About 31% of American adults receive at least one scam call every day, according to Pew Research Center. And for 21% of Americans, scam calls come in multiple times a day (Source: U.S. PIRG, Ringing in Our Fears 2025 Report). Spam robocalls increased 20% year over year in 2025, hitting a six-year high.
The financial damage is real. Americans reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% jump from the year before, and phone calls were the second most common way scammers made contact (Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024). Among people who lost money to scam robocalls in the first half of 2025, the average loss was $3,690 per victim (Source: U.S. PIRG, Ringing in Our Fears 2025 Report).
The Do Not Call Registry helps with legitimate telemarketers, but scammers typically ignore it. That is why millions of people now rely on AI-powered tools to stop phone scams before they ring through.
But which spam call blocker actually works best? Robokiller, Truecaller, and Cloaked each take a different approach to the problem. Here is how they compare, what each one does well, and which one may be the right fit for you.
How AI Call Blockers Work
Before comparing apps, a quick explanation of what an AI call blocker actually does. Most spam call blockers use some combination of three methods to filter telemarketer calls using AI.
The Three Main Methods
- Database matching checks incoming numbers against a known list of spam numbers reported by other users or gathered from public records.
- AI pattern detection analyzes call behavior, like how often a number calls different people in a short time, to flag likely spam even from new numbers.
- Call screening answers unknown calls on your behalf, asks the caller to identify themselves, and gives you a transcript so you can decide whether to pick up.
Some apps only block. Others screen unknown callers automatically with AI and give you a live transcript. The difference matters, especially if you get legitimate calls from numbers you do not recognize.
Older adults face the highest risk. Adults 60 and over reported losing $2.4 billion to fraud in 2024, a fourfold increase since 2020. Phone-initiated scams had a median individual loss of $2,210, higher than scams starting through any other contact method (Source: FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report).
Robokiller
Robokiller is one of the more well-known spam call blocker apps in the U.S. The app focuses on aggressive call blocking and a unique "Answer Bots" feature that wastes scammers' time with pre-recorded messages.
What Robokiller Does Well
Robokiller uses audio fingerprinting and predictive analytics to identify spam. When a suspected spam call comes in, the app can send it to an Answer Bot, a recorded message that keeps the scammer on the line. Robokiller claims to block up to 99% of spam calls.
- Available on iOS and Android
- Blocks spam calls and texts
- Answer Bots engage scammers with recorded messages
- Real-time call screening with transcription
- Personal data protection feature that scans for your info on public sites
What to Keep in Mind
Robokiller requires a paid subscription. Pricing starts around $4.99 per month, with annual plans that have varied in recent years. Some users reported a significant price increase in mid-2024, so check the current rate before subscribing. A few user reviews mention occasional false positives, where legitimate calls get blocked. Setting up on iPhone requires enabling the app under Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification (the exact path may vary by iOS version), which can trip up some users.
Truecaller
Truecaller started as a caller ID app and has grown into a full communication platform with over 500 million users globally (Source: TechCrunch, April 2026). The app pulls from one of the largest crowdsourced phone number databases in the world.
What Truecaller Does Well
Truecaller identifies unknown callers in real time by matching numbers against a massive user-contributed database. The Premium plan includes an AI Assistant, an app that answers spam calls for you automatically, asks the caller why they are calling, and sends you a live transcript.
- Free tier with basic caller ID and spam blocking (ad-supported)
- AI Assistant screens calls and transcribes in real time (Premium)
- Works on iOS and Android
- Over 4 million paid subscribers globally
- Messaging features built into the app
What to Keep in Mind
Truecaller's free version shows ads, which can feel intrusive. The app collects and stores user contact data to power its database, which has raised privacy concerns among some users. Full AI call screening features require a paid Premium subscription. Some iPhone features are more limited compared to Android due to Apple's API restrictions.
How Cloaked Takes a Different Approach
Robokiller and Truecaller both try to block or screen spam after it reaches your phone number. Cloaked asks a different question: what if scammers never had your real phone number to begin with?
Prevention Over Reaction
Spam calls often start because your real phone number has been sold, leaked, or scraped from a database. Cloaked lets you create phone number aliases, separate numbers you can hand out to apps, websites, and businesses. Your real number stays hidden.
When spam starts hitting one of those aliases, you disable it and create a new one. No need to change your actual phone number.
Blocking Plus Privacy Protection
Cloaked also includes Call Guard, which screens unknown callers on your aliases. On top of call screening, Cloaked offers data removal from 130+ broker sites, dark web monitoring, and $1M in identity theft insurance. Currently available in the U.S. and Canada.
How to Block Spam Calls on iPhone
Regardless of which app you choose, here are the basics for getting a spam call blocker running on an iPhone.
Setup Steps
- Download the app from the App Store.
- Open Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification (on older iOS versions, the path may be Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification).
- Toggle on the app you installed.
- Open the app and complete any additional setup, like enabling call screening or creating a phone alias.
Keep in mind that iOS limits what third-party apps can do with calls compared to Android. Some features, like automatic call answering or recording, may work differently or may not be available on iPhone.
Fight Back Against Spam Calls
Spam calls are not going away. Scammers are using AI to make calls sound more convincing than ever. A good AI call blocker may help save you time and reduce your risk of falling for a phone scam.
Cloaked goes a step further by making sure your real number never reaches scammers in the first place. Run a free safety scan to see how exposed your phone number already is, or get in touch to learn how phone aliases and data removal can cut spam calls at the source.
FAQs
What is the best spam call blocker app in 2026?
No single app is perfect for everyone. Robokiller is strong on aggressive blocking and Answer Bots. Truecaller has the largest caller ID database. Cloaked focuses on preventing spam by hiding your real number behind aliases.
Do apps that answer spam calls for you automatically really work?
Yes, both Robokiller and Truecaller offer automatic answering features that engage or screen callers before your phone rings. Effectiveness can vary depending on the type of scam call.
How do I filter telemarketer calls using AI?
Download a spam call blocker app that uses AI pattern detection, enable it in your phone settings, and let the app screen or block calls that match known spam patterns.
Can I block spam calls without giving up my privacy?
Most traditional call blockers require access to your call log and contacts. Cloaked avoids that trade-off by giving you separate phone numbers for different accounts, so your real number stays private.
Is Truecaller safe to use?
Truecaller's caller ID works by crowdsourcing contact data from users who share their address books. That means your number could appear in the database if someone who has your contact info uses the app, even if you never signed up.
Do these apps work on both iPhone and Android?
All three apps are available on both platforms. However, some features, especially automatic call answering and call recording, may be more limited on iPhone due to Apple's restrictions on third-party call access.
