Should I Answer? vs YouMail

Should I Answer? is a community-based service and mobile app for identifying and guarding against unwanted calls, telemarketing, and expensive outgoing calls. Its database combines community reviews with phone number ratings and is refreshed daily. On Android, the app can check a locally stored database without an internet connection and can optionally block unwanted calls automatically. The maker warns that automatic blocking may not work on every phone model. On iOS, number ratings appear in CallerID during calls or in Call History through the call blocking and identification extension. The service is also available on the web and as an extension. The Android app requires Android 4.1 or higher; Android 6 and newer require permissions for contacts, call information, and drawing over other apps. The Android manual says the local database stores phone numbers and statistics, while user reviews can be downloaded from the web service. The Android plan is free. An iOS automatic database updates plan has no listed price and includes a one-month trial period and free phone number information search.

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.