textPlus vs Ghost
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
textPlus
Get a free US phone number for unlimited texting and calling over WiFi or data. Save money on mobile plans by using this app to connect with friends and family globally. Offers inexpensive outbound calls and can turn tablets into phones.
- Free US phone number
- Unlimited free texting (SMS, MMS, group chat)
- Free inbound calls
- Inexpensive outbound calls
- Works over WiFi
- Turn tablets into phones
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Bringing you free texting, free picture messaging, a free US phone number, free inbound phone calls, and cheap outbound phone calls for nearly a decade! Works over WiFi or data to keep you connected with family and friends around the globe. text+ gives you: - A free US Phone number so friends can call & text you (you pick the area code) - Free texting (SMS, MMS + group chat) to any US or Canadian mobile number - Free inbound phone calls - Toll-free calling from anywhere in the world with no restrictions! - Inexpensive outbound phone calls - Works great over WiFi so you don’t even need a 3G/4G connection. - No contracts, no “surprise” costs. - Turn your iPod touch and iPad into a phone! Why keep paying for expensive mobile phone plans when you can switch to text+ and save $$$! IN APP SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS - If you choose to subscribe to a plan, you will be charged a price according to the plan selected in your country. The price will be shown in the app before you complete the payment. - Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, at the purchase price listed above - You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your iTunes Account Settings and then “Manage Subscriptions” * IMPORTANT: - We do not support 911 in the US - In order to place most outbound phone calls you will need to purchase credits within the App - If push notifications are not enabled, you may not receive messages and calls Terms of Use: https://textplus.com/textplus-terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: https://textplus.com/textplus-privacy-policy/ Subscription Products: • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication
Ghost
Get a private, local phone number to stop spam and protect your identity. Receive texts, make unlimited calls, and use a temporary number for online sign-ups and transactions without revealing your real number.
- Temporary phone number
- Unlimited calls
- SMS verification codes
- Local area codes
- VPN protection
- Spam shielding
- No contracts or SIMs
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GHOST: A TEMPORARY PHONE NUMBER TO STOP SPAM & PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY Ghost gives you 5 secure, local phone numbers in seconds so you can receive texts and make unlimited calls—all without ever exposing your real number. Whether you're signing up for online services, selling items, or just guarding your personal privacy, Ghost ensures your real phone stays hidden and spam-free. Why Ghost is essential for privacy and spam protection: SMS TEXTS: Receive SMS verification codes, notifications, and messages without linking them to your personal phone number. UNLIMITED CALLS: Make and receive as many calls as you want from your Ghost number—no pay-as-you-go credits or minute caps. LOCAL AREA CODE: Pick a number in 200+ U.S., Canada, or U.K. area codes—even if you're overseas—so you appear local and avoid long-distance charges. VPN PROTECTION: Encrypt your internet connection with industry-grade encryption. No logging of your browsing activity REAL-TIME SPAM SHIELDING: Use your Ghost number whenever you suspect an online form, classified ad, or loyalty program will flood you with unwanted texts. Guard your real line against junk messages. PRIVACY: Caller ID shows only your Ghost number—never your name or personal details. Keep your identity safe when dealing with strangers. NO CONTRACTS, NO SIMS: Everything lives in-app—no need to swap SIM cards or sign a long-term plan. Pause or cancel at any time. TEMPORARY PHONE NUMBER: Delete your Ghost number instantly whenever you're done. Perfect for one-time verifications or short-term projects. Top reasons to get a Ghost number: ONLINE VERIFICATIONS: Receive authentication codes from banks, social apps, marketplaces, or any service that requires SMS—even if it's from overseas. CLASSIFIEDS & BUY/SELL: Post items for sale without giving out your real line. Delete the number once the sale is complete and block any follow-up spam. SIGN-UPS & PROMOTIONS: Give out your Ghost number to retailers or newsletters instead of your personal line. Keep coupons coming—spam stays out. TRAVEL & TEMPORARY USE: Grab a local area code in the place you're visiting. Make local calls without roaming fees, and receive local SMS (e.g., hotel confirmations, ride-share codes). PROFESSIONAL LISTINGS: Secure a second number for work calls or business listings—when you're ready, retire it with a tap to avoid unwanted contacts. HOW IT WORKS: PICK A LOCAL NUMBER: Choose from 200+ area codes in the U.S., Canada, or U.K. SMS MESSAGES: Instantly view incoming text messages from apps, services, or anyone who texts your Ghost number. MAKE UNLIMITED CALLS: Use VoIP-based calling in-app to dial any number in the U.S. & Canada at no additional cost. DELETE OR RENEW: Keep your number as long as you need it—cancel or replace it at any time to disappear from unwanted contact lists. Subscription pricing and terms: Ghost requires an auto-renewing every two month subscription at $50 every two months or $60 every two months for access to unlimited calling and receiving texts from a local temporary phone number. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and the cost of the renewal will be identified. You may manage your subscription and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. Privacy Policy: https://www.joinghostapp.com/privacy-policy-official Terms of Service: https://www.joinghostapp.com/terms-of-service
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: textPlus at free with in-app purchases against Ghost's subscription. textPlus also leads on ratings volume (272K vs 7.7K) and chart position (#78 vs unranked). Ghost's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). On price, rating, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. textPlus sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Ghost sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for textPlus against 4.6 for Ghost. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: textPlus has 272K ratings behind it against 7.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of textPlus's written reviews are positive against 60% of Ghost's.
textPlus ships an update monthly, Ghost every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.
| Parameter | textPlus | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (272K ratings) | 4.6 (7.7K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.8% of reviews | 60.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 272K — better | 7.7K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #78 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 201 MB | 145 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | textPlus, Inc. | Openlife AI Inc |
Customer experience
textPlus
Ghost
User reviews
textPlus
From 272K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Game-changing app
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Fast and reliable texting and calling
- 💡 Useful additional features
- 👍 Great customer support
Room to improve
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🔋 Frequent ads interrupting usage
- 🐛 Inconsistent call and messaging functionality
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 🐛 Frequent glitches and bugs
Ghost
From 7.7K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Cuts spam calls
- 🔒 Keeps personal number private
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 👍 Transparent about costs
- 👍 Separate work and personal calls
Room to improve
- 🐛 Verification issues
- 🐛 Unable to send/receive messages
- 🐛 Unavailable area codes
- 🐛 Billing and subscription problems
- 🐛 Unreliable performance
Bugs and requests
textPlus
Reported bugs
5 issues- Inability to get new phone numbers
- Randomly logging users out of accounts
- Delayed or undelivered messages
- Calls not connecting properly
- Incompatibility with certain devices
Requested features
5 requests- Upgrade options for better features
- Improved notification system
- Reduce intrusive ads
- Expand international support
- Add more customization options
Ghost
Reported bugs
4 issues- Unable to delete conversations
- Inconsistent number availability
- Verification texts not received
- Calls not connecting properly
Requested features
4 requests- Allow multiple numbers and number switching
- Improve 2FA and verification process
- Add more customization and settings options
- Enhance call and messaging capabilities
In-app purchases
textPlus
- Premium Bundle Monthly$4.991 Month
- Keep Phone Number$9.991 Year
- Premium Number Bundle Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Premium Number - 1 Year$0.99
- 40 Minutes$0.99
- $0.99 in Calling Credits$0.99
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- 99¢ in textPlus Credit2 variants$0.99
- 100 Credits$0.99
- 100 Minutes$1.99
- $1.99 in Calling Credits$1.99
- $5.49 in Calling Credits$4.99
- $4.99 in textPlus Credit$4.99
Ghost
- Pro$0.991 Month
- Pro$2.997 Days
- Pro$4.997 Days
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- Spam Call Blocker$4.992 Months
- Pro$6.997 Days
- Pro$8.997 Days
- Pro$9.997 Days
- VPN Protection$9.992 Months
- Premium$14.992 Months
- Pro$14.991 Year
- Pro$17.991 Year
- Multi Plan Plus - 10 Numbers$19.992 Months
- Multi-Plan - 10 Numbers2 variants$19.992 Months
- Pro$24.991 Month
- Pro$29.991 Month
- Premium$29.992 Months
- Pro$39.991 Month
- Pro$49.992 Months
- Pro$139.991 Year
Questions
Is textPlus free?
Is Ghost free?
Which has better reviews, textPlus or Ghost?
Do textPlus or Ghost have ads?
Which is updated more often, textPlus or Ghost?
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