There are a lot of second phone number apps. Most of them work fine for basic texting and calls. The real question is which one fits how you actually plan to use it.

Someone who wants a number for online shopping has different priorities than someone coordinating Marketplace pickups, managing dating app conversations, or keeping a little distance between their personal number and the rest of the internet.

This guide skips the giant feature checklist and focuses on what each app is actually good at.

Which App Should You Pick?

Here’s the short version.

Dating apps, Marketplace selling, or keeping your personal number separate → Burner. You get stronger privacy controls, broader verification compatibility, and the flexibility to remove numbers when you’re done using them.

Platform verification (Instagram, WhatsApp, Amazon, Cash App) → Burner Verified Number. Standard VoIP numbers often struggle here. Mobile-classified numbers tend to work more reliably.

Free basics without paying → Google Voice. Good if you mainly want an extra number and don’t care much about separation or privacy controls.

Free texting with ads → TextNow. Fine for casual use, less reliable for verification or long-term consistency.

International numbers → Hushed. Better country coverage and more flexible pricing options.

A long-term second number you plan to keep → Sideline. Less about flexibility, more about consistency.

A second number that feels native to iPhone → Burner eSIM. Uses dual SIM support instead of routing everything through a separate app.

If you’ve read this far, you probably want more than a completely free second number. That’s usually the point where differences in call quality, verification support, and privacy controls start to matter.

Start with a 3-day free trial.