# Hushed vs SMS activate | Virtual SIM

The clearest difference is rating: Hushed at 4.6 against SMS activate | Virtual SIM's 3.1. Hushed also leads on ratings volume (23K vs 19) and review sentiment (42% vs 26%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hushed sells 10 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.

Hushed holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hushed has 23K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Hushed's written reviews are positive against 26% of SMS activate | Virtual SIM's.

Hushed ships an update fortnightly, SMS activate | Virtual SIM every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hushed | SMS activate | Virtual SIM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hushed-us-second-phone-number/id600520752/reviews)** | [3.1 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-virtual-sim/id6661027967/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23K** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **41.9% of reviews** | 25.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#61** | — |
| Size | 167 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AffinityClick Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/530214136) | [Aleksandr Nesterov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1404263700) |

## What reviewers say

### Hushed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hushed-us-second-phone-number/id600520752)

**Currently charting:** #61 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Obtain a secondary phone number for private calls and texts. Ideal for online dating, selling items, travel, and more, it offers numbers from various area codes without needing a new SIM card. Enjoy features like voicemail and internet calling with flexible plans.

**Highlights:** Second phone number, Private texting and calling, Internet calling (VoIP), Voicemail included, 300+ area codes, No SIM card needed, Cancel anytime

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Monthly Number | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Line Subscription (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Hushed 3 Day Trial | Free | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $4.99 | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $5.99 | one-time |
| Pre-Paid calling credit | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hushed Payment | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works as advertised
- 👍 Convenient way to have a second number
- 💡 Useful for privacy and separating personal/business
- 🔒 Good privacy policy
- 👍 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Accounts getting deactivated or blocked for unclear reasons
- 🐛 Issues with receiving/sending texts and calls
- 🐛 Unreliable service, frequent outages
- 💰 Overcharging, lack of transparency in pricing
- 🕰 Difficult to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues, unable to access account
- Inconsistent call and text delivery
- Compatibility problems with certain devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Group messaging capabilities
- Ability to view message read receipts
- Integration with more apps and services


### 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 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tokens | $6.99 | one-time |
| Tokens | $22.99 | one-time |
| Tokens | $33.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hushed free?

Hushed 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, Hushed or SMS activate | Virtual SIM?

Hushed is rated higher. Hushed averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23K ratings, while SMS activate | Virtual SIM averages 3.1 from 19 ratings.

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

Neither Hushed nor SMS activate | Virtual SIM shows ads.

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

Hushed ships an update fortnightly, and SMS activate | Virtual SIM every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hushed was updated on September 25, 2026 and SMS activate | Virtual SIM on September 22, 2026.

---

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