# magicApp Calling & Messaging vs Ghost

The clearest difference is monetization model: magicApp Calling & Messaging at free with in-app purchases against Ghost's subscription. magicApp Calling & Messaging also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (26K vs 7.7K). Ghost's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 49%). On price, rating, 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 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 magicApp Calling & Messaging against 4.6 for Ghost. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26K and 7.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of magicApp Calling & Messaging's written reviews are positive against 60% of Ghost's.

magicApp Calling & Messaging ships an update fortnightly, Ghost every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | magicApp Calling & Messaging | Ghost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicapp-calling-and-messaging/id463926997/reviews)** | [4.6 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghost-second-phone-number/id6466671844/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 7.7K |
| Positive reviews | 49.0% of reviews | **60.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 67 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MAGICJACK VOIP SERVICES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534194883) | [Openlife AI Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896485364) |

## 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


### Ghost

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghost-second-phone-number/id6466671844)

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.

**Highlights:** Temporary phone number, Unlimited calls, SMS verification codes, Local area codes, VPN protection, Spam shielding, No contracts or SIMs

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Spam Call Blocker | $4.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| VPN Protection | $9.99 | per 2 months |
| Premium | $14.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Pro | $17.99 | per year |
| Multi Plan Plus - 10 Numbers | $19.99 | per 2 months |
| Multi-Plan - 10 Numbers | $19.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $24.99 | per month |
| Pro | $29.99 | per month |
| Premium | $29.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $39.99 | per month |
| Pro | $49.99 | per 2 months |
| Pro | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Cuts spam calls
- 🔒 Keeps personal number private
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 👍 Transparent about costs
- 👍 Separate work and personal calls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Verification issues
- 🐛 Unable to send/receive messages
- 🐛 Unavailable area codes
- 🐛 Billing and subscription problems
- 🐛 Unreliable performance

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to delete conversations
- Inconsistent number availability
- Verification texts not received
- Calls not connecting properly

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple numbers and number switching
- Improve 2FA and verification process
- Add more customization and settings options
- Enhance call and messaging capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is magicApp Calling & Messaging free?

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

### Is Ghost free?

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

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

magicApp Calling & Messaging is rated higher. magicApp Calling & Messaging averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Ghost averages 4.6 from 7.7K ratings.

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

Neither magicApp Calling & Messaging nor Ghost shows ads.

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

magicApp Calling & Messaging ships an update fortnightly, and Ghost every 8 days. Most recently, magicApp Calling & Messaging was updated on October 17, 2026 and Ghost on October 17, 2026.

---

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