# Burner vs Number Shield

The clearest difference is price: Burner at Free against Number Shield's $2.99. Burner also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (94K vs 1.9K). Number Shield's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and review sentiment (50% vs 19%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Burner is free to download; Number Shield costs $2.99 up front. Burner sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Number Shield asks for nothing beyond the download.

Burner holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Burner has 94K ratings behind it against 1.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 19% of Burner's written reviews are positive against 50% of Number Shield's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Burner ships an update every 2 weeks, Number Shield every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Burner | Number Shield |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (94K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burner-second-phone-number/id505800761/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-shield/id1319082167/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **94K** | 1.9K |
| Positive reviews | 18.8% of reviews | **50.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | #28 |
| Size | 194 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ad Hoc Labs, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/505800764) | [Kinnaman Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/679806187) |

## What reviewers say

### Burner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burner-second-phone-number/id505800761)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Utilities, #76 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Create and manage multiple private phone numbers for calls and texts. Keep your personal number secure by using disposable lines for different contacts or situations. Organize communications and block unwanted spam.

**Highlights:** Multiple private phone numbers, Unlimited SMS and calls, Burn or swap numbers, Organize social circles, Protect personal number, Spam blocking and muting, Do Not Disturb settings

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Standard 1 Line (Weekly) | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| 3 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Verified Subscription Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Standard 1 Line (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| 3 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| 1 Line Subscription (Annual) | $59.99 | per year |
| 3 Credit Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 8 Credit Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 15 Credit Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| 25 Credit Pack | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient service
- 🔒 Privacy protection
- 👍 Convenient for business use
- 👍 Useful for avoiding spam calls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Buggy after recent updates
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 💰 Expensive subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to send/receive pictures and videos
- Inconsistent message delivery
- Burner numbers not working for verification on some sites
- Accounts being terminated without explanation

**Requested features**

- Ability to set custom ringtones for burner numbers
- Improved UI/UX
- Better integration with other apps
- Ability to port out burner numbers


### Number Shield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-shield/id1319082167)

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

Block unwanted calls and texts from scammers who use fake phone numbers. Easily block entire groups of similar numbers using wildcards. Your contacts are always safe, and blocked calls go to voicemail.

**Highlights:** Block similar numbers with wildcards, Block international numbers, Contacts automatically allowed, Block from missed calls screen, Send blocked calls to voicemail, Send blocked texts to Junk filter

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Blocks calls effectively
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Protects from spam calls
- 💡 Allows blocking entire area codes
- ⭐ Works as expected

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Limited number of numbers that can be blocked
- 🤔 Doesn't always block all spam calls
- 🤷‍♀️ Doesn't block text messages
- ⚠️ Lacks customer support

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes when adding new numbers
- Blocked numbers still receive calls
- Database errors cause app to malfunction
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add ability to block text messages
- Increase number of numbers that can be blocked
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Add option to block entire country codes
- Provide better customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Burner free?

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

### Is Number Shield free?

Number Shield costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Burner or Number Shield?

Burner is rated higher. Burner averages 4.7 out of 5 from 94K ratings, while Number Shield averages 4.5 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Burner or Number Shield have ads?

Neither Burner nor Number Shield shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Burner or Number Shield?

Burner ships an update every 2 weeks, and Number Shield every 2 months. Most recently, Burner was updated on October 29, 2026 and Number Shield on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Burner or Number Shield?

Burner currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and Number Shield at #28. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*