The Best Virtual Phone Number Apps in 2026, Compared

The best virtual phone number app depends on one question: do you live in the country the number belongs to? If you live in the US and want a free second line, use Google Voice. If you live anywhere else and want a real UK, US or Canadian number that works in a browser and on iPhone, Android and Mac, with no contract and no ID check, callmins is the simplest option: UK numbers cost $3.00/month, no setup fee, US numbers $2.00/month, no setup fee. MoreMins and Numero are good app-first alternatives with more countries, and Hushed suits people who want disposable lines for privacy.

We compared six services on the things that actually decide whether a number works for you: who can sign up, which countries you get, whether it runs in a browser, whether it receives WhatsApp codes, and how you pay. We make callmins, so we have said plainly where another service is the better fit.

Quick comparison

Competitors' prices change often, so we describe how they charge rather than quote a figure that may be out of date. callmins prices above come from our live rate tables.

1. callmins: best for a UK or US number from abroad

callmins rents real UK (+44), US (+1) and Canadian (+1) numbers from a licensed carrier, Telnyx, to people in any country. Everything happens in the browser: you sign up with email or Google, top up a wallet by card, pick a number and start calling. Incoming calls ring in the browser or the callmins app for iPhone, Android or Mac, and texts arrive in a Messages inbox.

• Prices: UK $3.00/month, no setup fee, US $2.00/month, no setup fee, Canada $2.00/month, no setup fee. Receiving calls and texts is free; outgoing calls are charged per minute from the wallet (see callmins international call rates).
• No ID check, no contract.US and Canadian numbers work immediately; UK numbers are activated within minutes. Press “Don't renew” to keep a number to the end of the paid month and then let it go.
• WhatsApp: UK numbers receive WhatsApp and WeChat codes. US numbers do not, so buy UK if sign-ups are the goal.

Pick it if you live outside the UK or US and need a number there for family, clients or app sign-ups, and you want one account that works in a laptop browser and on iPhone, Android or Mac. Skip it if you need numbers in countries beyond the UK, US and Canada. Start on the UK virtual number page or the US virtual number page.

2. MoreMins: best value if you prepay a year

MoreMins sells virtual numbers in the UK, the US and several European countries, along with calling plans and travel eSIMs. Its headline UK price is the yearly rate paid upfront, which is cheap if you are sure you will keep the number for twelve months. Monthly prices are higher. It has web and mobile apps and a long track record. Read our side-by-side callmins vs MoreMins comparison for the details.

3. Numero eSIM: best for many countries in one app

Numero offers virtual numbers in a long list of countries plus travel eSIM data, all inside its mobile app. That breadth is its strength: if you need a Mexican, Spanish or Australian number, it covers places callmins does not. Check what each number type supports before buying, because some countries' numbers are voice-only and cannot receive SMS.

4. Hushed: best for short-term private lines

Hushed is a long-running second-line app built around privacy: you can buy a number for a few days or a month, use it for a listing or a date, and throw it away. It is mobile-app based. For a number you intend to keep for years, such as one linked to WhatsApp or your bank, a provider built around long-term rental is a safer choice.

5. Google Voice: best free option, if you qualify

Google Voice gives US residents a free number with calls, texts and voicemail transcription across phone and browser. The catch is the door: you need an existing US number to sign up, and it is aimed at people in the US. If that is you, start here. If not, our guide to Google Voice alternatives covers what to use instead.

6. TextNow: best free casual number in North America

TextNow funds free US and Canadian numbers with ads. It is fine for casual texting inside North America. Numbers that go unused are recycled, and many services reject free numbers for verification, so it is a poor home for accounts you care about.

How to choose the right app

1. Where do you live? Outside the US, rule out Google Voice and TextNow.
2. Which country's number? UK, US or Canada: callmins, MoreMins or Hushed. Anywhere else: Numero or MoreMins.
3. Is it for WhatsApp? Choose a UK mobile number you will keep paying for. Our virtual number for WhatsApp guide explains why the number must not lapse.
4. App or browser? If you work on a laptop or cannot install apps, choose a service that also runs in the browser; callmins does both.
5. How long will you keep it? Weeks: a short-term line. Years: a provider built around monthly rent, ideally with no contract.

What a virtual number won't do

No virtual number from any provider is a full replacement for a mobile SIM. They can't call emergency numbers, and some banks and apps refuse every virtual number. Test the service you care about before you rely on the number. If you are still deciding whether you need one, our guide to getting a second phone number compares virtual numbers with dual SIM and a second phone.

Common questions

Ready to try one? Create a free callmins account, top up, and pick a UK, US or Canadian number in about a minute.