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Phone Virtual Number for SMS vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against Phone Virtual Number for SMS's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

Phone Virtual Number for SMS
This App
TextNow: Call + Text Unlimited
Nemesis
Text Free: Second Phone Number
Contender
Burner: Second Phone Number
Contender
2ndLine - Second Phone Number
Peer
Hushed: US Second Phone Number
Peer
Core Identity
DeveloperVIRTUAL NUMBERTextNow, Inc.Pinger, Inc.Ad Hoc Labs, IncTextNow, Inc.AffinityClick Inc.
CategoryDeveloper ToolsSocial NetworkingSocial NetworkingUtilitiesCommunicationUtilities
PlatformiOSiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidAndroid, iOSAndroidiOS, Android
Store Metrics
Rating4.4 / 54.8 / 54.7 / 54.7 / 54.1 / 54.6 / 5
Ratings Count14895,475574,65992,157138,88421,832
PriceFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Release DateDec 12, 2025May 7, 2009Dec 15, 2010Apr 1, 2012Feb 27, 2017Mar 4, 2013
Last UpdatedDec 12, 2025Apr 19, 2026Apr 23, 2026May 5, 2026Apr 10, 2026Mar 26, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentimentterriblemixednegativeterrible--
Score10/10045/10028/10015/100--
Praises-
  • Free Communication Value
  • Improved Call Quality
  • Utility as a Second Number
  • Reliable call and text quality provides functional utility for users needing secondary communication lines
--
Complaints
  • Uncertainty regarding basic application functionality leads to immediate user skepticism post-update
  • Verification and Login Loops
  • Data Loss After Updates
  • Misleading 'Free' Branding
  • Paywalled Verification Codes
  • Misleading free trial offers result in immediate unauthorized charges to user payment methods
--
Requests---
  • Transparent pricing models that clearly distinguish between free and paid feature sets
--
Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • Verification-only niche focus reduces UI bloat for one-time users
  • Encrypted infrastructure supports premium pricing
  • Full MVNO status with 5G and SIM support
  • Patented Elastic Calling for network reliability
  • High category rankings (#9 Free, #8 Grossing)
  • Massive social proof with 1.1M+ reviews
  • Strong grossing performance (#11 in category)
  • Unique 24-hour number change capability
  • Privacy-first workflow reduces friction for casual users
  • Color-coded inboxes increase session duration for power users
  • Brand recognition in major tech publications
--
Weaknesses
  • $9.99/month subscription lacks a free-entry tier
  • Single-digit review count indicates low trust
  • No offline-mode functionality
  • Critical verification loop bugs
  • Data persistence issues during updates
  • Poor customer support accessibility
  • High friction in 'Free' branding vs. paid features
  • Paywalled verification codes driving negative sentiment
  • Technical bugs in account creation/onboarding
  • High refund surge due to misleading trial billing
  • Persistent message delivery failures
  • Subscription-only model limits top-of-funnel conversion
--
Pricingsubscriptionfreemiumfreemiumsubscriptionfreemiumsubscription
Momentum-MaintenanceMaintenanceActive-Intense
Update Cadence-5 versions, ~8d avg5 versions, ~9d avg5 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~10d avg-5 versions

Compare Phone Virtual Number for SMS head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Phone Virtual Number for SMS, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

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