SMS Forwarder vs SMS8.io
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SMS Forwarder
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Never miss a text again! SMS Forwarder automatically forwards every SMS you receive to email, Telegram, WhatsApp, your favorite messaging platform - or straight to your own API. No manual copying, no missed messages. Built on Apple Shortcuts, SMS Forwarder runs as a native iOS automation. The moment an SMS arrives on your iPhone, the shortcut triggers, applies your forwarding rules, and routes the message to your chosen destination. Once it's configured, it runs hands-free! FORWARD YOUR SMS TO: Email - receive every text directly in your inbox, automatically Telegram - route messages to yourself or a group via a dedicated Telegram bot LINE - receive your SMS on LINE via the SMS Forwarder official account WhatsApp - forward texts to a WhatsApp contact or number of your choice Slack - pipe incoming SMS into any Slack channel, instantly Discord - deliver texts straight to a Discord channel Microsoft Teams - send incoming SMS to a Microsoft Teams channel via webhook Google Chat - NEW! Forward texts to a Google Chat space Zapier, Make & IFTTT - trigger your automations with every SMS Custom API - Send every incoming SMS as a JSON POST to any HTTPS endpoint you control - your server, your automations, your rules KEY FEATURES: Custom API destination - each text is delivered to your endpoint as a clean JSON POST, ready to parse and automate Forwarding rules - create rules that map specific senders or keywords to specific destinations AES-256 encryption - every text is encrypted on your iPhone before it's forwarded, and never stored Built-in test message flow - verify your setup works before relying on it Quick Setup - NEW! On iOS 27, add the ready-made forwarding shortcut in a few taps, then switch its automation on In-app Shortcuts onboarding - a step-by-step walkthrough gets you configured in under 5 minutes Native Apple approach - works entirely through Apple Shortcuts, using iOS the way it was designed Keyword filtering - Add filtering keywords to only forward messages that are necessary HOW IT WORKS: Install SMS Forwarder and open the app Follow the in-app guide to set up an Apple Shortcuts automation on your iPhone Add a forwarding rule - choose your destination (email, Telegram, LINE, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Zapier, Make, IFTTT or your own API) and set any filters Send a test SMS to confirm everything is working Most users are fully set up in under 5 minutes. PERFECT FOR: Travelers, expats and dual-SIM users - land abroad, switch to a travel eSIM, and still see every text sent to your main number: OTPs, bank alerts and delivery updates follow you on any device, in any country Developers and technical teams - point the Custom API destination at your own REST endpoint and every SMS arrives as structured JSON - trigger pipelines, log messages, feed bots, or integrate with internal tools Business owners and solopreneurs - receive client texts in Slack, Teams or email so nothing slips through while you're heads-down Anyone managing OTPs and 2FA codes - auto forward verification codes to email or Telegram so they're always within reach Frequent SMS forwarders - stop copy-pasting texts manually; let the automation handle it every time SMS backup - Backup and save all your important SMS messages in your email or desired destination PRIVACY: SMS Forwarder uses Apple Shortcuts to access your incoming SMS details so you have full control over which messages get forwarded. Every message is encrypted with AES-256 on your iPhone before it's sent, then delivered to the destinations you chose. We never store your message content or the sender's number - only a masked preview and the delivery status, so you can see your forwarding history. No account is needed. Terms of Service: https://hoholapps.com/apps/sms-forwarder/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://hoholapps.com/apps/sms-forwarder/privacy/ EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
SMS8.io
Send text messages from your computer using the SIM card in your iPhone or iPad. Compose messages in a dashboard or via API, and have your paired phone send them from your real number. Ideal for businesses and professionals needing to send confirmations, reminders, and alerts.
- Send SMS from computer
- Use existing SIM card
- API for custom integrations
- Track delivery status
- Manage contacts and groups
- Log sent messages
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SMS8 lets you send text messages from the SIM already in your iPhone & iPad, composed from your computer instead of your handset. Write a message in your SMS8 dashboard — or trigger it from your own CRM or application through the SMS8 API — and your paired phone sends it as a normal text from your real number. Your customer sees the number they already have saved for you, and they can reply to it the way they'd reply to anyone. WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH SMS8 Compose a text on your laptop and have your paired phone send it Trigger messages from your own software using the SMS8 API Send to a saved contact or a list you've built in your account Choose which SIM sends on dual-SIM devices Get delivery status back in your dashboard and on your webhook Save contacts, tag them, and group them for repeat sends Review a log of what your device has sent, with timestamps and status WHAT PEOPLE SEND WITH SMS8 Order confirmations when a sale goes through Booking and appointment confirmations, plus the reminder the day before Delivery and pickup updates as a job moves through your workflow Alerts your system raises — a failed job, a low stock level, a form submission Internal notifications to your own staff One-off messages to a customer who's easier to reach by text than by call MADE FOR EVERYDAY USE Developers who need real SMS delivery for notifications, alerts and testing without opening a carrier gateway account Shop owners sending order updates and appointment reminders from their own number Independent professionals — real estate, coaches, mechanics, tutors — sending reminders from a desk instead of a keypad Small teams dispatching messages from one shared business phone HOW IT WORKS Install SMS8 and sign in with your SMS8 account Grant SMS sending permission — you'll see a plain explanation before the request Open sms8.io on your computer to compose and send, or connect your own software with an API key YOUR NUMBER, YOUR MESSAGES Because the app uses the SIM already in your phone, recipients see your real phone number and your normal SIM plan applies. Nothing is rented, rerouted or rebranded — no shared short codes, no unfamiliar sender IDs, and no per-message gateway pricing layered on top of the plan you already pay for. WHAT SMS8 DOES NOT ACCESS SMS8 does not read, receive or intercept incoming messages SMS8 does not access your call log SMS8 does not read your device contacts — contacts live in your SMS8 account, added by you No ads, no third-party trackers, no analytics SDKs PERMISSIONS SMS8 requests one sensitive permission: sending SMS. It is used only to dispatch the messages you create in your own account. You'll see an in-app explanation before the request, and you can decline. A foreground service keeps the send queue running while the app is in the background. WHY PICK SMS8 Your own phone number, not a shared short code Sends on your existing SIM plan API and webhooks for your own applications Works with the phone you already carry — no extra hardware Small, focused app SUPPORT Email support@sms8.io or open a ticket in your account. Website: https://sms8.io
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SMS8.io at none against SMS Forwarder's 4. SMS8.io also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 days) and device support (3 vs 1). On price 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
Both are free to download. SMS Forwarder sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. SMS8.io asks for nothing beyond the download.
SMS Forwarder ships an update every 5 days, SMS8.io every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | SMS Forwarder | SMS8.io |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mehmed Ihsan Kahramanoglu | NEXT LABS LLC |
In-app purchases
SMS Forwarder
- Weekly$2.997 Days
- Monthly$4.991 Month
- Yearly$49.991 Year
- Lifetime$149.99
SMS8.io
No in-app purchases









