In a world of constant digital noise, an unexpected phone call can feel more like an intrusion than a connection. From relentless telemarketers to sophisticated AI-driven scams, our iPhones are under siege. While Apple's built-in features offer a basic line of defense, they often lack the intelligence and personalization needed to truly manage the modern influx of unwanted calls. This leaves you either missing important connections or battling daily interruptions and rising phone anxiety.

This guide cuts through the noise. We'll explore the best call screening app for iPhone options in 2025, moving beyond simple spam blocking to sophisticated AI assistants that can identify, filter, and even handle calls on your behalf. We will compare their core strengths, unique features, and practical applications, helping you find the perfect tool to restore control over your calls.

Each entry in our roundup provides a detailed breakdown, including:

Key features and real-world benefits.
Clear pros and cons to weigh your decision.
Up-to-date pricing information.
Screenshots and direct links for easy evaluation.

We've done the research so you can quickly find the ideal app, whether you're a busy professional, a small business owner, or simply someone seeking to reclaim their peace of mind. Let's dive into the solutions that will bring tranquility back to your pocket.

1. Ghosty

Ghosty emerges as a powerful and highly adaptable choice for those seeking the best call screening app for iPhone, moving far beyond basic spam blocking. It leverages a sophisticated AI to act as a personal call assistant, offering a level of customization and control that Apple's native features do not. This app is designed for users who want to regain their time, reduce interruptions, and manage communications with precision, all while maintaining a personalized and professional touch.

What truly sets Ghosty apart is its deep personalization. Instead of a single, robotic voice screening your calls, Ghosty allows you to craft unique, custom greetings for different callers or situations. This ensures that whether a potential client or a delivery driver is calling, the interaction feels natural and aligned with your personal or brand identity.

Key Features and Strengths

Ghosty's feature set is built to provide comprehensive control and valuable insights without requiring you to answer the phone.

Customizable AI Greetings: Tailor the screening experience with unique greetings to find one that fits your style. This makes the screening process feel less like a machine and more like a personal assistant.
Real-Time Transcription & Summaries: As the AI screens a call, you can watch a live transcription directly on your screen. Ghosty then delivers an instant summary, allowing you to grasp the call's purpose and urgency at a glance and decide on the next steps without being interrupted.
Advanced Call Handling Rules: Automate how different types of calls are managed. You can set specific rules to politely dismiss telemarketers, request more information from unknown numbers, or immediately connect calls from trusted contacts.
Multi-Language Support: With support for over 31 languages, Ghosty is an excellent solution for international users or those who communicate with a diverse range of contacts.

Practical Application and User Benefits

Ghosty is particularly effective for busy professionals, small business owners, and anyone who experiences phone-related stress. For entrepreneurs, it ensures no important lead is missed while filtering out time-wasting sales calls. For individuals struggling with phone anxiety, Ghosty acts as a protective buffer, providing the context of a call before they need to engage. By managing the initial interaction, it significantly eases the pressure of unexpected calls. You can learn more about how Ghosty helps with phone anxiety and creates a more controlled communication environment.

Pros & Cons

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Highly customizable with personalized greetings and multiple AI voice options. | Relies on call forwarding, which may introduce privacy concerns for users handling extremely sensitive information. | | Real-time transcription and instant summaries provide immediate call context. | Initial setup requires some time to fully customize the rules and greetings for optimal performance. | | Advanced AI-driven rules automate responses for different call types, increasing efficiency. | As a cloud-based AI, it requires an internet connection for the screening features to function. | | Supports over 31 languages, making it ideal for international communication. | |

Website: Ghosty

2. Truecaller

Truecaller is one of the most recognized names in caller identification and spam blocking, boasting a massive global user base. It leverages this community-powered database to provide highly accurate, real-time caller ID and automated spam blocking, making it a strong contender for the best call screening app for iPhone. For users on iOS 18.2 or later, Truecaller delivers its full suite of live identification features directly on the incoming call screen.

Its standout feature is the AI Assistant, which can answer unknown calls on your behalf. The assistant screens the caller, asks their reason for calling, and provides you with a real-time transcript. This allows you to decide whether to take the call, mark it as spam, or send a pre-set response, all without having to speak to the caller yourself.

Key Features and User Experience

Truecaller's strength lies in its comprehensive and frequently updated spam list, which identifies and blocks telemarketers, robocalls, and scammers with high precision. The app provides clear setup instructions within its settings, guiding users to enable its functionality through the iPhone’s Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification menu.

Real-time Caller ID: Instantly identifies unknown numbers as they call (requires iOS 18.2+).
AI Call Screener: An automated assistant answers and transcribes calls from unknown numbers.
Spam Blocking: Automatically blocks top spammers in your region based on its extensive database.
Family Plan: Offers a subscription that covers multiple users, making it a cost-effective choice for households.

Practical Tip: For the most effective spam blocking, regularly open the Truecaller app and tap the "Update" button on the Spam ID tab. This ensures your iPhone has the latest list of known spammers from Truecaller’s global network.

Pricing and Availability

While Truecaller offers a free version with basic caller ID and spam identification, its most powerful features are locked behind a Premium subscription. The full live caller ID, advanced spam blocking, and the AI Assistant require a paid plan.

Pros & Cons

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Strong identification rates with a massive user base | Premium subscription required for full features | | AI Assistant with live call transcripts | Live caller ID requires iOS 18.2 or newer | | Easy setup with clear in-app guidance | May occasionally miss or delay identification | | Family plan option available for multiple devices | Collects user data to build its database |

For users seeking a globally recognized and powerful solution with advanced AI screening capabilities, Truecaller is an excellent choice.

**Visit **Truecaller on the App Store

3. Hiya AI Phone

Hiya AI Phone positions itself as a modern defense against sophisticated scams, leveraging artificial intelligence to protect users from unwanted calls. Trusted by major carriers and device manufacturers like Samsung and AT&T, Hiya brings its enterprise-level security to iPhone users. It excels at not just identifying unknown callers but also providing a preview of their reason for calling, giving you crucial context before you decide to answer.

The app’s standout feature is its focus on AI-driven scam detection, specifically targeting the growing threat of deepfake voice scams. By analyzing call patterns and audio characteristics, Hiya aims to flag fraudulent calls in real time, offering a layer of security that traditional spam blockers may not provide. This makes it an excellent choice for users concerned about the latest phone-based threats.

Key Features and User Experience

Hiya AI Phone provides a clean and straightforward user experience that integrates seamlessly with iOS. Setup involves enabling its call identification capabilities in the iPhone's settings, similar to other apps in this category. Its primary strength is the proactive screening that displays the caller's name and their stated reason for the call directly on your incoming call screen.

AI-Powered Call Screener: Shows the caller's name and purpose before you pick up.
Advanced Scam Detection: Specializes in identifying and blocking sophisticated scams, including spoofed numbers and AI-generated deepfake voice calls.
Spam and Voicemail Protection: Automatically blocks known spammers and protects your voicemail from fraudulent messages.
Carrier-Grade Trust: Built on the same technology used by major mobile carriers, ensuring a reliable and frequently updated database.

Practical Tip: To ensure maximum protection, periodically check the app for database updates. Because Hiya focuses on emerging AI-based scams, keeping its threat intelligence current is key to its effectiveness.

Pricing and Availability

Hiya AI Phone offers a free trial to test its premium features, but ongoing use of its advanced call screening and AI scam protection requires a subscription. The free version provides basic spam identification, but the core functionalities that make it a top contender are part of the paid plan.

Pros & Cons

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Advanced AI for deepfake and voice scam detection | Full feature set requires a premium subscription | | Trusted brand used by major carriers and OEMs | Pricing plans may change; verify current offers | | Clean integration with the native iOS call screen | May not have a community database as large as Truecaller | | Frequent updates to its scam and spam databases | Focus is more on security than general caller ID |

For users prioritizing security and protection against the latest AI-driven scams, Hiya AI Phone offers a powerful and specialized solution.

**Visit **Hiya AI Phone on the App Store

4. RoboKiller

RoboKiller is an aggressive spam and robocall blocker that takes a proactive approach to fighting unwanted calls. It utilizes predictive call-blocking technology and AI-driven audio fingerprinting to intercept spam before your phone even rings. Its most unique feature is its "Answer Bots," which answer spam calls on your behalf with pre-recorded audio, wasting scammers' time and giving users a sense of satisfaction.

This app stands out by not just blocking calls but actively engaging them. Users can listen to hilarious recordings of Answer Bots confusing telemarketers, which are often shared within the app's community. In addition to call blocking, RoboKiller also provides robust SMS spam filtering, making it a comprehensive solution for protecting your device from unsolicited communication.

Key Features and User Experience

RoboKiller’s strength lies in its powerful, multi-layered approach to spam prevention. After a simple setup process through the iPhone’s Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification menu, the app works in the background to protect you. Its Spam Radar feature even lets you see spam trends in your area, providing insights into local scam campaigns.

Predictive Call Blocking: Uses an algorithm to proactively block likely spam numbers.
Answer Bots: Automatically answers and engages spam callers with funny pre-recorded messages.
SMS Spam Filtering: Filters unwanted text messages into a separate junk folder, keeping your main inbox clean.
Spam Radar: Tracks and reports on robocall trends and hotspots in your specific geographic area.

Practical Tip: Customize your Answer Bots to match your personality. You can choose from a library of different bots and even adjust how aggressively the app blocks calls in its settings to minimize the chances of blocking a legitimate number.

Pricing and Availability

RoboKiller is a premium service that requires a subscription after a 7-day free trial. It does not offer a free version for basic features, so a paid plan is necessary to use its call and text blocking capabilities. It offers different subscription tiers to fit various user needs.

Pros & Cons

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Proactive and aggressive spam blocking | Requires a paid subscription after the free trial | | Entertaining Answer Bots waste scammers' time | Some users report occasional blocking of legitimate calls | | Blocks both spam calls and unwanted text messages | The user interface can feel cluttered to some | | Strong reputation and proven effectiveness | Aggressive blocking may not suit all users |

For those who want to not only block spam but also fight back in an entertaining way, RoboKiller is an excellent and powerful choice. If you're looking for more general information on this topic, you can learn more about how to stop robocalls and protect your phone.

**Visit **RoboKiller on the App Store

5. Nomorobo

Nomorobo is a highly respected robocall and text spam blocker that has been recognized for its effectiveness. It operates with a strong focus on privacy and offers a multi-layered approach to call screening and spam prevention for iPhone users. Rather than relying on a community database, Nomorobo identifies and filters unwanted calls using advanced algorithms, making it a reliable choice for those seeking to stop unwanted calls without compromising their data.

Its standout capability is its tiered service model, which allows users to select the level of protection they need. The higher-tier "Max" plan introduces a powerful call screening feature where suspicious calls are intercepted and sent to voicemail. Users then receive a live transcript of the voicemail, allowing them to decide in real-time if the call is legitimate and worth returning, all without their phone ever ringing.

Key Features and User Experience

Nomorobo's setup is straightforward, integrating with the iPhone’s native call-blocking features found in Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification. The app provides clear instructions to enable its protection. A key differentiator is its privacy policy; the company states it does not access or store user call logs, a significant advantage for privacy-conscious individuals.

Advanced Robocall Blocking: Effectively blocks illegal robocalls and telemarketers before they reach you.
Live Voicemail Transcription: The Max plan screens unknown calls and provides a transcript as the message is being left.
Spoof-Proof Protection: Designed to identify and block calls from spoofed numbers.
Text Spam Filtering: Filters and moves spam and phishing text messages into a junk folder.

Practical Tip: To ensure maximum protection, enable all of Nomorobo's permissions within your iPhone settings. This allows the app to not only block spam calls but also filter out unwanted text messages effectively.

Pricing and Availability

Nomorobo's features are segmented across different subscription tiers. Basic robocall blocking is available in the entry-level plan, but the more advanced call screening and voicemail transcription features require the "Max" subscription. They also offer a "Family" plan that covers multiple devices.

Pros & Cons

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Strong privacy stance with no access to user call logs | Core call screening features require a higher-priced plan | | Transparent pricing with clear plan breakdowns | Lacks a real-time AI assistant for interactive screening | | Protects against both spam calls and texts | Best features are limited to the most expensive tier | | Works with all major U.S. carriers | Free trial is limited to 14 days |

For users who prioritize privacy and prefer a set-it-and-forget-it solution with clear plan options, Nomorobo is a leading contender for the best call screening app for iPhone.

**Visit **Nomorobo on their website

6. Verizon Call Filter

For Verizon Wireless customers, Verizon Call Filter offers a seamlessly integrated solution that leverages the power of the carrier's network to combat unwanted calls. Unlike third-party apps, it screens potential spam before it even reaches your iPhone, providing a highly effective first line of defense. This network-level integration makes it a compelling choice for the best call screening app for iPhone if you are on the Verizon network.

The service works by analyzing incoming calls against Verizon’s extensive database of known spam and fraud numbers. It can automatically block high-risk calls and alerts you with a "Potential Spam" label for suspicious ones, giving you the choice to answer or ignore. The experience is enhanced in the Plus tier, which adds full caller ID for unknown numbers and more granular control over blocking entire area codes to stop neighborhood spoofing attacks.

Key Features and User Experience

Verizon Call Filter is incredibly simple to activate for eligible users, often requiring just a few taps within the app or your account settings. Once enabled, it operates in the background with minimal user intervention. The app allows you to view blocked calls, report numbers, and adjust the strictness of your filters.

Network-Level Screening: Identifies and blocks spam calls directly on the Verizon network.
Spam Risk Alerts: Displays on-screen warnings like "Potential Spam" for suspicious incoming calls.
Automatic High-Risk Blocking: Silences calls from numbers identified as high-risk threats without ringing your phone.