Frequently Asked Questions
How does it work?
Simple Call Blocker doesn’t actually block numbers
itself—no app can. Instead, it feeds blacklisted
phone numbers to the Phone app via a “Call
Directory app extension”. The extension is
reloaded whenever you launch the app, or when
you make a change to the blacklist or whitelist
within the app. Switching the extension on and
off within the iOS Settings app will also reload
it.
Does the app contain a list of known phone spammers
to block?
No. Simple Call Blocker does not provide or maintain
a known spammers blacklist. There are several
other iOS call blockers that do, which you can
use for free, if that feature is important to
you. You may use Simple Call Blocker in
conjunction with one of those other apps to
blacklist additional numbers.
Why would I use this app, when others are free?
Three reasons:
- Simple Call Blocker allows you to block a
range of phone numbers, to help prevent
“neighbor spam”, for free. Other apps
may let you blacklist individual phone
numbers, but require an in-app purchase
or paid subscription to block ranges of
numbers.
- Simple Call Blocker does not collect your
personal information. You do not need to
provide it access to you contacts for
the whitelist to work (though the
“whitelist contacts” will not work). In
contrast, some call blockers require a
subscription or even a login to their
web service in order to work.
- Simple Call Blocker is designed to be very
simple and reliable. In contrast, with
many call blockers, it is hard to
determine how many numbers are in the
blacklist, whether or not the “Call
Directory app extension” is loaded, and
so on.
This app doesn’t do everything I want!
You can always try another app, either instead of
Simple Call Blocker, or right beside it. There’s
no rule that you can’t use multiple apps to
block calls. For instance, you can use an app
that maintains a list of spam callers to block
that list, and then use Simple Call Blocker to
block a range of numbers to prevent “neighbor
spam”.
How much does this app cost?
It is free and always will be. There is no up-sell,
no business model, and no B.S.
Is it free software?
Simple Call Blocker is “free
as in beer” (gratis) not “free
as in speech” (libre).
Do I have to give you any personal information or
sign up for any service?
No. The app requires no login and no sign-up with a
web service. Your data never leaves your phone.
Numbers are not being blocked!
First, check the app’s Status tab to see if the
blocker is enabled, and if the blocker is
loaded.
This app does not work in my country!
Please email
the developer with specific details
about the problem.
Can I block every number except those in my contacts
list?
No. There is a limit to how many numbers can be
blocked, but that limit is not documented
anywhere. Simple Call Blocker’s Status screen
will display whether or not the blocker loaded
successfully.
The Status screen says the blocker is enabled, but
did not load correctly!
There are two main reasons that the blocker did not
load:
- The blocker is disabled. Check your Phone
settings and enable Simple Call Blocker
there.
- There are too many numbers in the blacklist.
Reduce the size of the blacklist.
What data about me do you collect?
Simple Call Blocker does not collect user data, and
sends nothing to the developer.
It does track your usage of the app in a very simple
way, for the purposes of displaying,
occasionally, the familiar iOS dialog that asks
for an App Store Rating. The app will store the
following information (only) in its local user
preferences database:
- the first date you opened the app
- the most recent date you opened the app
- the most recent date the app showed you the
App Store review request dialog
Is the app open source?
No.
Why not?
My first app, TodoTxtMac,
was open source. People copied the entire app
and charged money for it in the Mac App Store.
Based on the software license I gave it, that
was permissible, but it still felt like stealing
from me.
Why not charge for it then?
Because I want it to be free. All the other iOS call
blockers I found have a free tier, but require
an in-app purchase to block ranges of numbers,
which is the only useful thing they could do.
I wanted to create a free alternative to those apps.
Will you ever open source it?
I will probably open-source the app when I no longer
wish to support it.
It looks so plain and boring!
Simple Call Blocker is a utility. It isn’t built to
be pretty—it’s built to be functional.
The simple black and white color scheme (fitting, for
a blacklist- and whitelist-creating app) and use
of default iOS controls are intentional. The app
should be reliable and easy to support going
forward, as new versions of iOS are released.
I have a problem not listed here!
Please email
the developer with specific details
about the problem.