Burner vs. Sideline: Which One Fits You?

A second phone number gives you another number to use when you’d rather keep your personal one private. That can be useful for dating apps, marketplace purchases, online accounts, and other conversations that don’t need your personal number.

Burner and Sideline both provide a second number for calls and texts, but they approach number management differently. Sideline is primarily built around one consistent second number, while Burner offers more flexibility to create, manage, change, and delete numbers depending on your plan.

Here’s how Burner and Sideline compare across their core features:

Burner vs. Sideline at a Glance

Both Burner and Sideline give you a second number without requiring a second phone. The biggest difference is what happens after you get that number.

Some features require specific plans or devices, which we’ll cover in more depth below.

What Is Burner?

Burner is a second phone number app for iOS and Android that lets you call, text, and send picture messages without sharing your personal number. Calls and messages are handled through your Burner number, and each number has its own voicemail.

Standard Burner subscriptions include unlimited calls, texts, and picture messaging, along with spam blocking, auto-reply, muting, and blocking. Depending on your plan, you can also change or delete numbers. Burner Premium expands those features with VPN access, AI Voicemail Transcription, video messaging, Number Lookup, and Personal Info Protection (PIP).

From dating and online shopping to marketplace conversations, account sign-ups, or other situations where you’d rather use a second number, Burner gives you more control over which number you share and how long you keep it.

What Is Sideline?

Sideline is a second phone number app available for iOS and Android. Unlike many app-based calling services, Sideline can use your existing cellular network for calls, with Wi-Fi calling available as an alternative.

Sideline includes unlimited SMS and MMS messaging, group messaging, separate voicemail, voicemail-to-text, spam management, auto-reply, web messaging, and number porting. You can also choose a local area code when setting up your number or transfer an eligible existing number into the service.

A standard Sideline account supports one Sideline number per registered number/device, making it primarily suited for those who want to maintain one consistent second number.

Burner vs. Sideline Features

Burner and Sideline share many core calling and messaging features. The biggest differences come down to privacy, number flexibility, calling, voicemail, and spam management.

Privacy

Both Burner and Sideline let you communicate through a second number app. Sideline includes caller identification and spam-management features to help manage unfamiliar or unwanted calls. Burner offers similar separation along with additional privacy tools through Burner Premium, including PIP, which can scan data broker sites for your information, and a built-in VPN for additional privacy when using public Wi-Fi.

Learn more about how Burner manages your privacy and data.

Number Flexibility

Sideline supports one second number per account and registered device. You can keep that number while your subscription is active, change it when needed, or port an eligible existing number into the service.

Burner offers more options for managing multiple numbers. Depending on your subscription and platform, you can maintain multiple Burner numbers within one account and change or delete numbers when you no longer need them.

That flexibility can be useful if you want separate numbers for different conversations or areas of your life rather than using the same second number for everything.

Calling

Sideline calls use your existing mobile network by default, with Wi-Fi calling available when needed. Incoming calls also indicate whether they’re coming through your Sideline number before you answer.

Standard Burner uses VoIP, so calls are made through Wi-Fi or mobile data. Burner also offers a Dual SIM option for compatible iPhones, providing an eSIM-based mobile number that works through the native Phone and Messages app and supports features such as iMessage, FaceTime, and, at times, two-factor authentication.

Texting and Picture Messaging

Both Burner and Sideline support everyday texting and picture messaging. Sideline offers unlimited SMS and MMS, group messaging, custom signatures, message reactions, and auto-replies. Burner subscriptions include unlimited texts and picture messaging, along with auto-reply and blocking features. Group texting is also available for iOS users.

Voicemail

Sideline includes custom voicemail and voicemail-to-text. Burner Standard includes separate custom voicemail, while Burner Premium adds AI Voicemail Transcription on iOS, which converts voicemail messages into readable text while keeping the original recording available.

Spam Management

According to data, Americans receive an average of 2.5 billion robocalls a month. Naturally, when comparing second-number apps, spam management is becoming a top priority.

Sideline identifies suspected spam calls and can direct them to voicemail, while Burner includes Nomorobo spam and robocall filtering on new numbers, along with muting and blocking tools. The exact filtering systems differ, but both services provide ways to manage unwanted callers.

Burner vs. Sideline: Pricing

Burner and Sideline both offer subscription options, but the plan structures differ. Sideline offers monthly and longer-term subscriptions centered around one second number and its calling, messaging, voicemail, and spam-management features. Burner offers Standard and Premium subscriptions, along with separate options such as Verified Numbers. Plans vary based on features and the number of Burner lines you want to manage.

Because plans and pricing can change, compare Burner plans and pricing with Sideline’s current options before subscribing.

Is Burner or Sideline Better for You?

Sideline may be the better fit if you want one consistent second number, prefer calls to use your existing cellular network, or want features such as number porting. Burner may be the better fit if you want more flexibility around the numbers you use or additional privacy tools.

Keep your personal number personal with Burner.

Burner gives you a second number for calls and texts without sharing your personal one. Depending on your plan, you can manage multiple numbers, change or delete numbers when you no longer need them, and access additional privacy tools with Burner Premium.

Use your personal number only when you want to. Get Burner and create your phone’s other number today.