# Potatso vs SMS Virtual

The clearest difference is ads: SMS Virtual at none against Potatso's shown. SMS Virtual also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 58%) and chart position (#165 vs unranked). Potatso's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Potatso sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and SMS Virtual sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SMS Virtual holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.2K and 30K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Potatso's written reviews are positive against 90% of SMS Virtual's.

Potatso ships an update every 5 days, SMS Virtual monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Potatso | SMS Virtual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (6.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potatso/id1239860606/reviews) | **[4.6 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6.2K | **30K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.2% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#165** |
| Size | 168 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Potatso Lab LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1267906737) | [Tecrow LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823713456) |

## What reviewers say

### Potatso

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potatso/id1239860606)

This powerful network tool enhances your mobile experience by creating a clean network environment. It supports various proxy protocols and offers smart routing rules to optimize data usage and speed, making it suitable for both new and experienced users.

**Highlights:** Supports Shadowsocks, ShadowsocksR, Socks, HTTP(s) proxy, Seamless background operation, Works on cellular data and Wi-Fi, Custom DNS support, Smart routing rules for Chinese users, QR code, URI, and manual input for proxies

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Potatso Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro - Ad-Free Experience | $5.99 | per year |
| Potatso Pro Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Potatso Pro Yearly Offer | $14.99 | per year |
| Potatso Pro Lifetime | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and stable
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure connection
- 💰 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional disconnections
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with iOS 15
- 📈 Lacks speed/latency testing
- 🗑️ Difficult to delete proxies

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription links not working
- Smart routing mode causing issues
- Frequent disconnections on cellular network

**Requested features**

- Add support for V2Ray protocol
- Implement a 'delete all proxies' feature
- Introduce a speed/latency test option
- Provide macOS version


### SMS Virtual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033)

**Currently charting:** #165 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Get disposable virtual phone numbers to receive SMS messages online. Ideal for account verification and protecting your privacy without needing a physical SIM card. Enjoy transparent pricing and a simple process for temporary number use.

**Highlights:** Disposable virtual numbers, Receive SMS online, Account verification, Privacy protection, Transparent pricing, Temporary number use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Number | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Number | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Activation | $0.29 | one-time |
| 5 Activations | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Activations | $1.99 | one-time |
| 15 activations | $2.99 | one-time |
| Number Change | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable and consistent
- 💰 Very affordable
- 🚀 Fast SMS delivery
- 🔒 Maintains privacy
- 🔥 Excellent customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Time limits on phone numbers
- 🔢 Limited number of SMS per number
- 🚫 Some numbers not compatible with certain services
- 📵 Occasional issues with number availability

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers sometimes already registered
- Activation credits not always received

**Requested features**

- Expand number selection for more services
- Increase number of SMS per number
- Extend time limits on phone numbers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Potatso free?

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

### Is SMS Virtual free?

SMS Virtual is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Potatso or SMS Virtual?

SMS Virtual is rated higher. Potatso averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.2K ratings, while SMS Virtual averages 4.6 from 30K ratings.

### Do Potatso or SMS Virtual have ads?

Potatso shows ads; SMS Virtual does not.

### Which is updated more often, Potatso or SMS Virtual?

Potatso ships an update every 5 days, and SMS Virtual monthly. Most recently, Potatso was updated on November 2, 2026 and SMS Virtual on November 5, 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.*