Second-number apps at a glance
Each row is based on the company’s own website or help center. Where a single official price could not be confirmed, the table points you to the company instead of estimating one.
Prices are in US dollars. App stores can show a different local price with tax, and Burner says subscribing on its website costs 20% less than subscribing through the app stores.
| App | Number countries | Listed price | Calls and texts | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DualLine | United States, Canada, Puerto Rico | $5.99 a month; the store shows the final local price | SMS and calling in the app; features depend on the country and selected number | Only in the DualLine app, with App Store or Google Play billing, once the app is publicly available |
| Hushed | US, Canada, UK, Puerto Rico | Unlimited from $6.99 a month; Prepaid from $7.99 a month; Pay-as-you-go $8.99 a month | Calls and SMS; MMS on US and Canadian numbers | iPhone, Android |
| TextNow | US, Canada | Free plan with ads; paid options include Lock in Number and Ad-Free+ | Free plan with unlimited nationwide calling and texting | iPhone, Android, web |
| Burner | US, Canada | Standard $7.99 a month or $47.99 a year; Premium $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year | Calls and texts; calls connect through your main phone number | iPhone, Android |
| Saily phone number | US | See Saily for the current price | Local calls from minute plans (incoming calls use minutes too) and SMS; no MMS | — |
| Surfshark Alternative Number | US | Add-on to a Surfshark subscription; see Surfshark for the price | Receive and reply to SMS (replies to US numbers only); incoming calls | Surfshark app |
Who can sign up, and from where
Where you live can rule an app out before price matters. Google Voice personal plans are only available in the US, so Google Voice is not in the table above; the Google Voice alternatives guide covers that case.
| App | Who can sign up | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| DualLine | Adults 18 and over, where the service is offered | No bulk, automated or campaign messages; not a call-center or customer-support line |
| Hushed | Most countries; the app is unavailable in 35 listed countries | Prepaid and pay-as-you-go numbers expire when the plan ends |
| TextNow | People in North America; you cannot register from elsewhere | A new number expires within 24 hours if unused; inactive free numbers are recycled |
| Burner | People with a US, Canadian or Australian main cell number | Burner numbers can only reach US and Canadian numbers |
| Saily phone number | Saily data eSIM users who complete a mandatory ID check | Calls work only while you are in Saily’s listed countries; local calls only |
| Surfshark Alternative Number | Surfshark subscribers who add the feature; usable worldwide | SMS replies only to US numbers; the number can be changed once every 30 days |
Verification codes, in each company’s words
Every company here either avoids a promise or attaches conditions. Read the exact wording before you link a bank, payment or messaging account to a second number.
If you need a code only once, a single-use verification number may fit better than a monthly line.
| App | Statement on verification codes |
|---|---|
| DualLine | No number is guaranteed to be accepted by WhatsApp, a bank, a payment service or any other third party. |
| Hushed | Numbers are “NOT guaranteed to work with third-party verification”, and no free replacement number is given for this reason. |
| TextNow | Most codes can be received with a TextNow SIM or a Lock in Number or Ad-Free+ subscription; Canadian codes are “largely unsupported”. |
| Burner | “Most verification systems accept Burner numbers without issue”; a Verified Number subscription is “compatible with more third-party services”. |
| Saily phone number | “Most services send verification codes to our numbers without issue”; some banks, financial and payment apps refuse VoIP numbers. |
| Surfshark Alternative Number | Receives verification messages, “although some services may not support virtual phone numbers”; messages from Meta products may not arrive. |
Free and paid: what the price covers
TextNow’s free plan is supported by ads, and its help center says most verification codes can be received with a TextNow SIM or a paid Lock in Number or Ad-Free+ subscription. Free numbers are recycled after inactivity.
Hushed offers subscription, prepaid and pay-as-you-go plans, and Burner offers subscriptions or credits for prepaid numbers. Saily’s phone number is an add-on to the Saily data eSIM, and Surfshark Alternative Number is an add-on to a Surfshark subscription.
DualLine second lines are sold only in the DualLine app through App Store or Google Play billing, not on the website. The store shows the final price in your currency before you confirm, and you cancel renewal from the same store account.
Where DualLine fits, and where it does not
DualLine is built for personal one-to-one calls and messages with a United States, Canadian or Puerto Rican number. Eligible plans support up to three lines per account, each with its own inbox, history and settings.
It does not fit if you need a number from outside the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, bulk or automated messaging, or emergency calling. Like every app here, it cannot guarantee that a given service will accept the number.
Your take-away checklist
- List the number countries you need.
- Check that the app accepts sign-ups where you live.
- Compare the final price your store or checkout shows.
- Read each company’s wording on verification codes.
- Confirm calls, texts and picture messages for the number you pick.
- Check what happens to the number when you stop paying.
- Keep a phone service that can reach emergency services.
Common questions
Will a second number receive verification codes?
Sometimes. Each service decides which numbers it accepts, and none of the companies compared here guarantees acceptance. Hushed, TextNow and Saily describe their numbers as VoIP, and some banks and payment apps refuse VoIP numbers.
Can I use WhatsApp with a second number?
Only if WhatsApp accepts that number. Surfshark says verification messages from Meta products may not arrive, and DualLine does not guarantee acceptance by WhatsApp. For a single WhatsApp code, DualLine also offers a separate one-time verification product.
Can I get a US number if I don’t live in the US?
Yes, with some apps. Hushed (outside its 35 listed countries), Surfshark Alternative Number, Saily’s phone number (after an ID check) and DualLine offer US numbers to people outside the US. Google Voice personal plans, TextNow and Burner limit sign-up to the US, North America, or people with a US, Canadian or Australian main number.
Can I have two numbers on one phone without a second SIM?
Yes. The second numbers compared here work inside an app, so your main SIM and number stay in place. A DualLine line works inside the DualLine app over an internet connection.
Does the other person see my real number?
With DualLine, the recipient sees the DualLine number for supported communication sent through your selected line, and DualLine does not disclose your main number as part of that communication. A separate number is not a promise of complete anonymity: information you share can still identify you. For other apps, read their own privacy pages.
Is there a free second-number app, and what is the catch?
TextNow has a free, ad-supported plan in North America. Its free numbers are recycled after inactivity, and TextNow says most verification codes can be received with a TextNow SIM or a paid Lock in Number or Ad-Free+ subscription. Google Voice Basic is no charge but only available in the US.
Will I lose the number if I don’t use it?
It depends on the app. Google Voice reclaims inactive numbers, TextNow can recycle inactive free numbers, and Hushed prepaid numbers expire with the plan. With DualLine, access normally ends after the paid period once you cancel; recovery depends on the current terms and any protection window shown in the app.
Sources and support
Details about other apps come from each company’s own website or help center. Prices, countries and terms can change, so check the company’s page before you subscribe.
- Hushed — Plans and pricing
- Hushed Help — Verification codes
- Hushed Help — Number countries
- Hushed Help — App availability by country
- Hushed Help — Number expiry
- TextNow — Plans
- TextNow Help — Verification codes
- TextNow Help — Country availability
- TextNow Help — Recycled numbers
- Burner — Pricing
- Burner Help — Verification
- Burner Help — Verified numbers
- Burner Help — Availability
- Burner Help — Calling
- Saily Help — Phone number
- Saily Help — Verification codes
- Saily Help — Minutes and billing
- Saily Help — Calling countries
- Saily Help — SMS and MMS
- Saily Help — Identity check
- Surfshark Help — Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Set up Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Using Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Troubleshooting Alternative Number
- Google Voice Help — Subscription types
- Google Voice Help — Number reclaim