# Side Number vs Textacy

The clearest difference is rating: Textacy at 5.0 against Side Number's 4.5. Textacy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). Side Number's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Side Number sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Textacy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Textacy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Side Number has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Side Number's written reviews are positive against 100% of Textacy's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side Number | Textacy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-number-phone-call-plus-text/id1591683344/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textacy/id6747711693/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#198** |
| Size | 80 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Vovapy Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331789495) | [Textacy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822541312) |

## What reviewers say

### Side Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-number-phone-call-plus-text/id1591683344)

Obtain a secondary phone number for private calls and texts without needing an extra SIM card. This app allows you to maintain anonymity and separate personal and business communications.

**Highlights:** Choose custom phone numbers, Make private calls and send texts, MMS support (US/Canada), Voicemail for secondary line, Voice changer during calls, Temporary numbers for various uses

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Weekly | $14.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Weekly | $34.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $59.99 | per month |


### Textacy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textacy/id6747711693)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

A modern messaging application that allows users to register, select a personal number, and communicate via SMS, MMS, and VoIP calls. It offers robust conversation management features including chat blocking and deletion within a secure interface.

**Highlights:** Choose your own number, Send SMS and MMS, Make VoIP calls, Block unwanted chats, Delete conversations, Secure and intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side Number free?

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

### Is Textacy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Side Number or Textacy?

Textacy is rated higher. Side Number averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Textacy averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Side Number or Textacy have ads?

Neither Side Number nor Textacy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side Number or Textacy?

Side Number ships an update every 10 days, and Textacy every 10 days. Most recently, Side Number was updated on October 21, 2026 and Textacy on October 25, 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.*