Spok Mobile vs Startel Secure Messaging Plus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spok Mobile
This app facilitates critical messaging and alerting for professionals in healthcare, government, and public safety. It enables secure communication for urgent situations, with some features requiring a subscription to a supported system.
- Critical messaging
- Alerting
- Healthcare communication
- Government communication
- Public safety communication
- Secure messaging
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Spok Mobile™ is a critical messaging / alerting application for use in healthcare, government, and public safety environments. Some functionality requires a subscription / connection to a supported Spok system.
Startel Secure Messaging Plus
This app provides a secure and HIPAA-compliant method for sending and receiving text messages. It features end-to-end encryption, expiring messages, and remote wipe capabilities to protect sensitive information.
- HIPAA and HITECH compliant
- End-to-end message encryption
- Expiring messages (up to 30 days)
- Voice and image attachments
- Remote wipe capability
- Device receipt notifications
- Multi-device single login
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The Startel Secure Messaging Plus application is a safe and effective way to send and receive HIPAA compliant text messages. Message content and attachments are encrypted on servers and on smartphones, and in transmission. Fully configurable, senders are in complete control of determining the length of message life within a maximum 30 day period. Selected features include: expiring messages, voice/image attachment capability, remote wipe capability and device receipt notifications. Startel Secure Messaging Plus supports HIPAA and HITECH compliance. Users can receive messages across multiple devices using a single login including tablets, smartphones, and personal computers. If protecting your sensitive text messages is of importance to you, your organization and your industry – choose right and depend on Startel Secure Messaging Plus.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Startel Secure Messaging Plus at free against Spok Mobile's subscription. Spok Mobile's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Spok Mobile ships an update every 3 months, Startel Secure Messaging Plus every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spok Mobile | Startel Secure Messaging Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.7 (103 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.0% of reviews | 15.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 103 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Spok, Inc. | Startel Coporation |
Customer experience
Spok Mobile
Startel Secure Messaging Plus
Bugs and requests
Spok Mobile
Reported bugs
24 issues- App crashes on startup or when opening messages
- Push notifications fail to deliver unless app is open
- Audio settings revert to high volume automatically
- Status switcher disappeared after iOS updates
- Alerts continue after message is opened
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- Messages arrive hours or days late
- Null messages received with no information
- App logs out unexpectedly
- Badges show unread pages but app won't load them
- Registration errors during setup
- Login timeouts and unresponsive authentication
- Dark mode makes text unreadable
- Incompatible with iOS low battery mode
- Phone number links require multiple taps to work
- App breaks with iOS updates
- Messages disappear from history quickly
- Confirm receipt system broken on iOS
- App freezes during update process
- Incompatible with VPN connections
- CarPlay compatibility issues
- Notifications don't work with Focus mode enabled
- Message body doesn't display in notifications
- Slow app startup and message loading
- Pages received out of order or with wrong timestamps
Requested features
20 requests- Apple Watch support with message preview
- Customizable alert tones and volume control
- Ability to mute/silence pager independently from phone
- Copy and paste functionality within messages
- Search function for messages
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Better message threading and group messaging
- On-call directory integration
- Character count display before sending
- Repeat notification alerts until acknowledged
- Message preview in notifications and lock screen
- Delete all messages button
- Better dark mode support
- Improved Focus mode integration
- Vibrate-only alert option
- Custom ringtone selection from iTunes store
- Message templates/canned responses
- Improved favorites list
- Better message history retention
- Multimedia support expansion
- One-time alert option instead of multiple alerts
Startel Secure Messaging Plus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Spok Mobile
No in-app purchases
Startel Secure Messaging Plus
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Spok Mobile free?
Is Startel Secure Messaging Plus free?
Do Spok Mobile or Startel Secure Messaging Plus have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spok Mobile or Startel Secure Messaging Plus?
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