Top 3 Android Phone Apps for Spying on Text Messages and Call History

I’ve had my new HTC Hero for about a month and I absolutely love android, and in the next few years almost everyone’s cell phone will be a “smartphone” – and android is set to take the lead over the iPhone with the number of android devices coming this year. With the app market transforming our phones into little computers, spy software has gotten more powerful, easier to install, and cheaper. And unlike the Windows Mobile and palm smartphones of previous years, todays smartphones are actually cool and fashionable for the average person. It has never been easier to pick up a Nexus One or Motorola Droid for your partner as a gift and turn it into a stealthy spy phone in just a few minutes.

I searched for all spying apps I could find that met 3 important requirements: hidden from both the app list and task managers, able to access the spy data online, and records at least text messages and phone call history.

SMS Box

SMS Box will forward and archive all your phone calls and text messages to a web database where it can be accessed. I tested this app out and it appeared to work as it says. A free version of this app is available, but it does not include the stealth feature. The paid version of this app does not show up in the app list and sells currently for 19.90 euros ($27.13).

Pros

  • Free version available
  • Easily installable from the app market

Cons

  • Limited features
  • App must be purchased on additional phones you want to monitor
  • No tech support if you have issues

SMS Box Web Screenshot

Mobile Spy

The first spy software to come out of the iPhone is Mobile Spy, and it now works on android phones along with a ton of other smartphones. Besides text message and call logging, mobile spy also records photos and videos taken with the phone, appointments, emails, and even logs GPS locations so you can track just exactly where that phone has been traveling to. Information is accessed remotely online and you can check out a demo of the interface on their website. A big advantage to mobile spy is that it also works on the iPhone, windows smartphones, and many other types of phones including blackberrys.

Pros

  • Works on many other types of phones
  • Alerts to new phone contacts is a cool feature
  • GPS, email, photo, and video logging steps up your spying power
  • Yearly purchase includes Sniper Spy for free, a computer monitoring software we rave about constantly
  • Phone support

Cons

  • Product is subscription based
  • No refunds unless you have technical difficulties that they are unable to help you with
  • Limited to 3 phones you may monitor, per subscription

MobiStealth

Update: We have recently reviewed MobiStealth and detailed exactly how to install it.

MobiStealth recently emerged as a solid competitor to Mobile Spy and shares many of the same features, but it has some more advanced features and comes in 3 different flavors of Lite, Pro, and Pro-X. The lite version is priced the same as Mobile Spy and has the same features except for photo/video logging. The Pro version is where it gets interesting – send a secret invisible text message to tell the phone to start recording the surrounding audio or retrieve the current GPS location, and the Pro-X version will record and upload phone call conversations for later listening.

Pros 

  • The most features in a single spy app
  • No limit to the number of phones you can monitor
  • Better online spy interface than SMS Box or Mobile Spy

Cons

  • Product is subscription based
  • Lite version has less features than Mobile Spy at the same price
Buy MobiStealth Spy Software for Android Phone

Conclusion

After trying and reviewing all 3 spy apps on my phone I found each one to have it’s advantages. If you just want to spy on text messages and call history quickly and on the cheap, SMS Box via the app market is your best bet only costing $30 bucks. If you need additional spying features such as GPS to know where the phone is traveling and photo/video/email logging to monitor for anything suspicious, Mobile Spy is a better choice. Finally, if you need more advanced features like the ability to record phone conversations and remote text message control over the phone then MobiStealth is the superior choice.

45 Responses to “Top 3 Android Phone Apps for Spying on Text Messages and Call History”

  1. Dusty Negron says:

    Been married for 30years I am 47raising an autistic 21 yr old daughter and 19year old son born with genetic defects to heart also raising 3yr old grandson who also lives with me and my husband we have full custody my daughter went thru a 3day abducted where she was raped sexually assaulted and trafficked for their drugs, have dealt with a death of my first daughter and my twin grandson I was an Lpn for 15yrs but have been unable to go to work and reinstate my license due to my daughter’s disability and grandson. I have had some suspicion for a year now and the not knowing is talking a toll on my health I have got to have some kind of result we have grown up together I am very prepared to end my marriage at this point due to overwhelmingthoughtsplease help me find the best cheater locator apps software, etc, don’t have much money to purchase the best but I need to stop tormenting myself find out info and raise my children myself and press on desperate thank you Dusty Negron

  2. intheknow says:

    You people are insane. In a day and age where we’re all being spied on, to betray someone you know by not giving them privacy is just wrong. If you have a spouse that you suspect is cheating, why not just ask them? Going through their texts is an invasion of privacy. How would you lile it if this was done to you without your knowledge? Think about it.

  3. Tobe says:

    Along with her tablet, and laptop.

  4. Tobe says:

    What if your spouse has the phone 24/7 and has it password protected? Is there anyway to spy on it at all since the billing is in her name?

  5. hussain says:

    plz send me app spy

  6. me says:

    I want to spy on my bfs texts, calls and whatsapp conversations but every app I come across is either costly or needs a rooted phone!
    Help me plz!
    I really need this! 🙁

  7. Anxiety says:

    The website didnt work. Any suggestions?

  8. Sam says:

    I am looking for a good remote spy install for android cell phone and also remote spy install for laptop. Cheating spouse?

  9. Don't know what to do says:

    What I need (and none of the artickes I found addresses it) is an app that doesn’t show on *any* advanced task killer. My wife found that Lookout was the process running Mobistealth and she’s not even tech savvy!! My next spy app install must be one that can’t be seen or detected at all, not even through task killers.

  10. Max says:

    If you already haven’t, I recomend thar you read the book ‘No more Mr. Nice guy’.
    Everything will make sense after that.

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