How to get a German phone number from abroad
Germany runs a lot of everyday life through verified mobile numbers. Online banks, delivery and parcel services, housing platforms, classifieds and many employer portals ask for a German mobile number, often starting with 015, 016 or 017, and send one-time codes to it.
Getting one from outside Germany is harder than in many countries, because German prepaid SIMs must be tied to a verified identity before they work. This guide explains the German numbering plan, what the prepaid rules mean for you, how the alternatives compare, and when a real German mobile number online is the practical answer.
How German mobile numbers work
Germany's country code is +49. Domestically, numbers start with the trunk prefix 0, which you drop when you write the number internationally. Mobile numbers are recognizable by their prefix: 015x, 016x and 017x, such as 0151, 0160 or 0176.
German mobile numbers are not all the same length. After the country code, a mobile number has 10 or 11 digits, so 0170 1234567 and 0151 23456789 are both valid. The prefix once identified the network, but because customers can take their number to another operator, it no longer reliably tells you which network a number is on. Germany's regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, manages these ranges.
- Country code
- +49
- Trunk prefix
- 0 (dropped in international format)
- Mobile prefixes (domestic)
- 015x, 016x, 017x
- Digits after +49
- 10 or 11 for mobiles
- Example (domestic)
- 0151 23456789
- Example (international)
- +49 151 23456789
- Common notation to avoid in forms
- +49 (0)151… — the (0) must not be typed
The German prepaid SIM and identity checks
Since July 1, 2017, German providers of prepaid mobile services have had to verify a customer's identity data before a prepaid SIM is activated, under the Telecommunications Act (now section 172 TKG). The law's default is showing an identity document, for example in a shop, and the Bundesnetzagentur specifies which other procedures are acceptable, such as the certified remote identification methods providers use for online orders.
For someone abroad, this is the main hurdle. You need an accepted identity document, you must complete the check yourself, and remote procedures may not accept every foreign document. After activation you still need the SIM in a phone to receive codes, plus regular top-ups so the provider doesn't deactivate an unused prepaid line.
Your options, compared
- Roaming your home SIM
- No setup, but it isn't a German number. Forms that only accept +49 reject it, and it looks foreign to German contacts.
- German prepaid SIM
- A genuine German mobile number, but activation requires the legally mandated identity check, and the SIM must stay in a phone and be topped up.
- eSIM data plan
- Good for data on a visit to Germany. Most travel eSIMs have no German number at all, so they can't receive German SMS codes.
- VoIP app number
- Available instantly, but many banks and verification systems detect VoIP ranges and won't send codes to them.
- Real mobile number online
- A real +49 mobile number in the 015/016/017 ranges, managed in a web dashboard. No SIM, no German ID procedure, SMS and calls reach you abroad.
Why German services insist on a German mobile
Many German sign-up forms preselect +49 and validate the number against the German mobile ranges. A landline (for example 030 in Berlin or 089 in Munich) fails because it can't receive SMS, and some foreign numbers fail simply because the form was never designed to accept them.
For others it's about reachability. Parcel services text delivery notices, landlords and property managers phone back, and German clients expect a number they can call at domestic rates. A +49 mobile number covers all of that before you have an address in Germany.
How to get a German number with SMSCreation
- 01Open the Germany number list. Each entry is a real German mobile number shown in its real +49 format; the first two and last two digits appear as XX until activation.
- 02Choose a number and select a plan. The yearly plan is $1.80 a month ($21.60 billed yearly); the other terms and their prices are shown at checkout.
- 03Pay in USDT or USDC on Tron, Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Base or Solana, or from your wallet balance. Sign-up is email-only, with no ID check.
- 04Once activated, the full number is in your dashboard. Codes and texts appear in the SMS inbox immediately, and incoming calls arrive there too.
- 05Enter the number as +49 followed by the digits without the 0, for example +49 151 23456789.
Where a German number is useful
- Opening accounts with German online services and marketplaces that validate +49 mobile numbers.
- Receiving parcel and delivery notifications while you arrange a move.
- Giving landlords, employers and German clients a number they can call cheaply.
- Verifying WhatsApp, Telegram, Google and other accounts on a German number.
- Keeping a German number after leaving the country, so existing accounts still receive codes.
- Separating a German side project or small business from your personal number.
When an online number isn't enough
A phone number is only one part of many German sign-ups. Banks and some public services also verify your identity and address separately, and a German number, from any source, doesn't replace that. If a service requires proof of residence or an in-person ID check, you will still need to complete it.
If you already live in Germany and want calls, texts and mobile data on one plan, a regular German contract or prepaid SIM is usually the better value. An online number suits you best when you are abroad, planning a move, or need a second German number separate from your main one.
Tips for German verification
- Drop the 0: 0151 23456789 becomes +49 151 23456789. With a country selector set to Germany, type 151 23456789.
- Ignore the (0) you see on German business cards and websites. +49 (0)151 is a display convention; typing the 0 after +49 makes the number invalid.
- Check the length. Some German mobiles have 10 digits after +49 and some have 11, so compare the digits carefully rather than assuming one is missing.
- Mind the time zone: Germany is on CET (UTC+1) and CEST (UTC+2) from late March to late October. Callbacks usually come during German office hours.
- If a code is slow, wait a minute or two before tapping resend, and choose a voice call if the service offers it.
- Renew on time. German services often re-verify by SMS when you sign in on a new device.
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 the number and the 7-day guarantee
A German number costs the same as any other country: from $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), with unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing call minutes a month.
Keep it for as long as you like; it stays yours while it is renewed. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Google or another app within 7 days of activation, you get a free replacement German number or a full refund, and if it hasn't been used for any call or SMS, a full refund within 7 days.
Questions
Can I get a German phone number without living in Germany?
Yes. A German prepaid SIM requires a legally mandated identity check before activation, but an online German mobile number from SMSCreation needs only an email address and crypto payment.
Which prefixes are German mobile numbers?
German mobile numbers start with 015, 016 or 017 domestically, such as 0151, 0160 or 0176. In international format that becomes +49 15, +49 16 or +49 17.
What does +49 (0) mean in a German number?
It's a way of showing both formats at once: +49 when calling from abroad, 0 when dialing inside Germany. In forms, never type the (0); write +49 151…, not +49 0151….
Why do German mobile numbers have different lengths?
The German plan allows mobile numbers with 10 or 11 digits after the country code. Both are valid, so a shorter number isn't necessarily missing a digit.
Do I need ID to buy a prepaid SIM in Germany?
Yes. Since July 2017, providers must verify identity data before activating a prepaid SIM, either by showing an ID document, for example in a shop, or through another procedure the Bundesnetzagentur accepts.
Does the prefix tell me which network a German number is on?
Not reliably. Prefixes were originally assigned to networks, but numbers can move between operators, so 0151 or 0176 doesn't guarantee a particular network today.
How much does a German number cost?
From $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), including unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes.
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%.