ExpressNumber gives you 5 numbers on Basic with no ads, kept as long as your plan is active. 2ndLine, made by TextNow, is one free number with banner ads, and its free version recycles a number that goes unused.
2ndLine's free version recycles your number after a period of inactivity, and taking its banner ads away needs Premium. Basic is $9.99 a month for 5 numbers, kept while your plan is active, and the first 7 days are free.
| Feature | ExpressNumber | 2ndLineAs published on their site |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | $0 today and for 7 days. Then Basic is $9.99 a month, Pro is $29.99 a month. | $0 with banner ads. Premium removes the ads and keeps the number from being recycled. |
| Numbers on one plan | Yes. 5 or 100 numbers on one plan. Extra numbers are $1 a month on Basic, 50 cents on Pro. | No. One second phone number. |
| The number stays yours | Yes. Kept for as long as your plan is active, however rarely it rings. | Partly. The free version recycles your number after a period of inactivity. Premium keeps it. |
| No ads | Yes. No ads, on any plan. | Partly. The free app runs banner ads. Premium removes them. |
| Calls reach the phone you already carry | Yes. Forwarded to the mobile you verified, ringing like any other call. The caller only ever sees the burner. | Yes. Calls can be routed to another US or Canadian number. |
| Calls and texts out | No. Receive-only. Our numbers take calls and texts, and they never make them. | Yes. Free calls and texts to US and Canadian numbers, over your data connection. |
| Where the numbers are | Partly. US numbers only today. | Partly. US and Canadian numbers, on Android. |
Our minutes count forwarded calls only, rounded up to the minute, and inbound texts are never billed. Past your monthly allowance, forwarded minutes are 5 cents each, capped at $50 a month on Basic and $100 on Pro.
2ndLine says its free version recycles a number after a period of inactivity. Ours stay for as long as your plan is active, however rarely they ring.
2ndLine calls and texts out over your data connection, paid for by banner ads. ExpressNumber numbers receive calls and texts and forward them to the phone you already have, with no ads.
Both plans start with 7 days free and $0 today. Put the number on the next form that asks for your phone number and watch who calls it.
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Hand out a number you can burn. Keep the one your family calls.
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