# SMS Hunter vs Ad

The clearest difference is rating: SMS Hunter at 4.0 against Ad's 3.0. Ad's advantage is monetization model (free vs paid) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

SMS Hunter holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

SMS Hunter ships an update every 6 weeks, Ad every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS Hunter | Ad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-hunter-scam-and-spam-blocker/id6450999012/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-engine/id6766070558/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 7 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Qingzhe Wu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570122439) | [Hashim Abdul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895996626) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS Hunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-hunter-scam-and-spam-blocker/id6450999012)

This app provides a privacy-first defense against unwanted text messages. It uses on-device AI and a multi-layer filtering system to detect and block spam, scams, ads, and custom patterns without sending any data to the cloud.

**Highlights:** On-device AI detection, 3-layer filtering system, Zero cloud processing, Real-time protection, Smart whitelist

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-engine/id6766070558)

This utility app blocks ads, trackers, and malicious content within Safari. It offers customizable blocking profiles for enhanced privacy and security, with options for regional ad network filtering. The app operates locally on your device for maximum privacy.

**Highlights:** Blocks ads, trackers, and malicious content, Customizable blocking profiles (Default, Family, Maximum), Regional ad network filtering, Block specific domains from Safari, Local filtering for enhanced privacy, Home screen widget for blocked ad count, Siri and Shortcuts integration for pausing blocking

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS Hunter free?

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

### Is Ad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMS Hunter or Ad?

SMS Hunter is rated higher. SMS Hunter averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Ad averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do SMS Hunter or Ad have ads?

Neither SMS Hunter nor Ad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMS Hunter or Ad?

SMS Hunter ships an update every 6 weeks, and Ad every 2 months. Most recently, SMS Hunter was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ad on November 9, 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.*