PhoneBlock vs YouMail

PhoneBlock is a free call-blocking service that uses a community-maintained database to identify unwanted advertising and spam calls. Users can report numbers through the app, website, or personal blacklist, and reports join the shared blacklist. The Android app blocks known spam calls, keeps call history, and supports reports and personal lists; it requires Android 10 or later. For incoming calls, the Android app sends only the phone number’s SHA-1 hash and does not access contacts.

Landline users can choose a router dongle, a Fritz!Box cloud answering machine, or a blocklist phonebook synchronized through CardDAV. The documented iPhone setup syncs spam numbers into contacts through CardDAV; a native iPhone app is in development, and beta registration is available. Phone systems can download the blocklist in different formats or query it through an API. PhoneBlock is licensed under GPL-3.0 and operated as a private project. The operator accepts email requests for help, including for mistakenly listed numbers. PhoneBlock costs nothing, with donations optional; its terms advise against business use.

YouMail combines call protection, privacy tools, and visual voicemail for Android, iOS, and the web. It is intended to block robocalls and scammers and help keep a phone number private. Visual voicemail transcribes messages to text and is accessible on mobile and desktop. The Free plan costs nothing and includes 50 cloud messages, 100 voicemail-to-text transcriptions per month, and unlimited known-spammer blocking. Paid personal plans include unlimited call screening; the Free plan does not list that feature. For business use, Complete and Ultimate list virtual numbers and tools such as auto attendant, extensions, conference call recording, and business messaging. YouMail also lists voicemail notifications or transfers to Slack, Asana, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Trello. The company says it encrypts data at rest and in transit and describes vulnerability scans, code reviews, and third-party security audits and penetration tests in its development process. It works with major carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Ting, and Mint.