# Receive SMS vs SMS Virtual

The clearest difference is rating: Receive SMS at 4.5 against SMS Virtual's 3.1. Receive SMS also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 32). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Receive SMS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SMS Virtual sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Receive SMS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Receive SMS has 1.2K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Receive SMS's written reviews are positive against 43% of SMS Virtual's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Receive SMS | SMS Virtual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516/reviews)** | [3.1 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-temp-phone-number/id6741067963/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **43.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 14.3 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ayoub El Omrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326480886) | [Basel Al Jafari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838981803) |

## 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


### 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 Receive SMS free?

Receive SMS 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, Receive SMS or SMS Virtual?

Receive SMS is rated higher. Receive SMS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while SMS Virtual averages 3.1 from 32 ratings.

### Do Receive SMS or SMS Virtual have ads?

Both Receive SMS and SMS Virtual show ads.

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

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