Receive SMS online — on a number only you can read

Who it's for

• People who need a UK number for WhatsApp or WeChat codes while living abroad.
• Anyone who doesn't want to give their personal number to every app and website.
• Expats and students who need to keep receiving texts from home-country services.
• People who tried free receive-SMS websites and found the codes blocked or already used.

What it costs

Plan	Price
United States number Texts from people and businesses; no WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal codes	$2.00/mo
United Kingdom number Receives WhatsApp and WeChat codes	$3.00/mo
Canada number Texts from people and businesses; app codes not confirmed yet	$2.00/mo
Puerto Rico number Texts from people and businesses; app codes not confirmed yet	$4.20/mo
US Virgin Islands number Texts from people and businesses; app codes not confirmed yet	$2.00/mo

Typical prices in USD; the exact price is shown before you buy. Receiving texts is included; no setup fee.

How it works

1. 1

   Create a free account

   Sign up with email or Google. No app to install: the inbox is in your browser.

2. 2

   Top up and buy a number

   Add $5 or more by card, open Numbers → Buy and pick a country. For WhatsApp codes choose the UK. US and Canadian numbers work straight away; UK numbers are usually active within minutes.

3. 3

   Enter the number where you sign up

   Type your new number into the app or website that sends the code, including the country code (+44 for the UK, +1 for the US and Canada).

4. 4

   Read the code in Messages

   The text appears in your callmins inbox within seconds. If an app offers a voice call instead, that rings in your browser too.

FAQ

How can I receive SMS online?

Rent a virtual number and read its texts in your browser. On callmins: sign up, top up $5 or more, buy a UK, US or Canadian number under Numbers → Buy, and open Messages. Texts sent to the number appear there within seconds, and in the callmins app for iPhone, Android and Mac.

Which apps send verification codes to callmins numbers?

UK numbers receive WhatsApp and WeChat codes. US numbers don't receive WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal codes; they are for texts from people and US businesses. Codes on Canadian numbers aren't confirmed yet. Most other apps usually work on UK numbers, but test the one you need first.

Is receiving SMS free?

Receiving texts costs nothing on top of the number's rent: $2.00/month, no setup fee for a US number, $2.00/month, no setup fee for Canada and $3.00/month, no setup fee for the UK. Sending texts is paid per message, by destination.

Why not use a free receive-SMS website?

Free receive-SMS sites publish their numbers and every message sent to them, so anyone can read your code and use it to get into your account. WhatsApp, Telegram and most apps also block those numbers. A rented number is private to you for as long as you keep it.

Which texts won't arrive on a virtual number?

Some banks and payment apps refuse to send codes to any internet-based number, from any provider. Texts from short codes (5- or 6-digit senders) often aren't delivered to virtual numbers either. If a code matters, check the service accepts virtual numbers before relying on one.

Can I receive SMS online for just a short time?

Yes. Numbers are rented by the month with no contract. Press "Don't renew" and the number keeps working until the month ends, then it's released. See temporary phone numbers for how that works.

Related

• Temporary phone number— Rent for a month, then let it go
• UK number for receiving SMS— Which UK texts arrive and which don't
• Free virtual phone number— Why free SMS sites are risky
• UK number for WhatsApp— Step-by-step setup
• SMS rates— What sending a text costs