# Bark vs Forward Message

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bark | Forward Message |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-custom-notifications/id1403753865/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forward-message-autofwd/id6762553680/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **110** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 98.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [丰 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090589311) | [Foshan Qizhizhu Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787171342) |

## What reviewers say

### Bark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-custom-notifications/id1403753865)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Continuous support | $2.69 | per year |
| One-time donation | $2.69 | one-time |


### Forward Message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forward-message-autofwd/id6762553680)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 购买100次转发 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 月度普通会员 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 年度普通会员 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 2年普通会员 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 年度高级会员 | $89.99 | one-time |
| 2年高级会员 | $149.99 | one-time |
| 年度超级会员 | $179.99 | one-time |


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