Comparison

PhoneLeash vs Forward Message

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PhoneLeash

Automatically forward incoming text messages from your iPhone to your email. Access texts from anywhere, receive alerts at work, or keep an archive of conversations. Your messages are encrypted and never sold.

Highlights
  • Automatic SMS forwarding to email
  • Access texts remotely
  • Receive alerts at work
  • International text access
  • Email archive of conversations
  • Encrypted message transit
Read full description

PhoneLeash automatically forwards texts that arrive on your iPhone to the email address of your choice—perfect for when your phone is in another room, or another country! See your texts in your email inbox, whether at work or just away from your iPhone. OTP-ONLY FORWARDING (NEW) Want just your verification codes? PhoneLeash can forward ONLY your one-time passcodes (OTP / 2FA codes) and skip all your regular texts. Perfect for keeping your login codes flowing to a second phone, a work device, or your email while you travel—without forwarding personal messages. Most SMS forwarders can't do this. Available as affordable OTP-only plans. SETUP (follow the step-by-step instructions in the app) 1. Install PhoneLeash 2. Enter your destination email 3. Install the packaged Shortcut (no need for any config, just Save and done!) 4. Create the Automation: "When I get a message containing [your keyword]" → run the PhoneLeash Shortcut. 5. Send yourself a test message, "Allow" the Shortcut. Done! WHAT YOU CAN DO • Access your texts when your phone is across the room • Get delivery, shipping, and appointment alerts at your work inbox • Get your texts while traveling internationally • Forward ONLY your 2FA / verification codes with OTP-only mode • Build an email archive of important conversations PRIVACY • Messages only transit through PhoneLeash's secure servers, while staying encrypted the whole way. They are not stored once processed. • PhoneLeash asks for Contacts permission to label your texts with both name and number. But this is optional, you can safely decline it without affecting functionality. • Your data is never sold, there are no ads. LIMITATIONS PhoneLeash is based on iOS Shortcuts and Automation, and that limits the feature set. Here are a few key limitations. • Attachments (photos, videos, audio) are not forwarded — only message text. • For group messages, the list of participants is not forwarded. Only the sender of the message and its content. • In high-traffic situations Shortcuts may not fire reliably, and some messages could be lost --- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Forward Message

Automatically forward SMS messages to various channels like email, WeChat, and webhooks. Offers rule-based forwarding for precise delivery and supports remote control of phone functions. Designed for efficient information flow and critical message processing.

Highlights
  • Automatic SMS forwarding
  • Multi-channel support (email, WeChat, webhooks)
  • Rule-based message filtering
  • External message push via URL
  • Remote phone control
  • 100% forwarding success rate
Features
Read full description

We are committed to helping users efficiently process critical information flow needs. Our solution automatically forwards SMS messages received on your phone to multiple channels, including in-app accounts, email, WeChat Service Accounts, WeCom (Enterprise WeChat) groups, DingTalk groups, Feishu (Lark) groups, iOS Bark, HarmonyOS Bark, webhooks (HTTP/HTTPS endpoints), and more. It also supports rule-based forwarding using keyword matching and other criteria for precise, targeted delivery. After long-term internal testing, the system runs stably without crashes, achieving a forwarding success rate of up to 100%. Core Features 1. Rule Matching Precise control over forwarding templates and accurate rule-based matching. 2. Omni-Channel Forwarding Coverage Supports multiple forwarding destinations simultaneously: in-app accounts, email, WeChat Service Accounts, WeCom groups, DingTalk groups, Feishu (Lark) groups, iOS Bark, HarmonyOS Bark, and Webhook (HTTP/HTTPS requests). Multiple channels can be enabled at the same time to meet diverse scenarios. For messages forwarded to WeCom or DingTalk groups, you can optionally filter or suppress certain content. 3. External Message Push Support Accepts external push requests via URL to send messages directly to the APP. 4. Remote Control Support Enables remote operations such as sending SMS, viewing SMS history, checking call logs, contacts, battery status, and photos. Except in cases of network disconnection, our long-term internal testing shows a 100% remote control success rate. Target Users 1.Travelers going abroad. 2.Long-term expatriates who still need to use their domestic mobile number. 3.Users with multiple SIM cards who do not wish to carry several phones. 4.Users who need to categorize their SMS messages. 5.Office workers who need to forward specific types of SMS to work groups. 6.Other use cases.

Screenshots

PhoneLeash4 screens
Forward Message4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Forward Message at 5.0 against PhoneLeash's 4.5. Forward Message also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PhoneLeash sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Forward Message sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Forward Message holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PhoneLeash versus Forward Message: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhoneLeashForward Message
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.016
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB13 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperGEARANDROID LLCFoshan Qizhizhu Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

PhoneLeash

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Forward Message

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

PhoneLeash

Subscriptions7
  • Personal OTP — Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Commercial OTP — Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Personal - Monthly$8.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Commercial Monthly$25.991 Month
  • Personal Semi-Annual$38.996 Months
  • Personal Annual$69.991 Year
  • Commercial — Semi-Annual$116.996 Months
7 purchases

Forward Message

One-time7
  • 100 Forwarding Credits$0.99
  • 1‑Month Standard Membership$1.99
  • 1‑Year Standard Membership$14.99
Show 4 more
  • 2-Year Standard Membership$29.99
  • 1‑Year Premium Membership$89.99
  • 2-Year Premium Membership$149.99
  • 1‑Year Super Membership$179.99

Questions

Is PhoneLeash free?
PhoneLeash is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Forward Message free?
Forward Message is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PhoneLeash or Forward Message?
Forward Message is rated higher. PhoneLeash averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Forward Message averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do PhoneLeash or Forward Message have ads?
Neither PhoneLeash nor Forward Message shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhoneLeash or Forward Message?
PhoneLeash ships an update every 6 days, and Forward Message every 6 days. Most recently, PhoneLeash was updated on October 31, 2026 and Forward Message on November 9, 2026.

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