Best Burner Phone Apps in 2026 (Free and Paid)

Short answer: For a classic create-and-delete burner number, Burner and Hushed are the best-known apps, from $6.99 to $7.99 a month. For a free burner, Talkatone, TextNow and TextFree give you a US number with ads, but they can take the number back if you don't use it, and some free accounts can't receive codes. If you want a private number that works in your browser, from outside the US and without ID, TINE costs $5 a month and you can cancel any time.

The Best Burner Apps at a Glance

Prices were checked on each provider's own site or app store listing in October 2026. They change often, so check before you buy.

Burner Number or Second Number?

A burner number is meant to be thrown away. You create it for one job, like a marketplace sale or a first date, then delete it.

A second number is meant to last. It's a private line you keep for months or years, for a side business, sign-ups or anyone you'd rather not give your real number.

Many people searching for a burner app really want the second kind: a number they can give out freely while their real one stays private. Keep that in mind as you compare.

1. Burner: The Original Burner App

Burner made the category popular. You create numbers, use them for calls and texts, and delete ("burn") them when you're done.

• Price: Standard is $7.99 a month or $47.99 a year. Premium is $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year and adds extras like AI voicemail and a VPN. Burner says its website prices are cheaper than buying in the app.
• Numbers: US and Canada.
• Good: built around creating and burning numbers; you can also buy prepaid numbers with credits.
• Catch: it's one of the pricier options, and it only offers North American numbers.

Best for: people who want the true create-and-burn workflow.

2. Hushed: Several Numbers on One Account

Hushed lets you run several numbers from one account, including short prepaid ones.

• Price: unlimited plans from $6.99 a month, prepaid numbers from $7.99, and pay-as-you-go from $8.99.
• Numbers: US, Canada and the UK, in 300+ area codes.
• Good: flexible prepaid terms, so you can buy a number for a set period and let it lapse.
• Catch: prices add up if you keep several numbers.

Best for: people who need a few short-term numbers for different jobs. See our TINE vs Hushed comparison.

3. TINE: A Private Number Without the App or the ID

TINE isn't sold as a burner app, but it covers the same need: a real US, UK or Canadian number you give out instead of your own.

• Price: US and Canadian numbers cost $5 a month, $13.49 for 3 months, $25.99 for 6 months or $49.99 a year. UK numbers cost $8 a month. Each plan includes some calling and texting credit, then usage is pay-as-you-go.
• Numbers: US, Canada and the UK.
• Good: HD voice calls in your web browser on your laptop or phone, so there's nothing to install. No ID, US address or US number needed, and you can sign up from any country. Keep the number as long as you like or cancel any time.
• Catch: one number per plan, and US and Canadian numbers only call and text US and Canadian numbers. To take calls, keep TINE open in a browser tab.

Best for: people who want a private number they control, especially from outside the US.

4. Phoner: Numbers Outside North America

Phoner offers numbers in the US, UK, Canada, Spain and other countries.

• Price: a free trial number, then subscriptions; a monthly second number is $9.99, and credit packs start at $2.99.
• Good: one of the few burner apps with numbers outside North America and the UK.
• Catch: pricing has a lot of options, so check what your country costs before you commit.

Best for: people who need a temporary number in another country.

5. Talkatone: A Free Burner Number

Talkatone gives you a free US number with free calls and texts to most US and Canadian numbers, paid for by ads.

• Price: free. Paid extras include removing ads, Plus (which keeps your number active) and a small fee to burn a number and get a new one.
• Numbers: US and Canada only.
• Catch: if you don't use the number, Talkatone can take it back.

Best for: a free number for calls and texts you'll use regularly.

6. TextNow: Free if You Keep Using It

TextNow gives you a free US or Canadian number with ads.

• Price: free. A "Lock Number" add-on keeps your number without regular use, and you can pay to remove ads.
• Catch: TextNow says there's no fixed rule for how long a number can sit unused, and a number that's taken back can't be restored.

Best for: a free everyday number, as long as you keep using it.

7. TextFree: Free Casual Texting

TextFree gives you a free US or Canadian number with ads.

• Price: free. TextFree Plus stops your number expiring after 30 days without use.
• Catch: TextFree's own page says standard accounts can't receive 2FA codes.

Best for: texting friends, not account sign-ups.

For more on the no-cost apps, read our guide to getting a free second phone number.

Looking for an Alternative to the Burner App?

People usually switch away from Burner for one of three reasons:

• Price: Hushed and TINE start lower, at $6.99 and $5 a month.
• Countries: Hushed and TINE offer UK numbers as well as US and Canadian ones, and Phoner covers more countries.
• No app: TINE works in a web browser, so you can use it on a laptop or a phone you can't install apps on.

Can You Use a Burner Number for Verification Codes?

Sometimes. Many services send codes to burner and virtual numbers, but some refuse them, especially banks and some payment and social apps. Free accounts are the least reliable: TextFree's free tier can't receive 2FA codes at all.

Two rules of thumb:

• Don't put important accounts on a number you plan to burn. When the number goes, so does your way to receive codes for that account.
• Test first. If a code matters, check it arrives before you rely on the number. See why verification codes don't arrive on virtual numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free burner app?

Talkatone, TextNow and TextFree all give you a free US number with ads. Talkatone and TextNow cover calls and texts. TextFree is fine for texting but its free accounts can't receive 2FA codes. All three can take your number back if you stop using it.

How much does the Burner app cost?

On Burner's own pricing page, Standard is $7.99 a month or $47.99 a year, and Premium is $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year.

Can a burner number be traced?

The people you call or text only see the burner number, not your real one. But every provider knows who its customers are and keeps records, and it can be required to share them with law enforcement.

Do burner apps work outside the US?

Some do. Hushed and TINE offer UK numbers, Phoner covers more countries, and TINE lets you sign up from any country without ID or a US number. The free apps are mostly built for people in the US and Canada.

Is a burner number the same as a virtual number?

A burner number is a virtual number you plan to throw away. The technology is the same: both work over the internet instead of a SIM card.

The Bottom Line

For a true throwaway, Burner and Hushed are the classics. For free, Talkatone and TextNow work if you keep using the number. For a private number you can keep or cancel, use from any browser and get without ID, TINE costs $5 a month.

Comparing more broadly? See our roundup of the best second phone number apps, or learn how to get a second phone number on the phone you already have.