Second phone number apps compared: Google Voice, TextNow, Burner, Hushed and PhoneBorn
A dated, sourced comparison of five second-number options as of October 2026: where you can sign up, what kind of number you get, and whether you get to keep it.
By PhoneBorn Team8 min read
Key points
- Google Voice, TextNow, Burner and Hushed are app-based second numbers built mainly for calling and texting. As of October 2026, their own help pages describe limits on availability, verification codes and number retention.
- PhoneBorn is built for a different job: real mobile numbers (SMS and calls) in 200 countries that you keep and renew, plus single-use numbers for one verification code.
- Pick by use case. For conversations with US and Canadian contacts, a calling app may be enough. For accounts you need to verify and recover, the number's line type and whether you can keep it matter most.
"Second phone number app" covers very different products. Some are free calling apps paid for by ads. Some are paid privacy tools for short-term numbers. Some, like PhoneBorn, focus on numbers that pass app verification. Comparing them on price alone misses the point. The questions that matter are where you can use it, what kind of number you get, and whether you get to keep it.
This comparison is dated as of October 2026 and is based on each provider's own published help pages, linked below. Features and prices change. We don't list competitor prices, so check their sites for current pricing. We're PhoneBorn, so we're not neutral. We've kept every claim about other providers to what their own pages say.
At a glance
| Google Voice | TextNow | Burner | Hushed | PhoneBorn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where you can sign up | US (personal plans) | North America only | US, Canada, Australia (account number) | Not available in some countries, including India | Email sign-up from anywhere |
| Numbers offered | US | US and Canada area codes | US and Canada | US, Canada, UK, Puerto Rico | 200 countries |
| Line type | Not stated on the pages we checked | VoIP (TextNow's own wording) | "Online numbers"; separate Verified Number option | VoIP (Hushed advises checking whether services accept VoIP) | Real mobile numbers |
| Can you lose the number? | May be reclaimed after 3 months without use | Free numbers can be recycled if inactive; paid Lock In Number keeps it | Subscription numbers kept while paid; prepaid numbers expire | Prepaid plans expire on the plan date | Kept while you renew |
| Payment model | Free personal tier; paid plans | Free with ads; paid add-ons and SIM plans | Subscription or prepaid credits | Subscriptions, prepaid plans, credits | Plans of 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, paid in crypto |
| Prices | See their site | See their site | See their site | See their site | See phone numbers |
Google Voice
Google Voice is a calling and texting service tied to a Google account.
- Availability: the free personal version, Voice Starter and Voice Standard are only available in the US. Workspace add-on plans cover local numbers in more countries and regions.
- Getting a number: if you're in the US you can choose your own number. Google now asks new number requesters to verify their identity with legal name, government ID and address before they can use the number.
- Keeping it: Google may reclaim a number that isn't used, for example for calls or texts, for 3 months. You can keep it active by making a call, sending a text or listening to voicemail. After a reclaim, there's a 45-day window to get it back.
- Verification limits: Voice can't send texts to short codes, and Google notes that some sites, such as banks, won't send texts to Voice numbers.
Good for: US residents who want a free second number for calls and texts.
TextNow
TextNow offers free, ad-supported calling and texting, plus paid options.
- Availability: TextNow says it is only available to download and use within North America. You pick a US or Canadian area code at sign-up. A 2026 service update ended TextNow Wireless cellular coverage outside the US after 30 July. Wi-Fi calling and texting continue.
- Line type: its help centre refers to "TextNow's VoIP phone numbers".
- Verification: the same page says you receive most verification codes only with a TextNow SIM or a Lock In Number / Ad-Free+ subscription, that Canadian verification codes are largely unsupported, and that some services don't accept TextNow numbers.
- Keeping it: a new number not used within 24 hours expires, and inactive free numbers can be recycled. A paid Lock In Number add-on keeps the number regardless of use.
Good for: people in the US and Canada who want free texting and calling and don't mind ads.
Burner
Burner is a privacy-focused app for disposable and longer-term second numbers.
- Availability: Burner says it is only available in the US, Canada and Australia. Your account number must be from one of those countries, and Burner numbers can only interact with US and Canadian numbers.
- Line type and verification: standard Burners are considered online numbers, and some third-party sites don't accept them. A separate paid Verified Number is accepted by more sites. Burner says most verification systems accept its numbers, with no guarantee.
- Payment and keeping it: subscriptions or prepaid numbers. Subscription numbers don't expire unless payment fails or you delete them. Prepaid numbers last 30 days.
Good for: short-term numbers for listings, projects or contacts you want to keep separate, if you're in the US, Canada or Australia.
Hushed
Hushed sells private second numbers through an app.
- Numbers offered: its country list currently shows Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Puerto Rico.
- Where it works: Hushed lists countries where the app isn't available, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- Verification: Hushed says its numbers are not guaranteed to work with third-party verification and advises checking whether a service accepts VoIP numbers.
- Payment and keeping it: subscriptions, prepaid plans, pay-as-you-go plans and credit packages (plan types). Prepaid numbers expire on the plan date, and Hushed can't guarantee restoring them. For prices, see their site.
Good for: private calling and texting numbers in the US, Canada and UK, where the app is available.
PhoneBorn
PhoneBorn rents real mobile numbers, not VoIP lines, in 200 countries. You manage them from a web dashboard and can receive SMS and calls without a second SIM.
- Plans: 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, renewable, so you keep the same number for as long as you need it. See phone numbers.
- Single-use numbers: OTP numbers receive one verification code for one service. If no code arrives, the order is refunded automatically.
- Sign-up and payment: email-only sign-up, crypto-only payment. Our crypto-only explainer is candid about the trade-offs.
- 7-day replacement guarantee: if a number doesn't work for an app within 7 days, replace it free from the dashboard ("Replace number") with a new number from the same country, up to 3 times. A refund to your PhoneBorn balance applies only if the number was never used. Details on the guarantee page.
Where it's weaker: it isn't a free calling app. It doesn't replace a full phone plan with cheap outbound calling. Crypto-only payment doesn't suit everyone. And like any number, it can't guarantee every app will accept it.
Why line type matters so much for verification
Many apps check a number's line type before they send a code. VoIP numbers, which most calling apps provide, are refused more often than mobile numbers. That's not a judgement on VoIP apps, which are often excellent for calls. It's how fraud systems work. Our VoIP vs mobile checker explains the categories, and the VoIP vs non-VoIP comparison goes deeper.
The second question is retention. A number you can lose for inactivity, or that expires with a short subscription, is risky for any account that uses it for log-in or recovery. When it's reassigned, someone else may get your codes.
Which one should you choose?
| If you mainly want… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Free calling and texting with US contacts, and you live in the US | Google Voice or TextNow |
| A short-term number for a project, listing or one-off contact | Burner or Hushed (check their current country list) |
| A number that passes app verification and stays yours | PhoneBorn phone number plan |
| One verification code for a throwaway sign-up | PhoneBorn OTP number |
| A number outside the US and Canada | PhoneBorn (200 countries), or check Hushed's current coverage |
Many people combine tools: a calling app for conversations, and a real mobile number for accounts. For deeper one-to-one comparisons, see Google Voice vs TextNow, and our alternatives pages for Google Voice, TextNow, Burner and Hushed.
Questions to ask any second-number provider
- Is the number mobile or VoIP? This decides a lot about verification.
- Can I keep it, and what happens if I stop paying or stop using it?
- Which countries' numbers are offered, and can I sign up from where I live?
- Do verification codes and short codes arrive? Check the provider's own help pages.
- What's the refund or replacement policy if it doesn't work for my app?
- What does the provider require from me (phone number, payment card, location)?
FAQ
Can I use Google Voice outside the US?
Google says its personal plans are only available in the US. If you already have a Voice number you may be able to use it while travelling, but signing up from abroad isn't supported for personal accounts.
Do second-number apps work for WhatsApp or bank verification?
Sometimes. TextNow, Burner and Hushed all say on their own help pages that some services don't accept their numbers for verification. Google notes some banks won't text Voice numbers. Real mobile numbers are refused less often, though no number works for every app.
Which second-number app works in India?
Of the four apps here, their own pages say TextNow is North America only, Burner is US, Canada and Australia, Hushed isn't available in India, and Google Voice personal plans are US only. PhoneBorn signs up by email from anywhere and offers numbers in 200 countries, including India.
Can I keep my second number for years?
With most providers, only while you keep paying or keep the number active. Free numbers are the easiest to lose. Check each provider's inactivity and expiry rules, and renew any number your accounts depend on.
What happens if a PhoneBorn number doesn't work for my app?
Under the 7-day replacement guarantee, you can replace it free from the dashboard with a new number from the same country, up to 3 times. A refund to your PhoneBorn balance applies only if the number was never used.