VSim vs SignalPlanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VSim
Get a temporary virtual phone number to receive SMS verification codes without revealing your personal number. Activate accounts quickly and maintain privacy from unwanted spam. All messages are conveniently stored within the app.
- Receive SMS verification codes
- Virtual numbers for account activation
- In-app message inbox
- Privacy protection
- Pay-as-you-go credits
- Supports popular platforms
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VSim — Virtual Number for SMS Verification Need an SMS verification code without sharing your personal phone number? VSim gives you a virtual number to receive SMS verification codes online, so you can activate accounts quickly and keep your real number private. What you can do with VSim * Receive SMS Verification Codes: Use a virtual number to get login and verification codes directly inside the app. * Fast & Simple Activation: Choose a country and service, copy the number, and verify in minutes. * In-App Inbox: All received messages appear in one place for a smooth verification experience. * Privacy-Focused: Keep your real phone number off websites and apps to reduce unwanted spam. * Pay-As-You-Go Credits: Transparent pricing. If no SMS is received within the allowed time, your credit is automatically refunded. How it works 1. Select a country and service 2. Copy the provided number and use it for verification 3. Receive the SMS code in the VSim inbox VSim can be used for verification on many popular platforms, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, Snapchat, Tinder, Vinted, and more (availability varies by country and service). Privacy Policy: https://vsimapp.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://vsimapp.com/terms-of-use
SignalPlanner
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SignalPlanner brings professional-grade RF propagation modelling to iPhone and iPad. Whether you're planning amateur radio repeater coverage, evaluating a WISP backhaul link, or assessing emergency communications reach, SignalPlanner gives you the tools to run a credible estimate in the field or at your desk. PROPAGATION MODELS Choose the model that fits your scenario: - ITM Longley-Rice (NTIA Irregular Terrain Model) — terrain-diffraction aware, configurable ground type and climate zone - Hata Urban and Hata Rural — classic empirical path loss for built-up and open environments - COST-231 Urban — extended Hata for frequencies above 1.5 GHz - FSPL + Clutter — free-space path loss with land-cover attenuation - Two-Ray Ground Reflection — for longer, lower-frequency paths TERRAIN AND LAND-COVER DATA Elevation data is sourced from NASA/USGS SRTM via AWS Mapzen Terrarium tiles at approximately 27 m horizontal resolution. Tiles are downloaded once and cached on-device; subsequent analyses run against local data with no network dependency. Land-cover clutter loss uses ESA WorldCover 2021 at 10 m resolution — the same global dataset used in professional planning tools — with OpenStreetMap as a secondary fallback. COVERAGE MAPS Set a transmitter site, configure frequency, power, antenna gain, and system losses, then apply the propagation model over a radius of 5, 12, 5, or 50 km. Results render as a colour-coded raster overlay directly on the map, with strong-signal and marginal-signal zones clearly distinguished. Choose from standard, satellite, hybrid, muted, or topographic map styles. POINT-TO-POINT LINK ANALYSIS Plot a two-endpoint path and run a complete link budget. The terrain profile view shows the path elevation, Fresnel zone clearance, and identified obstructions. Export a detailed PDF report suitable for site documentation or planning submissions. COORDINATE ENTRY Navigate to any location by address, decimal latitude/longitude, or MGRS grid reference. Drop pins at your current GPS position or place them anywhere on the map with a long press. OFFLINE OPERATION Once terrain tiles are cached for a region, coverage and P2P analyses run without a network connection. The Cached Data view shows tile storage in use and lets you clear the cache when needed. EXPORT AND PRINT Generate PDF reports of propagation map inputs, link budget summaries, and terrain profiles. Share directly from the app using the standard iOS share sheet. PROTOCOL PRESETS Common radio protocols — including amateur radio bands, APRS, LMR frequencies, and broadband data links — are available as presets that automatically populate frequency, sensitivity, and model recommendations. All frequency entries are permitted; presets are a starting point, not a restriction. WHAT REQUIRES PRO Four complete analyses are free. SignalPlanner Pro is a one-time purchase that offers unlimited analyses. PRIVACY No account or login required. Location data is used only to centre the map and is never transmitted. No analytics, no advertising, no third-party tracking SDKs. Terrain elevation data: AWS Mapzen/Terrarium (MIT licence, public-domain upstream sources). Land-cover: ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC-BY 4.0). Topographic overlay: OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA 3.0). Street data fallback: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation API fallback: Open-Elevation (GPLv2, used as a network service). Propagation predictions are planning estimates only. They must not be used as the sole basis for life-safety, mission-critical, or regulatory communications decisions. Always verify coverage with on-site measurements. Terms of Use:https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: VSim at Free against SignalPlanner's $14.99. VSim also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). SignalPlanner's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
VSim is free to download; SignalPlanner costs $14.99 up front. VSim sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and SignalPlanner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
VSim ships an update every 2 months, SignalPlanner every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VSim | SignalPlanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (16K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 16K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Elmond | LocStat |
Bugs and requests
VSim
Reported bugs
3 issues- Verification codes not received
- Numbers already in use
- Account bans without explanation
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to earn free credits
- More number options
- Improved privacy policy
- Better FAQ and community support
SignalPlanner
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
VSim
- 10 Credit$0.99
- 30 Credit$2.99
- 50 Credit$4.99
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- 100 Credit$9.99
- 250 Credit$24.99
- 500 credit$49.99
SignalPlanner
- SignalPlanner Pro$14.99
Questions
Is VSim free?
Is SignalPlanner free?
Do VSim or SignalPlanner have ads?
Which is updated more often, VSim or SignalPlanner?
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