Comparison

Bark vs Forward Message

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

Forward Message

Automatically forward important SMS messages to various channels like email, WeChat, DingTalk, and more. Set up custom rules for precise message routing and even receive external messages or control your phone remotely. Ideal for managing multiple SIM cards or ensuring critical alerts reach you.

Highlights
  • Automatic SMS forwarding
  • Keyword-based rules
  • Multiple forwarding channels
  • External message push
  • Remote phone control
  • Message shielding in groups
Features
Read full description

We are committed to helping users efficiently process critical information flow needs. Our solution automatically forwards SMS messages received on your phone to multiple channels, including in-app accounts, email, WeChat Service Accounts, WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) groups, DingTalk groups, Feishu (Lark) groups, iOS Bark, HarmonyOS Bark, webhooks (HTTP/HTTPS endpoints), and more. It also supports rule-based forwarding using keyword matching and other criteria for precise, targeted delivery. After long-term internal testing, the system runs stably without crashes, achieving a forwarding success rate of up to 100%. Core Features 1. Rule Matching Precise control over forwarding templates and accurate rule-based matching. 2. Omni-Channel Forwarding Coverage Supports multiple forwarding destinations simultaneously: in-app accounts, email, WeChat Service Accounts, WeCom groups, DingTalk groups, Feishu (Lark) groups, iOS Bark, HarmonyOS Bark, and Webhook (HTTP/HTTPS requests). Multiple channels can be enabled at the same time to meet diverse scenarios. For messages forwarded to WeCom or DingTalk groups, you can optionally filter or suppress certain content. 3. External Message Push Support Accepts external push requests via URL to send messages directly to the APP. 4. Remote Control Support Enables remote operations such as sending SMS, viewing SMS history, checking call logs, contacts, battery status, and photos. Except in cases of network disconnection, our long-term internal testing shows a 100% remote control success rate. Target Users 1.Travelers going abroad. 2.Long-term expatriates who still need to use their domestic mobile number. 3.Users with multiple SIM cards who do not wish to carry several phones. 4.Users who need to categorize their SMS messages. 5.Office workers who need to forward specific types of SMS to work groups. 6.Other use cases.

Screenshots

Bark3 screens
Forward Message4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Bark at 110 against Forward Message's 1. Forward Message's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bark sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per year and Forward Message sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Bark against 5.0 for Forward Message. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bark has 110 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, Forward Message every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bark versus Forward Message: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarkForward Message
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (110 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews98.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings110 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better16
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB14 MB
Age rating4+17+
Developer丰 黄Foshan Qizhizhu Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Bark

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

Forward Message

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bark

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous support$2.691 Year
One-time1
  • One-time donation$2.69
7 purchases

Forward Message

One-time7
  • 购买100次转发$0.99
  • 月度普通会员$1.99
  • 年度普通会员$14.99
Show 4 more
  • 2年普通会员$29.99
  • 年度高级会员$89.99
  • 2年高级会员$149.99
  • 年度超级会员$179.99

Questions

Is Bark free?
Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Forward Message free?
Forward Message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bark or Forward Message?
Forward Message is rated higher. Bark averages 4.9 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while Forward Message averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bark or Forward Message have ads?
Neither Bark nor Forward Message shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bark or Forward Message?
Bark ships an update every 3 weeks, and Forward Message every 6 days. Most recently, Bark was updated on October 22, 2026 and Forward Message on October 9, 2026.

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