# SMS Virtual vs FactorCat

The clearest difference is rating: FactorCat at 5.0 against SMS Virtual's 4.3. FactorCat also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and device support (3 vs 1). SMS Virtual's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (121 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SMS Virtual sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and FactorCat sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FactorCat holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMS Virtual has 121 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SMS Virtual ships an update every 5 days, FactorCat every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMS Virtual | FactorCat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-code-verification/id6754453453/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/factorcat-mfa-authenticator/id6760269296/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **121** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 11.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 121 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Volodymyr Demianchuk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1848337590) | [Capital F](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614080688) |

## What reviewers say

### SMS Virtual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-virtual-code-verification/id6754453453)

This app allows users to receive, organize, and securely store SMS messages. It offers a clean interface for managing multiple accounts and ensuring no message is missed. Designed for both personal and professional use, it prioritizes privacy by keeping data on the device.

**Highlights:** Receive and view SMS messages instantly, Secure log of all text messages, Organize messages by sender or time, Clean and intuitive user interface, Lightweight and fast performance, Manage multiple SMS accounts

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $24.99 | per year |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $29.99 | per year |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $39.99 | per year |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $3.99 | one-time |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $6.99 | one-time |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $9.99 | one-time |
| Smart SMS Receiver | $14.99 | one-time |


### FactorCat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/factorcat-mfa-authenticator/id6760269296)

This app streamlines multi-factor authentication by replacing manual code entry with a single tap approval via push notification. It offers secure, encrypted storage of your authentication secrets and supports two vault types for flexible recovery and enhanced security.

**Highlights:** One-tap MFA approval, Automatic code filling via browser extension, Encrypted TOTP secrets storage, Cloud Vault for easy recovery, Locked Vault with zero-trust encryption, Standalone authenticator functionality

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FactorCat Supporter | $12.99 | per year |
| FactorCat Pro | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMS Virtual free?

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

### Is FactorCat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMS Virtual or FactorCat?

FactorCat is rated higher. SMS Virtual averages 4.3 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while FactorCat averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SMS Virtual or FactorCat have ads?

Neither SMS Virtual nor FactorCat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMS Virtual or FactorCat?

SMS Virtual ships an update every 5 days, and FactorCat every 3 months. Most recently, SMS Virtual was updated on October 5, 2026 and FactorCat on September 18, 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.*