How much does a second phone number cost?
"How much is a second number?" has no single answer, because the options are built on different cost models. Some charge a monthly plan, some charge per code, some are free and pay for themselves in other ways. The sticker price also hides the costs that matter later — a lost account, a number you can't get back, a code that never arrives.
This guide compares the main ways to get a second number by how you pay, what you actually get, and the hidden costs of each, so you can pick the model that fits what you need the number for.
First, decide what the number is for
The cheapest option that works depends on the job. Calls to friends, verification for one account, a long-term work line and a number in another country are different problems with different cheapest answers.
Also count the costs that don't appear on a price list: the time to set it up, whether you need to show ID, whether you need a second device, and what happens if the number stops working. For many people the most expensive outcome isn't a monthly fee — it's losing an account that took years to build.
- Calls and chat only: an internet calling app is usually cheapest.
- One-off code for something you'll never use again: pay-per-code can be cheapest, with caveats.
- Accounts you'll keep (WhatsApp, Google, banks, marketplaces): you need a number you keep and that apps accept.
- A number in another country: rules on local SIMs vary, so an online number is often simpler.
The six cost models compared
- Second SIM / dual-SIM plan
- Recurring monthly plan from a carrier. Real mobile number; needs a dual-SIM phone and often ID where SIM registration is required.
- eSIM data plan
- Pay for data by the gigabyte or per trip. Many travel eSIMs come without a phone number at all, so no SMS codes.
- VoIP calling app
- Free or low monthly fee. Good for calls; often classified as VoIP and refused by stricter apps.
- Pay-per-code verification service
- Pay each time you receive one code. The number is usually released afterwards, so later codes can't reach you.
- Free public SMS site
- No money charged. Shared numbers, public messages, frequently blocked; the real cost is security.
- Rented real mobile number
- Fixed monthly or yearly subscription. Real mobile number used online, kept while renewed.
Second SIM or dual-SIM plan
A second line from a mobile carrier gives you a real mobile number in your own country. You pay a recurring plan — usually more than any online option, because you're paying for a full phone service. You also need a phone that holds two SIMs (or one SIM plus an eSIM), and in many countries you must register the SIM with ID.
It's the right choice if you want a second full phone line with local calls and data. It's overkill if you only need texts and codes, and it doesn't help if you want a number in a different country.
eSIM data plans
Travel and data eSIMs are cheap ways to get mobile data abroad, but most are data-only — they don't come with a phone number that receives SMS. They solve the internet problem, not the second-number problem. Check whether a plan includes a number before assuming it does.
Some carriers do sell eSIM lines with a number, which are really just a second SIM plan in digital form — same monthly cost model, same ID rules where they apply. The benefit is convenience: no plastic card and no second slot needed, as long as your phone supports eSIM.
VoIP apps and pay-per-code services
Internet calling apps are often free or cheap and fine for calls and casual texting. The hidden cost appears when an app you need runs a line-type lookup and refuses a VoIP number.
Pay-per-code services look cheap because you pay only for one message. But the number normally goes back into a pool afterwards. When the app asks you to verify again — after a new phone, a reinstall or a suspicious login — the number isn't yours any more, and the account can become impossible to recover. Over time, paying repeatedly and losing accounts can cost more than a number you keep.
Free SMS sites: the cost isn't money
Free receive-SMS websites charge nothing, but every message is shown publicly and the same numbers are reused by many people. Anyone can read your code, and anyone can later use the same number to reset your account. Many apps already block those numbers. For anything you care about, the price is too high.
Rented real mobile number
A rented real mobile number is a subscription: you pay monthly or yearly and the number stays yours as long as you renew. Because it's from a mobile range, it passes line-type checks that stop VoIP numbers, and because it's private, later codes still reach only you.
SMSCreation offers real mobile numbers in 181 countries from $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), the same price in every country. Every plan includes unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes a month. Shorter terms exist; their prices are shown at checkout.
The trade-offs are honest ones: you pay in crypto only (USDT or USDC), there is no physical SIM or local data plan, and it's a new number rather than a copy of one you already have. In return you get a number in any of 181 countries, no ID check, and a private inbox you can read from any browser.
How to pick the cheapest option that works
- 01List what the number must do: calls, SMS codes, a specific country, or all three.
- 02If calls only, try an internet calling app first.
- 03If it must pass verification for an account you'll keep, rule out free SMS sites and pay-per-code numbers.
- 04Compare a second SIM plan with a rented real mobile number over a full year, including any setup and ID requirements.
- 05Choose the one you can keep renewing without hassle — re-verification is where cheap numbers get expensive.
Why it works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram & Google
Apps check more than the digits: they look up the line type, the country format and whether the number can actually receive their code. Every SMSCreation number is a real mobile number in its country's official format — not a VoIP line — so it passes those checks the same way a SIM in your pocket does.
And we stand behind it with a 7-day replacement guarantee: if your number doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free with a new number in the same country — or refund 100% if you prefer.
- Non-VoIP, real mobile line type — line-type checks see an ordinary SIM number, not a VoIP line
- Official country format with the right country code, prefix and digit count
- Unlimited incoming SMS and calls — codes arrive by text or through the “call me” option
- Private to you — never listed on public SMS sites, so it isn't flagged or rate-limited
- Yours for as long as you want — re-verification and account recovery keep working
Price, keeping it and the 7-day guarantee
An SMSCreation number costs from $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), paid in USDT or USDC, with no KYC. It stays yours while renewed. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Telegram, Google or another app, you get a free replacement in the same country within 7 days of activation or a 100% refund, and there's a no-questions-asked refund within 7 days if it hasn't been used for any call or SMS.
Questions
What's the cheapest way to get a second phone number?
For calls only, an internet calling app. For verification on accounts you'll keep, you need a real mobile number you keep — a second SIM or a rented real mobile number, whichever costs less where you live.
Is a free second number good enough for WhatsApp?
Rarely. Free public numbers are shared and often blocked, and VoIP numbers are frequently refused. WhatsApp can also ask for a code again later.
Does an eSIM give me a second number?
Only if the plan includes one. Many travel eSIMs are data-only and can't receive SMS codes.
Why not pay per code?
Because the number usually goes back to a pool. When the app asks for a new code later, you can't receive it.
Is a second SIM cheaper than an online number?
Sometimes, especially in countries with low-cost prepaid plans. It needs a dual-SIM phone and often ID, and it only gives you a number in your own country.
How much does an SMSCreation number cost?
From $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), the same in every country.
Are there hidden fees?
Every plan includes unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes a month. You pay the plan price in USDT or USDC, per order or from your wallet balance.
Do I need a second phone?
Not for an online number. SMSCreation codes and texts appear in a browser dashboard on any device.
Will the number work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and Google?
Yes — guaranteed. It's a real mobile number with unlimited incoming SMS and calls, so verification codes arrive by SMS or voice call. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free within 7 days — or refund 100%.