# textPlus vs Private Texting SMS Phone Text

The clearest difference is monetization model: textPlus at free with in-app purchases against Private Texting SMS Phone Text's subscription. textPlus also leads on ratings volume (272K vs 16K) and chart position (#89 vs unranked). Private Texting SMS Phone Text's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (71% vs 41%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. textPlus sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Private Texting SMS Phone Text sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

textPlus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: textPlus has 272K ratings behind it against 16K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of textPlus's written reviews are positive against 71% of Private Texting SMS Phone Text's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | textPlus | Private Texting SMS Phone Text |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (272K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textplus-text-message-plus-call/id314487667/reviews)** | [4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-texting-sms-phone-text/id883312358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **272K** | 16K |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | **71.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#89** | — |
| Size | 201 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.7 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [textPlus, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306523812) | [BinaryPattern](https://appshunter.io/developer/874400678) |

## What reviewers say

### textPlus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textplus-text-message-plus-call/id314487667)

**Currently charting:** #89 Top Free · Utilities, #134 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Free US phone number, Unlimited free texting (SMS, MMS, group chat), Free inbound calls, Inexpensive outbound calls, Works over WiFi, Turn tablets into phones

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Bundle Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Keep Phone Number | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Number Bundle Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Number - 1 Year | $0.99 | one-time |
| 40 Minutes | $0.99 | one-time |
| $0.99 in Calling Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 99¢ in textPlus Credit | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Minutes | $1.99 | one-time |
| $1.99 in Calling Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| $5.49 in Calling Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| $4.99 in textPlus Credit | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Game-changing app
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Fast and reliable texting and calling
- 💡 Useful additional features
- 👍 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🔋 Frequent ads interrupting usage
- 🐛 Inconsistent call and messaging functionality
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 🐛 Frequent glitches and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Upgrade options for better features
- Improved notification system
- Reduce intrusive ads
- Expand international support
- Add more customization options


### Private Texting SMS Phone Text

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-texting-sms-phone-text/id883312358)

Communicate with a new, temporary, or permanent phone number without revealing your personal number. Protect your privacy while texting, sending pictures, and managing contacts separately. Ideal for online transactions and dating.

**Highlights:** New phone number for texting, MMS picture messaging support, Separate conversations and contacts, Block unwanted numbers, Permanent or temporary numbers, Unlimited private messaging

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Texting Line - Weekly Plan | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Plan (With Trial) | $7.99 | per month |
| Best Value Plan | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Texting Line - Month | $12.99 | per month |
| Texting Line - 3 Month Plan | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 10 Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| 35 Credits | $5.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $6.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $8.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1,500 Credits | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Keeps personal information private
- 🚀 Works as expected
- 💡 Useful for anonymous communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive for frequent use
- 🔒 Limited number of free credits
- 🐛 Unreliable, messages fail to send
- 💰 Deceptive subscription practices

**Reported bugs**

- Unknown errors prevent sending messages
- Inconsistent performance, app stops working
- Inability to transfer credits between devices

**Requested features**

- Allow more characters per message
- Provide more free credits
- Add ability to choose phone number
- Improve customer support responsiveness


## Frequently asked questions

### Is textPlus free?

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

### Is Private Texting SMS Phone Text free?

Private Texting SMS Phone Text is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, textPlus or Private Texting SMS Phone Text?

textPlus is rated higher. textPlus averages 4.6 out of 5 from 272K ratings, while Private Texting SMS Phone Text averages 4.4 from 16K ratings.

### Do textPlus or Private Texting SMS Phone Text have ads?

textPlus shows ads; Private Texting SMS Phone Text does not.

### Which is updated more often, textPlus or Private Texting SMS Phone Text?

textPlus ships an update monthly, and Private Texting SMS Phone Text monthly. Most recently, textPlus was updated on October 17, 2026 and Private Texting SMS Phone Text on October 17, 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.*