7 Best Call-Blocker Apps for Smartphones

We've tested them: Stop annoying calls with these apps

By
Nadeem Unuth
Nadeem Unuth
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Mauritius
Nadeem Unuth is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire who specializes in information and communication technology with a focus on VoIP.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on February 14, 2020
Reviewed by
Christine Baker
Reviewed by Christine Baker
Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

Use a call-blocking feature or call-blocker app on your smartphone to block incoming calls you don't want. These calls are annoying, disturbing, and time-consuming. Call-blocker apps do two things: identify who is calling and block the call if the number is listed as unknown.

Here are some of the best apps for blocking unwanted calls. The suitability of these call-blocker apps depends on your personal needs. Choose the one that fits you best.

Some of these apps work only on iPhones while others work only on Android phones. Some work on multiple platforms. Check the specifications and choose the best one for you.

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The Best Call Blocker Apps For Smartphones

Truecaller: Block Calls and Look Up Numbers

Three TrueCaller iOS screens depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • Block by country code or number series.

  • Many extra features.

  • Diverse language support.

What We Don't Like

  • Supported by ads.

  • Spammer list doesn't update automatically.

Truecaller is a popular number-lookup app with a number repository of more than 2 billion records collected from the contact lists of users throughout the world. It's good at identifying numbers, which makes it good at blocking calls from unfamiliar sources. 

Apps like Truecaller access your phone book, which it appends to the huge database on its server. If you feel uneasy about that, this might not be the right app for you.

This app is available for iPhones and Android phones. 

Hiya: Caller ID and Spam Blocker

Three iOS screens from Hiya app depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • No ads.

  • Block by number prefix.

  • Uncomplicated design that's easy to use.

What We Don't Like

  • Auto-block for spam calls isn't free.

  • Only premium version identifies caller's name.

Hiya (previously White Pages Caller ID and Call Blocker) was once just a reverse-number lookup service. Now the app also blocks calls and offers a caller ID service.

Hiya is good at identifying numbers because it analyzes more than 3 billion calls each month to give users context around their incoming calls. Like Truecaller, once you register, your calls are among those analyzed.

Hiya is available for both Android and iOS phones.

Should I Answer?: Categorizes Numbers for Strong Filtering

Three iOS screens from Should I Answer? depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • Constant, daily improvements via user ratings.

  • Extremely easy to use.

  • Unique customization options.

What We Don't Like

  • Manual blocking setting is hidden in the menu.

  • Not easy to add new numbers to block list.

Should I Answer? is a number-lookup service that works similarly to Truecaller and Hiya. It blocks calls while categorizing numbers into groups for better filtering. Should I Answer? says its database grows daily by 30,000 new reviews. The app is available for Android and iOS phones. 

Calls Blacklist: Schedules Call Blocking

Three Android screens from Calls Blacklist app depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • Schedule block times.

  • Easy to enable/disable blocking.

  • Block private and unknown numbers.

What We Don't Like

  • Works with Android only.

  • Free version shows ads.

This app blocks calls and includes some handy features. Apply a schedule to your call blocking based on the numbers. For example, allow a number to ring through only during certain hours of the day. Filter numbers by prefix (block numbers starting with a certain string of numbers), as well.

The app also includes a one-touch toggle button to activate and deactivate call blocking. This app is available only for Android.

Call Control: Collects Scam Numbers

Three iOS screens from Call Control app depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • Improves through user reports.

  • Wildcard blocking support.

  • Grab a free trial of the premium version.

What We Don't Like

  • Must create a user account.

This free app also provides reverse phone lookup along with call blocking. It blocklists SMS messages, as well.

Call Control has an easy and intuitive interface. It works with a community blocklist that collects scam numbers via reports obtained from users. Call Control is available for both Android and iOS. 

CallApp: Analyzes Data About Incoming Calls

Three Android screens from CallApp blocking app depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • See caller ID of past spam calls.

  • Auto-record phone calls.

  • Unique features like call reminders.

  • Built-in store for upgrades.

What We Don't Like

  • No iOS version.

  • Includes advertisements in free version.

  • Must make a user account.

  • More bloated than most call-blocking apps.

This app is primarily a number-lookup app that offers information about any caller, allowing you to decide whether or not to answer. This app has a crawler that collects and analyzes data from other users to present information when a call comes. The app is currently available only for Android phones.

Norton Mobile Security: A Full Security Package

Norton Mobile Security screenshots from iTunes depicting the call-blocker app at work
What We Like

  • Auto-blocks spam and fraud calls.

  • Provides much more than just call blocking.

What We Don't Like

  • Call blocking disabled for Android 9.0+.

  • Its many tools may become overwhelming.

This product from security giant Norton isn't just a call-blocking app. Rather, it's a security package that includes call blocking among its many features.

We've included the app in this list because it appeals to users who want all facets of security, including call blocking, included in a single product.

The app is available for Android and iOS devices, but you'll need a subscription to use it. 

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