Per-activation SMS marketplace, plus rentals
The best HeroSMS alternative for accounts you plan to keep is a real mobile number you renew, such as a PhoneBorn plan, because login and recovery codes keep reaching the same number. HeroSMS remains a reasonable choice if you want per-activation codes and an API that reportedly follows the SMS-Activate format.
Updated By PhoneBorn TeamEditorial policy
Reviews on HeroSMS's Trustpilot page (read 1 Oct 2026) mention codes that never arrived and slow answers on deposit and refund cases, and its rules charge a fee on balance withdrawals that grows with account age. PhoneBorn plan numbers are real mobile numbers you keep, with a 7-day replacement guarantee (or a full refund if never used), and single-use OTP numbers are refunded automatically if no code arrives.
Fact table
| Fact | HeroSMS | PhoneBorn |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not publicly stated — varies by service and country | From $1.80/mo (12-month plan); single-use OTP numbers from $0.10 per code |
| Payment methods | Conflicting: crypto only per a third-party review; its official GitHub guide also lists cards, bank transfer and e-wallets | Crypto only (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC and more) |
| ID / KYC | Email and password, per its official GitHub guide | None — email and password only |
| Coverage | 180+ countries (per its GitHub guide) | 200 countries |
| Number type | Described as non-VoIP virtual numbers | Real mobile numbers (not VoIP), one customer at a time |
| Refund policy | Auto-return to balance if no code in 20 minutes; withdrawals to the original wallet with a fee from 5% (per its rules) | OTP: automatic refund if no code arrives; plans: 7-day replacement guarantee, full refund if the number was never used |
| API | Yes — SMS-Activate-compatible | Yes — REST API and signed webhooks |
| Last checked | 1 Oct 2026 | 1 Oct 2026 |
HeroSMS facts come from the public pages listed under Sources, as checked on 1 Oct 2026. "Not publicly stated" means we could not find the fact on a public page.
Overview
HeroSMS (hero-sms.com) is the activation marketplace that SMS-Activate pointed its users to when it reportedly stopped operating in late December 2025. According to BitBrowser's summary, HeroSMS is a separate platform, not a continuation of SMS-Activate's accounts or balances — so it is best judged as a new provider rather than the same service under a new name.
The model is familiar: pick a service and a country, receive a temporary number, wait for one code, and the number goes back to the pool. A third-party review reports that it also offers rentals in a subset of countries, pays in crypto only, and keeps an API that follows the SMS-Activate format so existing integrations can move with few code changes. Public reviews are mixed, and some users remain sceptical about the relationship between the two brands.
PhoneBorn solves a different problem. A plan gives you a real mobile number that stays assigned to you for as long as you renew, with unlimited incoming SMS and calls plus 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 calling minutes a month. For true one-off codes, PhoneBorn also sells single-use OTP numbers that are refunded automatically if no code arrives.
Facts here reflect public information as of September 2026 and can change — check HeroSMS's current terms. HeroSMS is a trademark of its owner; PhoneBorn is not affiliated with it.
Which to choose
Feature by feature
| Feature | HeroSMS | PhoneBorn |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per activation — varies by service and country | From $1.80/mo (12-month plan) |
| Core model | Per-activation codes, plus rentals in some countries | Plans of 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, plus single-use OTP numbers |
| Number type (typical) | Varies by operator and country | Real mobile numbers |
| Keep the same number | Typically short-term | Yes — same number on every renewal |
| Outgoing SMS and calls | Generally not (receive-focused) | 500 SMS and 1,000 minutes per month |
| Identity at sign-up | Account sign-up (check their current terms) | Email and password only |
| Payments | Crypto only, according to a third-party review | Crypto only |
| API | Yes — reportedly SMS-Activate-compatible | Yes — REST API and signed webhooks |
| If a number doesn't work | Cancel for a refund to balance, according to reviews | OTP: automatic refund; plans: 7-day replacement guarantee, money back if unused |
Based on public information as checked on 1 Oct 2026; features and prices change, so check HeroSMS's current terms. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners; PhoneBorn is not affiliated with them. Spotted an error? Email support@phoneborn.com — see our editorial policy.
If you used SMS-Activate for throwaway codes, HeroSMS is the most direct continuation of that workflow. If you used it for accounts you still care about, switching marketplaces does not fix the underlying problem: each new activation is another number you will not control next month.
A practical split:
Whichever you choose, start with a small top-up and test the services you actually need before moving anything important.
PhoneBorn accepts crypto only — the same constraint HeroSMS reportedly has, so payment is not a differentiator here. Plans carry monthly caps (500 outgoing SMS, 1,000 outgoing minutes), bulk or marketing messaging is prohibited, and the API is PhoneBorn's own REST API, not an SMS-Activate-compatible one. There is no native phone app; you use the browser dashboard or the API. Acceptance is always up to each service — see the 7-day replacement guarantee.
Switching
List the accounts you verified through HeroSMS or SMS-Activate, and mark the ones you will need to log in to again.
Sign up with just an email, pick a country and a plan (From $1.80/month on the 12-month plan; 1-, 3- and 6-month terms are also available — see all term prices at checkout).
In each important account's security settings, replace the phone number with your PhoneBorn number and confirm with the code from your dashboard.
Turn on an authenticator app or save backup codes where offered, so one number is never your only way back in.
Use HeroSMS or PhoneBorn OTP numbers only for sign-ups you never need to revisit.
Pricing
Phone-number plans
From$1.80/mo
on the 12-month plan
Choose 1, 3, 6 or 12 months at checkout — all term prices are shown there. Same price in all 200 countries.
See plans & buyIf your number doesn't work for WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, Telegram or any app you need within 7 days of purchase, replace it with a new number from the same country for free — instantly from your dashboard, up to 3 times, no questions asked.
Never used it? If the number hasn't sent or received a single SMS or call, you can take a full refund instead within the same 7 days.
Applies to every phone-number plan. Single-use OTP numbers are refunded automatically if no code arrives.
Sources
All sources checked on 1 Oct 2026. We run PhoneBorn, so read them yourself before deciding.
FAQ
Keep reading
Email-only sign-up, crypto payments, SMS and calls included — backed by a 7-day replacement guarantee, or your money back if the number goes unused.