How to Get a Second Phone Number on iPhone

Every iPhone since the XS can hold two phone lines at once, and the App Store is full of apps that add another number on top of the one you have. So the question isn't whether you can have a second number on one iPhone. It's which kind fits what you need it for.

Option 1: A second line with eSIM

Newer iPhones support two active lines through eSIM (US models from the iPhone 14 on are eSIM-only). You buy a second plan from a carrier, scan a QR code or activate it in Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM, and choose which line to use for each call, text, and data.

• •Best for: a true second line you plan to keep for years, like a work number.
• •Tradeoffs: it is a full second phone plan with its own monthly bill and contract terms, and the number is tied to your carrier account in your name.
• •Setup: through the carrier, often in a store or an app, with ID checks.

Option 2: Google Voice

Google Voice gives you a free US number that works through an app. To sign up you need a Google account and an existing US mobile or landline number to verify with, and Google can reclaim numbers that go unused.

• •Best for: a free, long-term number you use regularly and link to your Google account.
• •Tradeoffs: the number is connected to your Google identity, it requires a verification number, and it is US only.

Option 3: A second-number app

Apps like Ghost, Burner, and Hushed give you a number that lives inside the app. You can get one in a few minutes, keep several at once, and delete them when you're done. They run on Wi-Fi or cellular data, so they work on the iPhone you already have without touching your SIM.

• •Best for: numbers you want to hand out to strangers, listings, dates, or signups, and switch off later.
• •Tradeoffs: most are paid subscriptions, and some banks and apps block app-based numbers for verification codes.

Which one should you pick?

• •You want a long-term work line and have a newer iPhone: eSIM.
• •You want something free and don’t mind linking it to Google: Google Voice.
• •You want a number to give out that you can separate or drop later, or you want several: a second-number app.

Plenty of people combine them: their real number for family and banks, and an app number for everything they would rather keep at arm’s length.

How to set up a second number with Ghost

• •Download Ghost from the App Store.
• •Pick an area code from 200+ US and Canadian codes.
• •Choose a number from the ones available.
• •Start your plan. Ghost is $60 every 2 months. Cancel anytime. No contracts.
• •Call and text from the Ghost app. Your plan includes up to 5 numbers.

Ghost can't be used for 911 or emergency calls, so keep your regular line for those.