Get a temporary phone number online
A temporary phone number is a real mobile number you use for a short time, long enough to receive a code or a few messages, instead of giving out your own. On Onlineselling you pick the app and country, get the number in seconds and pay only when a code arrives.
- Number in seconds
- No code, no charge
- One-time or rental
- Card or crypto
Temporary numbers in stock
Live from the shop: services with numbers available now and their current starting price.
Temp SMS numbers: coming soon
How to get a temporary phone number
Create an account and add funds
Sign up, then top up your balance or pay at checkout with a card or crypto through Cryptomus (USDT, BTC, ETH and more).
Pick the service and country
Open the Temp SMS store, choose the app you need a code for and a country with stock. The live price is reserved for you.
Use the number
Copy the number from your order page into the app and request the code.
Read the code
The message shows on your order page and in your email. You pay only when it arrives.
One-time number or rental?
Most people need a one-time number. A rental makes sense when you expect several messages over a few days.
| One-time number | Rental | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A number for one code from the service you picked | A number for a set period |
| How you pay | The price is reserved and charged only when a code arrives | Paid for the whole period up front |
| If nothing arrives | No code, no charge: the reservation is released | Refundable only in the first minutes and before any message, where the network allows |
| Best for | A single sign-up or check | Several codes or messages over days |
Signs you need a rental instead
The app re-verifies soon
Some apps send a second code a day or two after sign-up, or at the next login from a new device.
You expect several messages
Order updates, delivery notices or multiple codes from the same service over a few days.
You’re testing over days
QA runs that repeat a flow, such as password reset or login alerts, across a sprint.
What people use a temporary number for
Keeping your number private
Sign up for a new app, shop or newsletter without adding your personal number to another database or marketing list.
Separating work and personal
Run a second profile for work or a side project without mixing it with the number your friends and family use.
Testing SMS flows
Developers and QA teams use temp numbers to test sign-up and login flows they build, from real networks, in different countries. The API makes this scriptable.
Travelling
When your home SIM is off to avoid roaming, a temporary number still lets you receive a sign-up code for a local app.
Temporary number vs your own number vs a second-number app
| Temporary number | Your own number | Second-number app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How long you have it | Minutes to days | As long as you keep your contract | Months, usually on a subscription |
| Privacy | Not linked to you | Shared with every app you give it to | Separate from your main number |
| Calls | No, text messages only | Yes | Usually yes |
| Best for | One-off sign-ups and tests | Accounts you’ll keep and may need to recover | A long-term work or side-project line |
Temporary numbers for testing
If you build an app that sends SMS codes, you need to see what real users see: whether the code arrives, how fast, and whether resend and expiry work. Testing only with your team’s own phones misses most of that.
Temporary numbers let you run those checks from real mobile networks in the countries you serve. With a personal API key you can script the whole flow: order a number, trigger your sign-up, read the code and assert on it. See the API documentation.
Temporary means temporary
A temporary number is not yours after the order ends. The network can give it to someone else, which is fine for a one-off code but risky for any account that may send you a reset code months later.
So use a temporary number for short-term sign-ups and tests, and keep long-term accounts on a number you own. If an app later asks to re-verify, you may not be able to get the same number back.
Apps set their own rules about which numbers they accept. Follow them and our Terms of Service.
Temporary phone numbers: FAQ
What is a temporary phone number?
A real mobile number you use for a short time to receive a code or a few text messages, so you don’t have to share your own number.
Are temporary phone numbers free?
Free public numbers exist, but they are shared by everyone and often blocked by apps. Onlineselling numbers are private and paid, and a one-time number is charged only when a code arrives.
Can I keep a temporary number?
Not permanently. A one-time number lasts for one code; a rental lasts for the period you pay for. After that the number can be reassigned.
Can a temporary number receive calls?
Numbers in the Temp SMS store are for receiving text messages. They are not meant for voice calls.
Is it allowed to use a temporary number?
Receiving your own codes on a temporary number is common. What matters is each app’s rules: some don’t accept virtual numbers or require a number you own. Check them before you sign up.
How fast do I get the number?
In seconds. The number appears on your order page right after you order, and the code arrives as soon as the app sends it.
Can I use a temporary number for WhatsApp?
Yes, when WhatsApp numbers are in stock. Keep in mind that WhatsApp can ask you to verify again later, and a temporary number may not be available then. For a WhatsApp account you rely on, use your own number.
What's the difference between a temporary number and a burner phone?
A burner phone is a cheap phone and prepaid SIM you own and carry. A temporary number lives online: no device, no SIM, and it’s yours only for one code or a rental period.
Related guides
Get a temporary number in seconds
Choose the app and country. Pay only when your code arrives.
Onlineselling is not affiliated with WhatsApp, Telegram or any other app named on this page. Use numbers in line with each platform’s rules and our Terms of Service.