The best second phone number apps, compared
Every second-number app gives you a number that works from your phone. What differs is price, how many numbers you get, whether the number can be taken back, and what comes with it. We checked each app's own pricing and help pages in September 2026.
- Prices from each app's own site and App Store listing
- The catches: reclaimed numbers, minute caps, expiring prepaid lines
- Which app fits which use
$60 every 2 months. Cancel anytime. No contracts.
See why thousands trust Ghost for their virtual phone number
Second phone number apps at a glance
| App | Price | Numbers | Worth knowing | App Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost | $60 every 2 months | Up to 5 included | Business hours, auto-reply, text signature, and voicemail transcripts included. iPhone and web. | 4.6 (7.7k) |
| Burner | $7.99/mo or $47.99/yr on the web; $9.99/mo in the App Store | 1 per standard plan | Voicemail transcription and video messages are Premium ($12.99/mo on the web). Calls use your carrier minutes. Prepaid numbers are deleted after 30 days. | 4.7 (94k) |
| Hushed | $6.99/mo for 1 line, $18.99/mo for 3 lines | Up to 4 | Prepaid plans cap minutes and texts (from 50 minutes or 150 texts for $7.99). Prepaid numbers expire. | 4.6 (23k) |
| Google Voice | Free; Starter $10/mo | 1 per account | Needs an existing US mobile number to sign up. Free numbers can be reclaimed after 3 months without use. Linked to your Google account. | 4.3 (62k) |
| TextNow | Free with ads; plans $18.99 and $35.99/mo | Not confirmed | Now a full cellular carrier. Paid plans include mobile data. | 4.8 (922k) |
| Line2 | $9.99/mo, or $7.99/mo billed yearly | Not confirmed | Business plans $15.99 to $25.99/mo. Unlimited plans are subject to overages. | 4.4 (20k) |
| Sideline | $14.49/mo or $129.99/yr | Not confirmed | Calls route over your carrier network rather than the internet. | 4.4 (15k) |
| Talkatone | Free with ads | Not confirmed | The number is reclaimed after 30 days without an outgoing call or text. | 4.7 (142k) |
Prices and policies as published by each company on 2026-09-26. Ratings are App Store averages (US) with review counts. Prices change; check the app before you buy.
How to choose
Start with how you'll use the number, not the price. A number you'll put on a listing for two weeks needs different things than a business line you'll keep for years.
- You want free and you'll use it every week: Google Voice, as long as you have a US mobile number to verify with and don't mind it being tied to your Google account.
- You want one cheap private number: Burner or Hushed on their lowest plan.
- You want several numbers with work tools built in: Ghost includes up to 5 numbers, plus business hours, auto-reply, and a text signature per number.
- You want to replace your phone plan entirely: TextNow's paid plans are a cellular service, not just a second number.
The catches to check before you pay
The headline price rarely tells the whole story. These are the details that surprise people most:
- Reclaimed numbers: free numbers from Google Voice and Talkatone can be taken back if you stop using them.
- Minute and text caps: prepaid plans on Hushed include a fixed number of minutes or texts.
- Expiring numbers: prepaid numbers on Burner and Hushed expire, and restoring them isn't guaranteed.
- Web vs App Store pricing: Burner's own site lists lower prices than its App Store subscriptions.
- Verification codes: some banks and apps block app-based numbers for signup codes, on every app in this list.
Where Ghost fits
Ghost is not the cheapest option on this list, and we won't pretend it is. It costs $60 every 2 months. What you get for that is room to separate your life: up to 5 numbers on one plan, each with its own business hours, auto-reply, text signature, and notification settings, plus voicemail transcripts and texts that sync to a browser.
If you only need one number for one listing, a cheaper app will do. If you want a dating number, a selling number, and a work number that each behave differently, Ghost is built for that.
Ghost can't be used for 911 or emergency calls, so keep your regular line for those.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free second phone number app?
Google Voice is the best-known free option. It needs an existing US mobile number to sign up, links to your Google account, and can reclaim the number after 3 months without use. TextNow and Talkatone are free with ads.
Which second number app gives you the most numbers?
Of the apps we checked, Ghost includes up to 5 numbers on one plan. Hushed allows up to 4, and Burner and Google Voice start with one.
Can I use a second number app for verification codes?
Sometimes. Many services accept app-based numbers, but some banks and apps block them for signup and security codes. This applies to every app in this comparison.
Do second number apps work for 911?
Generally no. Ghost, Burner, and Hushed all say their numbers can't be used for 911. Keep your regular line for emergencies.
Up to 5 numbers on one plan
One for dating, one for selling, one for work. Each with its own hours and auto-reply.
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