Pinger vs microbee
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.
microbee
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Transform your Micro:bit into a powerful robot controller with microbee! INTUITIVE CONTROL • 6-directional joystick for precise movement • Dedicated spin controls for smooth rotation • Left- and right-handed layouts • Real-time BLE command transmission SMART MONITORING • Live sensor data: CPU temperature, battery level, and distance • Environmental sensors: air quality, pressure, UV, and humidity • Color-coded gauges for instant insights • Collision detection with visual alerts GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY • Available in 10 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian • Fully configurable interface and settings APPLE WATCH COMPANION • Control your robot directly from your wrist • Monitor essential telemetry in real time • Convenient spin button controls microbee is perfect for educators, students, and robotics enthusiasts alike. Requires a compatible Micro:bit with UART service enabled.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: microbee at none against Pinger's 11. microbee also leads on ads (none vs shown). Pinger's advantage is chart position (#168 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.1). On price, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Pinger sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. microbee asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pinger ships an update weekly, microbee fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pinger | microbee |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (70K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 70K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | #168 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 223 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pinger, Inc. | Dmytro Ivashyn |
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
microbee
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Pinger
- Remove Ads$2.991 Month
- Voicemail to Text$2.991 Month
- Pinger Plus Weekly$4.997 Days
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- 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
microbee
No in-app purchases








