Pinger vs Ghost
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pinger
This app provides a free U.S. phone number for unlimited calling and texting to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It offers features like voicemail, group chat, and MMS messaging, functioning as a reliable alternative to a traditional phone line.
- Free U.S. phone number
- Unlimited calling
- Free texting (SMS)
- Voicemail
- Group chat
- MMS picture & video messaging
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Make free calls with a real U.S.phone number on the original free calling and texting app. Pinger comes preloaded with free calling minutes that can be used to call anyone in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. After that, minutes are free to earn or cheap to purchase. SMS messages are also free. On top of free calling and SMS, additional features include voicemail, group chat, MMS picture & video messaging, emoji, ringtones, and more. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “It’s like having a real phone number from the carrier. Except FREE.” –Nick “I started using this app back in 2007 on my iPod touch 3rd generation... Works every time, voice calls are clear, and no one knows it’s an app and not an actual phone. Highly recommended.” –Scott “I have used this app as my main phone number for years. It is just as reliable as an actual phone number.” –Kay “I’ve tried several, but hands down, Pinger is by far the best. Why? Simple: It works. Period.” –Tuc “I would rate this like 100,000,000 stars but can’t :/ only 5.” –Molly “Great to have a backup number especially when you travel abroad.” –Milo —— © 2020 Pinger, Inc. All rights reserved. The Pinger name, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Pinger, Inc. or related entities. Terms of Service: https://www.pinger.com/privacy-policy/terms-and-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://www.pinger.com/privacy-policy/ Subscriptions are automatically billed monthly or annually to your iTunes Account and auto-renew unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Payments are charged to your iTunes account upon confirmation of purchase. You can turn off auto-renew or manage subscriptions in your iTunes & App Store account settings. Cancellations take effect at the end of the active subscription period. Any unused portion of a free trial period (where available) is forfeited when purchasing a subscription.
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: Pinger at free with in-app purchases against Ghost's subscription. Pinger also leads on ratings volume (71K vs 7.7K) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). Ghost's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (60% vs 50%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Pinger sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 — 4.7 for Pinger against 4.6 for Ghost. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pinger has 71K ratings behind it against 7.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Pinger's written reviews are positive against 60% of Ghost's.
Pinger ships an update every 8 days, Ghost every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pinger | Ghost |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (71K ratings) — better | 4.6 (7.7K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.2% of reviews | 60.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 71K — better | 7.7K |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #192 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 223 MB | 149 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Pinger, Inc. | Openlife AI Inc |
Customer experience
Pinger
Ghost
User reviews
Pinger
From 71K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Simple and functional
- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Works pretty good
- 👍 Great service, user friendly
Room to improve
- 🐛 Constantly lock your account due to supposed shady activity
- 💰 You have to pay $10 a month to receive SMS from apps
- 🐛 Does not even let you create an account
- 🔍 Why so many ads since last update??!
- 🐛 Issues with Pinger
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
Pinger
Reported bugs
5 issues- Constantly lock your account due to supposed shady activity
- Does not even let you create an account
- Microphone doesn't work, can't hear me on calls
- Inconsistent, can't make calls sometimes
- Not dependable, messages don't go through
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to receive verification codes
- Option to turn off sounds/notifications
- Fix for not being able to send more than one picture at a time
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
Pinger
- Remove Ads$2.991 Month
- Voicemail to Text$2.991 Month
- Pinger Plus Weekly$4.997 Days
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Pinger Plan$4.991 Month
- Pinger Plus Weekly$6.997 Days
- Pinger Plus Monthly$9.991 Month
- Pinger Plus Half Yearly$39.996 Months
- Pinger Plus Yearly$69.991 Year
- 100 minutes$1.99
- 400 minutes$9.99
- 1000 minutes$18.99
Ghost
- Pro$0.991 Month
- Pro$2.997 Days
- Pro$4.997 Days
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- 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 Pinger free?
Is Ghost free?
Which has better reviews, Pinger or Ghost?
Do Pinger or Ghost have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pinger or Ghost?
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