Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Products

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best apps for a second phone number: our 10 favorites

Jackie Dove
Mark Jansen
By and
OnePlus 5 soft gold with the phone app open.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

A second phone number is a useful thing and can be used to separate your personal life from your business life — or even just used as an extra layer of insulation when interacting with strangers, websites, or just dating. You might think getting a second phone number is difficult and would require swapping out SIM cards or getting a new phone or something similar.

But you couldn’t be more wrong! All you need to do is look at some of the best Android apps and iPhone apps. An app is all you need to add a second line to your smartphone and keep your personal phone number private and available only to those who you really trust. Here are the best apps to use for getting a second phone number.

Vyke

A blend between a second phone number app and a messaging app, Vyke is the app to grab if you’re looking for both a second number and a new chat app. You can pick numbers from a variety of different countries and create up to four different numbers at once. Calling and messaging other Vyke users is free, but it’ll cost you to message and call other numbers through the app, though you can buy a subscription instead of credit if you prefer. Some reviews do mention issues with getting WhatsApp and other services to accept the second phone numbers, though, so keep that in mind if this is your aim.

Related

iOS Android

Onoff

Speed is the name of the game for Onoff, and it claims to be able to get you set up with a second number in seconds. You can choose from a number of different countries to register your second number, and it comes with visual voicemail and even the choice to market yourself as a “VIP number”. However, there doesn’t seem to be an option to create more than one additional number, and some users have complained about calls being dropped. It costs $4 per month or $13 for an entire year.

iOS Android

Numero eSIM

A solid option for business people and frequent travelers, Numero leans on eSIM capabilities to offer some excellent utility when you’re abroad and when you need a second phone number. You can choose from 80+ countries for your second number and use it to register on WhatsApp and other platforms. The eSIM capabilities are equally impressive and offer custom package deals for 12 countries and data in over 150. You can pay a monthly fee for a U.S.-based second number, but anything anywhere else is going to rely on purchased credits, so keep that in mind if you’re intending to use this for an international number.

iOS Android

Phoner

Phoner second phone number app for iOS and Android.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Phoner app has it all: It offers personal and business second phone numbers, reverse phone number lookup, phone call recording, anonymous caller lookup, and private texting and calling. Phoner supports international calling and texting in over 40 countries, SMS and MMS, as well as phone call recording. You get free texting and cheaper calling rates between Phoner users. Make your new phone number long-term for your business or use Phoner as a temporary disposable phone and generate as many numbers as you need. Phoner offers subscription plans starting at $5 per month for premium numbers.

iOS Android

Sideline

Sideline is a business-oriented app that provides a second phone number as well as calling, texting, and voicemail features, designed for workplace collaboration. All calls are cellular and use your existing carrier plan. Texting includes SMS, MMS picture messaging, and group messaging. Pro features include a team number that allows you to split a single number among multiple devices. The app lets you build a unique identity with vanity phone numbers, where your name or product is spelled out. You can choose area codes to find an available local number for your region and employ auto-reply via text or MMS. An enterprise account lets you manage company phone numbers on employee devices. Additional features include custom caller ID, business voicemail message and greeting, voicemail to text, and auto voicemail. You can pick a new Sideline phone number and port numbers from a burner number, Google number, Smartline, Line2, or other services. Sideline is updated often with bug fixes and interface enhancements.

iOS  Android

Google Voice

If you have a personal Google account, Google Voice will give you a phone number for calling, text messaging, and voicemail that you can use with your smartphone or computer. It will even sync across devices for on-the-go connections and message management. The app automatically filters out spam and blocks designated numbers. You can arrange personalized settings for forwarding calls, text messages, and voicemail. All communications are stored and backed up so you can search your history. Google Voice provides advanced voicemail transcriptions and lets you call international destinations without extra charges for international minutes. Google Voice calls are placed via the app’s access number using standard minutes from your cell plan. Google Voice only works for personal Google Accounts in the U.S. and G Suite accounts in some markets. Text messaging is not universally supported. Updated versions now support marking group messages as spam.

iOS  Android

Cloud SIM

If you need multiple phone numbers on your smartphone for international conversations between mobile and landline, Cloud SIM — which offers numbers from the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and Poland — may be the answer. The service offers low-cost and free rates for calls or text SMS without additional or roaming charges, lets you choose your connection type, and lets you set up your call via either local access (GSM), mobile data, or Wi-Fi to some 200 countries. Cloud SIM facilitates receiving texts and calls to your new number, free text chat between phones worldwide while using Wi-Fi or data, sharing pictures, and using local access from your free minutes while you travel or have no internet. It offers a dedicated voicemail for each separate mobile number. You can buy up to four virtual numbers. New versions let you export and import SMS and chats.

iOS  Android

Burner

Burner second phone line.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Burner gives you a second line for calling, texting, and picture messaging. It intercepts calls on your Burner, routing them to your cell phone so no one sees your real number. You can call, text, and manage contacts from within the app and treat it as a long-term second phone number for business or projects or create a disposable phone number for dating, sales, deliveries, shopping, or selling items on Craigslist.

Integrations with Dropbox, Google Drive, and Slack let you archive messages and voicemails or communicate with your team. You can create multiple phone numbers, keep them as long as you want — or burn them anytime. Share your Burner with anyone while keeping your new number secret for anonymous texting. Burner is free to download and comes with a seven-day free sample number. Additional phone numbers are available through in-app purchases or subscriptions. You can use Burner via a prepaid plan or subscription and can change your plan at any time in the U.S. or Canada, except in Puerto Rico.

iOS  Android

2ndLine

2ndLine is a full-featured business phone system that you can use in addition to your personal phone number. The app is available in the U.S. and Canada and lets you call and message from a different number on the devices you and your employees own, either via Wi-Fi or your existing cellular network. You can choose a local phone number with unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited phone calling, and cheap international calling. Frills like emojis, stickers, and GIFs let you have a little fun, too. It also offers voicemail transcription, caller ID, call forwarding, customizable text and ringtones, and quick replies. You can also add your signature to each text. Passcode functionality lets you keep all calls and messages secure.

 Android

Hushed

Hushed lets you keep conversations private. You get a second smartphone number with this app, including local numbers for more than 60 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. You can use your second phone number for private calls and texts while concealing your caller ID. When you finish with the numbers, you can burn them. This app features full picture messaging (MMS), text (SMS), talk capabilities, and unlimited texting and calling in North America. Each number comes with call routing, call forwarding, auto-reply messages, and custom voicemail greetings. You can access your account on any device connected to Wi-Fi or data, and you can even use your tablet as a phone. The app offers flexible prepaid plans for 7, 30, 90, or 365 days in addition to pay-as-you-go plans. Test it out first with the app’s free three-day trial.

iOS Android

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jackie Dove
Jackie Dove
Contributor
Jackie is an obsessive, insomniac tech writer and editor in northern California. A wildlife advocate, cat fan, and photo app…
The best tablets in 2023: our 10 favorite ones to buy
Disney+ app on the iPad Air 5.

As much as we love having the best smartphones in our pockets, there are times when those small screens don't cut it, and we just need a larger display. That's when you turn to a tablet, which is great for being productive on the go and can be a great way to unwind and relax too. While the tablet market really took off after the iPad, it has grown to be quite diverse with a huge variety of products — from great budget options to powerhouses for professionals.

We've tried out a lot of tablets here at Digital Trends, from the workhorses for pros to tablets that are made for kids and even seniors, there's a tablet for every person and every budget. For most people, though, we think Apple's iPad Air is the best overall tablet — especially if you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem. But if you're not an Apple user, that's fine too; there are plenty of other great options that you'll find in this roundup.

Read more
The best smart notebooks in 2023: 10 picks you need to check out
A to-do list written on the Amazon Kindle Scribe.

Notebooks are a way of life for many, and those people certainly couldn't imagine ever being without their prized notebooks, whether to jot down a quick idea, or to scribble a drawing in a spare moment. Whatever you use your notebooks for, it's likely you have big stacks of notebooks, and no idea what to do with them. A smart notebook can save you a lot of space by keeping everything stored digitally.

There are a lot of reasons to store your notes digitally. Having a search function is a big one, but there are also notebooks which can convert your handwriting into text, or upload your notes to a cloud storage platform, so you can access them from any other smart device or computer. Smart notebooks come in a variety of forms, from physical notebooks with scanning apps to tablets with e-ink displays and styluses, and picking the right one for you is an important task.

Read more
The best camera phones in 2023: our top 9 photography picks
google pixel 5 review camera app

When it comes to camera phones, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the new champ. Although the competition was stiff, Samsung's latest offering emerged victorious in our head-to-head comparison with the Google Pixel 7 Pro, thanks to its exceptional software and edge in crucial categories. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra produces stunningly vibrant and shareable images, solidifying its status as one of the top camera phones available. Of course, if you're not partial to Samsung, there are other options to consider, such as the best Apple phone, the most cost-effective phone, and the best budget phone on the market.

At Digital Trends, we are passionate about photography and take thousands of photos every month. We enjoy comparing the performance of different phone cameras by pushing them to their limits and conducting direct camera shootout comparisons. We do this because we understand that camera quality is an important factor for most buyers. Have different priorities? We offer guides for the best overall smartphones, the best cheap smartphones, and the best old phones so you can find the right one for you.

Read more