Both forward your text messages. The difference is where the messages travel, what you pay, and where they can land. Here's the honest breakdown so you can pick the right tool.
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Pick Forward SMS if you're on iPhone, want a free tier, prefer Shortcuts-based forwarding, and want native destinations for Microsoft Teams, Discord, or WhatsApp.
Pick AutoForward Text if your source phone is Android, you want an online dashboard inbox to view forwarded messages in the browser, or you need to manage iOS + Android devices on a single plan.
Same job. Different trade-offs.
| Forward SMS | AutoForward Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone & iPad | iPhone, iPad & Android |
| Architecture | iOS Shortcuts-based forwarding | Server relay model |
| Free tier | Yes | No — starts at $9.95/mo |
| Paid plan | Business plan (30% web discount) | $9.95/mo Personal · $19.95/mo Pro |
| Yes (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud) | Yes | |
| Another phone | Yes | Yes (Pro plan) |
| Slack | Yes | Yes (Pro plan) |
| Microsoft Teams | Yes (native) | Webhook only (DIY) |
| Discord | Yes (native) | Webhook only (DIY) |
| Yes | No | |
| Custom webhook / API | Yes | Yes |
| Online dashboard inbox | No | Yes (Pro plan) |
| Auto-reply | No | Yes (Pro plan) |
| Messages pass through 3rd-party servers | No | Yes (their relay) |
These are the cases where the trade-offs land in our favor.
Forward SMS starts forwarding from your iPhone using iOS Shortcuts and does not store copies of your texts. Delivery still uses the provider you configure, such as email, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, or the cellular network. AutoForward Text uses a server-relay model with an online inbox.
Forward SMS has a free tier that covers the most common flows. AutoForward Text starts at $9.95/month with no free tier — you can't try the real product without a paid subscription.
Forward SMS supports Microsoft Teams, Discord, and WhatsApp as first-class destinations. AutoForward Text doesn't advertise these natively — you can rig them up via a custom webhook, but it's extra work.
Forward SMS is iPhone-only and uses iOS Shortcuts natively. No Android-side app or relay dashboard to maintain. If everyone on your team is on iPhone (and most distributed teams are), the Shortcuts-based model is simpler.
We'd rather you pick the right tool than be disappointed. Here's where AutoForward Text genuinely beats us.
Your source phone is Android.
Forward SMS is iPhone-only. AutoForward Text has a real native Android app and supports the same forwarding flows on Android as it does on iOS. If you're forwarding from Android, pick AutoForward Text — we will not pretend otherwise.
You want a web inbox to read forwarded SMS in a browser.
AutoForward Text's Professional plan includes an online dashboard inbox where forwarded messages appear in a web UI you can search and triage. Forward SMS doesn't have an equivalent — we deliver messages to your existing destinations (email, Slack, etc.) but we don't run a hosted inbox.
You need auto-reply from the forwarding service itself.
AutoForward Text Professional supports automated replies (e.g. send an auto-acknowledgement to the original sender). Forward SMS does not — we are a one-way forwarding tool. If you need the recipient phone to acknowledge or reply automatically, AutoForward Text is the better fit.
You're managing a mixed iOS + Android device pool.
AutoForward Text plans cover up to three devices, which can be a mix of iOS and Android. Forward SMS, being iPhone-only, can't anchor a single plan across both ecosystems. For consultants, MSPs, and field teams running both, AutoForward Text is the cleaner license model.
Costs as of 2026-05. Always verify on each vendor's pricing page before you commit.
If you've decided Forward SMS is the better fit, here's the 5-minute migration path.
1. Download Forward SMS. Install Forward SMS from the App Store on the iPhone that receives the texts you want forwarded.
2. Add your destinations. In Forward SMS, set up the same destinations you currently use in AutoForward Text — email address, Slack channel, Teams channel, or another phone number. Test each with the Send test message button.
3. Build the Shortcuts automation. Follow the iPhone setup guide to wire up the Message-trigger automation. This replaces AutoForward Text's iOS Shortcut.
4. Run them side-by-side for a day. Keep AutoForward Text active while Forward SMS catches up. Compare what arrives where. Once you're happy, disable the AutoForward Text shortcut on the iPhone and cancel the AutoForward Text subscription.
5. Disconnect AutoForward Text. In iOS Shortcuts, remove or disable AutoForward Text's automation. Cancel the subscription from AutoForward Text's dashboard. Done.
Auto-forward text messages to Email, Slack, Teams and Discord
