What Google Voice requires
Google’s help pages say Google Voice single-user plans are only available in the US. The no-charge Basic plan is for personal use and needs an existing phone number to forward calls to.
Porting a number into Google Voice costs $20, and US users can only port an active US mobile number. Google reclaims a Voice number that has no activity; after the reclaim date there are 45 days to get it back.
If you live in the US and have a US mobile number, Google Voice is the natural first option to check. If you live elsewhere, compare the apps below instead.
| Option | Price | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | No charge | Personal use; needs a phone number to forward calls |
| Voice Starter | $10 USD a month | Individual users in the US with a personal Gmail account |
| Voice Standard | $20 USD a month | Individual users in the US with a personal Gmail account |
| Porting a number in | $20 | US users need an active US mobile number |
Alternatives you can use from outside the US
The table compares six second-number apps by number countries, sign-up rules, listed price and what each company says about verification codes. Prices are in US dollars as each company lists them; an app store can show a different local price.
TextNow and Burner are included for completeness, but both limit who can register: TextNow to North America, and Burner to people with a US, Canadian or Australian main cell number.
Platforms, calling features and main limits are in the second-number apps comparison.
| App | Number countries | Who can sign up | Listed price | What the company says about verification codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DualLine | United States, Canada, Puerto Rico | Adults 18 and over, where the service is offered | $5.99 a month through App Store or Google Play billing, once the app is publicly available; the store shows the final local price | No number is guaranteed to be accepted by WhatsApp, a bank, a payment service or any other third party |
| Hushed | US, Canada, UK, Puerto Rico | Most countries; the app is unavailable in 35 listed countries | Unlimited from $6.99 a month; Prepaid from $7.99 a month; Pay-as-you-go $8.99 a month including $1 credit | Numbers are “NOT guaranteed to work with third-party verification” |
| TextNow | US, Canada | People in North America; you cannot register from elsewhere | Free plan with ads; paid options include Lock in Number and Ad-Free+ | Most codes can be received with a TextNow SIM or a Lock in Number or Ad-Free+ subscription |
| Burner | US, Canada | People with a US, Canadian or Australian main cell number | Standard $7.99 a month or $47.99 a year; Premium $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year (website prices) | “Most verification systems accept Burner numbers without issue”; a separate Verified Number plan is offered |
| Saily phone number | US | Saily data eSIM users who complete a mandatory ID check; IDs from 9 listed countries cannot be verified | See Saily for the current price | “Most services send verification codes to our numbers without issue”; some banks and payment apps refuse VoIP numbers |
| Surfshark Alternative Number | US | Surfshark subscribers who add the feature; usable worldwide | Add-on to a Surfshark subscription; see Surfshark for the price | Receives verification messages, “although some services may not support virtual phone numbers” |
Which option fits your situation
Start with where you live and which country’s number you need, then check the conditions that could stop you from signing up.
DualLine does not sell UK numbers or numbers from other countries. It is not for bulk, automated or campaign messages, and it is not a call-center or customer-support line.
| Your situation | Options to look at | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| You live in the US and have a US mobile number | Google Voice | Plan rules and the inactivity reclaim policy |
| You live outside North America and want a US or Canadian number for personal use | Hushed, DualLine | App availability in your country and the price your store shows |
| You need a Puerto Rican number | Hushed, DualLine | Calling and texting features for that number |
| You need a UK number | Hushed | UK numbers support voice and SMS only |
| You already pay for Surfshark | Surfshark Alternative Number | US numbers only; replies go to US numbers only |
| You travel with Saily’s data eSIM | Saily phone number | The mandatory ID check and the countries where calls work |
| You have a US, Canadian or Australian main cell number | Burner | Burner numbers can only reach US and Canadian numbers |
| You want up to three personal lines in one account | DualLine | No bulk, automated or campaign messages; sold only through app-store billing |
Verification codes: what each company promises
No company in this comparison guarantees that every service will accept its numbers. Banks, payment apps and messaging apps make their own decisions, and several companies say their numbers are VoIP numbers, which some services refuse.
Hushed says it cannot provide free replacement numbers when a service rejects one. TextNow says Canadian verification codes are largely unsupported. Surfshark says you may not receive verification messages from Meta products such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. DualLine states that no number is guaranteed to be accepted by WhatsApp, a bank, a payment service or any other third party.
If you only need one code, a single-use verification number may fit better than a monthly line.
Keep the number you sign up with
A second number is only useful while you can still reach it. Google Voice reclaims inactive numbers. TextNow says a new number expires within 24 hours if you don’t call or text with it, and free numbers are recycled after inactivity. Hushed prepaid and pay-as-you-go numbers expire when the plan ends. Surfshark lets you change the number once every 30 days, and changing it deletes the old one.
With DualLine, renewal stops when you cancel and access normally ends after the paid period. Recovery depends on the current terms, any protection window shown in the app and provider exceptions. Before you cancel any service, move important accounts off the number.
Your take-away checklist
- Confirm the app lets you register from the country you live in.
- Choose the number country your contacts and services expect.
- Read the company’s own wording on verification codes.
- Check what happens to the number if you stop paying or stop using it.
- Compare the final price your app store or checkout shows.
- Keep a phone service that can reach emergency services.
Common questions
Can I use Google Voice if I live outside the US?
Google’s help pages say its single-user plans are only available in the US, and US users need an active US mobile number to port a number in. If you live elsewhere, compare an app that accepts sign-ups from your country.
Do I need a US phone number to get a US second number?
Not always. Burner asks for a US, Canadian or Australian main cell number, and porting into Google Voice needs an active US mobile number. The other apps in this comparison list different conditions, such as app availability in your country, an ID check, an existing subscription or app-store billing.
Will a second number receive WhatsApp or bank codes?
It may, but no company in this comparison guarantees it. Each service decides which numbers it accepts, and some refuse VoIP numbers. Surfshark, for example, says verification messages from Meta products such as WhatsApp may not arrive, and DualLine does not guarantee acceptance by any third party.
Is there a free option outside the US?
Of the free plans compared here, Google Voice Basic is US-only and TextNow’s free plan is limited to North America. Check a free number’s conditions before you link accounts to it: TextNow, for example, recycles free numbers after inactivity.
Does DualLine offer UK or European numbers?
No. DualLine sells United States, Canadian and Puerto Rican numbers.
What is DualLine not for?
Bulk, automated or campaign messages, a call-center or customer-support line, and high-volume traffic on behalf of other people. Each line is for one-to-one calls and messages you make yourself.
Sources and support
Details about other apps come from each company’s own website or help center. Prices, countries and terms can change, so check the company’s page before you subscribe.
- Google Voice Help — Subscription types
- Google Voice Help — Standalone plans
- Google Voice Help — Set up Google Voice
- Google Voice Help — Port your number
- Google Voice Help — Number reclaim
- Hushed — Plans and pricing
- Hushed Help — Verification codes
- Hushed Help — Number countries
- Hushed Help — App availability by country
- Hushed Help — Number expiry
- TextNow — Plans
- TextNow Help — Verification codes
- TextNow Help — Country availability
- TextNow Help — Recycled numbers
- Burner — Pricing
- Burner Help — Verification
- Burner Help — Availability
- Saily Help — Phone number
- Saily Help — Verification codes
- Saily Help — Identity check
- Surfshark Help — Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Set up Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Using Alternative Number
- Surfshark Help — Troubleshooting Alternative Number