# Phone vs Privacy Defender

Phone and Privacy Defender both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of Privacy Defender's written reviews are positive against 28% of Phone's. Privacy Defender also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). Phone's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (10K vs 30). On price, rating and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Privacy Defender sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Phone asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Phone against 4.0 for Privacy Defender. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phone has 10K ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 28% of Phone's written reviews are positive against 74% of Privacy Defender's.

Phone ships an update every 8 months, Privacy Defender every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phone | Privacy Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone/id1146562108/reviews)** | [4.0 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privacy-defender-security/id1588734793/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | 28.3% of reviews | **73.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 9 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Pligence Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588734795) |

## What reviewers say

### Phone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone/id1146562108)

This app consolidates all your calling needs, including standard phone calls, FaceTime audio, and video calls. It offers advanced features like voicemail transcription, call recording, and intelligent call screening to manage your communications efficiently.

**Highlights:** Unified calls (phone, FaceTime audio/video), Voicemail transcription and summaries, Live call recording, Customizable contact posters, Intelligent call screening, Wi-Fi calling, Automatic mic modes

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📞 Reliable for making calls
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 📝 Live voicemail transcription
- 🔍 Useful for checking voicemails

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notification issues
- 🔇 Microphone problems
- 🔍 Lacking advanced call screening features
- 🕰️ Outdated UI and functionality
- 🔀 Confusing with separate Contacts app

**Reported bugs**

- Voicemail notification issues
- Disappearing contact photos and information
- Inability to make outgoing calls after updates
- Inconsistent behavior with call log and missed call notifications

**Requested features**

- Allow editing of mistyped numbers
- Add search option in Recents tab
- Provide option to delete/change voicemail greeting
- Enable bulk contact deletion
- Integrate more customization options (e.g., ringtones, backgrounds)


### Privacy Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privacy-defender-security/id1588734793)

This all-in-one mobile security app offers online protection, ad blocking, and identity safeguards. It secures your personal information with a password manager, secure notes, and safe browsing features. Stay informed about security threats and protect your data from malware and phishing.

**Highlights:** Online security and safe browsing, Ad and tracker blocking, Password manager with secure notes, AES 256-bit encryption, Face ID/Fingerprint unlock, Security news and awareness

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Privacy Defender - Per Month | $1.99 | per month |
| Privacy Defender - 6 Months | $10.99 | per 6 months |
| Privacy Defender  - 1 Year | $20.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phone free?

Phone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Privacy Defender free?

Privacy Defender is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Phone or Privacy Defender?

Phone is rated higher. Phone averages 4.0 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Privacy Defender averages 4.0 from 30 ratings.

### Do Phone or Privacy Defender have ads?

Neither Phone nor Privacy Defender shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phone or Privacy Defender?

Phone ships an update every 8 months, and Privacy Defender every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phone was updated on September 24, 2026 and Privacy Defender on August 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*