# BuzzNow vs SMS Virtual

The clearest difference is rating: BuzzNow at 4.7 against SMS Virtual's 3.1. BuzzNow also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BuzzNow sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and SMS Virtual sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BuzzNow holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BuzzNow has 604 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of BuzzNow's written reviews are positive against 43% of SMS Virtual's.

BuzzNow ships an update every 3 weeks, SMS Virtual every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BuzzNow | SMS Virtual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (604 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buzznowcalltextreceive-code/id1636252133/reviews)** | [3.1 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-temp-phone-number/id6741067963/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **604** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | **71.4% of reviews** | 43.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | **14.3** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ningbo Juphoon System Software Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/792612356) | [Basel Al Jafari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838981803) |

## What reviewers say

### BuzzNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buzznowcalltextreceive-code/id1636252133)

This app offers a second phone number for private communication and online verification. Make free international calls and texts, receive verification codes for various platforms, and protect your personal number with burner numbers.

**Highlights:** Free international calls and SMS, Second phone number/line, Receive verification codes, Burner numbers for privacy, Unlimited Wi-Fi calling and texting, High-quality voice calls, Multimedia messaging

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US Number Plan Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| US Number Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| CA Number Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| CA Number Plan Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| GB Number Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| GB Number Plan Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| US Number Plan Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| US Number Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| CA Number Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| GB Number Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Yolo Number 10000 credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Yolo Number 25000 credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| 27500 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| 57500 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun app
- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Very good
- 👍 Very nice app
- 👍 Good app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App completely crashes
- 🔒 No delete account option
- 🐛 Couldn't use coins as expected
- 🐛 Weird number on incoming calls
- 🐛 Doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Use coins to get a new number


### SMS Virtual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-temp-phone-number/id6741067963)

This app offers temporary virtual phone numbers to receive SMS verification codes. It's designed for users who need to register on online platforms without revealing their personal number, enhancing privacy and simplifying account verification.

**Highlights:** Virtual numbers for SMS reception, Privacy protection, Easy account verification, Global reach for international platforms, Receive codes within the app

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 credits | $0.49 | one-time |
| 100 credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 500 credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1000 credits | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BuzzNow free?

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

### Is SMS Virtual free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BuzzNow or SMS Virtual?

BuzzNow is rated higher. BuzzNow averages 4.7 out of 5 from 604 ratings, while SMS Virtual averages 3.1 from 32 ratings.

### Do BuzzNow or SMS Virtual have ads?

SMS Virtual shows ads; BuzzNow does not.

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

BuzzNow ships an update every 3 weeks, and SMS Virtual every 5 months. Most recently, BuzzNow was updated on October 24, 2026 and SMS Virtual on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*