# Second Texting Number vs SMS Virtual

Second Texting Number and SMS Virtual both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of SMS Virtual's written reviews are positive against 61% of Second Texting Number's. SMS Virtual also leads on chart position (#143 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Second Texting Number sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and SMS Virtual sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Second Texting Number against 4.6 for SMS Virtual. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17K and 30K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Second Texting Number's written reviews are positive against 89% of SMS Virtual's.

Second Texting Number ships an update every 2 weeks, SMS Virtual monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Second Texting Number | SMS Virtual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-texting-numberunlisted/id539640635/reviews) | **[4.6 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17K | **30K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.8% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#143** |
| Size | 33 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FathomTel, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482732721) | [Tecrow LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823713456) |

## What reviewers say

### Second Texting Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-texting-numberunlisted/id539640635)

Protect your personal number by using a private, disposable phone number for calls and texts. Choose your own number in any area code and receive verification codes without revealing your identity. Manage your privacy with features like auto-response and custom voicemail.

**Highlights:** Unlimited texting and calling, Choose your own number, Protect your privacy, Receive verification codes, Separate contacts, Auto-response, Custom voicemail

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlisted Number: Pay as You Go | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Texting + Calling | $14.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Texting + Calling | $14.99 | per month |
| Second Texting Number | $17.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk + Text | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk + Text | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Texting & Calling | $39.99 | per month |
| 100 Text Messages | $2.99 | one-time |
| 200 Minutes | $7.99 | one-time |
| Pay as You Go (Prepay 1 Month) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Change Your Number | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable service
- 🔒 Maintains privacy
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful for business/personal separation
- 🚀 Clear audio quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy/buggy performance
- ⚠️ Unreliable number availability
- 💰 Expensive pricing
- 🔒 Difficult to delete account
- ⚠️ Unexpected charges/billing issues

**Reported bugs**

- Texts not being received
- Accounts being blocked/restricted without explanation
- Purchased numbers not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to log out of devices
- International calling/texting support
- Group messaging functionality


### SMS Virtual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-receive-sms/id1558276033)

**Currently charting:** #143 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Get disposable virtual phone numbers to receive SMS messages online. Ideal for account verification and protecting your privacy without needing a physical SIM card. Enjoy transparent pricing and a simple process for temporary number use.

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

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 Activations Week | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Number | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Number | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Activation | $0.29 | one-time |
| 5 Activations | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Activations | $1.99 | one-time |
| 15 activations | $2.99 | one-time |
| Number Change | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable and consistent
- 💰 Very affordable
- 🚀 Fast SMS delivery
- 🔒 Maintains privacy
- 🔥 Excellent customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Time limits on phone numbers
- 🔢 Limited number of SMS per number
- 🚫 Some numbers not compatible with certain services
- 📵 Occasional issues with number availability

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers sometimes already registered
- Activation credits not always received

**Requested features**

- Expand number selection for more services
- Increase number of SMS per number
- Extend time limits on phone numbers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Second Texting Number free?

Second Texting Number is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SMS Virtual free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Second Texting Number or SMS Virtual?

SMS Virtual is rated higher. Second Texting Number averages 4.6 out of 5 from 17K ratings, while SMS Virtual averages 4.6 from 30K ratings.

### Do Second Texting Number or SMS Virtual have ads?

Neither Second Texting Number nor SMS Virtual shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Second Texting Number or SMS Virtual?

Second Texting Number ships an update every 2 weeks, and SMS Virtual monthly. Most recently, Second Texting Number was updated on October 24, 2026 and SMS Virtual on October 24, 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.*