# Phidden vs Private Texting SMS Phone Text

The clearest difference is monetization model: Phidden at free with in-app purchases against Private Texting SMS Phone Text's subscription. Phidden also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 71%). Private Texting SMS Phone Text's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phidden sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Private Texting SMS Phone Text sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Phidden ships an update every 7 months, Private Texting SMS Phone Text monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phidden | Private Texting SMS Phone Text |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-texting-sms-phone-text/id883312358/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **16K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 71.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 43 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 16.7 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ragazzetto Project](https://appshunter.io/developer/367334222) | [BinaryPattern](https://appshunter.io/developer/874400678) |

## What reviewers say

### Phidden

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phidden/id682818494)

Embed secret messages within your photos. Share these images, and only recipients with the app can reveal the hidden text. Avoid image compression to ensure messages remain intact.

**Highlights:** Embed secret messages in photos, Reveal hidden messages with the app, Share encoded photos, Preserve message integrity, Secure sharing methods

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phidden Network access and ... | $0.99 | one-time |


### Private Texting SMS Phone Text

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-texting-sms-phone-text/id883312358)

Communicate with a new, temporary, or permanent phone number without revealing your personal number. Protect your privacy while texting, sending pictures, and managing contacts separately. Ideal for online transactions and dating.

**Highlights:** New phone number for texting, MMS picture messaging support, Separate conversations and contacts, Block unwanted numbers, Permanent or temporary numbers, Unlimited private messaging

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Texting Line - Weekly Plan | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Plan (With Trial) | $7.99 | per month |
| Best Value Plan | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Texting Line - Month | $12.99 | per month |
| Texting Line - 3 Month Plan | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 10 Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| 35 Credits | $5.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $6.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $8.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1,500 Credits | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Keeps personal information private
- 🚀 Works as expected
- 💡 Useful for anonymous communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive for frequent use
- 🔒 Limited number of free credits
- 🐛 Unreliable, messages fail to send
- 💰 Deceptive subscription practices

**Reported bugs**

- Unknown errors prevent sending messages
- Inconsistent performance, app stops working
- Inability to transfer credits between devices

**Requested features**

- Allow more characters per message
- Provide more free credits
- Add ability to choose phone number
- Improve customer support responsiveness


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phidden free?

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

### Is Private Texting SMS Phone Text free?

Private Texting SMS Phone Text is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Phidden or Private Texting SMS Phone Text have ads?

Neither Phidden nor Private Texting SMS Phone Text shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phidden or Private Texting SMS Phone Text?

Phidden ships an update every 7 months, and Private Texting SMS Phone Text monthly. Most recently, Phidden was updated on October 12, 2026 and Private Texting SMS Phone Text on November 3, 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.*