# Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder vs Relay

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder at none against Relay's 3. Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder also leads on ads (none vs shown). Relay's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Relay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder asks for nothing beyond the download.

Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder ships an update every 2 months, Relay weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder | Relay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Size | 8 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hadisur Rahman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1644913897) | [North Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896510509) |

## What reviewers say

### Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forward-sms-sms-forwarder/id6759511643)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Relay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relay-sms-forwarding/id6767809269)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Relay Pro Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Relay Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Relay Pro Annual | $89.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder free?

Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Relay free?

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

### Do Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder or Relay have ads?

Relay shows ads; Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder does not.

### Which is updated more often, Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder or Relay?

Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder ships an update every 2 months, and Relay weekly. Most recently, Forward SMS | SMS Forwarder was updated on September 22, 2026 and Relay on August 21, 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.*