By Alex Carter, Editor at GetVerifyCode
How do you get a virtual phone number? Pick the type you need: a free app line such as Google Voice, a paid second line or eSIM you keep for months, or a temporary receive-only number for one verification code. Each one works without a new SIM card, but they suit very different jobs.
Key facts
- GetVerifyCode lists numbers in 194+ countries, and the live catalog covers 1,600+ services.
- A temporary activation stays live for about 20 minutes.
- If no SMS arrives before the timeout, the unused credit returns to your wallet.
- Need the same number for days? Rentals keep one number for the rental period.
What is a virtual phone number?
A virtual phone number is a number that isn't locked to one SIM card in one phone. It lives with a provider, and you use it through an app, a website or a second eSIM profile. There are three common kinds:
- App or VoIP lines: a number inside a calling and texting app, used over the internet. You keep it as long as the provider allows.
- Second lines and eSIMs: a second number from a phone carrier or business phone service, usually on a monthly plan, for calls and texts on the phone you already own.
- Temporary receive-only numbers: a number you use for a short window to receive an SMS code, then let go. You can't call out or keep chatting on it.
Many apps treat app lines and other internet numbers as VoIP. For how that affects sign-up codes, read VoIP vs non-VoIP numbers for verification.
Option 1: Get a free virtual number from an app
Free calling apps give you a number tied to an account. Google Voice is the best-known example: in the US you can choose a number and use it for calls, texts and voicemail, and setup asks for a phone that can receive a text code. Google explains the steps in Set up Google Voice.
What to know before you rely on one:
- Availability is limited to a few countries, so check each app's current list.
- Free lines can be reclaimed after a period of inactivity.
- Some services won't accept them for verification. OpenAI's help centre, for example, says landlines, VoIP and Google Voice numbers are not supported for its phone verification (OpenAI phone verification help).
For every free route, including shared inboxes, see how to get a free phone number and the free shared numbers on GetVerifyCode.
Option 2: Get a paid second line or eSIM
If you want a number you'll keep for months, for a side business, dating apps or keeping work and personal contacts apart, a paid second line is the better fit. You can add an eSIM plan from a carrier if your phone supports two lines, or subscribe to a business phone app. Expect a monthly fee and an account in your name.
We compare eSIMs, VoIP apps and pay-per-SMS options in second phone number for online sign-ups, and list where to buy each type in where to buy a phone number online.
Option 3: Get a temporary number for verification codes
If all you need is one SMS code, a temporary receive-only number is the simplest choice. You don't sign a contract or keep a line, and the code goes to your private inbox, not a public page.
Top up your wallet from $1. Each number is priced live per service and country, and you see the quote before you confirm. If no SMS arrives in about 20 minutes, the unused credit returns to your wallet.
Some apps reject virtual numbers. Acceptance is decided by the app, not by us.
Which type of virtual number should you get?
- Free app line (for example Google Voice): private, works for some apps, free, best for a long-term second number in a supported country.
- Paid second line or eSIM: private, works for most calls and texts, monthly plan cost, best for a number you keep and give out.
- Temporary receive-only number (GetVerifyCode): private, often works (each app decides), live price per service, best for one-time sign-up codes.
- Shared free inbox: not private, rarely works for popular apps, free, best for low-stakes tests only.
How to get a virtual number on GetVerifyCode
- Create an account at GetVerifyCode.
- Top up your wallet. See pricing for packages.
- Pick the service you need a code for, such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Google.
- Choose a country, for example a US number or a UK number, and check the live quote.
- Confirm. The number is shown right after you confirm.
- Enter the number in the app and request the code.
- Read the code in your GetVerifyCode inbox. If nothing arrives, you can cancel early from the inbox.
For the full walkthrough, read how to get a temporary phone number for verification. If the code doesn't come, try these fixes for a missing verification code.
Is it legal to use a virtual phone number?
Using a temporary number to protect your privacy, travel, or test your own app is generally lawful in many places, but laws differ by country and each app sets its own terms. Check both. Never use it for fraud, impersonation, or getting around a ban. See are temporary phone numbers legal? and our acceptable use policy.
Related guides
- Google Voice alternative for verification codes
- Are free receive-SMS sites safe?
- What a verification code is
- How to get a new phone number without losing access
Ready to receive a code? Get a virtual number on GetVerifyCode.
About the author: Alex Carter is the editor at GetVerifyCode. Alex tests SMS verification routes across services and countries and writes plain-language guides on receiving OTP codes safely.
GetVerifyCode is not affiliated with the apps named in this article. Follow each app's terms and local law.
Live prices and routes: Temp phone numbers by country
FAQ
FAQ
No, you can't make up a number and start using it, because numbers are assigned by carriers and providers. You can get a virtual number instead, and some apps, such as Google Voice in the US, let you pick from available numbers. See can you create your own phone number.
Yes, in some countries. Free app lines such as Google Voice give you a number you keep, and shared free inboxes let anyone receive texts on public numbers. Neither is guaranteed to work for every app.
Not always. Many virtual numbers run over the internet and are treated as VoIP, but second lines and eSIMs come from mobile carriers. Each app decides which kinds of number it accepts.
Often, yes, but acceptance is decided by the app. If you plan to keep the account, use a number you can access again later, such as a rental or your own line, because the app may ask you to verify again.
A temporary activation on GetVerifyCode stays live for about 20 minutes. If you need the same number for days, a rental keeps one number for the rental period.
No. App lines and temporary numbers work without any SIM, and an eSIM is a digital profile on the phone you already have.
