Comparison

Virtually Local Cloud Phone vs StarterPhone

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Virtually Local Cloud Phone

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In addition to making and receiving calls, the Virtually Local app offers a range of free features to enhance your calling experience. These include call recording, call transfer, voicemail, and call waiting. You can also manage your contacts and call history directly from the app, making it easy to keep track of your communications

About

StarterPhone

Features
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Turn the iPhone your child already has into a simple starter phone: calling and texting, without the apps, social media, and browsing they are not ready for. No new device, no extra phone plan, no Apple ID for your kid. HOW IT WORKS - Set it up right on your child's phone in a few minutes. - Choose which apps stay allowed. Everything else is shielded. - Phone and Messages keep working so they can always reach you. - Protect it with a parent passcode so it cannot be switched off. BUILT TO BE HONEST - It tells you the moment protection ever stops, instead of failing silently. - Nothing leaves the device. No account. No tracking. No ads. - A guided walkthrough helps you turn on Apple's built-in Assistive Access for an even simpler home screen, if you want it. FREE FOREVER - The starter-phone lock, the parent passcode, and the status alerts are free. PRO - Scheduled modes like School and Bedtime, approved-contacts-only, an activity log, and multiple children. StarterPhone is a parental wellbeing tool. It limits apps using Apple's Screen Time technology; it does not collect or transmit your child's data. A determined teenager with the device can still factory-reset it, so StarterPhone is commitment help, not a guarantee. Privacy Policy: https://starterphone.vercel.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Pro is an auto-renewable subscription (a one-time lifetime option is also available). Your subscription renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

Virtually Local Cloud Phone4 screens
StarterPhone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Virtually Local Cloud Phone at none against StarterPhone's 3. StarterPhone's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. StarterPhone sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Virtually Local Cloud Phone asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Virtually Local Cloud Phone ships an update every 4 months, StarterPhone fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Virtually Local Cloud Phone versus StarterPhone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVirtually Local Cloud PhoneStarterPhone
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size109 MB1 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperVirtually Local LtdVikram Joshi

In-app purchases

None

Virtually Local Cloud Phone

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

StarterPhone

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$89.99

Questions

Is Virtually Local Cloud Phone free?
Virtually Local Cloud Phone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is StarterPhone free?
StarterPhone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Virtually Local Cloud Phone or StarterPhone have ads?
Neither Virtually Local Cloud Phone nor StarterPhone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Virtually Local Cloud Phone or StarterPhone?
Virtually Local Cloud Phone ships an update every 4 months, and StarterPhone fortnightly. Most recently, Virtually Local Cloud Phone was updated on October 25, 2026 and StarterPhone on October 28, 2026.

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