# APhone vs Receive SMS

The clearest difference is rating: Receive SMS at 4.4 against APhone's 3.7. Receive SMS also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 16) and review sentiment (40% vs 31%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. APhone sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Receive SMS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Receive SMS holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Receive SMS has 1.1K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of APhone's written reviews are positive against 40% of Receive SMS's.

APhone ships an update every 2 months, Receive SMS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APhone | Receive SMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aphone-second-phone-number/id1629822258/reviews) | **[4.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **40.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SENATEL LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1606852107) | [Ayoub El Omrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326480886) |

## What reviewers say

### APhone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aphone-second-phone-number/id1629822258)

Obtain US, Canada, or UK phone numbers for private calls and texts. Manage multiple numbers on one device, save on international calls, and enjoy free incoming calls and SMS. Ideal for personal privacy or business expansion.

**Highlights:** US, Canada, UK second phone numbers, Global texting and calling, Private and business numbers, Save on international calls, Manage multiple numbers, Free voicemail, Burner numbers

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| APhone Credit $1.99 | $1.99 | one-time |
| APhone Credit $2.99 | $2.99 | one-time |
| APhone Credit $9.99 | $9.99 | one-time |
| APhone Credit $14.99 | $14.99 | one-time |
| APhone Credit $19.99 | $19.99 | one-time |
| APhone Credit $24.99 | $24.99 | one-time |


### Receive SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516)

Receive SMS messages online using real SIMs and dynamic sender IDs to protect your personal number. Get instant SMS delivery and temporary email addresses for anonymous online access.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS online, Hide personal phone number, Instant SMS delivery, Temporary email addresses, Fake identity generator, SSN validator

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 💡 Useful for getting codes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Numbers don't work
- 🐛 Can't receive messages
- 🔋 Bloated with ads
- 💰 Forces you to pay

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers are invalid
- Verification codes not received
- App crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add chat functionality
- Improve verification process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is APhone free?

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

### Is Receive SMS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, APhone or Receive SMS?

Receive SMS is rated higher. APhone averages 3.7 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Receive SMS averages 4.4 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do APhone or Receive SMS have ads?

Both APhone and Receive SMS show ads.

### Which is updated more often, APhone or Receive SMS?

APhone ships an update every 2 months, and Receive SMS every 3 weeks. Most recently, APhone was updated on October 13, 2026 and Receive SMS on October 20, 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.*