How to get a virtual phone number
You don't apply for it or wait for approval. You pick a number and it's yours in three steps.
Top up your balance
Add funds to your VirtSMS account (crypto, from a couple of dollars). You buy per use, so you only spend what a number costs.
Pick a country and service
Choose the country you want the number from (190+ available) and the app you're verifying. The price for that exact pairing shows before you buy, from $0.30.
Get your number
Confirm and the number is assigned instantly. It's yours to use, and any SMS sent to it lands on your dashboard in seconds. That's the whole process to buy a virtual phone number: no contract, no SIM, no waiting.
Buy once, or rent for longer?
Two ways to get a number, depending on how long you need it.
A single activation is the cheap, common option: you buy a number for one verification, from $0.30, and it releases when you're done. Good for a one-off signup.
If you need to keep the same number, to receive codes over days or weeks, or to hold an account, you rent one instead, from $1.50, with unlimited SMS for the rental window. Same idea, longer leash. Need a code once? Buy a single activation. Need the number to stick around? Rent it.
Can you get a virtual phone number for free?
Plenty of people look for a free virtual phone number first, so here's the straight answer: free ones exist, and for real verification they usually don't work.
A free virtual number is almost always a public, shared number, the kind you find on open SMS sites. The problems repeat every time: the major platforms (WhatsApp, Google, Telegram) recognize those numbers and reject them, the inbox is visible to everyone using it, and the code you want may already be taken by someone else on the same number. A "free virtual phone number app" or a "free virtual number without registration" hits the identical wall, because the issue isn't the packaging, it's the shared public number underneath.
Buying one removes all of that. A paid VirtSMS number is private to you, runs on real carrier ranges that platforms accept, costs from $0.30, and refunds automatically if it doesn't deliver. For anything that matters, a number that works for a few cents beats a free one that doesn't.
Virtual number, virtual SIM, virtual landline: what you're getting
People search for a lot of related things, and they aren't all the same, so it's worth being clear about what VirtSMS provides.
What you get is a virtual number for receiving SMS: a real mobile number, hosted online, that catches text messages and verification codes for you. You might also see it called a virtual mobile number, a virtual cell number, or a virtual telephone number. Those all describe the same thing here.
What it is not: it isn't a virtual SIM card you slot into a phone, and it isn't a virtual landline or voice line for making and taking calls. VirtSMS is built around SMS, catching the texts and codes that prove an account is yours. If you need a full calling line or a SIM replacement, that's a different product. If you need a number that reliably receives SMS, that's this one.
Getting a virtual number for business
A common reason to buy a number is business use, and it's worth being precise about which business use.
Where a virtual number for business helps: verifying and registering business accounts on platforms (marketplaces, ad accounts, app stores, social profiles) without tying them to the owner's personal mobile, and keeping work signups separate from a personal line. Buy a number per account, keep the business profiles clean.
Where it doesn't fit: it isn't a business phone system. If you want a virtual office line for staff to make and take calls, a switchboard, or a published company number for customers to ring, that's a hosted voice service, not what VirtSMS does. For business verification and registration, a virtual number does the job for a few cents.
Choosing where to get your number
If you're comparing virtual phone number providers, what separates the best one from one that wastes your money comes down to a few things:
- Real carrier numbers, not VoIP. Many platforms block internet (VoIP) numbers. Numbers on real mobile carrier ranges pass. This is the single biggest reason a code does or doesn't arrive.
- Country coverage. A good virtual phone number service offers the country a given platform will accept, not just two or three options. VirtSMS covers 190+, from a US, UK, or India number to a Brazil one, so you can get an international number from almost anywhere when a platform expects a local one.
- Price you can see first. You should know the cost of a number before you buy it, not after. Cheap matters, but a cheap number that fails is not cheap.
- A refund when it fails. Carrier delivery is never perfect. An auto-refund (VirtSMS refunds if the SMS doesn't arrive within 20 minutes) means a dud number costs you nothing.
What you do with it once you have it
Mostly, people buy a virtual number to receive a verification code without using their real one: sign up, catch the SMS, keep the personal line private. It works across 6,800+ services, including:
Not listed? Browse the full list. For a single throwaway signup, a temporary number covers it; to receive codes in your browser without buying ahead, see receiving SMS online.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a virtual phone number?
Add a small balance to your VirtSMS account, pick the country and service you need, and confirm. The number is assigned instantly and any SMS sent to it shows on your dashboard. No contract, no SIM, no approval wait.
How much does it cost to buy a virtual phone number?
Single-use numbers start at $0.30, with the exact price depending on the country and service, shown before you buy. Longer rentals start at $1.50. You pay per number, so there's no subscription.
Can I get a virtual phone number for free?
Free public numbers exist, but they're shared, openly readable, and blocked by most major platforms, so verification usually fails. A private paid number from $0.30 with an auto-refund tends to be cheaper once you count the free ones that don't work.
Is a virtual phone number the same as a virtual SIM or a virtual landline?
No. VirtSMS gives you a number for receiving SMS, not a SIM card to put in a phone or a voice landline for calls. If you need a calling line or a SIM replacement, that's a different service.
Can I buy a virtual phone number for my business?
Yes, for verifying and registering business accounts without using a personal number. It isn't a business phone system for making and taking calls, but for keeping company signups and profiles separate from your own line, it works well.
Which countries can I get a number from?
190+ countries. You choose the country before buying, which matters when a platform only accepts a local number. Availability per service varies by country, and the live selector shows what's in stock.
How fast do I get the number after buying?
Instantly. The number is assigned the moment you confirm, and incoming texts arrive on your dashboard usually within 5 to 30 seconds, depending on the carrier.
Can I get a number to receive SMS verification codes?
Yes, that's the main reason people buy one. The verification code the service sends lands on your dashboard, and you enter it to finish signing up.
Do I need to register or give ID to buy one?
You create an account to manage your balance and numbers, but you don't hand over ID to get a number. The whole point is to verify other accounts without exposing your personal details.
What's the difference between buying and renting a number?
Buying a single activation gets you a number for one verification, from $0.30, that releases after. Renting keeps the same number for days or weeks with unlimited SMS, from $1.50. Pick based on whether you need it once or ongoing.
Can I get more than one virtual number?
Yes. You can buy multiple numbers, one per account or verification, which is common for people managing several profiles. Each is a separate purchase from your balance.
How do I pay for a virtual number?
You top up your VirtSMS balance with cryptocurrency, then buy numbers from that balance. There's no recurring charge; you spend per number.