# Fext vs MessageDesk

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MessageDesk at 80% against Fext's 24%. MessageDesk also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 16) and iOS requirement (13.0.0 vs 15.0). Fext's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.0 vs 3.7). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fext sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. MessageDesk asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fext holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fext has 551 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 24% of Fext's written reviews are positive against 80% of MessageDesk's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Fext ships an update every 5 days, MessageDesk every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 12, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fext | MessageDesk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (551 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fext-group-text-messaging/id1518706313/reviews)** | [3.7 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagedesk/id1528242471/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **551** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 23.6% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 82 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pericarp Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518706312) | [Alderwood Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563041278) |

## What reviewers say

### Fext

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fext-group-text-messaging/id1518706313)

Send a single message to multiple recipients, with each person receiving it as a private, one-on-one SMS. This app offers a simple, fast, and organized way to conduct group texting without the clutter of traditional group chats. It's designed for personal outreach and clear communication.

**Highlights:** Private one-on-one SMS delivery, No noisy group threads, Create flexible groups, Reuse message templates, Attach photos, video, or audio

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fext Plus | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Fext Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Fext Gold | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Fext Plus | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| Unlimited | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Phone Number | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Fext Platinum | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Personal Phone Number | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited | $29.99 | per month |
| Personal Phone Number | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Promotion | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited | $69.99 | per year |
| 100 SMS Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 250 SMS Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2000 SMS Credits | $119.99 | one-time |
| 25000 SMS Credits | $999.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐️ Great messaging app
- 🚀 Amazing text app
- 🔒 Privacy settings provide peace of mind
- 📢 Frequent updates add new features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Not user friendly at all
- 🤔 Can't use own phone number
- 💰 Expensive and obtrusive
- 🤖 Everything locked behind paywall
- 🤨 Misleading and only cares about money

**Reported bugs**

- Verification process fails
- Can't log in or sign up
- Scheduled texts not sent
- Glitches and crashes

**Requested features**

- Allow scheduling texts from own number
- Integrate with iPhone Messages app
- Add auto-search function for Pro numbers
- Provide better customer support and communication


### MessageDesk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagedesk/id1528242471)

Integrate SMS messaging into your business phone lines, including VoIP and landlines. This app offers a shared team inbox and broadcast capabilities for efficient communication. Features like scheduled messages, autoresponders, and templates help streamline SMS workflows.

**Highlights:** Add SMS to business phone numbers, Shared team SMS inbox, Mass text broadcasts, Scheduled text messages, Keyword-based autoresponders, Automation, Pre-saved text message templates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fext free?

Fext is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MessageDesk free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Fext or MessageDesk?

Fext is rated higher. Fext averages 4.0 out of 5 from 551 ratings, while MessageDesk averages 3.7 from 17 ratings.

### Do Fext or MessageDesk have ads?

MessageDesk shows ads; Fext does not.

### Which is updated more often, Fext or MessageDesk?

Fext ships an update every 5 days, and MessageDesk every 3 weeks. Most recently, Fext was updated on August 12, 2026 and MessageDesk on July 5, 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.*