Short-term SMS numbers, rentals and free public numbers
The best OnlineSIM alternative for accounts you need to keep is a private real mobile number you renew, such as a PhoneBorn plan, because the same number keeps receiving login and recovery codes and is never a public inbox. OnlineSIM remains a good choice for short rentals, quick codes and free test numbers.
Updated By PhoneBorn TeamEditorial policy
Reviews on OnlineSIM's Trustpilot page (read 1 Oct 2026) mention numbers that did not receive codes or were already registered, and its offer terms describe deleting accounts 30 days after the last purchase, with any balance lost. 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 | OnlineSIM | PhoneBorn |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not publicly stated — shown per country after sign-up | From $1.80/mo (12-month plan); single-use OTP numbers from $0.10 per code |
| Payment methods | Not named publicly; its terms mention bank transfer and digital payment methods | Crypto only (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC and more) |
| ID / KYC | Email or social login; its terms reserve the right to request identification | None — email and password only |
| Coverage | 110+ countries (per its homepage) | 200 countries |
| Number type | Described as virtual, receive-only numbers | Real mobile numbers (not VoIP), one customer at a time |
| Refund policy | No refunds for delivery outcomes; closing a number with no SMS avoids the charge; other refunds case by case (per its refund page) | OTP: automatic refund if no code arrives; plans: 7-day replacement guarantee, full refund if the number was never used |
| API | Yes — public API | Yes — REST API and signed webhooks |
| Last checked | 1 Oct 2026 | 1 Oct 2026 |
OnlineSIM 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
OnlineSIM (onlinesim.io) has been in the SMS-receiving market for many years. According to its website, it offers three kinds of product: a short-term number that receives SMS from one service for about 15 minutes, longer rentals that receive SMS from any sender for a set period, and free public numbers refreshed regularly for testing. It also documents an API and says you are not charged if you close a short-term number before a message arrives.
That range makes it flexible for developers and people who need a number for hours or days. The trade-offs depend on which product you use. Short-term numbers end after the code. Rentals end when the period ends. And free public numbers are, by design, readable by anyone — never suitable for an account you care about.
PhoneBorn focuses on the long-term case. A plan gives you a private real mobile number, assigned to one customer at a time, that stays yours as long as you renew, with unlimited incoming SMS and calls plus 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 calling minutes a month. For one-off codes, PhoneBorn's OTP numbers are single-use and refunded automatically if no code arrives. PhoneBorn has no free public numbers.
Facts here reflect OnlineSIM's public information as of September 2026; we could not verify its current payment methods, so check its site. OnlineSIM is a trademark of its owner; PhoneBorn is not affiliated.
Which to choose
Feature by feature
| Feature | OnlineSIM | PhoneBorn |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Varies by service, country and duration | From $1.80/mo (12-month plan) |
| What you buy | 15-minute number, rental, or free public number | A number on a 1, 3, 6 or 12-month plan, or a single-use OTP number |
| Free option | Yes — public numbers | No |
| Number privacy | Private (paid) or public (free) | Always private — one customer at a time |
| Keep the number | For the rental period | Yes, as long as you renew |
| Send SMS / make calls | Generally not (receive-focused) | Yes, within monthly allowances |
| Identity at sign-up | Account sign-up (check their current terms) | Email and password only |
| Payments | Check their site (not verified) | Crypto only |
| API | Yes | Yes — REST API and signed webhooks |
Based on public information as checked on 1 Oct 2026; features and prices change, so check OnlineSIM'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.
Free receive-SMS numbers are handy for checking whether a form sends a code at all. They are not handy for anything else: every message is visible to every visitor, and many popular apps refuse numbers that have been used thousands of times. Our page on free receive-SMS sites covers the risks in detail.
For an account you want to keep, the choice is between a rental that ends and a real mobile number you keep. If the account is a messenger such as WhatsApp, read how WhatsApp verification uses your number before you pick.
PhoneBorn accepts crypto only and has no free tier. Plans carry monthly caps (500 outgoing SMS, 1,000 minutes), bulk or marketing messaging is not allowed, and there is no native phone app — you use the browser dashboard or the REST API. The shortest plan is one month, so for a number you need for only a day or two, a short rental may be the better tool. Acceptance is always up to each service, which is why plans come with a 7-day replacement guarantee.
Switching
Write down accounts verified with OnlineSIM rentals or short-term numbers, and flag any that used a free public number.
Sign up with just an email and choose a country — From $1.80/month on the 12-month plan.
While the rental is still active, change the phone number inside each app to your PhoneBorn number and confirm with the code from your dashboard.
For accounts verified on a free public number, change the password and add an authenticator app or backup codes.
Use short-term or 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.