# SmartFilter for SMS vs Halo Time

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Halo Time at none against SmartFilter for SMS's 4. Halo Time also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmartFilter for SMS sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Halo Time asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartFilter for SMS ships an update every 2 months, Halo Time every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartFilter for SMS | Halo Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (169 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartfilter-for-sms/id1271258894/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **169** | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 25 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jacob Grant](https://appshunter.io/developer/1271258893) | [US SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703060333) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartFilter for SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartfilter-for-sms/id1271258894)

This app intelligently filters unwanted SMS messages using machine learning. It offers extensive customization options to tailor filtering rules and ensures user privacy by analyzing messages directly on the device.

**Highlights:** Machine learning spam detection, Customizable filtering options, Filter unknown sender messages, Filter messages with URLs, Filter messages from email addresses, On-device message analysis

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Yearly | $8.99 | per year |
| Leave a Tip! | $4.99 | one-time |
| One time | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Filters spam effectively
- 👍 Stops unwanted texts
- 👍 Life-improving quiet
- 👍 Set it and forget it
- 👍 Filters by keywords

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keyword filter not working
- 🐛 Abandoned, old updates
- 🐛 Keyword function stopped
- 🐛 Letting through block words
- 🐛 Keyword filter does not work

**Reported bugs**

- Keyword blocking only sometimes works
- Keyword function stopped working
- Letting through texts with block words
- Spam-detection model not working well
- ML not working, legitimate messages filtered as spam

**Requested features**

- Sort into personalized folders
- Ability to filter specified short numbers
- User defined regex
- Delete all button for junk
- Immediately delete setting for certain words


### Halo Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halo-time/id6462453829)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartFilter for SMS free?

SmartFilter for SMS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Halo Time free?

Halo Time is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SmartFilter for SMS or Halo Time have ads?

Neither SmartFilter for SMS nor Halo Time shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartFilter for SMS or Halo Time?

SmartFilter for SMS ships an update every 2 months, and Halo Time every 6 days. Most recently, SmartFilter for SMS was updated on October 23, 2026 and Halo Time on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*