Free Second Phone Number: 5 Options and Their Catches

Short answer: Yes, you can get a second phone number for free. The main options are Google Voice, TextNow, TextFree and Talkatone. Each has a catch. Google Voice needs an existing US mobile number and, for new numbers, a government ID. The ad-supported apps can take your number back if you stop using it, and some free accounts can't receive verification codes. If you need a number that stays yours, works from outside the US and doesn't ask for ID, a paid number from about $5 a month is the safer choice.

The Free Options at a Glance

Prices and rules were checked on each provider's own pages in October 2026. They change often, so check before you sign up.

1. Google Voice: Free, If You're Already in the US

Google Voice gives you a free US number for calls and texts, in an app or a web browser. Calls to the US and Canada are free from the US, and it handles picture messages and group texts. For someone who lives in the US and already has a US mobile number, it's the best free option.

The catches:

• You need a US number to get one. Google asks you to link an existing US mobile number, and it doesn't accept most virtual numbers for that. If you live outside the US, this usually stops you at the first step.
• New numbers now need ID. Google's help page says people who request a new Google Voice number can't make calls or send messages until they complete identity verification with a government-issued ID. A manual review can take up to three business days.
• It's tied to your Google account. That's convenient, but it means the number is linked to your identity.

More on the alternatives in our guide to the best Google Voice alternatives.

2. TextNow: Free, If You Keep Using It

TextNow gives you a free US or Canadian number, paid for by ads. You call and text over Wi-Fi or mobile data in the app.

The catch is that a free number only stays yours while you use it. TextNow's help centre says there's no fixed rule for how long a number can sit unused, but a new number you never use can expire within 24 hours, and a number that's taken back can't be restored. TextNow sells a "Lock Number" add-on if you want to keep it without using it. Expect ads unless you pay to remove them.

TextNow is good for a number you use often, such as a line for friends or a side gig. It's risky for anything you log in to with a code, because losing the number can lock you out.

3. TextFree: Free Texting, With Limits

TextFree also gives you a free US or Canadian number with ads. Like TextNow, it works over the internet in the app.

The biggest limit is verification codes. TextFree's own page says standard TextFree accounts can't receive 2FA codes. Its paid Plus plan stops your number from expiring after 30 days without use. So the free version suits casual texting, not account sign-ups.

4. Talkatone: Free Calls and Texts in the US and Canada

Talkatone gives you a free US number with free calls and texts to most US and Canadian numbers, supported by ads. Its terms say it only offers US and Canadian numbers.

The catch is the same as the other free apps: if you don't use the number, Talkatone can take it back. Its paid Plus option includes keeping your number active. Read its terms before you rely on it for anything important.

5. A Cheap eSIM Line: Not Free, but Close

If your phone takes two SIMs, you can add a second line from a low-cost carrier and get a real mobile number on the same phone. In October 2026, Tello had a $5-a-month plan with 300 minutes and unlimited texts but no data.

Most recent phones support two lines:

• iPhone: iPhone XS, XR and later support dual SIM. Add a line in Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Add eSIM.
• Google Pixel: Pixel 3a and later. Add a line in Settings > Network & internet > SIMs.
• Samsung Galaxy: many recent models. Look in Settings > Connections > SIM manager.

The catches: it isn't free, you pay every month whether you use it or not, and the number only works on that one phone. We cover setup step by step in how to get a second phone number.

What "Free" Usually Costs You

Free numbers are paid for in other ways. Before you choose one, know the trade:

• You can lose the number. Free apps recycle inactive numbers so they can give them to someone else. If that number was your login for an account, you may get locked out.
• Codes may not arrive. Some free accounts block verification codes, and some services refuse free and virtual numbers altogether. If codes are the reason you want a number, read why verification codes don't arrive on virtual numbers.
• You might get someone else's texts. A recycled number can still get messages meant for its last owner.
• Ads and data. Ad-supported apps make money from your attention and, depending on their privacy policy, from data about how you use them.
• The US-only problem. Most free options assume you're already in the US. If you're not, the choices shrink fast.

When a $5 Number Is the Better Deal

For a few dollars a month, you get a number that doesn't come with those catches. TINE gives you a real US, UK or Canadian number that you call and text from your web browser:

• No ID and no US number needed. Sign up from any country, using the phone number you already have.
• The number stays yours for as long as your plan is active. It isn't taken back because you had a quiet week.
• No ads.
• No second phone or SIM. It works in a browser on your laptop or phone.

A US or Canadian number costs $5 a month, or $49.99 a year (about $4.17 a month). Each plan includes some calling and texting credit, and after that calls and texts are pay-as-you-go: texts are $0.03 per 160-character segment on US and Canadian numbers. See the full US number plans.

To be fair about the limits: TINE is a virtual number too, so the few services that refuse all virtual numbers, often banks, will refuse it as well. US and Canadian numbers call and text US and Canadian numbers only.

Which Free Option Should You Pick?

• You live in the US and have a US mobile number: start with Google Voice.
• You want a free number for casual calls and texts: TextNow or Talkatone, as long as you use it regularly.
• You only want to text friends: TextFree works, but not for codes.
• You want a real carrier line on the same phone: a cheap eSIM plan.
• You're outside the US, need the number to last, or don't want to show ID: a paid number such as TINE.

Still comparing? Our roundups of the best second phone number apps and the best burner phone apps cover the paid options in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a truly free second phone number?

Yes. Google Voice, TextNow, TextFree and Talkatone all give you a number at no cost. They're paid for by ads or tied to an account you already have, and most can take the number back if you stop using it.

Can I get a free second number for verification codes?

Sometimes, but it's unreliable. Free TextFree accounts can't receive 2FA codes, and many services refuse free or virtual numbers. If you lose a free number, you can also lose access to any account it protects. For codes that matter, use a number you pay for or your own mobile number.

Do free phone numbers expire?

Usually, yes, if you don't use them. TextNow can take back a number that sits unused, and TextFree's free numbers can expire after 30 days of inactivity unless you pay for Plus. Google says it can reclaim a Google Voice number after three months without calls or texts.

Can I get a free US number if I live outside the US?

It's hard. Google Voice needs an existing US mobile number, and most free apps are built for people in the US. Paid services such as TINE let you sign up from any country without ID or a US number, from $5 a month.

Does Google Voice need ID now?

For new numbers, yes. Google's help page says people who request a new number have to verify their identity with a government-issued ID before they can call or text.

Can someone trace a free second number back to me?

A second number keeps your personal number out of sight, so people only see the second one. But every provider knows who its customers are, and Google Voice links the number to your Google account. Read can someone find your address from your phone number to see what a number can reveal.

The Bottom Line

A free second number is fine for casual use, as long as you accept the ads and keep using it. If the number needs to last, receive codes, or work from outside the US without showing ID, a few dollars a month buys you a number that's actually yours.