Quick answer: It depends on what you need it for, and the honest answer is not always "buy ours". For a single throwaway sign-up, a per-code service costs $0.05–$1.00 and is the sensible choice. But those numbers are shared, recycled and gone within 24 hours — so for anything you will need again (WhatsApp, your Google account, an exchange), you need a real mobile number that stays yours. WhatsApp, Google, PayPal and the crypto exchanges run carrier lookups and reject VoIP numbers outright.
The distinction that decides whether it works: VoIP or real mobile
Every "virtual number" falls into one of two technical categories, and services treat them completely differently. A VoIP number is issued from a data centre and is flagged as such in the carrier databases every platform queries. A real mobile number sits on an actual mobile network with a genuine carrier behind it — it looks exactly like the number in a phone in someone’s pocket, because technically it is one.
The platforms are not equally strict about it:
| Service | VoIP number | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rejected | Aggressive carrier lookup; VoIP is blocked on sight | |
| Rejected | Number type checked at sign-up | |
| PayPal, Coinbase, Binance | Rejected | Strictest of all — most to lose from fake accounts |
| Telegram | Often works | More permissive, may require a voice call instead |
| Discord, TikTok, Instagram | Sometimes works | Filters exist but are less aggressive; getting stricter |
This single fact explains most failed verifications. If a code never arrives and the service simply says "this number cannot be used", the number type is almost always the reason — not the network, not the app.
Throwaway codes: cheap, and genuinely the right answer sometimes
Per-code services sell you one verification at a time. SMSPVA lists numbers from $0.05, with UK numbers from $0.07 and US numbers from $0.28; comparable services start around $0.15 per verification. You pick a country and a platform, you get a number, the code arrives, and that is the end of the transaction.
For a one-off sign-up you will never touch again, this is the cheaper and better option. Paying a monthly fee to register once for a forum makes no sense.
What you are actually buying, though, is worth being clear about:
- The number is shared and recycled. SMSPVA states plainly that it does not store numbers longer than 24 hours.
- You cannot receive anything later. A password reset next month goes to whoever holds the number then.
- Delivery is not guaranteed. For WhatsApp specifically, SMSPVA advises using a proxy or VPN and does not guarantee the result.
Why a recycled number breaks two-factor authentication
This is not a theoretical concern. Researchers at Princeton University sampled 259 phone numbers available to new subscribers at two major US carriers. 171 of them were still tied to existing accounts at popular websites. In 66% of cases the previous owner’s links were still live — meaning the new holder could receive their password resets and 2FA codes.
Around 35 million numbers are disconnected in the US every year and routinely reassigned. The attack the researchers describe is trivially cheap: buy a recycled number, request a password reset on an account still linked to it, receive the code.
What this means for you: if you register a number for two-factor authentication and then lose that number, two things happen. You are locked out — and whoever gets the number next can potentially get in. A number you keep is not a comfort feature here; it is the entire point of the second factor.
When you need a number that stays yours
The rule is simple: if the service will ever contact you again, you need to still have the number. That covers more than people expect:
- WhatsApp — re-verifies after a device change, a reinstall, or long inactivity
- Google, Apple, Microsoft — query the number on logins from a new country
- Exchanges and marketplaces — require it for withdrawals, not just registration
- Anything holding money — where losing access is expensive
For those cases a per-code service is the wrong tool, not because it is cheap but because the number was never yours.
The options side by side
| Per-code service | VoIP app | eSIM with a real number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0.05–$1.00 per code | ~$2–20 / month | from $9.99 / 30 days |
| Number type | real SIM, shared | VoIP | real mobile, exclusive |
| Works on WhatsApp | sometimes | no | yes |
| Works on Google, exchanges | sometimes | no | yes |
| You keep the number | no, ~24 h | while subscribed | while renewed |
| Suitable for 2FA | no | risky | yes |
| Best for | one-off sign-ups | calls over data | accounts you keep |
Where a Simbye number fits
Our numbers are real mobile lines on real carriers — a US +1 on AT&T at $14.99 for 30 days, a UK +44 on Three at $9.99, a Thai number, and a French +33 included with the Europe plan. They are not VoIP, so the carrier lookups that reject VoIP numbers pass them.
Two things matter more than the price:
- The number is yours alone. It is not shared with other users and has not been passed around before you.
- Renewing keeps the same number. That is what makes it usable as a second factor at all.
SMS arrives in the normal messages view on the phone, with no separate app to install. If you want the step-by-step for one specific case, we cover it in how to get a number for WhatsApp verification.
Choosing in one line each:
- Registering once, never again: use a per-code service. Cheaper, and enough.
- An account you will keep: you need a real mobile number that stays yours.
- Anything with money attached: never a shared or recycled number.
- Calls over the internet: a VoIP app is fine — just not for verification.
Need a number that services actually accept? A Simbye eSIM with a real number gives you a +1, +44 or +33 line that receives SMS directly on your phone — exclusive to you, and the same number every time you renew. Data plans from $1.99 across 190+ countries, with 5% cashback on every order.
See numbers and pricesFrequently asked questions
Where can I get a virtual number for SMS verification?
Three routes. Per-code services sell single verifications from about $0.05 and suit one-off sign-ups. VoIP apps give you a number for a monthly fee but are rejected by WhatsApp, Google and the exchanges. An eSIM with a real number gives you an exclusive mobile line from $9.99 for 30 days that passes those checks and stays yours while you renew it.
Why does WhatsApp reject my virtual number?
Because it is a VoIP number. WhatsApp queries the carrier database at registration and refuses numbers issued from data centres. A number on a real mobile network is accepted normally, whether it sits in a plastic SIM or an eSIM.
Are free SMS verification sites safe to use?
For anything that matters, no. Free public numbers display incoming messages openly, so anyone can read your code. They are also used by thousands of people, which is why most services have already blocked them.
Can I use a virtual number for two-factor authentication?
Only one that stays yours. The Princeton study found 171 of 259 recycled numbers still linked to previous owners’ accounts — if you lose a number registered for 2FA, you lose access and the next holder may gain it.
What is the difference between VoIP and non-VoIP numbers?
A VoIP number is issued from a data centre and identifiable as such in carrier lookups. A non-VoIP number is a real mobile line with a carrier behind it. Services that care about fake accounts check exactly this, which is why the distinction decides whether verification succeeds.
Which countries can I get a number in?
Simbye offers United States (+1, AT&T), United Kingdom (+44, Three), Thailand, and a French +33 number included with the Europe and Worldwide plans. Which one you want depends on the service — some platforms are region-locked and will only accept a number from that country.
Related guides
- How to get a number for WhatsApp verification
- Get a US number for WhatsApp
- Get a UK number for WhatsApp
- Does an eSIM give you a phone number?
- Receiving bank SMS and TAN codes abroad
Competitor pricing and platform behaviour checked in August 2026. Simbye prices are live from the store.
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