7 Burner alternatives worth installing in 2026
Burner pioneered the disposable second-number app and still does that job well. But the trade-offs add up: no free tier past the 7-day trial, US/Canada/Australia only, banks and major service providers blocking the numbers for verification, and an auto-renewing subscription that catches people off guard. The Burner Connections platform is interesting but isn't enough to justify the price for casual users.
This guide covers seven Burner alternatives we tested for disposable or second phone numbers in 2026 — across free options, international coverage, and business-grade lines.
| App | Best for | Free plan | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hushed | International disposable numbers | 3-day trial | Numbers in 40+ countries |
| Text Free | Free US/Canada line | Yes | No subscription required |
| TextNow | Free unlimited talk and text | Yes | Best free track record in North America |
| Google Voice | Personal US users | Yes | No ads, free, integrated with Google |
| Sideline | Small businesses | 7-day trial | Business hours and team numbers |
| Line2 | Business cloud phone | 7-day trial | IVR and call routing |
| TextMe | Free international texting | Yes | Free texting to 200+ countries |
Why people leave Burner
No free tier. The 7-day trial requires a credit card, and the subscription auto-renews unless you cancel. Users on Reddit consistently mention surprise charges from forgotten cancellations.
Limited geography. US, Canada, and Australia only. International users can't get a number; users in other countries can't call a Burner number affordably either.
Verification code rejection. Banks, ride-hailing apps, and several major social platforms refuse to send verification codes to Burner numbers. This is true of most VoIP providers, but it limits Burner's usefulness for anything that needs SMS confirmation.
Multi-line cost. Running several Burner lines requires the multi-line subscription. The cost adds up for users who originally signed up for one disposable number.
App stability. Some Android users report background notification failures after the app sleeps. Calls and texts come through eventually but with a delay.
The 7 Burner alternatives
Hushed — best for international disposable numbers
Hushed is Burner's main rival in the disposable-number space and the strongest pick for international users. Numbers in 40+ countries (Burner offers three), simple burn-after-use mechanics, and per-line subscriptions that match Burner's price range. Calls, SMS, MMS, and voicemail all work over Wi-Fi or data.
For travelers, expats, and anyone who needs a local-looking number in a country Burner doesn't serve, Hushed vs. Burner on geography isn't close. Otherwise the two are direct competitors with similar feature sets.
Where it falls short: Still paid after the 3-day trial. Same bank-verification rejection as Burner. Some country numbers cost more than others (UK and Canada cheap, less common countries pricier).
Pricing:
- Free: 3-day trial
- Paid: monthly per-line subscriptions, plus pay-as-you-go credits for international calling
- vs. Burner: comparable on US/Canada; Hushed wins on international coverage
Migrating from Burner: Pick a Hushed number, give it to the contacts who matter, let your Burner subscription lapse. Numbers don't port between VoIP providers.
Bottom line: Pick Hushed if you need disposable numbers outside North America. Skip it if free is the only thing that matters.
Text Free — best free US/Canada line
Text Free by Pinger offers a real US or Canadian phone number for free, ad-supported. For users who need a second number but balk at Burner's subscription, Text Free is the cheapest way in. The trade-off is ads in the inbox, periodic number-recycling for inactive numbers, and less reliable verification-code reception.
Text Free vs. Burner on cost, Text Free wins by being free. On polish and privacy, Burner wins.
Where it falls short: Aggressive ads on the free tier. Numbers can be recycled. Most banks reject Text Free numbers for verification.
Pricing:
- Free: US/Canada number, ad-supported
- Paid: TextFree Plus removes ads and reserves the number
- vs. Burner: free vs. paid; Text Free wins on cost, Burner wins on usability
Migrating from Burner: Sign up for Text Free, pick a new number, share with contacts you actually want.
Bottom line: Pick Text Free if free is the priority and you can tolerate ads. Skip it if you need verification codes or a no-ad experience.
TextNow — best free unlimited talk and text
TextNow is the longest-running free second-number app in North America, with 16+ years of operation and a steadier track record than newer free competitors. Unlimited talk and text in the US and Canada, voicemail, real local area codes, ad-supported. The free tier is more usable than Text Free's because the ads are less aggressive.
TextNow vs. Burner on cost, TextNow wins (free). On reliability for verification codes, TextNow is also slightly better than Burner — older VoIP prefixes are more often whitelisted.
Where it falls short: Ads. International calling needs paid credits. Some banks still block TextNow numbers, though fewer than other VoIP services.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited US/Canada talk and text, ad-supported
- Paid: monthly tiers remove ads, add international minutes
- vs. Burner: free vs. paid; TextNow is the better default free choice
Migrating from Burner: Sign up for TextNow, claim a new number, transition contacts.
Bottom line: Pick TextNow as the best free Burner alternative in North America. Skip it if you specifically need disposable identity per purpose.
Google Voice — best for personal US users
Google Voice beats Burner on cost (free) and on ads (none) for US-based personal Google accounts. The trade-off is that Voice is meant to be your second number forever — there's no concept of burning and replacing. Forward calls to your real phone, get voicemail transcripts in Gmail, send and receive SMS from the web.
Google Voice vs. Burner on free use, Voice wins easily. On disposability and multi-line management, Burner still wins.
Where it falls short: US-only for personal accounts. Workspace Voice for business is paid and not available everywhere. Voicemail transcription is mediocre for accented speech.
Pricing:
- Free: US numbers, unlimited US calls and texts, voicemail transcripts
- Paid: Google Workspace Voice plans for businesses
- vs. Burner: free vs. paid; Voice is the better default for any US personal user
Migrating from Burner: Set up Google Voice if you're eligible. Burner numbers don't port to Voice.
Bottom line: Pick Google Voice if you're a US personal user. Skip it for international or business cases.
Sideline — best for small businesses
Sideline targets small businesses with features Burner doesn't have: business hours, auto-reply, contact tagging, voicemail transcription, and team-number sharing across staff. For a freelancer, real-estate agent, or solo founder who outgrew Burner's identity-isolation model and wants a real business line, Sideline is the upgrade.
Sideline vs. Burner on business features, Sideline wins. On identity isolation per purpose, Burner still wins.
Where it falls short: No free tier past trial. US-only. Group SMS limited. Higher-tier features add cost.
Pricing:
- Free: 7-day trial
- Paid: monthly per-line subscription, team tiers add shared inbox
- vs. Burner: comparable cost; Sideline wins on business features, Burner wins on disposability
Migrating from Burner: Pick a Sideline number, port-in if possible (rarely supported from Burner).
Bottom line: Pick Sideline if the second number is a real business line. Skip it for personal disposability.
Line2 — best for business cloud phone
Line2 covers business call routing — IVR, call forwarding, voicemail-to-email — that neither Burner nor Sideline handle as cleanly. The product sits between a second-number app and a full cloud PBX, with single-line pricing that suits a solo operator.
Line2 vs. Burner on call handling, Line2 wins. On disposability, Burner still wins.
Where it falls short: Paid only. Mobile app lags the web client in polish. Single-line plan is cheapest; team plans cost more.
Pricing:
- Free: 7-day trial
- Paid: monthly per-line subscription, Pro tier adds IVR and CRM
- vs. Burner: comparable price; Line2 wins on professional call handling
Migrating from Burner: Pick a new Line2 number; Burner numbers don't typically port.
Bottom line: Pick Line2 if you need a cloud PBX. Skip it if all you wanted was a throwaway number.
TextMe — best for free international texting
TextMe handles a use case Burner ignores: free international texting. The free tier gives you a US number and lets you text 200+ countries when both users are on the app. Calls and SMS work over Wi-Fi or data. For users whose second number is for staying in touch with friends or family abroad, TextMe vs. Burner on international reach isn't a contest.
Where it falls short: Ads on the free tier. Same bank-verification rejection as Burner. International calling to landlines requires credits.
Pricing:
- Free: US number, free international app-to-app texting, ad-supported
- Paid: ad-removal and international calling credits
- vs. Burner: free vs. paid; TextMe wins on cost and international reach
Migrating from Burner: Sign up for TextMe, share the new number, let Burner subscription lapse.
Bottom line: Pick TextMe if friends and family abroad are the reason for a second number. Skip it for purely domestic disposability.
How to choose
Pick Hushed if you want Burner-style disposability but in countries Burner doesn't serve.
Pick Text Free if you just want a free US number and ads don't bother you.
Pick TextNow if you want the most usable free North American second number.
Pick Google Voice if you're a US personal Google user — it beats Burner on cost and ads.
Pick Sideline if the second number is for a small business with customer follow-up.
Pick Line2 if you need IVR and call routing.
Pick TextMe if your second number is mostly for free international texting.
Stay on Burner if the multiple-disposable-numbers-under-one-app model is what you actually use. Burner does that one thing better than anything else on this list, and the per-purpose isolation is genuinely useful if that's your workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Burner?
TextNow and Text Free are the closest free alternatives for North American users. Google Voice is free for US personal Google accounts. None of these offer Burner's multi-line disposability model on a free tier.
Can I get a Burner number outside the US?
No — Burner serves the US, Canada, and Australia only. For international numbers, Hushed covers 40+ countries.
Why do verification codes fail to reach my Burner number?
Banks, ride-hailing services, and some social platforms check for known VoIP carrier prefixes and refuse to send codes. This affects Burner, Hushed, Text Free, TextNow, and most other second-number apps. Use a real carrier number for verification-heavy accounts.
Can I keep my Burner number when switching apps?
Generally no. Burner numbers are tied to Burner's VoIP infrastructure and don't port to most other providers. Plan to pick a new number with the alternative.
What's the cheapest Burner alternative?
TextNow's free tier is the cheapest viable option for US/Canada users. For international users, Hushed's lowest-tier line subscription beats Burner on price per country.
Does Burner work for two-factor authentication?
Mostly no, because most major services that issue 2FA codes block VoIP numbers. For 2FA, use a real SIM, an authenticator app (Authy, Google Authenticator), or a hardware key.
