Support
Frequently asked questions
How renting a virtual number works, what happens when no code arrives, how prices are set, and what the numbers may not be used for.
- What is a virtual number for SMS verification?
- It is a real phone number, hosted by a carrier, that you rent for a single verification. You use it to receive the confirmation code a website or app sends by SMS. You never receive calls on it and it is not a SIM you install in a phone.
- How long do I keep the number?
- A number is reserved for one activation window, twenty minutes by default. During that window it is yours alone and nobody else can receive its messages. When the window ends the number returns to the carrier pool.
- What happens if no code arrives?
- The activation is cancelled automatically and the full amount returns to your balance. You are only charged for an activation that actually delivered a code. This is enforced in the billing ledger, not applied manually on request.
- Can I receive more than one SMS on the same number?
- Sometimes. Some services send a second message, and where the carrier keeps the number open we keep the activation open with it so the follow-up reaches you. Whether that is possible depends on the carrier and the service.
- Why does the same service cost different amounts in different countries?
- Price follows what the number costs us in that country, which is driven by local carrier supply and by how aggressively the destination service blocks numbers from that range. Countries where numbers are scarce or short-lived cost more.
- How current are the prices shown?
- Stock and pricing are synced continuously from the carrier catalog. Every price page shows how long ago its data was refreshed, and a pair whose data has gone stale is hidden rather than shown at a price we can no longer honour.
- Why is a service I want not listed?
- The catalog only lists combinations that currently have numbers in stock, with a minimum quantity so you are not shown an option that will be gone before you can use it. If a service disappears it usually means supply for it ran out, not that it was removed.
- Do you have an API?
- Yes. Read-only endpoints for the catalog, prices, and your account balance are available now. The purchase endpoints, and an interface compatible with the widely used sms-activate protocol, are in development so existing tools can point at us with only a URL and key change.
- How do I pay?
- Accounts run on a prepaid balance, and each activation is deducted from it. USDT deposits on TRC20 and BEP20 are the planned funding method. Deposits are not open yet.
- Can I use these numbers to break a website’s rules?
- No. Numbers are for receiving verification codes for accounts you are entitled to create. Fraud, impersonation, harassment, and evading a ban or a service’s terms are not permitted, and accounts doing so are closed without refund.