# SMS activate | Virtual SIM vs SMS Verification

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SMS Verification at 79% against SMS activate | Virtual SIM's 25%. SMS Verification also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.1) and device support (3 vs 1). SMS activate | Virtual SIM's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SMS activate | Virtual SIM sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and SMS Verification sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SMS Verification holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 39 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of SMS activate | Virtual SIM's written reviews are positive against 79% of SMS Verification's.

SMS activate | Virtual SIM ships an update every 3 weeks, SMS Verification every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS activate | Virtual SIM | SMS Verification |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-virtual-sim/id6661027967/reviews) | **[4.4 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-verification/id6744358683/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **39** |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **79.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Nesterov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1404263700) | [Andrei Roslov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795027333) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### SMS Verification

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-verification/id6744358683)

Receive SMS messages online using temporary virtual phone numbers from various countries without needing a physical SIM card. Protect your privacy, manage multiple SMS sources, and securely verify accounts with an intuitive interface. Ideal for personal, freelance, or business use.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS online, Virtual phone numbers, Multiple countries supported, No physical SIM required, Privacy protection, Account verification

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access. | $4.99 | per 7 days |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick number retrieval
- 👍 Clean and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 Saved user's real number
- ✅ Successful verifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads
- ⏱️ Delayed message delivery
- 🔍 Limited country availability

**Reported bugs**

- Numbers disappearing after a few days
- Some numbers not receiving SMS

**Requested features**

- Add widget for faster access
- Provide notification for expired numbers
- Implement search by service option
- Offer dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS activate | Virtual SIM free?

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

### Is SMS Verification free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMS activate | Virtual SIM or SMS Verification?

SMS Verification is rated higher. SMS activate | Virtual SIM averages 3.1 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while SMS Verification averages 4.4 from 39 ratings.

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

SMS Verification shows ads; SMS activate | Virtual SIM does not.

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

SMS activate | Virtual SIM ships an update every 3 weeks, and SMS Verification every 2 weeks. Most recently, SMS activate | Virtual SIM was updated on October 14, 2026 and SMS Verification on October 8, 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.*