Best free SMS app for Android

[arlen holder]

What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

I just ran a few tests on SMS for a couple of threads, so while the thought
is fresh in my mind, I note that I had tested at least a dozen SMS apps in
the past and found only two to be to my liking...but I'm testing two more
as we speak... (where Textra seems better than Chomp is on first use).

1. Pulse SMS (which nicely schedules messages, for example)
2. QK SMS (automatically compresses outgoing MMS photos)
3. (I'm testing) Textra (forwards entire conversations en masse)
4. (I'm testing) Chomp (automatically saves MMS photos to gallery)

NOTE: That's just _one_ reason above, as, for example, Textra also
automatically saves MMS photos to the gallery.

o Pulse SMS (I don't see any ads)
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

o QK SMS (I don't see any ads)
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>

o Textra SMS (I don't see any ads)
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>

o Chomp SMS (I don't like the ads)
<https://www.chompsms.com/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p1.chompsms>

Note that I switch between SMS apps all the time and don't see any problem
in doing so (only one can be the default at any one time, but each makes it
trivially easy to set it as the default).

What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

[Joe Beanfish]

Post by arlen holder
What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

I used textra for many years on multiple phones because it would
give a popup over the lock screen showing the text and allowing
response right there without opening the app proper or unlocking.

On my latest phone I tried and use Verizon's (non-default) Messages+
which has the same feature. Haven't had much incentive to look further.

[arlen holder]

Post by Joe Beanfish
I used textra for many years on multiple phones because it would
give a popup over the lock screen showing the text and allowing
response right there without opening the app proper or unlocking.
On my latest phone I tried and use Verizon's (non-default) Messages+
which has the same feature. Haven't had much incentive to look further.

Thanks for that additional vote for "Textra".
I'm using it now as my default SMS app, in order to test it out.

I agree with your logic that, if the default SMS app is working for you,
then keep it. In my case, it worked fine, until I wanted to send a bunch of
large photos over MMS, and then I realized I needed an autoshrink feature.

At some point, I wanted to _schedule_ a nag screen for my grandkids to do
something they needed to do, and then I realized another fault of the
default SMS app.

Later, I wanted to keep a handful of contacts at the TOP (pinned so to
speak) of the screen, where, again, the default SMS app failed me.

At some point I wanted the DEFAULT "keyboard" to be the microphone, where I
searched in the _wrong_ way (I was looking for keyboards), when only
yesterday did I learn that Textra seems to have a "default mic" feature of
some sort (woo hoo! ... maybe finally I'll get what I've always wanted!).

So I agree with you that, since every phone comes with a default SMS/MMS
app, that we don't need to change it unless we have some other needs.

I'm not sure why, a few months ago, when I tested at least a dozen SMS
apps, that Textra didn't remain, so maybe it has "something" annoying that
I forgot about (e.g., like nag screens or some other ilk).

At the moment, I'm looking mostly at these three:
o Pulse SMS
o QK SMS
o Textra SMS

We probably should list "desirable" features, which would then allow us to
better compare SMS apps.

I'll start with a list that others can help us flesh out (in no order yet):

Key features (no one SMS app will have them all so prioritize individually)
o It should be free with zero ads
o It should autoshrink outgoing MMS photos
o It should automatically save incoming MMS photos to the gallery
o It should schedule (and repeat) outgoing messages
o It should be able to _default_ to the microphone keyboard
o It should forward entire conversations
o It should enable password-protected private conversations
o It should have a configurable delayed-sending feature
o It should allow "active notifications" (if you like that sort of feature)
o It should backup and restore to the memory of the phone (or the net)
o It should allow the user to configure the order of the conversations
o It should allow automatic cleaning of messages older than a set date
o It should have a richly configurable automatic reply feature
o It should enable a blacklist
o It should _easily_ change the font and font size & background/foreground
o It should _easily_ add contacts for group messages
o It should _easily_ add or take photos (or emojis if you're so inclined)
o It should _easily_ copy & paste
o It should _easily_ share contacts
o It should _easily_ delete entire conversations
o It should _easily_ enable delivery confirmations (if desired)
o It should _easily_ send/receive SMS/MMS messages (duh)
o What else?

NOTE: Every one of these features exist in the 3 apps suggested above,
but not every app has every feature; hence you must prioritize your needs,
which will determine which SMS app you end up choosing.

[arlen holder]

Post by arlen holder
NOTE: Every one of these features exist in the 3 apps suggested above,
but not every app has every feature; hence you must prioritize your needs,
which will determine which SMS app you end up choosing.

So far, I'm doing fine with "Textra" (time will tell).

BTW, in responding to Carlos just now, I realized two more features...

Key features (no one SMS app will have them all so prioritize individually)
o It should be free with zero ads
o It should autoshrink outgoing MMS photos
o It should automatically save incoming MMS photos to the gallery
o It should schedule (and repeat) outgoing messages
o It should be able to _default_ to the microphone keyboard
o It should forward entire conversations
o It should enable password-protected private conversations
o It should have a configurable delayed-sending feature
o It should allow "active notifications" (if you like that sort of feature)
o It should backup and restore to the memory of the phone (or the net)
o It should allow the user to configure the order of the conversations
o It should allow automatic cleaning of messages older than a set date
o It should have a richly configurable automatic reply feature
o It should enable a blacklist
o It should _easily_ change the font and font size & background/foreground
o It should _easily_ add contacts for group messages
o It should _easily_ add or take photos (or emojis if you're so inclined)
o It should _easily_ copy & paste
o It should _easily_ share contacts
o It should _easily_ delete entire conversations
o It should _easily_ enable delivery confirmations (if desired)
o It should _easily_ send/receive SMS/MMS messages (duh)
o What else?

Two more basic SMS/MMS app features I've seen, would be:
o Ability to break or combine 160-character messages by default setting
o Ability to break or combine group texts as a group MMS or individual SMS

[arlen holder]

Post by arlen holder
o Ability to break or combine 160-character messages by default setting
o Ability to break or combine group texts as a group MMS or individual SMS

I just noticed another neat feature while testing Handcent NextSMS:
o Pulldown menu to "screenshot and send" the messages
o Menu to "speak text" on demand
o Add to "schedule task" calendar
o Add to contacts
o Add location
etc.
(There are a ton of these options in these free SMS apps.)

At the moment, I test them simply by switching among them.

The four I'm mostly simultaneously testing out at this point are:
1. QK SMS
2. Pulse SMS
3. Textra SMS
4. Handcent NextSMS

[arlen holder]

Post by arlen holder
1. QK SMS
2. Pulse SMS
3. Textra SMS
4. Handcent NextSMS

What's surprising, for such a simple single-purpose app anyway,
is that each MMS/SMS app has DIFFERENT features you may wish to use.

o It should be free with zero ads
o It should autoshrink outgoing MMS photos
o It should automatically save incoming MMS photos to the gallery
o It should schedule (and repeat) outgoing messages
o It should be able to _default_ to the microphone keyboard
o It should forward entire conversations
o It should enable password-protected private conversations
o It should have a configurable delayed-sending feature
o It should allow "active notifications" (if you like that sort of feature)
o It should backup and restore to the memory of the phone (or the net)
o It should allow the user to configure the order of the conversations
o It should allow automatic cleaning of messages older than a set date
o It should have a richly configurable automatic reply feature
o It should enable a blacklist
o It should _easily_ change the font and font size & background/foreground
o It should _easily_ add contacts for group messages
o It should _easily_ add or take photos (or emojis if you're so inclined)
o It should _easily_ copy & paste
o It should _easily_ share contacts
o It should _easily_ delete entire conversations
o It should _easily_ enable delivery confirmations (if desired)
o It should _easily_ send/receive SMS/MMS messages (duh)
o Ability to break or combine 160-character messages by default setting
o Ability to break or combine group texts as a group MMS or individual SMS
o Pulldown menu to "screenshot and send" the messages
o Press to "speak the text" in the message
o Press to "schedule task" calendar based on the text message
o Press to add a phone number to your contacts
o Press to send someone your GPS location at a button click
o What else?

Hence, my suggestion, at this early point in testing, is to pick three or
four SMS/MMS apps, and just switch between them whenever you need a
particular feature of any one of the apps.

For example, if you want to "share as email", you can one app:
<Loading Image...>

Likewise, if you want to forward entire conversations, use another:
<Loading Image...>

But, perhaps, if you want to "view media", you use another app:
<Loading Image...>

The point is that there is a Venn Diagram with a great amount of overlap,
but also an appreciable amount of non overlapping features in these four
free SMS/MMS apps - and - it's so trivially easy to switch between them ad
hoc, that I'd suggest you load all four, and then simply use the one that
you need at the current moment in time.

o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>

o Textra SMS
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>

o Handcent NextSMS
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.app.nextsms>

Any other suggestions that we haven't already tried and deleted?

[arlen holder]

Post by arlen holder
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>
o Textra SMS
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>
o Handcent NextSMS
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.app.nextsms>

UPDATE:

Knock out Textra SMS.
o It's really nice, but the ads _just_ now started coming; so it's out.

I've been using Textra SMS for a while now, where ads just started.
o What Textra SMS seems to do is make the first "conversation" an ad.

Also knock out Next SMS which puts an ad on the bottom.

That leaves these two as decent ad free SMS apps, so far:
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>

[Big Al]

Post by arlen holder

Post by arlen holder
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>
o Textra SMS
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>
o Handcent NextSMS
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.app.nextsms>

Knock out Textra SMS.
o It's really nice, but the ads _just_ now started coming; so it's out.
I've been using Textra SMS for a while now, where ads just started.
o What Textra SMS seems to do is make the first "conversation" an ad.
Also knock out Next SMS which puts an ad on the bottom.
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>

What happened to 4. Handcent NextSMS ??

Also, by group messages, do you mean send same message to multiple
contacts? I can't do that but I can receive my copy of one group
message but I can't reply to it, only the sender as it treats the sms as
a single contact sms.

Al

[arlen holder]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Fritz Wuehler]

Post by arlen holder

Post by arlen holder
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>
o Textra SMS
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>
o Handcent NextSMS
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.app.nextsms>

Knock out Textra SMS.
o It's really nice, but the ads _just_ now started coming; so it's out.
I've been using Textra SMS for a while now, where ads just started.
o What Textra SMS seems to do is make the first "conversation" an ad.
Also knock out Next SMS which puts an ad on the bottom.
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>

Everyone seems to be ignoring the simplest and the best. Silence.

https://silence.im/

Warrant canary
A signed warrant canary is published every two months to ensure
that Silence has not been compromised by any third-party using a
subpoena. You can download the warrant and the PGP key (fingerprint
2684 ECEF 6076 1A5B 259F 45CC 878D 6D09 1EDE 0989).

[arlen holder]

Post by Nomen Nescio
https://silence.im/

Just FYI, since most Android users download from Google Play,
there are a _lot_ of "things" named "Silence" on Google Play.

For example:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alexanderbaulin.silence>

According to your URL, the Google Play URL to "Silence" SMS seems to be:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smssecure.smssecure>

The GitHub seems to be:
<https://github.com/SilenceIM/Silence/>

And, the home page, as you noted, is:
<https://silence.im>

The odd thing is that this URL exists on Windows:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smssecure.smssecure>

But when I go there on my phone, the app doesn't exist.
o Nor can my phone find the app in Google Play

Why?

[Mike Easter]

Post by arlen holder
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smssecure.smssecure>
But when I go there on my phone, the app doesn't exist.
o Nor can my phone find the app in Google Play
Why?

Maybe it has to do with your VPN IP business between your two platforms.

A USian IP clicking on the googleplay link at silence.im shows this alert:

"Warning - For trademark reasons, Silence is currently not available on
Play Store in the U.S., but you can still download Silence in the U.S.
from F-Droid, a repository of Free and Open Source (FOSS) apps on the
Android platform supported by the Free Software Foundation (FSF)."

... and then the alert that says 'continue to play store' says that link
isn't available at googleplay.

So, a USian abiding by/ avoiding/ trademark infringement would go to the
foss fdroid at https://f-droid.org/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/

[arlen holder]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[arlen holder]

Post by arlen holder
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smssecure.smssecure>
But when I go there on my phone, the app doesn't exist.
o Nor can my phone find the app in Google Play

Being curious...
I just again tested the Google Play link, and Mike is completely correct.
o Weird things happen depending on _how_ & _where_ as explained below.

Thanks to Mike for figuring this out, as it didn't occur to me that the
oddities I saw were simply because different things happen depending on
_how_ you access the Google Play link, and from where your IP address
geolocates from (for a total of four possibly different results).

DIRECT:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smssecure.smssecure>
o If I am on a USA VPN, then the direct Google Play link comes up blank
o Using a non-USA VPN, then the direct Google Play link works just fine

REDIRECT:
If I click on the https://silence.im/ web page Google Play redirect button
o If I'm on a USA VPN, the message Mike explained _does_ come up
o If I'm on a non-USA VPN, it takes me directly to the app on Google Play

These oddities are almost certainly why a "silence.im" link was provided by
o Fritz Wuehler <***@spamexpire-201902.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> dizum
o From: Nomen Nescio <***@dizum.com> dizum
o From: "generic.poster" <***@spamexpire-201902.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> dizum

BTW, it's an "ok" app, where its claim to fame is obviously encryption.
o The comments say it handles dual SIMs nicely
o Comments say it can't schedule a message
o Comments say it's can't do a group SMS
o I noticed it doesn't have a "pin to top" of conversations
etc.

It appears you have to _manually_ press the "Start secure session" button,
which seems to tell you whether the person is using the same app on the
other side.

I sent a test MMS to someone where it blacked out the top half of the
photo, which is an interesting if extremely rudimentary "obfuscation"
technique.

I've only had it on the phone for a few minutes, where it seems that it's a
nice app if the other person is using the same app, since then everything
is encrypted without having an encryption server in between.

Bear in mind it doesn't seem to have some of the basic "bells and whistles"
you might want such as automatic outgoing MMS shrink & SMS scheduling,
etc., but I'll test it for a few days to get the hang of it to know more.

[arlen holder]

Post by Fritz Wuehler
Everyone seems to be ignoring the simplest and the best. Silence.
https://silence.im/

I've only tested "Silence" (formerly SMSSecure) overnight
where I have some additional quick observations below...

1. The "import" of old messages doesn't appear to import MMS photos.
Hence, switching between Silence & other SMS apps _loses_ messages
because the text associated with the MMS message is _also_ lost.

2. What a normal recipient "sees" during encryption requests is "gibberish"
Hence, you must _explain_ what you're sending them, so it's not seamless.

3. There is an deadly bug that affected the Android square "clear all".

When you press the default Android "Clear All" (square) button, a strange
screen comes up almost every time which seems to be the "send to" sharing
screen, which is very strange because it doesn't belong there, but I
reproduced it multiple times by uninstalling and reinstalling Silence, so
it's reproduceable on my Nougat LG Stylo 3 Plus phone.

Basically, it makes that all-important Android "Clear All" useless.
So it's a critical bug, IMHO.

In all cases above, I _reproduced_ the problem by installing and
uninstalling Silence, and by switching between Pulse SMS and Silence as the
default SMS app (since only 1 can be the default) a couple of times.

Hence, I can't reasonably recommend silence as "the best".
o It may simply be the most secure (and even then, I didn't test security).

Here's my recommendation based on short tests, of the 3 that are left:
1. Pulse SMS (the best) <<== if you know of a better one - please add!
2. QuickSMS (the simplest)
3. Silence (perhaps the most secure, I don't know, I didn't test security)

[Arlen Holder]

Post by arlen holder

Post by arlen holder
1. QK SMS
2. Pulse SMS
3. Textra SMS
4. Handcent NextSMS

What's surprising, for such a simple single-purpose app anyway,
is that each MMS/SMS app has DIFFERENT features you may wish to use.
o It should be free with zero ads
o It should autoshrink outgoing MMS photos
o It should automatically save incoming MMS photos to the gallery
o It should schedule (and repeat) outgoing messages
o It should be able to _default_ to the microphone keyboard
o It should forward entire conversations
o It should enable password-protected private conversations
o It should have a configurable delayed-sending feature
o It should allow "active notifications" (if you like that sort of feature)
o It should backup and restore to the memory of the phone (or the net)
o It should allow the user to configure the order of the conversations
o It should allow automatic cleaning of messages older than a set date
o It should have a richly configurable automatic reply feature
o It should enable a blacklist
o It should _easily_ change the font and font size & background/foreground
o It should _easily_ add contacts for group messages
o It should _easily_ add or take photos (or emojis if you're so inclined)
o It should _easily_ copy & paste
o It should _easily_ share contacts
o It should _easily_ delete entire conversations
o It should _easily_ enable delivery confirmations (if desired)
o It should _easily_ send/receive SMS/MMS messages (duh)
o Ability to break or combine 160-character messages by default setting
o Ability to break or combine group texts as a group MMS or individual SMS
o Pulldown menu to "screenshot and send" the messages
o Press to "speak the text" in the message
o Press to "schedule task" calendar based on the text message
o Press to add a phone number to your contacts
o Press to send someone your GPS location at a button click
o What else?
Hence, my suggestion, at this early point in testing, is to pick three or
four SMS/MMS apps, and just switch between them whenever you need a
particular feature of any one of the apps.
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=3398643forwardsms_02.jpg>
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=3649816forwardsms_01.jpg>
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=5136644forwardsms_03.jpg>
The point is that there is a Venn Diagram with a great amount of overlap,
but also an appreciable amount of non overlapping features in these four
free SMS/MMS apps - and - it's so trivially easy to switch between them ad
hoc, that I'd suggest you load all four, and then simply use the one that
you need at the current moment in time.
o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
o QK SMS
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.moez.QKSMS/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moez.QKSMS>
o Textra SMS
<https://www.textra.me/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra>
o Handcent NextSMS
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.app.nextsms>
Any other suggestions that we haven't already tried and deleted?

Update:

As of today, Google Messages has a billion installs:
o Google Messages passes one billion installs on the Play Store
<https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/05/01/google-messages-passes-one-billion-installs-on-the-play-store/>

Long ago I settled on PulseSMS, where I've only had _one_ problem with it,
which isn't its fault because it reads _only_ from the Android contacts
database instead of from private contacts databases (which are what I use).
o Does anyone know how the PHONE ties to CONTACTS tiies to SMS on Android 9 Pie?
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/EvXtsP9radE>

However, Google Messages must be what most of you use given this info:
o Google Messages app reaches 1 billion downloads without being pre-installed on Android
<https://9to5google.com/2020/05/01/google-messages-downloads-billion-android/>

Apparently only one other app not pre-installed has as many downloads:
o Google Duo hits 1 billion downloads on the Play Store
<https://9to5google.com/2018/12/23/google-duo-1-billion-downloads/>

This counts unique Google Play Store acounts downloading apps:
o Google Maps passes 1 billion downloads on the Play Store
<https://9to5google.com/2014/06/14/google-maps-passes-1-billion-downloads-on-the-play-store/>

So I'll add Google Messages to my tests:
o Messages, by Google LLC
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging>

[Nomen Nescio]

Post by arlen holder
What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

Silence - https://silence.im/

You can download APK direct or if you use F_Droid:
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/

[generic.poster]

Post by arlen holder
What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

Silence - https://silence.im/

You can download APK direct or if you use F_Droid:
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

Slowly, I've been solving the problem, where this is another solution:
o app: Simple Mobile tools "Simple Dialer" reads the same on-the-phone
privacy-based vcard/excel/csv non-sqlite Simple Contacts database
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/WE0jbWQt6Mc>

While I'm still a bit confused, what seems to be happening is that the
default sqlite database is what PulseSMS uses for its contacts, where, for
privacy reasons, I have no default sqlite contacts database on my phone.
o Does anyone know how the PHONE ties to CONTACTS tiies to SMS on Android 9 Pie?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/EvXtsP9radE/zZ-9tzTqBQAJ>

Luckily, a trick was worked out a while aog, where I momentarily allowed a
default sqlite contacts database to exist, and then I caused PulseSMS to
refresh, which allowed PulseSMS to "remember" the contact names, en masse.
o Best free SMS app for Android
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/up2NoEHr9M8/atinCKpaEAAJ>

Having solved that SMS issue (my contacts don't change frequently), I then
moved to solving the issue by loading a dialer which also uses contacts
which are _separate_ from the default Android sqlite contacts database.
o Simple Mobile Tools "Simple Dialer"
<https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Dialer>
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.dialer/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.dialer>

A nice solution for that is to use the Simple Mobile Tools "Simple Dialer"
which has a switch to use the same non-sqlite contacts database of its
sister app, the Simple Mobile Tools "Simple Contacts" app.
o Simple Mobile Tools "Simple Dialer"
<https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Dialer>
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.dialer/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.dialer>

These little tricks enable you to maintain your own contacts database
completely OUTSIDE the default Android sqlite contacts database.
o Simple Mobile Tools "Simple Contacts"
<https://github.com/SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Contacts>
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.contacts.pro/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.contacts>

That contacts database can be kept in any file format you like, where Vcard
(*.vcf) and Excel comma-separated-value (*.csv) files work just fine.
o Does your contacts app have an import/export to/from non-proprietary VCARD format?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/I48Dmi1rR8I/bAEWV_67BAAJ>

Depending on how you sync your contacts on your private LAN, you can easily
manage the contacts database using a master file, or simply update at will:
o Which free contact optimizer duplicate removal contacts merger app do you like best & why?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/YheUv3Cl5aM/C2VMppZ-AQAJ>
and...
o What free bulk contact deletion method or tool do you prefer so as to delete contacts on each Android sqlite account database?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/xfmXK8hfOr0/nFemMpOdBAAJ>

In summary, with a few privacy-based tricks and by loading apps that have
basic privacy-based functionality, it's trivial to maintain your contacts
database completely outside the default Android contacts sqlite database.
o Contacts tie well with the Dialer which ties well with the SMS/MMS app.

[Arlen Holder]

[*] I used to just be able to use Contacts for phone and contacts, now
I have Contacts and Dialer and each seems to interact with the
other.
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.contacts.pro/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.dialer/

Regarding Eli the Bearded's comments quoted above in the recent thread
o sms to text app problem, by Carlos E.R.
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/zcgthOjJxeg>

Like Eli the Bearded, I also use simple mobile tools contacts & dialer:
o <Loading Image...>

What confuses the heck out of me is that they overlap a lot.
o In fact, there's so much overlap, it's confusing which is what

Even more so, they overlap with the SMS app (mine is Pulse SMS).
o All three (contacts, dialer, & sms/mms) can dial out, for example

And all three can apparently look up contacts from the sqlite db.
o And yet, only two are possible to set up as "Default apps" (Android 10)
1. Default Phone app ==> SimpleMobileTools' app named "Contacts"
2. Default SMS app ==> PulseSMS's app named "Pulse"

Notice there is apparently no concept of a "dialer" anymore (Android 10).
o It confuses the hell out of me why we have 3 that overlap so much.

Note: None of my default apps are ever gonna be "Google" based.

See also related topics for keeping contacts out of Google's paws:
o Does anyone know how the PHONE ties to NTACTS tiies to SMS on Android 9
Pie?
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/EvXtsP9radE>

o app: Simple Mobile tools "Simple Dialer" reads the same on-the-phone
privacy-based vcard/excel/csv non-sqlite Simple ntacts database
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/WE0jbWQt6Mc>

o Does your ntacts app have an import/export to/from non-proprietary VCARD
format?
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/I48Dmi1rR8I>

o Best free SMS app for Android
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/up2NoEHr9M8>

o How does inming caller ID work - and more specifically - can caller ID
source data be controlled?
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/GMKskP4h0Cs>

o What free bulk ntact deletion method or tool do you prefer so as to
delete contacts on each Android sqlite account database?
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/xfmXK8hfOr0>

o Which free ntact optimizer duplicate removal contacts merger app do you
like best & why?
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/YheUv3Cl5aM>

And for why all of that matters to keep Google away from our ntacts:
o Do people of reasonable technical ability store their private data on the
Internet (if so, for what gain?)
<https://groups.google.m/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/mBIZ-8jGdmk>
--

I installed the app "SMS to text" years ago.
Today I get a note from Google play because (I have to translate from
Spanish) it can access to personal information from the call log or the

SMS.

What? The purpose of the app is to save the SMS in a text file, so
obviously it needs access to both the SMSs and the call log (phone
registry).

I've seen similar things happen with other apps. In the name of
protecting users from malicious apps (consider a game that wanted to
access your SMS and call logs), Google is apparently trying to strongly
discourage anything but the Google sanctified products doing that sort
of thing. The thing is, I don't want Google's products accessing my SMS
or call logs (etc) because I trust J-Random-Open-Source app much more
than I trust data-mine-to-an-inch-of-existence Google.
In my current case, my choosen phone app[*] for several versions could
no longer access call logs. The author apparently managed to fix that
by splitting the app in two, to limit the permissions for each half.
[*] I used to just be able to use Contacts for phone and contacts, now
I have Contacts and Dialer and each seems to interact with the
other.
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.contacts.pro/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.dialer/
Ideally, for me, I'd want all permissions to be finely controllable by
me, and I'd give very few to most apps, and almost all to Termux, where
I write programs on my phone.
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux/
Elijah
------
Termux makes the device usable as a real computer

[Arlen G. Holder]

Post by arlen holder
What free non-default SMS app do you usually use and why?

SOLVED!
After about six months of testing, IMHO, hands down, Puls SMS wins.

o Pulse SMS
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

What I like?
o Free, no ads whatsoever, no nags, etc.
o Automatic MMS photo shrink to desired size
o Automatic MMS photo save to desired location
o Automatic scheduling of future messages
o Easy to create groups
o Easy viewing of unread conversations
o Private (password protected) conversations
o Archived (old) conversations
o Categories (e.g., family, friends, coworkers)
o Blacklist
o Backup to the net (I don't use it though)
o Automatic reply (I don't use that either)
o Delayed sending (if you need to cancel)
o Favorite contacts handled preferentially
etc.

[Arlen G. Holder]

Post by arlen holder
https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/overview/

If it matters, in addition, their web pages say Pulse SMS also has
o Dual-SIM support
o Send SMS & MMS from any platform any time
o Customize colors and notifications per contact
o Pin favorite contacts to the top of the list
o Both backup to the cloud, and restore
o End-to-end encryption (not stored on their server)
o Search conversations for keywords
o Mute & snooze
o Web previews

I didn't test that stuff though...other than the web preview, which comes
automatically AFAICT.

[Arlen Holder]

For forwarding SMS messages automatically to email, see also:
o SMS/MMS forwarding App? by Steve Scharf
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/uc9CjZsWeaU>

o Forwarding Text Messages to Email, by Orlando Enrique Fiol
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/r-QoY06JyDE>

[Arlen Holder]

Post by Arlen Holder
o SMS/MMS forwarding App? by Steve Scharf
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/uc9CjZsWeaU>
o Forwarding Text Messages to Email, by Orlando Enrique Fiol
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/r-QoY06JyDE>

UPDATE:
o <Loading Image...>

This update is intended, as always, to add value so as to save others' time
in testing and finding the best free software out there for our needs.
<https://play.google.com/store/search?q=sms%20forwarder&c=apps>

*Here's what the forwarding GUI looks like for the SMS Forwarder*:
<https://i.postimg.cc/9Fsr2XzF/forwardsms01.jpg>

*Here's where to get that SMS Forwarder*:
o *SMS Forwarder*, by Ondrej Psencik
<http://www.psencik.cz/file-cabinet/SmsForwarder.apk>

*Here's the advertising for that SMS Forwarder*:
<http://www.psencik.cz/sms-forwarder>
SMS Forwarder is safe, efficient utility that forwards all incoming SMS
messages, missed calls and low battery notification to email addresses
you configure.

SMS Forwarder supports only SSL encrypted SMTP, choose port 465 (default
value, so can be omitted in configuration) or according to your SMTP
server. If you want to use Gmail SMTP server for sending emails, you must
configure your Gmail account to enable less secure apps
(less secure means authentication via username and password
in Google terminology).
You can of course use any SMTP server (over SSL) of your liking.

Example settings for Gmail:
Host: smtp.gmail.com
User name: your Gmail address
From email address: your Gmail address
Password: your Gmail password

Also enable less secure apps = authentication with username and password
(this has been forced by Google, SMS Forwarder was previously "fully"
secure app, but Google policy has changed):
<https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps?pli=1>

I have no need for this tool; but if others do, please test.
o Then let us know how well (or poorly) it works out for you!
--
The beauty of Usenet is we can all pitch in with software testing.

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:
The question was asked today if blocking calls also blocks SMS/MMS
o Blocking a phone #, by MajorLanGod
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/Ta1nHqUMbbw>

My response to that question is apropos for this thread also...

To find the answer for the OP, I called 611 (T-Mobile) who was sure that
_their_ brand of free scam blocking tools does _not_ also cover SMS/MMS.
o T-Mobile Scam Shield, by T-Mobile USA (free, ad free, GSF dependent)
iOS <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1367276365>
Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tmobile.services.nameid>

T-Mobile sent me this URL to my SMS text app for further information:
o <https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/scam-shield>

In that web page is an FAQ, which asks:
Q: What about scam/spam texts? Does T-Mobile block those?
A: We've had an anti-spam solution for mobile messaging including SMS,
MMS, and RCS since 2014, and we include it at no additional charge
for T-Mobile customers.

How it works:
Our anti-spam message solution is updated regularly with spam message
fingerprints and signatures. Whenever a mobile message is received on
the network, it's checked against the anti-spam solution.

If a message is determined to be spam or unwanted, we'll block it.
Otherwise, the message will be delivered.

Customers can report spam or unwanted messages by simply forwarding the
messages to 7726. We'll reply with a confirmation text and forward the
message to the Security Center for analysis. The message and your
details are encrypted; your identity won't be shared.

Replying "STOP" is usually a convenient way to quickly opt out of a
message program. However, for unwanted spam texts, we recommend
forwarding messages to 7726 and not replying. Similar to picking up an
unknown robocall, spammers will use any texted reply (including "STOP")
as confirmation that they've reached a real person."

Interestingly, the best SMS app out there (IMHO), also has a "blacklist"
where a number can be blocked by manually adding it to that blacklist.
o Pulse SMS (Phone/Tablet/Web)
HomePage: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>
iOS: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-ios.html>
Android: <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

Note: On iOS, you can send/receive text via Safari using this app.

See also:
o Best free SMS app for Android
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/up2NoEHr9M8>
o Does anyone know how the PHONE ties to CONTACTS tiies to SMS
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/EvXtsP9radE>
o T-Mobile Sprint Merger: Say goodbye to scam calls
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/G6ZWN1SiJSs/>
etc.

[Arlen Holder]

Update: (dated October 2020)

It may be too late, so if you have PulseSMS installed, archive your APK!

This is scary... which I found while searching for this thread.
o It looks like Pulse SMS has been bought by Maple Media ¡X get ready for intrusive ads?
<https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/10/29/it-looks-like-pulse-sms-has-been-bought-by-maple-media-get-ready-for-intrusive-ads/>

"According to a TechCrunch investigation, the company's goal is to
optimize existing IAP revenue streams and add its advertising network
to its purchases...

It looks like the latest product to become part of Maple Media's
portfolio is Klinker Apps' PulseSMS..."

At least your messages are end-to-end encrypted, according to Klinker:
"It also seems prudent to remind everyone that your messages,
conversations, contacts, etc in Pulse are end-to-end encrypted.
The only way to access them is through your account's password.
No one can decrypt them, including myself and Maple Media:
<https://messenger.klinkerapps.com/encryption.html>"

See also:
o Despite the economy, La's Maple Media is hunting for app acquisitions
<https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/12/despite-the-economy-las-maple-media-is-hunting-for-acquisitions/>

"Over the past three years the Los Angeles-based startup Maple Media has
amassed a portfolio of roughly 30 companies and 100 apps in its quest to
become the IAC of app store businesses."