns and, to a high degree of confidence, can identify spam even it haven't seen it before. Besides spam blocking, SMS Shield includes innovative features like Frequent Traveler Mode. Features: + Automatic Spam Filtering SMS Shield will automatically block SMS spam like promotions, ads, phishing and scam attempts at stealing your sensitive information (e.g. SMSs claiming to be from your bank). + Frequent Traveler Mode Enable this innovative feature during your business travels to block the often-annoying SMSs sent by mobile operators when visiting other countries (e.g. "Welcome to country X..."). + Custom Block List With custom block list, you can block SMSes from specific phone numbers or that include specific keywords. Remember that annoying Ex who keeps SMSing you years later? Blocked! + 100% privacy guarenteed SMS Shield is an offline SMS filter. Meaning it does the filtering offline, on your device. All your texts are 100% private. + Multi-lingual spam detection SMS Shield detects spam (and is localized) in English, Portuguese (Brazil), Italian, Swedish, and Arabic. If you would like us to add a specific language email us with spam texts you receive (as many as possible). ------------------------------ Available Subscriptions: GOLD: 1 year spam filtering subscription SILVER: ½ year spam filtering subscription CLASSIC: 1 month spam filtering subscription Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. To manage subscriptions or turn off auto-renewal go to your iTunes account settings after the purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://www.taphive.com/smsshield/privacypolicy.html Terms: https://www.taphive.com/smsshield/tou.html
SMSProxy
Get temporary phone numbers to receive SMS codes for online sign-ups and promotions. Protect your real number by using burner numbers on various websites and apps. No account creation is needed.
- Temporary/burner phone numbers
- Receive SMS codes
- Sign up for online services
- No account required
- Supports 100+ numbers
- No tracking or analytics
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Receive SMS codes on 100+ temporary/burner phone number using SMSProxy! This allows you to sign up to online services/promotions without giving out your real phone number. Works on almost any website/app/service. The app does not contain any tracking or analytics whatsoever. If you experience any issue, please get in touch using the in-app options. *No account or sign-up necessary. A paid subscription (free trial available) may be required to access all features of the app. **Terms and Conditions apply: https://ios.reol.ch/notifications/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: SMSProxy at free with in-app purchases against SMS Shield's subscription. SMSProxy also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.2) and device support (4 vs 2). SMS Shield's advantage is ratings volume (137 vs 6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. SMS Shield sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and SMSProxy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SMSProxy holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMS Shield has 137 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of SMS Shield's written reviews are positive against 20% of SMSProxy's.
SMS Shield ships an update fortnightly, SMSProxy monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SMS Shield | SMSProxy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (137 ratings) | 3.7 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 17.9% of reviews | 20.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 137 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Taphive GmbH | Alexandre Reol |
Customer experience
SMS Shield
SMSProxy
Bugs and requests
SMS Shield
Reported bugs
14 issues- Filters out legitimate texts
- Doesn't block known spam
- Requires manual input for blocking
- No response from support
- Doesn't block SMS from email
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Machine learning is ineffective
- App still filtering after cancellation
- App doesn't work after iOS update
- Keywords not being blocked
- False positives (blocking important messages)
- Cannot cancel subscription in-app
- App asks for sensitive permissions
- Free trial doesn't work as advertised
- Fails to modify records when classifying SMS
Requested features
6 requests- More blocking of SMS scams
- Option to mark SMS as spam or not spam
- Ability to whitelist keywords
- Better machine learning/training
- Improved support responsiveness
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- One-time purchase option
SMSProxy
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SMS Shield
- Classic7 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Silver7 Days trial$3.996 Months
- Gold7 Days trial$8.491 Year
SMSProxy
- SMS Proxy Pro3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- SMS Proxy Pro3 Days trial$39.991 Year









