# Virtual Number vs SMS Verification

The clearest difference is ads: Virtual Number at none against SMS Verification's shown. SMS Verification's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 8 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Number sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Virtual Number against 4.5 for SMS Verification. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 50 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Virtual Number's written reviews are positive against 79% of SMS Verification's.

Virtual Number ships an update every 8 months, SMS Verification every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virtual Number | SMS Verification |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6743655247/reviews) | **[4.5 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-verification/id6744358683/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 39 | **50** |
| Positive reviews | **81.9% of reviews** | 79.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Hakan YILMAZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799950361) | [Andrei Roslov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795027333) |

## What reviewers say

### Virtual Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6743655247)

This app provides a temporary, private phone number for verifying online accounts. Receive SMS messages without sharing your personal number, ensuring security and anonymity on various platforms.

**Highlights:** Instant virtual numbers, Secure SMS reception, Easy account verification, Privacy protection, Unlimited SMS reception, Transparent pricing

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Token for Virtual Number | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Token for Virtual Number | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Token for Virtual Number | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Token for Virtual Number | $17.99 | per month |
| Token for Virtual Number | $6.99 | one-time |
| Token for Virtual Number | $9.99 | one-time |
| Token for Virtual Number | $14.99 | one-time |
| Token for Virtual Number | $24.99 | 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 Virtual Number free?

Virtual Number 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, Virtual Number or SMS Verification?

SMS Verification is rated higher. Virtual Number averages 4.5 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while SMS Verification averages 4.5 from 50 ratings.

### Do Virtual Number or SMS Verification have ads?

SMS Verification shows ads; Virtual Number does not.

### Which is updated more often, Virtual Number or SMS Verification?

Virtual Number ships an update every 8 months, and SMS Verification every 2 weeks. Most recently, Virtual Number was updated on October 21, 2026 and SMS Verification on October 20, 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.*