Better than a virtual number: a real mobile number
Many people search for a “virtual number” to receive SMS or sign up for apps. SMS Hallo gives you something better: a real mobile number in 181 countries, managed online, from $1.80 a month.
From $1.80/month on the 12-month plan · Choose your country
Virtual number vs real mobile number
Virtual (VoIP) numbers are often rejected by WhatsApp, banks and other apps when they check the number type. A real mobile number looks and works like any local mobile number.
With SMS Hallo you still get the convenience people want from a virtual number — no SIM card, no ID, everything in your browser — with a real mobile number.
What you get
Unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 calling minutes a month.
Works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google, Instagram, TikTok and more.
Keep it as long as you like. 7-day free replacement, 100% refund if it doesn't work, and 7-day money-back if unused.
Choose a country
Pick from 181 countries — the number arrives instantly, with its local country code and mobile format.
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
Are SMS Hallo numbers virtual numbers?
No. They are real mobile numbers in the local mobile format of each country, which is why they work where many virtual numbers are blocked.
Why do apps block virtual numbers?
Many apps check the number type and reject VoIP or virtual numbers to prevent abuse. Real mobile numbers pass those checks.
Do I need a SIM card or phone?
No. Everything — SMS, codes and your number settings — is in your online dashboard.
How much does it cost?
From $1.80 per month on the 12-month plan, in every country.
Popular searches
A “virtual number” can mean four quite different things: a VoIP number inside a calling app, a one-time activation number, a shared number on a free public SMS site, or a rented real mobile number. SMS Hallo rents the last kind — a private, real mobile number in 181 countries that stays yours while you renew it, from $1.80 a month on the 12-month plan ($21.60 billed yearly).
What people mean by “virtual number”
“Virtual number” is a loose label for any phone number you use without putting a new SIM card in your phone. The messages and calls reach you through a website or an app instead of a handset.
The label hides big differences. Two services can both call their product a virtual number while one gives you a shared inbox that the whole internet can read and the other gives you a private mobile number that only you control. Before you choose, it helps to know which kind you are actually getting.
The four common types
VoIP and second-number apps: a number that lives inside a calling app and runs over the internet. It is handy for calls and texting with friends, but it is a VoIP number, and many sign-up forms treat VoIP numbers differently from mobile numbers.
One-time activation numbers: a number you use for a single verification code, usually for a few minutes. After the code arrives, the number goes back into a pool and you cannot rely on getting it again.
Free public receive-SMS sites: numbers listed on a public web page where anyone can read every incoming message. They cost nothing, but they offer no privacy and are used by many people at once.
Rented real mobile numbers: a number in a country's local mobile format that is assigned to your account for as long as you rent it. This is what SMS Hallo provides.
How to tell them apart before you pay
Ask four simple questions. Who else can read the messages? How long is the number mine? Can I receive a new code on the same number months from now? And is it a mobile number or a VoIP number?
If the answer is “anyone”, “a few minutes” or “probably not”, the number is fine for a throwaway test but risky for an account you care about. If the answers are “only me”, “as long as I renew” and “yes”, you are looking at a rented private number.
Why apps treat number types differently
Apps decide for themselves which numbers they accept. Many look up the type of number during sign-up, and some are stricter with VoIP numbers or with numbers that have been used for many accounts, because those patterns are often linked to spam.
A private, real mobile number avoids the shared-number problem, because only one customer uses it at a time. Even so, no provider can promise that a particular app will accept a particular number. That is why every SMS Hallo number comes with a free replacement and a 100% refund if it doesn't work with the app you rented it for.
Why SMS Hallo rents real mobile numbers
Most people who search for a virtual number really want three things: privacy for their personal number, a number in another country, and no SIM card or paperwork. A rented real mobile number gives all three without the downsides of a shared or single-use number.
Each SMS Hallo number is a real (non-VoIP) mobile number in the local mobile format of its country. You sign up with an email and password only — no SIM card, no ID documents and no local address — and read every SMS in your browser.
Because the number stays assigned to you while you renew it, you can receive codes again later, for a new login, a new phone or a password reset.
Use it the right way
A second number is a privacy tool and a practical way to verify legitimate accounts abroad. SMS Hallo's Acceptable Use Policy does not allow fraud, fake or bulk account creation, returning to a platform after a ban, or using a number to avoid identity checks such as bank KYC. Follow each app's own terms, and see /acceptable-use for the full policy.
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 swap a virtual number for a real one
- Decide what the number is for Write down which accounts will use it. If any of them matter long term, you want a number you can keep, not a one-time code number.
- Pick a country Choose from 181 countries at /numbers. Every number is a real mobile number in that country's local format, at the same price in every country.
- Rent and verify Pay with USDT or USDC, enter the number in the app with the + and country code, and read the code in your SMS Hallo inbox.
- Keep it while you need it Renew for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, or turn on auto-renew, so the accounts linked to the number stay reachable.
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
Is a virtual number the same as a VoIP number?
Not always. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but “virtual number” is also used for one-time activation numbers, shared numbers on free SMS sites and rented mobile numbers. A VoIP number is one specific type that runs over the internet. SMS Hallo numbers are not VoIP numbers: they are real mobile numbers in each country's local mobile format, rented to one customer at a time and managed from your browser.
How can I check whether a number is mobile or VoIP?
Ask the provider directly what kind of numbers it sells and whether they are shared. Some public number lookup tools show a line type, but results vary. With SMS Hallo the answer is simple: every number is a real (non-VoIP) mobile number in the local mobile format. If a specific app still does not accept it, you can swap it for free within 7 days or claim a 100% refund.
Why is a free virtual number a bad idea for my main accounts?
Free numbers are usually shown on public websites, so anyone can read the codes sent to them, including a code that resets your password. They are also used by many people at once, so the number may already be linked to other accounts. For an account you want to keep, a private number that only you can read is much safer, and it lets you receive new codes later.
Can I choose a number from a specific country?
Yes. SMS Hallo has numbers in 181 countries. Browse by country at /numbers, and each number comes with that country's dialing code and local mobile format. Some digits of available numbers are hidden until you rent one, so the full number is only shown to the person who rents it. The price is the same in every country, from $1.80 a month on the 12-month plan.
Do I need an app to use an SMS Hallo number?
No. Everything runs in your browser on a phone or computer: the SMS inbox with one-tap code copy, a send-SMS screen, a browser dialer, your call log and usage meters. You don't need a SIM card or a second phone, and there is nothing to install. You sign in with the email and password you used to create your account.
Can I make calls and send texts, or only receive codes?
Both. Every number includes unlimited incoming SMS and unlimited incoming calls, plus 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing calling minutes per month. Allowances reset every 30 days, and unused SMS or minutes don't roll over. This makes the number useful for more than sign-ups, for example replying to a buyer or calling a local business while you are abroad.
Will people see that I am using a rented number?
The number looks like any other mobile number in its country: it has the country code and the local mobile format. When you send an SMS or call from the browser dialer, the other person sees that number rather than your personal one. That is the point of a second number: your personal number stays private while you use this one for sign-ups, selling or work.
Is it legal to use a second number?
Using a second phone number for privacy, work or travel is common. What matters is how you use it. Follow the rules where you live and the terms of each app, and don't use any number for fraud, fake accounts or to avoid identity checks. SMS Hallo's Acceptable Use Policy forbids that kind of use; you can read it at /acceptable-use.
What happens if the number I pick doesn't work with my app?
You are covered by three guarantees: a 7-day free replacement (swap for another number in the same country, up to 3 times), a 100% refund if the number doesn't work with the app you rented it for, and a 7-day money-back guarantee if no call or SMS has been made or received. The replacement number keeps your plan and expiry date. You can use the buttons on the number's page in your dashboard or contact support@smshallo.com.