# SMS Expert vs K9 Chat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: K9 Chat at none against SMS Expert's 1. K9 Chat also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). SMS Expert's advantage is iOS requirement (14.5 vs 18.5). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SMS Expert sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. K9 Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for SMS Expert against 5.0 for K9 Chat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

SMS Expert ships an update every 4 months, K9 Chat every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS Expert | K9 Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-expert/id1584179189/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/k9-chat/id1603886124/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 71 MB | 254 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.5** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LTCG, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1583963628) | [Colohost LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582364323) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-expert/id1584179189)

This app helps professionals manage customer communications via SMS while protecting personal privacy. It offers features like contact grouping, automated replies, and anonymous group messaging for secure client interactions.

**Highlights:** Contact grouping, Automated replies, Anonymous group send, Saved replies (Favorites), Customized auto-replies, Conversation printing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


### K9 Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/k9-chat/id1603886124)

This secure chat application offers end-to-end encryption and zero-trust communication for private teams and organizations. It supports audio, video, screensharing, and voice notes without tracking user activity. Access requires an account provided by an administrator.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Zero-trust communication, Anonymous messaging, Audio and video calls, Screensharing, Voice notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS Expert free?

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

### Is K9 Chat free?

K9 Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SMS Expert or K9 Chat?

SMS Expert and K9 Chat are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do SMS Expert or K9 Chat have ads?

Neither SMS Expert nor K9 Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMS Expert or K9 Chat?

SMS Expert ships an update every 4 months, and K9 Chat every 3 weeks. Most recently, SMS Expert was updated on October 6, 2026 and K9 Chat on October 16, 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.*