10 BEST FREE Text SMS Tracking Apps Without Target Phone (Spy)

Review and Comparison of the top free SMS Tracking Apps Without Target Phone. Pick the best SMS Tracker of your choice from this exclusive list:

From knowing your child is safe at all times to catching a cheating spouse in the act, one could have many legitimate reasons to track SMSs. Fortunately, spying on another phone’s messages today is relatively simple. All you need to do is use an SMS tracking app.

Once these apps are downloaded on the target device, you don’t have to be anywhere near that phone to read text messages on them. You’ll get remote access to all incoming and outgoing messages on your phone in real-time via any computer you own.

SMS Tracking Apps – A Complete Review

There is no shortage of apps today that offer you this privilege. However, finding an app that is perfect for you from countless options can be challenging.

To help you make the right decision, this article here is an opportunity to recommend a long list of SMS Tracking Apps that give you easy remote access to any phone’s SMS inbox.

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So without much further ado, let’s get started.

SMS Tracker FAQs

Q #1) What is an SMS Tracker?

Answer: An SMS tracker is nothing but a spy app that can be used to get detailed information about incoming and outgoing messages on another phone. The app can help you uncover delivery patterns of a single or group of text messages with details about the sender and recipient.

These apps have to be installed on the target device. Later, you can remotely access that phone’s SMS inbox from any other computer’s browser.

Q #2) Can you spy on text messages without access to the target phone?

Answer: Yes, you can read someone’s messages without installing software on their phone for free. However, whether or not you can hack SMS without a target phone will largely depend on the OS of the target device. If the target device operates on iOS, then you can intercept text messages without the target phone for free.

All you’ll need to do is sign into their iCloud account. The iCloud syncing feature that almost all iPhones or iPads offer can help you read other people’s messages without accessing the target phone. On the other hand, if your target device is an Android, then you’ll need the help of an app to do the trick.

Q #3) Is it legal to use a text message spy without access to a phone?

Answer: It is perfectly legal to use a phone spy app for personal purposes like tracking messages on a child’s phone. We would not recommend using this app for other nefarious reasons like spying on an office colleague or a friend, for instance, as this could land you in serious trouble. If caught, you could face fines and even jail time.

Q #4) Is it possible to know if a phone has a spy app on it?

Answer: Yes, it is possible to know if your phone is being tracked.

Just look out for the following signs:

• Your phone’s battery is draining faster
• Your phone is overheating
• The phone becomes sluggish to use
• You hear weird sounds when on call
• Your phone takes an unusually long time to shut down

Recommended Reading => Explore the List of BEST Cheating Apps Today

Q #5) Are deleted messages gone forever?

Answer: No matter what you delete from your phone, whether it is text messages or a video file, nothing is ever truly deleted forever. That space just becomes available to be overwritten by something else. The apps we’ve discussed below could not only help you read text messages in real-time but also help you unearth old deleted messages as well.

List of the Best SMS Tracking Apps

Spy on text messages without access to the target phone with these apps:

1. Phonsee
2. Spynger
3. SecureTeen
4. Spylix
5. mSpy
6. PanSpy
7. ClevGuard
8. Copy9
9. Highster Mobile
10. iKeyMonitor
11. eyeZy
12. XNSPY
13. FlexiSPY
14. Hoverwatch
15. Cocospy
16. uMobix
17. FoneMonitor

Comparing Some of the Top Free SMS Spy Online Without Target Phone

Detailed reviews:

#1) Phonsee

Best for Scanning text messages.

Phonsee lets you track all incoming and outgoing messages in a phone you are spying on from an intuitive interface. The tool is quite exceptional at not only monitoring SMSs but also presenting detailed information associated with them. This includes timestamps, who the messages were sent to, and when the messages were sent.

You are presented with an entire history of sent and received messages. So you can get an idea of the conversations a cellphone owner has had over time. The same applies to Phonsee’s call tracking. The platform is equally great at tracking incoming and outgoing calls.

Features:

• SMS Tracking
• Tracking Call logs
• Pin GPS Location
• Geo-fencing

How to Track SMS using Phonsee

1. Sign and register to open your Phonsee account

2. Select your subscription plan and pay the amount
3. Install the Phonsee using the link sent on your registered email ID

4. Once installation is complete, log into your Phonsee dashboard and navigate to the Text Messages section to start tracking.

Pros:

• Quick set-up
• 24/7 set-up
• Neat and easy-to-navigate interface

Cons:

• May not be ideal for some novice users.

Verdict: Phonsee makes it considerably simple to get an overview of someone’s entire SMS history. You’ll know exactly when messages were sent or who the messages were sent to you via a neat and well-organized interface.

Price:

• Annual: $8.85 per month,
• 3 Months: $24.79 per month,
• Monthly: $42.51

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#2) Spynger

Best for undetected phone spying for spouses.

Spynger is a phone spying application that helps you track both an iPhone and Android device in real time. The tool is studded with features. For starters, you get a great keylogger that can register every keystroke typed on your target device. The tool also features a great GPS tracker. It will let you know where and when a phone is on the map in real time.

Besides location tracking, the tool is great at monitoring calls and SMSs as well. The tool lets you monitor outgoing and incoming calls and messages. Not only that, but you also get detailed information like who called, when the call was made, how often certain individuals were contacted, etc. You also get to track activity on social media apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc.

Features:

• GPS Location Tracking
• Geofencing
• Keylogger
• Hidden Screen Recorder

How to Use Spynger to Track Smart Phones

1. Sign and register to open your Spynger account

2. Complete your registration by choosing your subscription plan and paying for it.

3. Download and install the Spynger app on your target device using the link sent to your registered email.
4. After installation, log into your Spynger dashboard via your personal computer and navigate to the SMS section to start monitoring incoming and outgoing messages.

Pros:

• Easy to use interface
• 24/7 Support
• Supports iOS and Android Devices

Cons:

• No demo or free plan

Verdict: Spynger is easy to use and makes the tracking of outgoing and incoming SMSs very simple. Besides messages, you can also count on Spynger to spy on calls, social apps, and the location of a phone.

Price:

• Annual: $10.83/month,
• Quarterly: $26/month,
• Monthly: $45.49/month

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#3) SecureTeen

Best for non-intrusive phone spying for parents.

SecureTeen is a phone spy app that was made for parents. The app can be installed on Android and iOS devices in a few simple steps. There’s absolutely no need to root or jailbreak a target phone for this app to function.

The app is truly phenomenal in letting you remotely monitor both incoming and outgoing text messages in real-time. It’s not just SMSs, you can rely on SecureTeen to track MMS and call details as well.

Besides this, SecureTeen is also great at keylogging, internet filtering, phone call tracking, GPS location tracking, and other functions that parents can use to keep an eye on their child’s cell phone activity from a distance.

Features:

• Screen Time Management
• Location Tracking
• Chat Messenger Monitoring
• Keylogger
• Gmail Logging

How to use SecureTeen as a Free SMS Spy Online Without Target Phone:

#1) Sign Up for SecureTeen App and create your account.

#2) Open the dashboard on your PC or phone.

#3) Add the device/profile to the dashboard to get an installation guide on how to install the app on your target device.

#4) Once installed, set rules and changes on the target device remotely from your personal device.

#5) Once done, simply move to the SMS/MMS option on the dashboard to start monitoring.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Easy to install
• Feature-rich
• Facilitates Internet Filtering

Cons:

• MMS login is only available for Android devices.

Verdict: SecureTeen is a platform we cannot recommend to parents enough. It is both easy to install and easy to use. Above all else, it just works great as an affordable SMS/MMS tracker for all incoming and outgoing messages.

Price:

• Premium: $39.99/year for 3 devices
• Premium Plus: $69.99/1 device (Android Only)

Website: SecureTeen

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#4) Spylix

Best for great Stealth mode.

Spylix is another great phone spy app that you can try to track phone calls and text messages for free. Upon installation, you will get instant access to all incoming and outgoing messages on the target device. The best part, however, is the fact that you also have access to previously deleted messages as well.

Besides messages, Spylix grants you access to attachments to those messages like photos, videos, etc. too. We also like how non-intrusive the app allows you to be. Its stealth mode is incredible, giving you a chance to spy on your target device’s messages from a remote computer in complete anonymity.

Features:

• Call Tracker
• Find deleted messages
• Wi-Fi Monitor
• GPS Phone Tracker
• Video Spying

How to Spy on Text Messages using Spylix:

#1) Create an account for your iOS device.

#2) Provide iCloud login credentials.

#3) Hit Continue when ready to proceed.

#4) Once Spylix has connected to your iCloud account, you’ll be able to monitor all text messages on your target phone.

Pros:

• Free demo available
• Visually appealing interface
• Real-time tracking
• Supports 42 types of data

Cons:

• The family plan for iOS is expensive.

Verdict: Easy to install, 100% secure to use, and in excellent stealth mode, makes Spylix a fantastic app for anyone who wishes to snoop into someone else’s phone to check their old, new, and deleted text messages. This is a great hidden SMS tracker for free indeed.

Price:

• Android:
  • Basic: $39.99/month
  • Premium: $49.99/month
  • Family: $ 69.99/month
• iOS:
  • Basic: $39.99/month
  • Premium: $49.99/month
  • Family: $99.99/month

Website: Spylix

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#5) mSpy

Best for reviewing deleted text messages.

mSpy works in the same way that the previous two spy apps on this list work. The platform grants you instant access to a target device’s SMS inbox with a single click. You will also get a chance to review messages that have already been deleted from your inbox.

Besides this, mSpy is a great phone spy app in general that you can use to completely monitor cell phone activity. From spying on text messages to tracking phone calls and the real-time location of the cell phone, mSpy can do it all without hassle.

Features:

• Social Media Spying
• Keylogger
• Call Tracker
• Monitor Media Files

Pros:

• Quick set-up
• Bank-grade encryption
• 24/7 support
• Up-to-date information feed

Cons:

• Need to pay separately for personalized customer experience.

Verdict: For an iOS device, mSpy serves as a great text message spy without access to a phone. It is feature-rich, easy to set up, and presents you with up-to-date information around the clock.

Price:

• 1 Month: $48.99/month
• 3 Month: $27.99/month
• 12 Month: $11.66/month

Website: mSpy

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#6) PanSpy

Best for getting comprehensive SMS records.

PanSpy is one of the best SMS Tracking Apps that strongly focuses on facilitating parental control over mobile devices. It does so well with regard to its ability to track sent and received messages. You can get a complete record of a target device’s entire text messaging history.

You can download any attachments involved in messages remotely from your own computer. You can also vet the sender’s information and review a message’s time and date stamp using this app. It works the same way for tracking phone calls as well.

Features:

• Call Management
• Tracking SMS sender details
• Social App Monitoring
• GPS Location Tracking

Pros:

• View and download media files
• Review sender information
• Access documents on the target device
• Internet filtering

Cons:

• Only for Android

Verdict: If you are looking for an SMS tracker for your Android device that grants you access to a complete record of old, new, and deleted SMS of a phone, then you’ll find plenty to adore in PanSpy. It is easy to set up and also affordable.

Price:

• Premium: $24.95/month
• Ultimate Edition: Starting at $ 34.95/month

Website: PanSpy

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#7) Clevguard

Best for instant target device installation.

ClevGuard is a phone spy app that’s exclusively designed to track cell phone activity on Android and iOS devices. You only need 5 minutes of access to the target device for installation. Once installed, you’ll get a clear view of the phone’s text messages along with crucial sender information and delivery details in real time.

ClevGuard also gives you access to all messages on a target phone’s Discord and Skype. Besides text message spy, you can also count on ClevGuard to record the target phone’s screen and listen to the phone’s surroundings.

Features:

• Call Monitoring
• Discord Monitoring
• Location Tracking
• File Finder

Pros:

• Can monitor over 30 social apps
• No need to root the target device
• A comprehensive free demo is available

Cons:

• Separate apps each for Android and iOS

Verdict: ClevGuard may not be a run-of-the-mill SMS tracker that allows you to read someone’s text messages without installing software on their phone for free. It is still quite effective at getting the job done on Android devices.

Price:

• Android:
  • 1 month: $29.95/month
  • 3 Months: $16.65/month
  • 1 year: $8.32/month
• iOS:
  • 1 month: $39.95/month
  • 3 Month: $19.98/month
  • 1 year: $9.16/month

Website: ClevGuard

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#8) Copy9

Best for phone monitoring for parents and employers.

Copy9 is a software that both parents and employers can use to monitor text messages and other aspects of a target phone’s activity. The app only works for Android devices and presents you with complete information regarding a target phone’s SMS inbox. You’ll be able to view the complete log of all sent, received, and deleted messages in the market.

Features:

• GPS tracking
• Online Activity Monitoring
• Social media spying
• Contact and Calendar tracking

Pros:

• Free trial
• Feature-rich
• Easy installation

Cons:

• Only for Android

Verdict: With Copy9, you get an all-in-one monitoring solution that grants you access to all sent, received, and deleted text messages on a target device. This is a feature-rich SMS spy that can be used without access to the target phone for a free trial.

Price:

• Standard: Starting at $21.6/month
• Premium: Starting at $25.9/month
• Gold: $30.2/month

Website: Copy9

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#9) Highster Mobile

Best for lifetime access.

Highster Mobile is a phone spy app that can do everything the other apps on this list can do. It can grant you access to both SMS and phone call logs of a phone in real time. The best aspect of this tool is, however, its ability to monitor social apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Highster can also monitor iMessages.

Features:

• SMS Logging
• Social Networking Logs
• Stealth Camera
• Browser History Monitoring

Pros:

• Cross-Platform compatibility
• Lifetime plan
• Photos and Video logging

Cons:

• Its basic plan is limited to features

Verdict: Highster Mobile makes it to my list because it is one of those rare apps that give you eternal access to its service for a one-time fee. It is also quite effective in its ability to log text messages, even those that have been deleted.

Price:

• Basic: $10.99
• Pro: $12.99

Website: Highster Mobile

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#10) iKeyMonitor

Best for listening to the live surroundings.

iKeyMonitor is another feature-rich SMS tracker that does a lot more than just log text messages. The app works effectively when being used to monitor phone calls, track a phone’s GPS location, view messages from social apps, and more. This is one of those rare apps that also allows you to listen to the phone’s surrounding in real-time.

Features:

• SMS and Messenger tracking
• Call Logging
• Keylogger
• Geo-Fencing

Pros:

• Capture real-time screenshots
• Multimedia monitoring
• App blocker

Cons:

• The user interface needs some work

Verdict: If you want to spy on text messages for free without the phone, then this app is for you. You can use iKeyMonitor to spy on a target phone to monitor calls, messaging, social media, and browsing activity without paying a dime.

Price:

• Free to download and use
• Desktop version starts at $29.99/month/device

Website: iKeyMonitor

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#11) eyeZy

Best for sleek interface design.

eyeZy is a powerful and easy-to-use phone spy app that excels at call and SMS logging. It works phenomenally well in invisible and is quite effective at keeping its presence hidden while it monitors SMS activity. You are instantly alerted by eyeZy’s advanced AI if it notices something questionable on the target device, which makes the app perfect for parental control.

Features:

• Screen Recorder
• Keylogger
• Web Magnifier
• Connection Blocker

Pros:

• Social App Tracker
• Bank-Grade Encryption
• Smart AI-powered alerting

Cons:

• A more comprehensive demo would’ve been nice

Verdict: eyeZy is brimming with features and is incredibly advanced in SMS tracking capabilities. Its cloud syncing feature enables you to monitor text messages on an iPhone or iPad without having any access to it.

Price:

• 1 Month: $47.99/month
• 3 months: $27.99/month
• 12 Months: $9.99/month

Website: eyeZy

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#12) XNSPY

Best for live demo.

XNSPY is a cell phone monitoring app that is ideal for entrepreneurs who wish to monitor their employer’s devices. It can monitor more than 12 social apps. Moreover, it is also quite effective in tracking ongoing and incoming SMSs and MMSs. It can also be used to monitor keystrokes being registered on the target device when an SMS is being composed and sent.

Features

• GPS location tracker
• SMS and IM Chat Monitoring
• Keylogger
• Wi-Fi-based location tracking

Pros:

• Record cell phone surroundings live
• Powerful analytical reporting
• Monitor WhatsApp without root

Cons:

• Social app monitoring only works on Android

Verdict: XNSPY is one of the best SMS Tracking Apps that work well in tracking outgoing and incoming messages on both iOS and Android devices. You’ll get a live demo of how it works. As such, you can try it for yourself for free before deciding whether to pay for it.

Price:

• Yearly: $7.5 per month
• Quarterly: $20/month
• Monthly: $35.99/month

Website: XNSPY

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#13) Flexispy

Best for Cell Phone, Computer, and Tablet monitoring.

Flexispy is a software that perhaps features the most comprehensive monitoring capabilities yet on this list. Besides thorough SMS tracking, you can count on Flexispy to monitor almost anything transpiring on a PC or Mac device around the clock. It also stands out because of its unique call interception feature.

Price: Subscription starts at $7.25/month

Website: Flexispy

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#14) Hoverwatch

Best for acquiring detailed information on the SMS sender.

Hoverwatch allows you to spy on text messages along with all important details associated with them. You’ll get a complete overview of who sent the message, when it was sent, and other important details.

You get access to all SMS and text messages online via this app’s intuitive dashboard. Hoverwatch is also equally great at tracking apps and recording calls.

Price: Starts at $24.95/month per device.

Website: Hoverwatch

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#15) Cocospy

Best for remote surveillance apps for parents.

Cocospy was designed to help parents spy on their child’s cell phone activity discreetly. This includes monitoring text messages, calls, social media, and location. It works for all Android and iOS-powered devices. It is quite effective in uncovering deleted text messages as well as browsing through messages that have media files attached to them.

Price: Starts at $39.99/month

Website: Cocospy

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#16) uMobix

Best for real-time tracking.

uMobix is yet another app that we are comfortable recommending because it has near-flawless real-time tracking capabilities. It can report on a target phone’s SMSs, call logs, browser activity, and location in real-time. It is also quite effective at pulling photos and videos from the target device as well.

Price: Starts at $29.99/month

Website: uMobix

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#17) FoneMonitor

Best for 3-step SMS tracking.

FoneMonitor can give you complete access to a target phone’s SMS inbox in just 3 easy steps. It also gives you access to iMessage if you are trying to spy on an iPhone. You can monitor any messages using FoneMonitor, even those that have been deleted or haven’t been delivered yet.

Price: Starts at $39.99/month

Website: FoneMonitor

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Conclusion

You may have many reasons to spy on somebody else’s text messages. Maybe you wish to keep your children safe or wish to know whether your employers aren’t making moves that can harm your company.

Whatever the reason, the apps recommended above do a pretty good job helping you remotely track SMS and MMS messages without being near the target phone.

Moreover, these SMS Tracking Apps are not only great at SMS tracking but can also be used to monitor call logs, browser history, social app activity, and much more. As for my personal recommendation, if you are looking for a comprehensive SMS tracker that works well with iOS and Android devices, we suggest using SecureTeen or Spylix.

Research Process:

• We spent 16 hours researching and writing this article so you can have summarized and insightful information on which SMS Tracking Apps will best suit you.
• Total SMS Tracking Apps Researched: 35
• Total SMS Tracking Apps Shortlisted: 15