Comparison

Receive SMS vs SMS Activate

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Receive SMS

This app provides temporary virtual phone numbers to receive SMS verification codes online. It helps protect your personal number during signups, logins, or activations, offering a private and efficient way to get codes without exposing your main line.

Highlights
  • Receive SMS online
  • Protect personal phone number
  • Fast virtual number access
  • Organized SMS inbox
  • Purpose-built for verification
  • Refund for unused attempts
Read full description

Keep your real phone number private every time an app asks you to verify it. tempVerify gives you a virtual number that receives SMS verification codes online. Choose a country and service, open a session, and the code lands in a clean inbox you can copy in one tap. No SIM, no extra device, no giving your personal line to a website you just met. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose the service you are signing up for and a country. 2. A number is assigned to you instantly. 3. The verification code arrives in your inbox. Tap to copy, paste, done. No code within 6 minutes? The attempt is refunded to your balance automatically. You are never stuck paying for a number that never delivered. WHY PEOPLE USE IT Stop handing out your real number. Every signup form, marketplace listing, and trial account is one more place your personal number can leak. A virtual number keeps registration traffic away from the line your family and your bank use. Cut the spam at the source. The number you use once is the number that gets sold, resold, and dialled by robocalls for years. Use a temporary one and the spam never reaches you. Separate work from personal. Run a second account, list an item for sale, sign up for a trial, or register a business profile without mixing it into your everyday texts. Verify on the platforms you actually use. People use tempVerify to receive codes from messaging apps, social networks, email providers, dating apps, marketplaces, delivery services, and game platforms. Coverage varies by country and service, and availability is shown before you commit to a number. Built for testers and teams. Developers, QA engineers, and support staff use it to run signup and recovery flows repeatedly without burning personal devices or company SIM cards. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT This is not a second-line calling app. There is no voicemail to manage, no dialer, no monthly line to maintain. tempVerify does one job: getting a verification code to you quickly and privately, then getting out of the way. - Numbers across many countries, with live availability - One organized inbox, codes highlighted and copyable in a tap - Automatic refund on attempts that never receive a message - Clear session history so you can see what you verified and when - Nothing to install on your SIM, nothing to configure TYPICAL USES - Registering an account without exposing your personal number - Receiving a one-time code for login or account recovery - Creating a separate profile for selling, trials, or testing - Keeping verification texts out of your main message list - Signing up from a country where a local number is required BEFORE YOU START Number availability changes constantly by country and service, and some services block virtual numbers entirely. The app shows what is available in real time so you always choose with current information, and unused attempts are returned to your balance. Privacy matters here. Sessions are yours, codes are yours, and your real number is never part of the transaction. Get your number, get your code, and get on with it. Support: https://tempverify.live/contact Privacy Policy: https://tempverify.live/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

SMS Activate

Features
Read full description

SMS Activate lets you receive SMS online using real virtual numbers from different countries. Designed for developers, testers, and users who need a reliable way to receive verification messages without using a personal number. Perfect for testing applications, QA workflows, and account verification processes in a controlled and efficient way. By downloading this app you accept the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA). https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Receive SMS4 screens
SMS Activate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: SMS Activate at 3 against Receive SMS's 1. SMS Activate also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Receive SMS sells 4 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Receive SMS ships an update every 5 weeks, SMS Activate every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Receive SMS versus SMS Activate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReceive SMSSMS Activate
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB44 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperNACIYE MEDENIHolylabs Ltd

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Receive SMS

Subscriptions1
  • 1 Verification Credit/Week$8.997 Days
One-time3
  • 1 SMS Verification Credit$9.99
  • 3 SMS Verification Credits$24.99
  • 5 SMS Verification Credits$34.99
3 purchases

SMS Activate

One-time3
  • 1 SMS Activation$4.99
  • 5 SMS Activations$14.99
  • 10 SMS Activations$24.99

Questions

Is Receive SMS free?
Receive SMS 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 Receive SMS or SMS Activate have ads?
Neither Receive SMS nor SMS Activate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Receive SMS or SMS Activate?
Receive SMS ships an update every 5 weeks, and SMS Activate every 4 weeks. Most recently, Receive SMS was updated on October 30, 2026 and SMS Activate on October 28, 2026.

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