# SMS Virtual vs Receive SMS Plus

The clearest difference is update cadence: Receive SMS Plus at every 4 days against SMS Virtual's monthly. SMS Virtual's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (30K vs 1.5K). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SMS Virtual sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Receive SMS Plus sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. 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. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMS Virtual has 30K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of SMS Virtual's written reviews are positive against 84% of Receive SMS Plus's.

SMS Virtual ships an update monthly, Receive SMS Plus every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS Virtual | Receive SMS Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-plus/id6463490061/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | **89.6% of reviews** | 83.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#179** | — |
| Size | 59 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tecrow LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823713456) | [COMUNIT LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1517214445) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS Virtual

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

**Currently charting:** #179 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


### Receive SMS Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-plus/id6463490061)

This app provides a convenient way to receive SMS messages for verification on various online services. Access a global selection of phone numbers to easily verify new accounts or log into existing ones.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS for verification, Global phone number selection, Verify new accounts, Log into existing accounts, Fast and reliable service

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SMS Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| SMS Credits | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Reliable service
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Useful for privacy and verification
- 🚀 Fast and simple

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional errors with orders
- 🔒 Limited availability in certain regions

**Reported bugs**

- Order placement errors
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Better organization of member deals
- More comprehensive service coverage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS Virtual free?

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

### Is Receive SMS Plus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMS Virtual or Receive SMS Plus?

SMS Virtual is rated higher. SMS Virtual averages 4.6 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while Receive SMS Plus averages 4.4 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do SMS Virtual or Receive SMS Plus have ads?

Neither SMS Virtual nor Receive SMS Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMS Virtual or Receive SMS Plus?

SMS Virtual ships an update monthly, and Receive SMS Plus every 4 days. Most recently, SMS Virtual was updated on November 11, 2026 and Receive SMS Plus on November 7, 2026.

---

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