A temporary phone number you can keep
Rent a real mobile number for as little as one month — or keep it for years. You decide how long, and you can always receive codes again later.
From $1.80/month on the 12-month plan · Choose your country
Why a disposable number can lock you out
Temporary and disposable numbers disappear after a few minutes or days. If an app later asks you to verify again, you can't — and someone else may get the number.
With SMS Hallo you rent the number for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months and renew whenever you like, so your accounts stay safe.
Short term or long term — your choice
Use it for a trip, a project or a one-off sign-up and simply let it expire, or switch on auto-renew and keep it for good.
From $1.80 a month on the 12-month plan ($21.60 billed yearly); shorter plans are shown when you choose a number.
Risk-free
7-day free replacement, 100% refund if it doesn't work with your app, and 7-day money-back if you haven't used it.
Get a number in any country
- United States (+1)
- United Kingdom (+44)
- Canada (+1)
- Germany (+49)
- France (+33)
- Netherlands (+31)
- India (+91)
- Australia (+61)
- Spain (+34)
- Italy (+39)
- Sweden (+46)
- Poland (+48)
- All countries
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a phone number for just one month?
Yes. You can rent a number for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months and decide whether to renew.
Is it better than a disposable number?
Yes, for any account you care about: a disposable number can't receive new codes later, while your SMS Hallo number stays yours.
Can I keep the number permanently?
Yes. Renew it or turn on auto-renew and it stays yours as long as you like.
Do I get a refund if I don't need it?
If you haven't used it for any call or SMS, you get a full refund within 7 days.
Popular searches
A temporary phone number is fine for a short project or trip, but an account tied to a number you can lose is an account you can be locked out of. SMS Hallo lets you rent a private, real mobile number for as little as 1 month and keep it for years if you want, in 181 countries, from $1.80 a month on the 12-month plan ($21.60 billed yearly).
Temporary vs a number you keep
A temporary number is one you plan to stop using: for a single sign-up, a trip or a short project. A kept number is one you treat like your own: you renew it because accounts depend on it.
The difference only shows up later. Many apps send a new code when you log in on a new phone, reinstall the app or reset your password. If the number is gone by then, so is your easiest way back into the account.
What happens when a rental ends
If you don't renew an SMS Hallo number, it expires at the end of your plan and you lose access to its inbox and dialer. After expiry the number may be given to another customer.
That second point matters. Any account still linked to the number could then send its codes to someone else. Before you let a number go, change the phone number on your accounts or close them. For anything important, renew the number or switch on auto-renew instead.
Why a private number beats a public one
Many “temporary number” websites list shared numbers publicly. Everyone who visits can read every message, and the same number is used by many people at once, so it may already be linked to other accounts.
An SMS Hallo number is private while you rent it: only you can see its SMS and calls, and the inbox is never published. You also get a real (non-VoIP) mobile number in the local mobile format of its country, not a number shared with strangers.
When a short rental is perfectly fine
A 1-month rental makes sense when the need really is short: a local number for a trip, a number for a short freelance job, testing an SMS flow in an app you are building, or a listing you'll take down in a few weeks.
The test is simple: if you will never need a code for that account again, a short rental is fine. If you might, plan to keep the number or move the account to another number before it expires.
Choosing a rental length
You can rent for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months at a time. The 12-month plan has the lowest monthly price, from $1.80 a month; prices for shorter plans appear when you choose a number.
You don't have to decide forever on day one. Start with the length that fits, then renew or let it expire at the end, and use auto-renew for numbers you don't want to lose by accident.
Which type of number do you need?
Phone numbers you use online come in four main types, and they differ in who can read your messages and how long the number stays yours. Here is how they compare in general, so you can pick the right one for each account.
| Rented real mobile number (SMS Hallo) | One-time activation services | Free public receive-SMS sites | VoIP / second-number apps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who can read the SMS | Only you, while you rent the number | Usually only you, during the short activation | Anyone who visits the site | You, inside the app |
| How long you keep the number | As long as you renew: 1, 3, 6 or 12 months at a time, or auto-renew | Minutes, typically for one code | You don't own it; it's shared and can disappear | While your app subscription or account is active |
| Re-verification and 2FA recovery later | Yes, the number stays yours while you renew | Usually not; the number returns to a pool | Not reliable, and anyone can read the code | Possible, but some apps treat VoIP numbers differently |
| Outbound SMS and calls | Yes: 500 SMS and 1,000 minutes per month, plus unlimited incoming SMS and calls | Usually receive-only | Receive-only | Usually yes, depending on the app and plan |
| Typical pricing model | From $1.80 per month on the 12-month plan ($21.60 yearly), same in every country | Pay per code or per activation | Free, often supported by ads | Monthly subscription or credits |
| Refund or guarantee | 7-day free replacement, 100% refund if it doesn't work with your app, 7-day money-back if unused | Varies by service | None | Varies by provider |
| Countries | 181 countries | Varies by service | A limited, changing list | Often a few countries |
How to use a number for a short time — safely
- Rent for the time you need Choose a country and pick 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. The number is private to you from the moment payment is confirmed.
- Note what it's linked to Keep a short list of the accounts that use the number, so you know what depends on it when the end date comes.
- Decide before it expires Near the end, either renew (or turn on auto-renew) or change the phone number on those accounts first.
- Let it go cleanly Only let the number expire once no account you care about still relies on it, because it may later go to someone else.
Who uses SMS Hallo
Travelers
Keep receiving SMS codes while you're abroad, or use a local number in the country you're visiting, all without swapping SIM cards.
Online sellers
List items and talk to buyers from a separate number, so your personal number stays off marketplaces.
Freelancers and remote workers
Give clients a work number in the country you work with, and keep calls and texts apart from your private life.
People dating online
Share a second number with new matches and keep your personal number private until you're ready.
Small businesses
Get a business number with SMS and calls in the browser, without buying a new phone or SIM.
Developers and QA teams
Test sign-up and OTP flows in your own app on real mobile numbers from different countries.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the shortest rental?
One month. You can rent a number for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months at a time, and prices for the shorter plans are shown when you choose a number. The 12-month plan has the lowest monthly price, from $1.80 per month ($21.60 billed yearly). Every length includes the same allowance: unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing minutes per month.
Can someone else get my number after I stop renewing?
Yes, that can happen. After a number expires, it may be given to another customer. Anything still linked to it, such as a messaging app or an online shop account, could then send its codes to the new holder. To avoid that, renew numbers tied to important accounts, or move those accounts to a different number before you let this one expire.
Will I get a reminder before my number expires?
The simplest way not to miss the date is to turn on auto-renew for the number in your dashboard. It then renews at the end of each period, and a funded prepaid wallet (minimum top-up $5) lets the renewal be paid when it is due. Each number's page in the dashboard also shows its plan and expiry date, so you can check it at any time.
Can I extend a short rental later?
Yes. You can renew a number before it expires for another 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, so a number you rented for a month can become a long-term number. If you realize an account has become important, renew in good time rather than on the last day, and consider turning on auto-renew so the number doesn't lapse by accident.
Is a temporary number enough for two-factor authentication?
Only if you keep it. Two-factor codes are sent every time the account asks you to confirm a login, so a number you plan to drop is a poor choice for 2FA. If you do use an SMS Hallo number for it, keep the number renewed. Where the app offers extra options, such as an authenticator app or backup codes, set those up too.
Why not just use a free temporary number site?
Free sites show their numbers and messages to everyone. Anyone could read your code, including a password-reset code, and the same number is often used by many people, so an app may already have seen it many times. An SMS Hallo number is private while you rent it and stays yours while you renew. You can compare both at /compare/free-receive-sms-sites-vs-private-number.
What if I rented a number and didn't end up needing it?
If no call or SMS has been made or received on the number, the 7-day money-back guarantee gives you a full refund within 7 days, no questions asked. If you did use it and it didn't work with the app you rented it for, you can request a 100% refund within 7 days. You can also swap it free for another number in the same country, up to 3 times, in the first 7 days.
Can I use a short rental while traveling?
Yes. A number from the country you are visiting can help you register with local services or receive local texts, and you read everything in your browser, so no SIM swap is needed. You can also keep a number from home and receive its codes abroad. Choose the length that covers your trip, and renew if any account you created still needs the number afterwards.