In This Article
Virtual phone numbers solve a small but real problem. You want to sign up for a service without handing over your real number, run a side business without buying a second phone, or maintain a separate number for online dating that does not leak your personal contact details. The category quietly matured. Several reputable services now offer encrypted voice and SMS through real US, UK, or Canadian numbers for less than ten dollars a month.
Below is a 2026 walkthrough of the legitimate virtual phone number services worth using, what to check before signing up, and the few sketchy patterns to watch for. We focus on Android-first services that work cleanly with iMessage downgrade and standard SMS.
TL;DR
The pick: The pick: Google Voice for free US-based virtual numbers, with a Google account and a linked existing number. The cleanest free option if you live in the United States.
Runner-up: Runner-up: Hushed, Burner, or MySudo for paid second-line numbers with stronger privacy guarantees, international availability, and no requirement to link a real number first.
Skip if: Skip free SMS-only websites that promise temporary numbers. Most are flagged as throwaway by major services, which means your verification codes will fail half the time, and anyone can read the inbox.
Google Voice, the free US default
Google Voice gives a free US number to any Google account holder with a US billing address and an existing real US phone number to link. Calls, SMS, and voicemail transcription are included. The 2025 update added MMS group messaging and improved spam filtering. The catch is the US-only requirement and the linked-number step, which creates a paper trail Google holds.
Use Google Voice for the second-line use case where privacy is a soft requirement, not a hard one. It is excellent for craigslist transactions, business cards, and online signups where you simply do not want your real number ending up in another marketing database.
Hushed and Burner, the privacy-focused paid options
Hushed sells prepaid or subscription numbers from the US, Canada, UK, and several European countries. Prices start at two dollars for a seven-day disposable number and scale to fifty dollars a year for a long-term line. The app does not require linking a real number and supports SMS and calls. Burner offers a similar model with a slightly more polished interface and US-focus.
Either is a step up in privacy over Google Voice. Both keep the number’s metadata on their servers but do not link to your real number unless you provide it. Pay with a prepaid card for fully anonymous numbers if anonymity is the goal.
MySudo for compartmentalized identity
MySudo is the most ambitious privacy app in the category. A SudoPro subscription at fifteen dollars a month gives nine separate identities (a Sudo each), each with its own phone number, email address, and virtual debit card. The compartmentalization is thorough enough that you can use a different Sudo for each life domain (dating, side-hustle, travel bookings) without overlap.
MySudo is overkill for casual second-line use. It earns its price for users with specific privacy needs, like journalists, domestic violence survivors, or compartmentalized professionals who need different personas for different audiences.
TextNow, OpenPhone, and the business-line options
TextNow is the longstanding free option, ad-supported, US-only, and showing its age. OpenPhone is the small-business pick at fifteen dollars per user per month, integrating with HubSpot and Slack, and offering a fully separate business line on the same phone. Sideline targets the same business audience at a similar price.
Pick OpenPhone or Sideline if your goal is a true second business line with CRM integration, shared inbox features, and a real business identity. They are the wrong choice for anonymous signups; the billing relationship is too rich.
What to verify before signing up
Five questions to ask of any virtual number provider. First, can the service receive SMS verification codes from banks, social apps, and government services? Many block VOIP numbers. Second, what data does the provider retain about your number, and how long? Third, what jurisdiction’s laws apply to the provider’s data? Fourth, is the app on the Play Store and does its permission list match a phone-app’s needs? Fifth, is there a clear sustainable business model, or is the service free in suspicious ways?
Hushed, Burner, Google Voice, and MySudo all answer these questions cleanly. Most free SMS-only websites fail on the third and fourth questions.
At a glance
| Service | Monthly price | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice | Free | Yes, US-only | Casual second line |
| Hushed | $5 to $10 | Trial only | International privacy |
| Burner | $5 | Trial only | US disposable lines |
| MySudo | $5 to $15 | One Sudo free | Compartmentalized identity |
| TextNow | Free with ads | Yes, US-only | Budget-only use |
| OpenPhone | $15 per user | Trial only | Small business line |
Which service fits your need?
- Free second line for personal use: Google Voice.
- Travel and need a UK or European number: Hushed.
- Disposable number for one transaction: Burner one-week line.
- Multiple identities for privacy: MySudo.
- Real business line on a personal phone: OpenPhone or Sideline.
- Avoiding a contract phone bill: TextNow.
FAQ
Can I keep a virtual number long-term?
Yes for Google Voice, Hushed, Burner, MySudo, and OpenPhone. All support recurring subscriptions or porting a number out to another carrier. TextNow free numbers can be reclaimed if the line goes inactive for too long; check the terms.
Do banks accept virtual numbers for two-factor?
Most do not for security-critical alerts like account changes. Use a real number for banks; virtual numbers for everything else.
Can I make international calls?
Hushed and MySudo include international calling at prepaid rates. Google Voice charges per minute for international calls. OpenPhone includes the US, Canada, and select international destinations.
Are virtual numbers encrypted?
Voice calls over VOIP are usually encrypted in transit between you and the provider. SMS is rarely end-to-end encrypted because the SMS protocol does not support it. For sensitive conversations, use Signal or a similar encrypted app instead.
Bottom line
Virtual phone numbers are a low-friction privacy upgrade. Google Voice covers casual use for free in the US, Hushed handles international and short-term needs, and MySudo serves the compartmentalized-identity use case. Pick based on the actual problem you are solving, verify that the services you care about accept the number, and skip the free SMS websites entirely.
