# Spot Authenticator vs SMS Activate

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SMS Activate at 16.0 against Spot Authenticator's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spot Authenticator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SMS Activate sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spot Authenticator ships an update weekly, SMS Activate every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spot Authenticator | SMS Activate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-receive-sms/id6803568639/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [优贤 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777862714) | [林辉 朱](https://appshunter.io/developer/6802502074) |

## What reviewers say

### Spot Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spot-authenticator/id6787064913)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


### SMS Activate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sms-activate-receive-sms/id6803568639)

Receive SMS verification codes online using virtual numbers from over 180 countries. Protect your privacy by not sharing your real phone number during account registration and verification. Manage your number status and SMS history for clearer use.

**Highlights:** Receive SMS verification codes online, Virtual numbers for over 180 countries, Temporary and longer-term number rental, Enhanced privacy by not sharing real number, View number status and SMS history, Extended keyboard for faster code input

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 gold coin | $0.99 | one-time |
| 9 gold coin | $1.99 | one-time |
| 12 gold coin | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25 gold coin | $4.99 | one-time |
| 45 gold coin | $9.99 | one-time |
| 85 gold coin | $19.99 | one-time |
| 200 gold coin | $39.99 | one-time |
| 450 gold coin | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spot Authenticator free?

Spot Authenticator 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 Spot Authenticator or SMS Activate have ads?

Neither Spot Authenticator nor SMS Activate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spot Authenticator or SMS Activate?

Spot Authenticator ships an update weekly, and SMS Activate every 5 days. Most recently, Spot Authenticator was updated on October 4, 2026 and SMS Activate on October 10, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*