# SMS vs MessagePilot

The clearest difference is update cadence: MessagePilot at every 10 days against SMS's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SMS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year and MessagePilot sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SMS ships an update every 2 months, MessagePilot every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and July 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS | MessagePilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-forwarder/id6755705891/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 44 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [慧君 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831145253) | [Orcun Ozer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893316566) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-forwarder/id6755705891)

Automatically forward SMS messages based on keywords to your email. This app processes all rules locally for enhanced privacy and security, offering offline operation. It's ideal for backing up important messages, verification codes, and separating work and personal communications.

**Highlights:** Keyword matching for SMS forwarding, Auto email forwarding, Local device processing, Secure and reliable forwarding, Offline operation, Verification code forwarding

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $7.99 | one-time |


### MessagePilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagepilot-sms-forwarder/id6762195478)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS free?

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

### Is MessagePilot free?

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

### Do SMS or MessagePilot have ads?

Neither SMS nor MessagePilot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMS or MessagePilot?

SMS ships an update every 2 months, and MessagePilot every 10 days. Most recently, SMS was updated on September 1, 2026 and MessagePilot on July 12, 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.*