# Burner vs SMS activate | Virtual SIM

The clearest difference is rating: Burner at 4.7 against SMS activate | Virtual SIM's 3.1. Burner also leads on ratings volume (94K vs 21) and chart position (#8 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Burner sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and SMS activate | Virtual SIM sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Burner holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Burner has 94K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 19% of Burner's written reviews are positive against 25% of SMS activate | Virtual SIM'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, SMS activate | Virtual SIM every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Burner | SMS activate | Virtual SIM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (94K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burner-second-phone-number/id505800761/reviews)** | [3.1 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-virtual-sim/id6661027967/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **94K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 18.8% of reviews | **25.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 194 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ad Hoc Labs, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/505800764) | [Aleksandr Nesterov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1404263700) |

## What reviewers say

### Burner

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

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Utilities, #93 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


### SMS activate | Virtual SIM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-virtual-sim/id6661027967)

This app provides virtual phone numbers for receiving SMS messages, enhancing online privacy and security. It simplifies account creation on various services by offering disposable second numbers for quick and easy verification without exposing your real phone number.

**Highlights:** Disposable virtual numbers, Receive SMS online, Account verification, Privacy protection, Transparent pricing, Instant number assignment

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tokens | $2.49 | one-time |
| Tokens | $6.99 | one-time |
| Tokens | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Burner free?

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

### Is SMS activate | Virtual SIM free?

SMS activate | Virtual SIM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Burner or SMS activate | Virtual SIM?

Burner is rated higher. Burner averages 4.7 out of 5 from 94K ratings, while SMS activate | Virtual SIM averages 3.1 from 21 ratings.

### Do Burner or SMS activate | Virtual SIM have ads?

Neither Burner nor SMS activate | Virtual SIM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Burner or SMS activate | Virtual SIM?

Burner ships an update every 2 weeks, and SMS activate | Virtual SIM every 3 weeks. Most recently, Burner was updated on November 1, 2026 and SMS activate | Virtual SIM on October 22, 2026.

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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.*