How to Get a US Phone Number in the UK (2026 Guide)
Need an American number in the UK? Get a real +1 number for calls and texts from $5/month, in your browser. No US address, US SIM or ID needed.
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Short answer: You can get a real US (+1) phone number in the UK without a US address, a US SIM, a Social Security number or ID documents. With TINE you sign up with your email and UK mobile number, pick a US area code and pay by card. It costs $5 a month or $49.99 a year and runs in your browser. It calls and texts US and Canadian numbers, not UK ones.
Who Gets a US Number in the UK
- UK businesses selling to the US. Online shops, software companies and agencies with American customers. A US number on your US website and listings means customers call a local number, not an international one, and your calls show up as a normal +1 number.
- Freelancers and consultants with US clients. Clients can call and text you like any local contact, without international rates or working out how to dial +44.
- People moving to the US. You can give a US number to landlords, employers and schools before you arrive.
- Family and friends in the US. They can call and text a US number from their normal plan.
- US websites and apps that ask for a US phone number. Most accept virtual numbers. Some, often banks, don't, so test anything important first.
Your Options for a US Number in the UK
Several popular second-number apps don't let you sign up from the UK:
| Option | Works from the UK? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Google Voice (free) | No | Personal Google Voice is only available in the US |
| Google Voice for Google Workspace | For businesses | Available in the UK with a Workspace subscription, but a UK business needs the top Premier tier to get US numbers |
| TextNow | No | Outside North America, you can't register an account |
| Burner | No | You need a US, Canadian or Australian main number to sign up |
| Sideline | No | It needs a US carrier number to register |
| Hushed | Yes | Sells US numbers from $6.99 a month. It's app only, with no web version |
| Talkatone | Yes | Its app is available in Great Britain and gives you a free US or Canadian number |
| A US SIM or eSIM | Sometimes | A mobile number from a US carrier is what banks and WhatsApp accept. Check the carrier's requirements, because some need a US address or ID |
| TINE | Yes | Sign up with your email and UK number, and use it in any browser for $5 a month |
Checked October 2026. These rules change, so check each provider's page before you pay. More detail: TINE vs Google Voice, TINE vs Hushed, TINE vs Burner and TINE vs TextNow.
If you want a phone app, Hushed and Talkatone both work from the UK. Choose TINE if you want to use your number in a browser on your laptop as well as your phone, share it with a team, or pay $5 a month.
What You Need, and What It Can't Do
You don't need ID documents, a US address, a US bank account or a Social Security number. You need:
- An internet connection: broadband, Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- A debit or credit card that can pay in US dollars (see the payment section below).
- A web browser on your laptop or phone.
Before you buy, know these limits:
- It only calls and texts US and Canadian numbers. You can't call or text UK (+44) numbers with it, so keep your UK SIM for calls at home. If you also want a second UK number, TINE sells UK mobile numbers too, and you can keep both on one account.
- Some services refuse all virtual numbers. WhatsApp is one: it wouldn't register a TINE number in our test. Banks and some payment apps often refuse them too. If a sign-up code matters, test that service first, or read why verification codes don't arrive.
- Calls ring while TINE is open in a browser tab. Texts wait in your inbox until you open it. iPhone and Android apps are coming.
- It can't call emergency services. Use your mobile's own dialler for 999, 112 or 911.
Working US Hours from the UK
The UK is 5 hours ahead of New York and 8 hours ahead of Los Angeles for most of the year:
| US city | When it's 9 a.m. there, it's this in the UK | When it's 5 p.m. there, it's this in the UK |
|---|---|---|
| New York, Miami, Atlanta (Eastern) | 2 p.m. | 10 p.m. |
| Chicago, Dallas, Houston (Central) | 3 p.m. | 11 p.m. |
| Denver (Mountain) | 4 p.m. | Midnight |
| Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle (Pacific) | 5 p.m. | 1 a.m. |
The UK and the US change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks a year the gap is an hour smaller. In 2026 the UK clocks go back on 25 October and the US clocks on 1 November, so for that week New York is only 4 hours behind. In spring 2027 the US goes forward on 14 March and the UK on 28 March, which gives two weeks at 4 hours.
A UK business open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. overlaps with the US East Coast for 3 hours a day (2 p.m. to 5 p.m. UK time) and with the West Coast not at all. A few habits help:
- Put your hours in US time on your US-facing pages, for example "Phone: 9 a.m.–noon ET".
- Keep TINE open in a tab during your overlap, so customer calls ring through.
- Answer texts first thing in the morning. Messages sent during the US afternoon and evening wait in your inbox overnight.
- Add an hour in the evening if your customers are on the West Coast.
Paying from the UK
Plans are billed in US dollars through Stripe's secure checkout, so your bank converts the amount to pounds. Before you pay, check these:
- Non-sterling fees. Many high-street cards add a fee when you pay in another currency. For example, HSBC charges 2.75% on debit cards and 2.99% on credit cards.
- Fee-free cards. App-based banks such as Monzo, Starling and Chase UK don't add their own fee for paying in other currencies. Check your bank's terms.
- The annual plan is $49.99, instead of $60 for twelve monthly payments, and it's one conversion a year instead of twelve.
How to Get a US Number in the UK with TINE
- Go to tinetech.org and create an account with your email. If you're in the UK, the country code fills in as +44 automatically. Enter your mobile number, for example 07700 900123.
- Choose the United States and search by area code. Pick the area code of the city where most of your customers or contacts are, or a big one that everyone recognises: New York (212, 646), Los Angeles (213, 310), Chicago (312), Miami (305) or San Francisco (415). If an area code has nothing available, try a nearby one.
- Pick a plan. It's $5 a month, $13.49 for 3 months, $25.99 for 6 months or $49.99 a year.
- Pay by card through Stripe's secure checkout.
- Start calling and texting straight away in your browser.
What It Costs
A US number costs $5 a month, $13.49 for 3 months, $25.99 for 6 months or $49.99 a year (about $4.17 a month). Each plan comes with some calling and texting credit: $0.50 on the monthly plan, up to $8 on the annual plan. After that you pay as you go, and you can top up from $5:
| Usage | Price |
|---|---|
| Outgoing calls | $0.03 per minute |
| Incoming calls | $0.02 per minute |
| Texts (SMS), sent or received | $0.03 per 160-character segment |
| Picture messages (MMS) | $0.04 each |
For example, a UK online shop that takes 100 minutes of calls from US customers a month and sends 50 order texts uses about $3.50 of credit: $2.00 for the calls and $1.50 for the texts. To estimate your own month, use the cost calculator.
Tips for UK Businesses Selling to the US
- Write the number the American way on US-facing pages: (212) 555-0148, or +1 212 555 0148 if international visitors see it too.
- Only text customers who asked you to. US carriers filter business texts, and texting people without their consent can break US law. Order updates a customer signed up for are fine.
- Share the number with your team. TINE Teams gives you shared numbers, admin and member roles, and a shared contact list.
- Keep your personal number private. Customers only see your TINE number.
- Read our checklist for working with US clients from abroad. Most of it applies to UK businesses too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a US address, a Social Security number or ID?
No. You sign up with your email and your UK mobile number. TINE doesn't ask for ID documents, a US address, an SSN or a US SIM card.
Can I call UK numbers with my US number?
No. A TINE US number only calls and texts US and Canadian numbers. Use your UK mobile, or add a TINE UK number to the same account.
Can I have a US number and a UK number on one account?
Yes. Add each number from the Numbers page. Each number has its own plan: $5 a month for a US number and $8 a month for a UK number.
Will US customers see my UK number?
No. Calls and texts from TINE show your TINE number as the caller ID. Your UK number is never shown.
Can I use my US number for WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp doesn't accept virtual numbers, and it wouldn't register a TINE number when we tested it. Keep WhatsApp on your UK mobile number: US contacts can still message you there.
Do I need to install an app?
No. TINE runs in any web browser on your laptop or phone. iPhone and Android apps are coming.
The Bottom Line
If you sell to American customers, work with US clients or are moving to the US, a US number makes you easy to reach. TINE gives you one from the UK for $5 a month, in your browser, with no US address or ID.
See US number plans and pricing, or read the general guide to getting a US number from anywhere. Need it the other way round? Here's how to get a UK number from the US.
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