# Picon vs Virtual Number

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Picon at none against Virtual Number's 2. Virtual Number's advantage is chart position (#157 vs unranked) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Number sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Picon asks for nothing beyond the download.

Picon ships an update fortnightly, Virtual Number weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Picon | Virtual Number |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6758074394/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **50** |
| Positive reviews | — | 77.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#157** |
| Size | 12 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shion Washida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1584096952) | [EMNIUM LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708735341) |

## What reviewers say

### Picon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picon/id1586431924)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Virtual Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6758074394)

**Currently charting:** #157 Top Grossing · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Receive verification codes and temporary phone numbers for online services without revealing your personal number. This app offers a secure and practical solution for account creation and privacy protection.

**Highlights:** Temporary virtual phone numbers, Receive SMS verification codes, Global country coverage, Separate work and personal life, Prank calls/messages, 100% verification guarantee

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Virtual Number | $9.99 | per month |
| Virtual Number | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Picon free?

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

### Is Virtual Number free?

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

### Do Picon or Virtual Number have ads?

Neither Picon nor Virtual Number shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Picon or Virtual Number?

Picon ships an update fortnightly, and Virtual Number weekly. Most recently, Picon was updated on November 8, 2026 and Virtual Number on November 9, 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.*