# Virtual Number vs SMS Activate

The clearest difference is ads: SMS Activate at none against Virtual Number's shown. SMS Activate also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Number sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days and SMS Activate sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Virtual Number ships an update every 2 months, SMS Activate every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 28, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virtual Number | SMS Activate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-second-number/id6755424995/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applus Mobil Hizmetler Limited Sirketi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692301182) | [Holylabs Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692036677) |

## What reviewers say

### Virtual Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-second-number/id6755424995)

Receive SMS verification codes without sharing your personal number. Select a service, country, and get an instant virtual number for anonymous online registrations and testing.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS verification codes instantly, Anonymous registrations, Select service and country, History of received codes, Privacy-focused, Real-time number availability

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Virtual Number Weekly | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Virtual Number Weekly Trial | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Virtual Number Quarterly | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| Virtual Number Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Virtual Number 10 Coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| Virtual Number 25 Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| Virtual Number 50 Coins | $24.99 | one-time |
| Virtual Number 100 Coins | $44.99 | one-time |
| Virtual Number 250 Coins | $79.99 | one-time |
| Virtual Number 500 Coins | $99.99 | one-time |


### SMS Activate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate/id6768591062)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 SMS Activation | $4.99 | one-time |
| 5 SMS Activations | $14.99 | one-time |
| 10 SMS Activations | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Virtual Number free?

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

### Is SMS Activate free?

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

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

Virtual Number shows ads; SMS Activate does not.

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

Virtual Number ships an update every 2 months, and SMS Activate every 4 weeks. Most recently, Virtual Number was updated on July 28, 2026 and SMS Activate on September 11, 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.*