# VIVA vs Receive SMS

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VIVA at 100% against Receive SMS's 40%. VIVA also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Receive SMS's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 14). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Receive SMS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. VIVA asks for nothing beyond the download.

VIVA holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Receive SMS has 1.1K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of VIVA's written reviews are positive against 40% of Receive SMS's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VIVA | Receive SMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viva/id654979024/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 163 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Telepaty Holding](https://appshunter.io/developer/622583584) | [Ayoub El Omrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326480886) |

## What reviewers say

### VIVA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viva/id654979024)

This application offers a free messaging service for sharing instant messages, videos, and pictures with friends and family. It also provides various financial and telecom services, such as bill payments, money transfers, and mobile top-ups, accessible through a linked wallet.

**Highlights:** Instant messaging, Multimedia sharing, Profile personalization, Location sharing, Telecom services, Bill payments, Money transfer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none


### Receive SMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/receive-sms-multiple-sim/id1639778516)

Receive SMS messages online using real SIMs and dynamic sender IDs to protect your personal number. Get instant SMS delivery and temporary email addresses for anonymous online access.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS online, Hide personal phone number, Instant SMS delivery, Temporary email addresses, Fake identity generator, SSN validator

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 💡 Useful for getting codes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Numbers don't work
- 🐛 Can't receive messages
- 🔋 Bloated with ads
- 💰 Forces you to pay

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers are invalid
- Verification codes not received
- App crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add chat functionality
- Improve verification process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VIVA free?

VIVA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Receive SMS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, VIVA or Receive SMS?

VIVA is rated higher. VIVA averages 4.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Receive SMS averages 4.4 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do VIVA or Receive SMS have ads?

Receive SMS shows ads; VIVA does not.

### Which is updated more often, VIVA or Receive SMS?

VIVA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Receive SMS every 3 weeks. Most recently, VIVA was updated on October 10, 2026 and Receive SMS on October 16, 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.*