# Red Phone vs Text App

The clearest difference is rating: Text App at 4.6 against Red Phone's 1.7. Text App also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 3). Red Phone's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Text App sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Red Phone asks for nothing beyond the download.

Text App holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Text App has 3.5K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Red Phone's written reviews are positive against 30% of Text App's.

Red Phone ships an update every 12 months, Text App every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Phone | Text App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-phone/id356116576/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-apptexting-and-calling-app/id6443524397/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **3.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 19.7% of reviews | **29.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Emoji Apps GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/336547449) | [Shenzhen Zehou Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1646857114) |

## What reviewers say

### Red Phone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-phone/id356116576)

This app allows you to set a specific phone number for one-touch dialing directly from your home screen. Once configured, a single tap initiates a call to your chosen contact. You can easily change the number through the app's preferences.

**Highlights:** One-touch calling, Home screen shortcut, Customizable phone number, Easy number changes, Speed dialing functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Text App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-apptexting-and-calling-app/id6443524397)

Protect your personal number by using a private second phone number for calls and texts. Make calls and send messages over Wi-Fi or cellular data without using your cell minutes. Offers international calling and SMS at competitive prices.

**Highlights:** Private second phone number, Calls and texts via Wi-Fi/cellular data, No cell minutes used, International calls and SMS, Multiple phone numbers available

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| quarter | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| 100 Points | $2.99 | one-time |
| 500 Points | $12.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Points | $15.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Points | $28.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth calls and messages
- 💡 Interesting app
- 🚀 Good improvement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not connect on time to calls
- 💰 Not free, have to pay for subscription and points
- 🐛 Doesn't work, scam
- 🐛 Unwanted calls
- 🐛 Doesn't let you text without paying extra

**Reported bugs**

- Couldn't get a local phone number
- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Subscription issues, couldn't cancel

**Requested features**

- More points
- Read mark for messages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Phone free?

Red Phone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Text App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Red Phone or Text App?

Text App is rated higher. Red Phone averages 1.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Text App averages 4.6 from 3.5K ratings.

### Do Red Phone or Text App have ads?

Neither Red Phone nor Text App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Red Phone or Text App?

Red Phone ships an update every 12 months, and Text App every 2 months. Most recently, Red Phone was updated on November 1, 2026 and Text App on October 30, 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.*