# SmartMatter vs Ghost

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ghost at 60% against SmartMatter's 0%. Ghost also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). SmartMatter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 20) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ghost sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. SmartMatter asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartMatter ships an update every 3 weeks, Ghost every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartMatter | Ghost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghost-second-phone-number/id6466671844/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **60.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 72 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SmartMatter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1606738881) | [Openlife AI Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896485364) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartMatter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartmatter/id1584826829)

Manage property finances and enhance tenant-landlord communication. This app streamlines property payments, offering full cost transparency and usage tracking. Experience a modern, convenient approach to property industry billing.

**Highlights:** Property payment management, Cost transparency, Usage tracking, Convergent billing platform, Tenant-landlord relationship improvement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ghost

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghost-second-phone-number/id6466671844)

Get a private, local phone number to stop spam and protect your identity. Receive texts, make unlimited calls, and use a temporary number for online sign-ups and transactions without revealing your real number.

**Highlights:** Temporary phone number, Unlimited calls, SMS verification codes, Local area codes, VPN protection, Spam shielding, No contracts or SIMs

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Spam Call Blocker | $4.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| VPN Protection | $9.99 | per 2 months |
| Premium | $14.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Pro | $17.99 | per year |
| Multi Plan Plus - 10 Numbers | $19.99 | per 2 months |
| Multi-Plan - 10 Numbers | $19.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $24.99 | per month |
| Pro | $29.99 | per month |
| Premium | $29.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $39.99 | per month |
| Pro | $49.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Cuts spam calls
- 🔒 Keeps personal number private
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 👍 Transparent about costs
- 👍 Separate work and personal calls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Verification issues
- 🐛 Unable to send/receive messages
- 🐛 Unavailable area codes
- 🐛 Billing and subscription problems
- 🐛 Unreliable performance

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to delete conversations
- Inconsistent number availability
- Verification texts not received
- Calls not connecting properly

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple numbers and number switching
- Improve 2FA and verification process
- Add more customization and settings options
- Enhance call and messaging capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartMatter free?

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

### Is Ghost free?

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

### Do SmartMatter or Ghost have ads?

Neither SmartMatter nor Ghost shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartMatter or Ghost?

SmartMatter ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ghost every 8 days. Most recently, SmartMatter was updated on October 9, 2026 and Ghost on October 18, 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.*