# Virtual Number vs ectarea

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ectarea at none against Virtual Number's 8. ectarea also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Number sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. ectarea asks for nothing beyond the download.

Virtual Number ships an update every 8 months, ectarea every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virtual Number | ectarea |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6743655247/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **40** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 41 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hakan YILMAZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799950361) | [JEREMY ZABALA CARAVEO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844955219) |

## 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 |


### ectarea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ectarea/id6753772357)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Virtual Number free?

Virtual Number is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ectarea free?

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

### Do Virtual Number or ectarea have ads?

Neither Virtual Number nor ectarea shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Virtual Number or ectarea?

Virtual Number ships an update every 8 months, and ectarea every 2 months. Most recently, Virtual Number was updated on October 13, 2026 and ectarea on October 13, 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.*