# Group SMS vs ShamsiCal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShamsiCal at 85% against Group SMS's 40%. ShamsiCal also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Group SMS ships an update every 6 months, ShamsiCal every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Group SMS | ShamsiCal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shamsical/id918251515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **176** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **84.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bahtiyar Polat](https://appshunter.io/developer/354062184) | [Alireza Khoddam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628586418) |

## What reviewers say

### Group SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/group-sms-bulk-text-messaging/id396353721)

Send the same message to multiple contacts simultaneously without individual copy-pasting. Create groups for efficient communication and save significant time when messaging several people at once.

**Highlights:** Create contact groups, Send one message to many, Time-saving utility, Efficient group communication

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShamsiCal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shamsical/id918251515)

Easily view and manage the Persian calendar with accurate date conversions and official holidays. Get instant access to daily and monthly views through home and lock screen widgets. Enjoy a clean, native iOS design with full dark mode support.

**Highlights:** Accurate Persian calendar engine, Gregorian to Persian date conversion, Official holiday tracking, Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen widgets, Dark Mode support

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and minimalist design
- ⚡ Lightweight and fast performance
- 🎨 Beautiful and clean UI
- 📱 Excellent widget functionality
- 🔄 Regular updates and quick fixes

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Lacks full calendar month view
- ❌ Cannot navigate between months/years
- ❌ No event or holiday highlighting
- ❌ Limited customization options
- ❌ English widget option removed in recent update

**Reported bugs**

- Islamic calendar displays dates one day ahead
- Widget doesn't appear on iPhone homescreen for some users
- App doesn't update date on homescreen without opening app
- Widget sizing issues in notification center
- Installation fails on some devices

**Requested features**

- Add Iranian holidays and events display
- Add Afghan/Dari language support for month names
- Implement full calendar month view with all days
- Add Apple Watch app and watch face complications
- Allow navigation between months and years


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Group SMS free?

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

### Is ShamsiCal free?

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

### Do Group SMS or ShamsiCal have ads?

Neither Group SMS nor ShamsiCal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Group SMS or ShamsiCal?

Group SMS ships an update every 6 months, and ShamsiCal every 5 weeks. Most recently, Group SMS was updated on November 1, 2026 and ShamsiCal on November 1, 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.*