Comparison

Bark vs IKOS SMS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bark

Send custom push notifications to your iPhone via an HTTP API. Supports advanced features like custom icons, grouping, and critical alerts. Offers privacy-protected, end-to-end encrypted pushes with self-deployable server options.

Highlights
  • HTTP API for push notifications
  • Custom icons and grouping
  • Continuous and critical alerts
  • End-to-end push encryption
  • Self-deployable server options
  • Privacy-protected notifications
Features
Read full description

You can send push notifications to your iPhone by simply calling an HTTP API. Bark supports many advanced iOS push features, such as custom icons, notification grouping, custom ringtones, continuous alerts, critical alerts, and encrypted pushes. Bark does not consume device battery, as its core functionality relies on system push services and push extensions, and the app itself does not need to be running. Bark ensures your privacy and security with high reliability. Bark supports self-deploying the server, which can be deployed via Docker, Serverless, or Cloudflare Worker. The bark-server supports most operating systems, and you can also run it manually. The app is compiled and uploaded through Github Action, ensuring that the version you’re using is compiled from open-source code, without any modifications by anyone (including the author). Bark supports end-to-end push encryption with a custom key, ensuring that the push content is not accessed or leaked by the Bark server or Apple’s APNs server during transmission. The notification message history saved locally by Bark is also very secure. Using the NotificationServiceExtension, the push message is only stored on the device when the push is received. Feedback email: to@day.app Privacy Policy: https://api.day.app/privacy User Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

IKOS SMS

Efficiently manage multiple SIM cards from devices like W3700 for centralized SMS sending/receiving, history lookup, and missed call alerts. Consolidate all your numbers into one device for enhanced communication convenience and work efficiency.

Highlights
  • Multi-SIM card management
  • Centralized SMS sending and receiving
  • SMS history lookup
  • Missed call reminders
  • Device compatibility (W3700)
Features
Read full description

IKOS SMS 能够高效管理 W3700 等设备中的多张 SIM 卡,实现短信的集中收发、历史查询以及未接来电的实时提醒。用户无需再携带多部手 机,一机即可轻松管理所有号码,极大提升了通信的便捷性与工作效率。

Screenshots

Bark3 screens
IKOS SMS3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bark at 98% against IKOS SMS's 0%. Bark also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (111 vs 1). IKOS SMS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bark sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per year. IKOS SMS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bark holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 111 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of Bark's written reviews are positive against 0% of IKOS SMS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, IKOS SMS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Bark versus IKOS SMS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarkIKOS SMS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (111 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews98.4% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings111 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer丰 黄Ming Da Tong Da Co.,Ltd.

Customer experience

Bark

All ratings109 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative0.0%

IKOS SMS

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bark

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous support$2.691 Year
One-time1
  • One-time donation$2.69
None

IKOS SMS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bark free?
Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is IKOS SMS free?
IKOS SMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bark or IKOS SMS?
Bark is rated higher. Bark averages 4.9 out of 5 from 111 ratings, while IKOS SMS averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bark or IKOS SMS have ads?
Neither Bark nor IKOS SMS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bark or IKOS SMS?
Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, and IKOS SMS every 2 months. Most recently, Bark was updated on November 2, 2026 and IKOS SMS on October 30, 2026.

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