# MessageDesk vs Forward SMS

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MessageDesk at 80% against Forward SMS's 38%. MessageDesk also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (3.7 vs 3.4). Forward SMS's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forward SMS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. MessageDesk asks for nothing beyond the download.

MessageDesk holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of MessageDesk's written reviews are positive against 38% of Forward SMS's.

MessageDesk ships an update every 3 weeks, Forward SMS weekly. The most recent releases landed on July 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MessageDesk | Forward SMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagedesk/id1528242471/reviews)** | [3.4 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forward-sms-sms-forwarder/id6740165005/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 76 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alderwood Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563041278) | [Parveen Kapoor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788674375) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Forward SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forward-sms-sms-forwarder/id6740165005)

Automatically forward your SMS messages to various platforms like email, Slack, or WhatsApp. Set custom rules, filters, and schedules for precise control over message delivery. Ensures privacy by processing messages locally on your device.

**Highlights:** Automatic SMS forwarding, Forward to Email, Slack, WhatsApp, etc., Custom forwarding rules, Message filtering by sender/content, Scheduled forwarding options, Real-time message alerts, Local processing for privacy

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MessageDesk free?

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

### Is Forward SMS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MessageDesk or Forward SMS?

MessageDesk is rated higher. MessageDesk averages 3.7 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Forward SMS averages 3.4 from 20 ratings.

### Do MessageDesk or Forward SMS have ads?

MessageDesk shows ads; Forward SMS does not.

### Which is updated more often, MessageDesk or Forward SMS?

MessageDesk ships an update every 3 weeks, and Forward SMS weekly. Most recently, MessageDesk was updated on July 5, 2026 and Forward SMS on September 21, 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.*