# Fire Message vs Virtual Number

The clearest difference is update cadence: Virtual Number at weekly against Fire Message's every 8 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fire Message sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $11.99 per year and Virtual Number sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Fire Message ships an update every 8 months, Virtual Number weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fire Message | Virtual Number |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6758074394/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **33** |
| Positive reviews | — | 78.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STANIMEROS PANTELEIMON](https://appshunter.io/developer/1760581072) | [EMNIUM LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708735341) |

## What reviewers say

### Fire Message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fire-message/id6756577964)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $11.99 | per year |


### Virtual Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-receive-sms/id6758074394)

Receive verification codes and temporary phone numbers for online services without revealing your personal number. This app offers a secure and practical solution for account creation and privacy protection.

**Highlights:** Temporary virtual phone numbers, Receive SMS verification codes, Global country coverage, Separate work and personal life, Prank calls/messages, 100% verification guarantee

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Virtual Number | $9.99 | per month |
| Virtual Number | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fire Message free?

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

### Is Virtual Number free?

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

### Do Fire Message or Virtual Number have ads?

Neither Fire Message nor Virtual Number shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fire Message or Virtual Number?

Fire Message ships an update every 8 months, and Virtual Number weekly. Most recently, Fire Message was updated on August 14, 2026 and Virtual Number on September 22, 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.*