The best apps for a second smartphone number

Do you need a second phone number for websites, strangers, dating, or business? It’s easy to obtain an extra phone number with very little fuss. There’s no need to splurge on a second phone number with your wireless carrier. Instead, you can lean on some of the best Android apps and iPhone apps on the market to add a second private line to your smartphone. This strategy helps you keep your primary phone number private and available only to trusted contacts.

Phoner

Phoner app has it all: It offers personal and business second phone numbers, reverse phone number lookup, phone call recording, anonymous caller lookup, and private texting and calling. Phoner supports international calling and texting in over 40 countries, SMS and MMS, as well as phone call recording. You get free texting and cheaper calling rates between Phoner users. Make your new phone number long-term for your business or use Phoner as a temporary disposable phone and generate as many numbers as you need. Phoner offers subscription plans starting at $5 per month for premium numbers.

iOS Android

Sideline

Sideline is a business-oriented app that provides a second phone number as well as calling, texting, and voicemail features, designed for workplace collaboration. All calls are cellular and use your existing carrier plan. Texting includes SMS, MMS picture messaging, and group messaging. Pro features include a team number that allows you to split a single number among multiple devices. The app lets you build a unique identity with vanity phone numbers, where your name or product is spelled out. You can choose area codes to find an available local number for your region and employ auto-reply via text or MMS. An enterprise account lets you manage company phone numbers on employee devices. Additional features include custom caller ID, business voicemail message and greeting, voicemail to text, and auto voicemail. You can pick a new Sideline phone number and port numbers from a burner number, Google number, Smartline, Line2, or other services. Sideline is updated often with bug fixes and interface enhancements.

iOS  Android

Google Voice

If you have a personal Google account, Google Voice will give you a phone number for calling, text messaging, and voicemail that you can use with your smartphone or computer. It will even sync across devices for on-the-go connections and message management. The app automatically filters out spam and blocks designated numbers. You can arrange personalized settings for forwarding calls, text messages, and voicemail. All communications are stored and backed up so you can search your history. Google Voice provides advanced voicemail transcriptions and lets you call international destinations without extra charges for international minutes. Google Voice calls are placed via the app’s access number using standard minutes from your cell plan. Google Voice only works for personal Google Accounts in the U.S. and G Suite accounts in some markets. Text messaging is not universally supported. Updated versions now support marking group messages as spam.

iOS  Android

Cloud SIM

If you need multiple phone numbers on your smartphone for international conversations between mobile and landline, Cloud SIM — which offers numbers from the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and Poland — may be the answer. The service offers low-cost and free rates for calls or text SMS without additional or roaming charges, lets you choose your connection type, and lets you set up your call via either local access (GSM), mobile data, or Wi-Fi to some 200 countries. Cloud SIM facilitates receiving texts and calls to your new number, free text chat between phones worldwide while using Wi-Fi or data, sharing pictures, and using local access from your free minutes while you travel or have no internet. It offers dedicated voicemail for each separate mobile number. You can buy up to four virtual numbers. New versions let you export and import SMS and chats.

iOS  Android

Burner

Burner gives you a second line for calling, texting, and picture messaging. It intercepts calls on your Burner, routing them to your cell phone so no one sees your real number. You can call, text, and manage contacts from within the app and treat it as a long-term second phone number for business or projects or create a disposable phone number for dating, sales, deliveries, shopping, or selling items on Craigslist. Integrations with Dropbox, Google Drive, and Slack let you archive messages and voicemails, or communicate with your team. You can create multiple phone numbers, keep them as long as you want — or burn them anytime. Share your Burner with anyone while keeping your new number secret for anonymous texting. Burner is free to download and comes with a seven-day free sample number. Additional phone numbers are available through in-app purchase or subscription. You can use Burner via a prepaid plan or subscription and can change your plan at any time in the U.S. or Canada, except in Puerto Rico.

iOS  Android

2ndLine

2ndLine is a full-featured business phone system that you can use in addition to your personal phone number. The app is available in the U.S. and Canada and lets you call and message from a different number on the devices you and your employees own, either via Wi-Fi or your existing cellular network. You can choose a local phone number with unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited phone calling, and cheap international calling. Frills like emojis, stickers, and GIFs let you have a little fun, too. It also offers voicemail transcription, caller ID, call forwarding, customizable text and ringtones, and quick reply. You can also add your signature to each text. Passcode functionality lets you keep all calls and messages secure.

 Android

Hushed

Hushed lets you keep conversations private. You get a second smartphone number with this app, including local numbers for more than 60 countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. You can use your second phone number for private calls and texts while concealing your caller ID. When you finish with the numbers, you can burn them. This app features full picture messaging (MMS), text (SMS), talk capabilities, and unlimited texting and calling in North America. Each number comes with call routing, call forwarding, auto-reply messages, and custom voicemail greetings. You can access your account on any device connected to Wi-Fi or data, and you can even use your tablet as a phone. The app offers flexible prepaid plans for 7, 30, 90, or 365 days in addition to pay-as-you-go plans. Test it out first with the app’s free three-day trial.

iOS Android

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