# Virtual Number vs SMS Activate

The clearest difference is ads: SMS Activate at none against Virtual Number's shown. Virtual Number's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Number sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 3 days, SMS Activate every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virtual Number | SMS Activate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-smsvia/id6756985038/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Epinko Teknoloji](https://appshunter.io/developer/1802025725) | [Holylabs Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692036677) |

## What reviewers say

### Virtual Number

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-number-smsvia/id6756985038)

Protect your personal phone number by using temporary virtual numbers for account verification on various platforms. Receive SMS codes instantly and keep your information safe from spam and unwanted contacts.

**Highlights:** Temporary virtual numbers, SMS code reception, Numbers from 150+ countries, Compatible with 500+ platforms, Instant SMS code delivery, Privacy protection

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SMSVia Weekly Service | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| SMSVia Monthly Service | $19.99 | per month |
| SMSVia Credit Service | $4.99 | one-time |
| SMSVia Credit Service | $19.99 | 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 3 days, and SMS Activate every 4 weeks. Most recently, Virtual Number was updated on October 24, 2026 and SMS Activate on October 28, 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.*