Hi all,
I know this might be a bit off-topic, but I’m in need of a good virtual number app for my phone. I’ll mostly use it for verifying accounts and maybe for some business purposes later. It should be easy to use and offer good privacy. If there’s a free trial or bonus credits, that would be a nice plus!
Any recommendations from you guys would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!
One app is ‘TextNow’ . I remember installing it once but then I really didn’t use it too much. But I do remember getting the number set up and briefly texting with a family member.
I have a Google voice number that I use a lot when abroad–my US phone doesn’t work internationally-- but I think that is only available to US residents ;so if you are one too, this would probably be your best bet.
As for account verification, these virtual numbers are not always accepted so you definitely want to test it out ahead of time. You wouldn’t want to find yourself in the position of trying to change the number once you are already traveling and find out you can’t use it to access your accounts.
For me, my Google voice number works for my most important accounts I have needed it for, but there have been a couple of times when I tried to use it and it was not accepted.
Textnow is free, ad-supported service but they require you that you keep the service active by making at least one phone call every 10 days or so. The service doesn’t support Wi-Fi calling or texting so you can’t use it internationally.
We use Google voice, which covers 98% of our needs. The other 2% will recognize that the number as virtual/VOIP and will refuse to accept it. For example the SSO administration/Login.gov will not accept a Google Voice number. For that we use Ultra Mobile Paygo which is just regular T-mobile prepaid service for $3 a month. That service with Wi-Fi calling and texting enabled works internationally, so you can make calls and receive text messages as long as you have a Wi-Fi service.
BunnyCat, there’s a trick to remove this unhelpful limitation. Need to subscribe to TextNow for one month (few dollars), then make one-time payment to ‘lock-in number’ (think ~$8), then can terminate subscription. Guess total one-time cost ~$10. We use TextNow to receive some 2FA numbers.
When I was in the UK I used an e-sim to avoid roaming costs outside the EU. Disadvantage was that this blocked incoming calls, sms-messages (two-factor authorisations) on my ordinary number. Maybe this was because I had done something wrong.