# Ring4 vs Sideline

The clearest difference is monetization model: Ring4 at free with in-app purchases against Sideline's subscription. Ring4 also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 35%) and device support (3 vs 1). Sideline's advantage is chart position (#23 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ring4 sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Ring4 against 4.4 for Sideline. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sideline has 15K ratings behind it against 2.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Ring4's written reviews are positive against 35% of Sideline's.

Ring4 ships an update monthly, Sideline every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ring4 | Sideline |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ring4-second-phone-number/id594763296/reviews)** | [4.4 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideline-private-2nd-number/id1012032539/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.9K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | **56.8% of reviews** | 35.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#23** |
| Size | 105 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ring4, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/554514869) | [Pinger, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/299102705) |

## What reviewers say

### Ring4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ring4-second-phone-number/id594763296)

Create a private second phone line for texting and calling without using your personal number. Ideal for online selling, dating, or business, it offers features like call recording and local area codes.  Avoid roaming charges by calling over Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Multiple private phone lines, Call recording, Local area codes, Private video calling, Voicemail, Block unwanted calls

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for French Mobile Phone Number - Line #1 | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for English Mobile Phone Number - Line #1 | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for US/CA Number - Line #1 | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for US/CA Number - Line #2 | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for US/CA Number - Line #3 | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Talk & Text for US/CA Selected Number - Line #1 | $14.99 | per month |
| Package of 10 credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Package of 40 credits | $3.99 | one-time |
| Package of 100 credits | $8.99 | one-time |
| Package of 250 credits | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great service
- 🚀 Cheap and affordable
- 🚀 Efficient connectivity
- 👍 Excellent app for business and staying in touch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Accounts suspended under false terms
- 🐛 Unreliable service, unable to make calls or send texts
- 🐛 Deceptive pricing and hidden fees
- 🐛 Poor customer support and unresponsive

**Reported bugs**

- Accounts being limited or disabled for no reason
- Credits not being properly credited
- Inability to generate new numbers
- Frequent app crashes and service interruptions

**Requested features**

- Ability to port numbers away from the app
- Improve text messaging functionality
- Provide a free trial period


### Sideline

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

**Currently charting:** #23 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 Ring4 free?

Ring4 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, Ring4 or Sideline?

Ring4 is rated higher. Ring4 averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Sideline averages 4.4 from 15K ratings.

### Do Ring4 or Sideline have ads?

Neither Ring4 nor Sideline shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ring4 or Sideline?

Ring4 ships an update monthly, and Sideline every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ring4 was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sideline on October 29, 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.*