Comparison

Kabe vs Sift

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

Head to head
About

Kabe

This app blocks unwanted calls and scam SMS messages globally. It uses intelligent filtering based on number prefixes and content analysis, ensuring your privacy by processing all data on your device. You can customize blocking rules and whitelist important numbers.

Highlights
  • Worldwide phone number blocking by prefix
  • Intelligent scam SMS detection
  • Privacy-first, on-device processing
  • Global enforcement list integration
  • Customizable exception list (whitelist)
  • Distinguishes from built-in iOS features
Read full description

Kabe one-stop blocks spam calls and scam SMS worldwide. Call matching and SMS filtering run on your iPhone; your calls, messages and contacts are never uploaded. ■ Worldwide phone number blocking Register the starting digits of prefixes you want to block, and every matching incoming call is blocked instantly. Whether: • United States (+1): 1-800 / 1-888 / 1-877 toll-free telemarketing, robocalls from spoofed area codes • China (+86): 95xxxx bank marketing, 400 corporate-spam • Japan (+81): 0120 / 0570 telemarketing • Or any other country, any prefix Smart country-code recognition. Register one prefix and every matching number is blocked, no need to add hundreds of individual numbers. ■ Intelligent scam SMS blocking Kabe automatically identifies SMS from unknown senders, detecting: • Phishing URLs (suspicious shorteners / domains) • Brand impersonation (USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, Apple, Chase, Wells Fargo, 150+ brand database) • Suspicious content patterns (IRS / Social Security scams, package delivery phishing, gift card scams, prize-winner fakes) Filtered messages go straight to the iPhone Junk folder, never interrupting you. ■ Privacy first All call matching and SMS filtering happens entirely on your iPhone via Apple's Call Directory and Message Filter extensions. Your call history, message content and contacts are never sent to any server. Zero analytics, zero tracking, zero advertising IDs. ■ Blocklist Kabe continuously collects spam numbers from the enforcement lists regulators publish (currently the US FTC and Germany's BNetzA), and pools the numbers and ranges users block. After verification these form a blocklist used to block spam calls. ■ Common use cases • Telemarketing robocalls from 1-800 / 1-888 / 1-877 toll-free prefixes • Spoofed-area-code spam from unknown +1 numbers • Scam SMS impersonating USPS / Amazon / Apple / major banks • "IRS" or "Social Security" phishing texts • Package "delivery failed" phishing with suspicious links • Gift card scams and prize-winner fakes ■ Exception list (whitelist) If a number you need (a support hotline, a known shop) gets caught by your block rules, just add it to the exception list. It will always be allowed through. Note: Numbers already in your iPhone Contacts are never blocked by Kabe, iPhone itself exempts contacts from third-party call blocking. ■ Completely free No ads, no subscriptions. If you find it useful, you can optionally support development via the in-app Tip Jar. ■ Difference from "Silence Unknown Callers" Unlike the built-in iPhone option that silences every unknown caller, Kabe only blocks calls matching the prefixes you register. Legitimate unknown calls (hospitals, delivery, etc.) still ring normally. SMS filtering complements your existing Messages app. Simple. Transparent. One-stop blocking of spam calls and scam SMS, worldwide.

About

Sift

Features
Read full description

Sift is a privacy-first SMS filtering app for iPhone, built to make your inbox quieter and easier to control. Sift uses the iOS message filtering extension to classify junk, promotions, and important notifications directly on your device. By default, filtering does not send message contents to a server. Your custom rules, local statistics, and on-device personalization stay on the device. Key features - On-device SMS classification for spam, promotions, verification codes, delivery updates, banking notices, travel alerts, and more - Custom sender or message-body rules - Category mapping that redirects selected categories to Promotions or Junk - Private statistics that count categories without storing message text - Optional sample contribution with an on-device redaction preview, export, and deletion controls - Sift Premium: a one-time purchase that unlocks an on-demand multilingual Transformer model Sift is not a fraud-prevention guarantee. SMS classification is probabilistic and can make mistakes. For payments, accounts, verification codes, or other important messages, always verify the original message and official channels.

Screenshots

Kabe4 screens
Sift4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Kabe at every 2 days against Sift's every 9 days. Kabe also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Kabe sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Sift sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kabe ships an update every 2 days, Sift every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Kabe versus Sift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKabeSift
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBo SUN源鹏 廖

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Kabe

One-time4
  • Coffee$0.99
  • Lunch$2.99
  • Thanks$5.99
Show 1 more
  • Special Thanks$19.99
1 purchases

Sift

One-time1
  • Sift Premium$0.99

Questions

Is Kabe free?
Kabe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sift free?
Sift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kabe or Sift have ads?
Neither Kabe nor Sift shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kabe or Sift?
Kabe ships an update every 2 days, and Sift every 9 days. Most recently, Kabe was updated on October 31, 2026 and Sift on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons