Comparison

SMSNode vs Retracted

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

Head to head
About

SMSNode

Features
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SMSNode is a cross-platform client for managing hardware SMS gateways and SIM cards through a convenient, modern chat interface. Key Features: Unified Chat Interface: send and receive SMS through your gateways as easily as in a regular messenger. Contact Management: organize your address book, create groups, and manage conversations efficiently. SIM & Gateway Control: monitor your GSM equipment (GoIP and others) directly from your device. Admin Tools: manage user permissions, gateway status, and routing rules on the go. Modern Design: full Material 3 support and dark mode. IMPORTANT: This is a client-side app. It REQUIRES a self-hosted SMSNodeBackend server. Without your own server, the app runs in Demo Mode only, letting you explore the interface on our test environment. Lawful use only. You are solely responsible for the connected equipment, SIM cards, and the content and legality of the messages you send, including obtaining recipients' consent. Any unlawful use โ€” spam, fraud, or caller-ID spoofing โ€” is prohibited. Perfect for privacy-conscious individuals and businesses who want full control over their SMS communication and hardware.

About

Retracted

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Someone deleted a message before you could read it? Retracted kept it. Retracted keeps the text of every message you receive โ€” Instagram, WhatsApp, iMessage, Messenger, Telegram โ€” privately on your iPhone. When a message is unsent or deleted, it's still here. โ€ข See what they deleted: deleted and unsent messages stay readable in the conversation. โ€ข Instant alerts on Instagram: get notified the moment a message is unsent. โ€ข Every conversation, one place: search everything you've received, across apps. โ€ข Private by design: no account, no server, no ads. Nothing ever leaves your iPhone. Lock it with Face ID. How it works: iOS 27 lets a shortcut react to your notifications. Retracted gives you that shortcut, ready to use โ€” one switch to turn on. Good to know: Retracted keeps messages received after you set it up, as long as notification previews are on and the conversation isn't open. Text only: photos and voice messages aren't kept. When many messages arrive within seconds, iOS may skip some. Requires iOS 27. Free: everything is kept, the last 24 hours are readable, and your first unsent message is revealed. Premium unlocks your full history, every deleted message and full search. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ โ€” Privacy: https://retracted.app/privacy Retracted is not affiliated with or endorsed by any messaging service.

Screenshots

SMSNode4 screens
Retracted4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SMSNode at none against Retracted's 3. SMSNode also leads on iOS requirement (18.2 vs 27.0). Retracted's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Retracted sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. SMSNode asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SMSNode ships an update monthly, Retracted every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
SMSNode versus Retracted: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMSNodeRetracted
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.2 โ€” better27.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size37 MB2 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperVasilii Marfinyounes beaila

In-app purchases

None

SMSNode

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Retracted

Subscriptions2
  • Premium โ€“ Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Premium โ€“ Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium โ€“ Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is SMSNode free?
SMSNode is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retracted free?
Retracted is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SMSNode or Retracted have ads?
Neither SMSNode nor Retracted shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMSNode or Retracted?
SMSNode ships an update monthly, and Retracted every 3 days. Most recently, SMSNode was updated on October 25, 2026 and Retracted on October 24, 2026.

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