# SMS Virtual vs FlashScan

The clearest difference is update cadence: FlashScan at daily against SMS Virtual's monthly. SMS Virtual's advantage is chart position (#167 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, 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 FlashScan sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SMS Virtual ships an update monthly, FlashScan daily. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS Virtual | FlashScan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 89.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#167** | — |
| Size | 59 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tecrow LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823713456) | [Beijing Pengcheng Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777447848) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS Virtual

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

**Currently charting:** #167 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


### FlashScan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashscan-pdf-ocr-scanner/id6808579508)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $0.29 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $1.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS Virtual free?

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

### Is FlashScan free?

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

### Do SMS Virtual or FlashScan have ads?

Neither SMS Virtual nor FlashScan shows ads.

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

SMS Virtual ships an update monthly, and FlashScan daily. Most recently, SMS Virtual was updated on November 5, 2026 and FlashScan on October 29, 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.*