Which second phone number do you need for verification?

The three kinds of second number

App prices are from Burner, Hushed and Second Phone Number’s own websites; their in-app prices are higher. We did not compare carrier plans.

A second SIM or eSIM from a carrier

A carrier number is what a service means when it turns other numbers away and asks for your mobile number. Google’s own Google Voice help says some websites, “such as banks or subscription services”, won’t text Google Voice numbers, and suggests using your mobile carrier number instead.

It suits a bank, a payment account, or any account you’ll keep for years. The cost is an ongoing carrier plan and a phone that can hold a second SIM or eSIM. It is the most commitment of the three for a few codes.

A calling and texting app

Apps such as Burner, Hushed and Second Phone Number give you a second number that calls and texts over your data connection. On their websites, Burner is $7.99 a month or $47.99 a year, Hushed’s Unlimited plan is $6.99 a month, and Second Phone Number is $4.99 a month or $21.99 a year. Google Voice is free, but only in the US.

None of them promises that codes will arrive. Burner’s help centre says most verification systems accept its numbers but there is no guarantee, and its App Store listing says it is not compatible with SMS short code services. Hushed says some services allow its numbers to receive codes, depending on their policies. Second Phone Number says its number is virtual (VoIP) and that some platforms block those.

Pick one when people need to reach you on the number: buyers on a marketplace, customers of a side business, anyone you’d rather not give your own number to. The detail is in VerifyWith vs Burner, VerifyWith vs Hushed and VerifyWith vs second phone number apps.

A receive-only rental

A rental gives you a number that does one thing: receive texts. You don’t install anything, and you pay for a set time rather than a monthly plan. Ours is a private, non-VoIP US number, which matters because many apps look up a number’s line type and refuse VoIP numbers; it still isn’t a promise that a given app accepts it. It costs $3.99 for 1 day, $7.99 for 1 week, $12.99 for 1 month or $34.99 for 1 year.

The limits come with the design. It can’t call, can’t reply, and won’t receive a code read out by voice call. When the rental ends, the number can be given to someone else, so a long-lived account needs either a long rental or a move to another sign-in method; what happens when a number ends explains what to change.

Which kind fits your need

Questions people ask

Can a second phone number receive verification codes?

Yes, but each app decides which numbers it will text. A carrier SIM is what a service asks for when it refuses other numbers; calling apps and rented numbers work with many apps and are refused by some.

What is the cheapest second number for verification codes?

For a single code, a one-day rental at $3.99. For a whole year with calls and texts, Second Phone Number’s website plan at $21.99 a year is cheaper than a $34.99 rental. Google Voice is free if you are in the US.

Can a temporary phone number receive calls?

Calling apps such as Burner and Hushed can. A receive-only rental such as ours cannot, so a code that is read out by voice call won’t reach it.

Do I need a second phone to have a second number?

No. A calling app runs on the phone you already have, and a rented number’s texts appear in a web browser on any phone or computer. Only a second SIM needs a phone that can hold it.