# magicApp Calling & Messaging vs Sideline

The clearest difference is monetization model: magicApp Calling & Messaging at free with in-app purchases against Sideline's subscription. magicApp Calling & Messaging also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (49% vs 35%). Sideline's advantage is chart position (#18 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. magicApp Calling & Messaging sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and Sideline sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

magicApp Calling & Messaging holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26K and 15K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of magicApp Calling & Messaging's written reviews are positive against 35% of Sideline's.

magicApp Calling & Messaging ships an update fortnightly, Sideline every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | magicApp Calling & Messaging | Sideline |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicapp-calling-and-messaging/id463926997/reviews)** | [4.4 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideline-private-2nd-number/id1012032539/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 15K |
| Positive reviews | **49.0% of reviews** | 34.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#18** |
| Size | 67 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MAGICJACK VOIP SERVICES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534194883) | [Pinger, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/299102705) |

## What reviewers say

### magicApp Calling & Messaging

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicapp-calling-and-messaging/id463926997)

Get a second phone number for personal or business use without needing a new SIM card. Enjoy unlimited calling and texting to the U.S. and Canada, even while traveling abroad over Wi-Fi. Manage calls with features like caller ID, voicemail, and call blocking.

**Highlights:** Second phone number, Unlimited U.S. & Canada calling, Unlimited U.S. & Canada texting, Wi-Fi calling for travel, Caller ID, voicemail, call blocking, Choose U.S. area code

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Incoming-only calls + texting | $3.49 | per month |
| Outgoing-only calls + texting | $3.49 | per month |
| Incoming and Outgoing calls | $3.99 | per month |
| magicJack Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| magicJack Canadian | $5.99 | per month |
| $4.99 magicJack International minutes credit | $4.99 | one-time |
| SMS for Canadian Numbers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Texting and SMS upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| $9.99 magicJack International minutes credit | $9.99 | one-time |
| $20.00 magicJack International minutes credit | $19.99 | one-time |
| $19.99 magicJack International minutes credit | $19.99 | one-time |
| $40.00 magicJack International minutes credit | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Excellent call quality
- 💰 Affordable pricing
- 🌍 Works internationally
- 🔍 Useful for maintaining a US number
- 🤖 Reliable service for over 15 years

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 🤖 Unreliable connectivity issues
- 🤖 Poor customer support
- 🤖 Deactivation of accounts without notice
- 🤖 Inability to transfer or port out numbers

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes phone when answering calls
- Missed calls not showing up in the app
- Text messages getting deleted or out of order
- Inability to log in or access account
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add support for MMS and texts from short codes
- Implement two-factor authentication for security
- Allow users to sign in on multiple devices
- Provide more ringtone options
- Improve integration with native iOS features


### Sideline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideline-private-2nd-number/id1012032539)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

This app provides a dedicated second phone number for private texting and calling. It offers features like unlimited SMS/MMS, custom voicemail, and auto-reply to help manage communications and keep conversations organized across devices.

**Highlights:** Second phone number with local area code, Unlimited SMS, MMS, and text messages, Custom voicemail with transcripts, Auto-Reply for missed calls, Split number across multiple devices, Transfer existing phone numbers

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sideline Standard EarlyAdopter | $0.99 | per month |
| Sideline Standard - Early User | $2.99 | per month |
| Voicemail to Text | $2.99 | per month |
| No Ads | $2.99 | per month |
| Sideline Subscription | $14.49 | per month |
| Sideline - Monthly plan | $14.49 | per month |
| Sideline Pro – Monthly Plan | $14.99 | per month |
| Sideline - 6-Month Plan | $69.99 | per 6 months |
| Sideline | $99.00 | per year |
| Sideline - Yearly Plan | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📞 Reliable call quality
- 💼 Useful for business/work
- 🔔 Customizable ringtones
- 📝 Convenient text messaging
- ⏱️ Efficient auto-reply feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔥 Frequent app crashes
- 🔇 Poor call quality/dropped calls
- 🤖 Unreliable automated features
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔍 Inability to manage contacts

**Reported bugs**

- Text messages not delivering properly
- Missed call notifications not working
- Billing and account management issues
- Compatibility problems with VPNs and other apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to separate business and personal contacts
- Web/desktop messaging functionality
- Apple Watch app integration
- Improved search and organization tools
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is magicApp Calling & Messaging free?

magicApp Calling & Messaging is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sideline free?

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

### Which has better reviews, magicApp Calling & Messaging or Sideline?

magicApp Calling & Messaging is rated higher. magicApp Calling & Messaging averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Sideline averages 4.4 from 15K ratings.

### Do magicApp Calling & Messaging or Sideline have ads?

Neither magicApp Calling & Messaging nor Sideline shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, magicApp Calling & Messaging or Sideline?

magicApp Calling & Messaging ships an update fortnightly, and Sideline every 2 weeks. Most recently, magicApp Calling & Messaging was updated on October 18, 2026 and Sideline on October 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*