# Receive SMS vs Messages

The clearest difference is update cadence: Messages at daily against Receive SMS's every 3 weeks. Messages also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 40%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Receive SMS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Messages sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Receive SMS against 4.6 for Messages. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 428 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of Receive SMS's written reviews are positive against 57% of Messages's.

Receive SMS ships an update every 3 weeks, Messages daily. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Receive SMS | Messages |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516/reviews) | **[4.6 (428 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages-sms-and-text-messaging/id6505050591/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 428 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ayoub El Omrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326480886) | [Kailashben Radadiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1753646507) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Messages

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages-sms-and-text-messaging/id6505050591)

This communication platform streamlines your messaging and calling experience. It offers instant messaging, group chats, media sharing, and direct calling. Manage multiple accounts, set reminders from conversations, and organize all your messages in a unified inbox.

**Highlights:** Dual app accounts, Instant messaging and media sharing, End-to-end message encryption, Reminders from conversations, Voice and video calls, Unified message inbox, Spam protection

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Receive SMS free?

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

### Is Messages free?

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

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

Messages is rated higher. Receive SMS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Messages averages 4.6 from 428 ratings.

### Do Receive SMS or Messages have ads?

Both Receive SMS and Messages show ads.

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

Receive SMS ships an update every 3 weeks, and Messages daily. Most recently, Receive SMS was updated on October 27, 2026 and Messages 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.*