“Which service offers free virtual phone numbers?”

Several services offer free virtual phone numbers (mainly US or Canada numbers for calls and texts over Wi-Fi or data). The most commonly recommended are:

• Google Voice — Free personal US number with calls, texts, and voicemail (no ads). It generally requires a US Google account and verification with an existing non-VoIP US number. Numbers can be reclaimed after long inactivity. Best for US users who want a stable second line.
• TextNow — Free, ad-supported US or Canadian number with unlimited calling and texting to the US and Canada. No trial limit on the free tier; it works over Wi-Fi or data. You typically need to use the number regularly or it can be recycled. A strong option if you don’t already have a US number.
• Other ad-supported apps — TextFree, Talkatone, Dingtone, and 2ndLine (related to TextNow) also provide free US/Canada numbers with similar trade-offs (ads, inactivity rules, and variable reliability).

Important limits: These are usually VoIP numbers, so banks, some apps (including WhatsApp), and verification systems often block them. Public “receive SMS online” sites offer free shared temporary numbers, but anyone can read the messages—use those only for low-stakes, one-time codes, not accounts you care about.

Availability and rules change by country and over time, so check the service’s current signup requirements before relying on a number.

I'll search the web for services offering free virtual phone numbers.

I found some initial results; now I'll open the detailed provider list to get specifics.

Several services offer free virtual phone numbers:

1. TextNow — Best truly-free permanent number

TextNow is a genuinely free, ad-supported app that gives you a US virtual number for unlimited calling and texting over the internet.

• Truly free US virtual phone numbers, no trial needed
• Unlimited US and Canada calling and texting
• Pricing: Free with ads; ad-free from $9.99/month.

Best fit: Personal use, SMS verification, and light calling.

2. Google Voice — Best free for Google users

Google Voice offers a free US virtual number for personal use with any Google account, covering calls, texts, and voicemail.

• Free personal US number
• Voicemail transcription
• Call forwarding

Also listed as:

• Google Voice – Free in the U.S. and Canada.

Pricing: Free for personal use; business plans from $10/user/month

3. TextFree

• TextFree – Free on iOS, Android, and Web.
• Offers Yes (US) free calling and texting on iOS, Android, Web

4. 2ndLine — Best free second line

2ndLine is a free, ad-supported app that adds a second US number for calling and texting across the US and Canada.

• Free, ad-supported US second number
• Calls and texts to the US and Canada

5. Free temporary SMS-receive sites

For one-time verification codes, not permanent use:

• FreePhone.io is your ideal solution for obtaining a free phone number or temporary phone number to receive online service verification codes (OTP).
• Our app provides free services to receive SMS using temporary and disposable virtual phone numbers from the USA and Canada
• SMSFAST provides a free virtual phone number built on real non-VoIP lines from 190+ countries, with no registration required.

Watch-outs for free numbers:

• It is consumer-grade, and unused numbers can be recycled.
• Usually not. Most free virtual numbers cannot reach 911

In the U.S., Google Voice offers a free personal virtual number for calls, texts, and voicemail, subject to eligibility and setup requirements. (support.google.com)

TextNow is another option with a free phone number and service. (help.textnow.com)

If you only need to receive a one-time text, some websites offer free public numbers—but messages may be visible to others, and many services reject those numbers.

Several services offer free virtual phone numbers, especially for personal use. The clearest examples in the search results are Google Voice and TextNow.^126111820

• Google Voice offers a free U.S. virtual number for personal use, including calls, texts, and voicemail.^12691118
• TextNow offers a free U.S. or Canadian number with calling and texting over Wi‑Fi or mobile data.¹²²⁰
• TextFree also offers a free U.S. or Canadian number with free calling and texting, supported by ads.²
• 2ndLine provides a free ad-supported second U.S. number for calling and texting.²
• Bitrix24 and Zadarma also advertise free virtual phone number options as part of their telephony services.⁴⁵

If you want the most widely cited free option for a personal virtual number, the results point most strongly to Google Voice and TextNow.¹²⁶¹¹

Depending on whether you need a dedicated personal number (for regular calls and private texts) or a disposable/temporary number (for one-time online SMS verifications), several services offer free options:

1. Dedicated Virtual Numbers (Private Calling & SMS)

These services give you a private phone number that can send and receive calls and texts. Most require you to download an app or sign up with an email address.

• Google Voice (Best overall – US only)
• How it works: Provides a free, permanent US phone number linked to your Google account.
• Features: Free calls and SMS within the US and Canada, voicemail transcription, call forwarding, and web/mobile app support.
• Requirement: Requires an existing US carrier phone number (mobile or landline) for initial verification.
• TextNow
• How it works: Provides a free US or Canadian phone number supported by in-app ads.
• Features: Unlimited free calls and texts over Wi-Fi. (They also offer a free ad-supported SIM card option in the US for basic cellular data).
• Catch: You must use the number regularly (send a text or make a call every few days), or the number will expire and be recycled.
• TextFree (by Pinger)
• How it works: Similar to TextNow, you choose a local US area code to get a free number.
• Features: Unlimited incoming calls and texts; outgoing calling minutes can be earned by watching ads or purchased for a small fee.
• Talkatone
• How it works: Provides a free US/Canada virtual number for calling and texting over Wi-Fi/data.
• Catch: Ad-supported, and accounts can become inactive if not used within 30 days.

2. Temporary / Disposable Numbers (One-Time SMS Verification)

If you only need a number to bypass an SMS verification prompt on a website and do not want to use your real number:

• Quackr.io
• Receive-SMS.cc
• AnonymSMS

Important Caveat: These disposable numbers use public inboxes. Anyone visiting the website can read the incoming text messages, so never use them for sensitive accounts (banking, primary emails, or anything tied to personal identity).

Key Limitations to Keep in Mind

• 1.2FA & Bank Verification: Most free virtual numbers are classified as VoIP (Voice over IP). Many financial institutions, government portals, and major platforms (such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or PayPal) block VoIP numbers during registration to prevent fraud.
• 2.Inactivity Expiration: Except for Google Voice, most free providers will reassign your number to someone else if you do not use it for a certain period (typically 7–30 days).
• 3.Location Availability: The majority of completely free calling/texting virtual number services are restricted to US and Canadian numbers.

Several popular services offer free virtual phone numbers, depending on your needs:

For personal use (calling/texting):

• Google Voice – it's often cited as the best free virtual number for the U.S. and Canada. Google Voice gives you one free US number tied to your Google account, and you'll need a working phone that can receive texts, because Google sends a verification code to it. It's also available in a handful of European countries if you're in the U.S. or have a Google account created with an American IP address.

• TextNow – TextNow is a genuinely free, ad-supported app that gives you a US virtual number for unlimited calling and texting over the internet, with no trial needed since the free tier is permanent.

• 2ndLine – 2ndLine is a free, ad-supported app that adds a second US number for calling and texting across the US and Canada, with the core number free and optional paid subscriptions for extras.

• FreedomPop – FreedomPop provides free VoIP phone numbers as well as 25MB of 4G LTE data per month.

• Textfree – Textfree stands out as an excellent tool for free virtual cell phone number, offering unlimited free SMS and MMS texting plus customized voicemail greetings, making it great for receiving verification codes around the world.

For SMS verification/temporary use:

• Services like Numero eSIM offer a free phone number that works without an extra SIM card, generating the number electronically through its mobile app.
• Disposable number sites (like eSIMPlus) let you receive SMS online from websites, apps, and even people without ever entering personal info, giving you one-time codes exactly when you need them.

For small businesses:

• Google Voice is also popular here — one of the best ways to get a free VoIP number service is to use Google Voice, with its free plan including unlimited calling and SMS in the U.S., plus voicemail transcription.
• CallHippo – for real business use, CallHippo is a strong pick since it offers both a free trial and a free plan on a proper business phone system.

Bottom line: If you want a simple, no-strings-attached free number for personal calls/texts, Google Voice or TextNow are the most commonly recommended. For temporary SMS verification codes, disposable number sites work well. For business needs, Google Voice's free tier or CallHippo's free plan are good starting points.

Both TextNow and TextFree offer free virtual/second phone numbers:

• TextNow lets you choose a local phone number and use it for unlimited talk and text to the U.S. and Canada for free. It’s ad-supported, requires no credit card, and works across devices. textnow.com web.textnow.com
• TextFree gives you a real U.S. or Canadian number with your choice of area code, with free calling and texting over Wi-Fi or mobile data. No SIM card or monthly bill is required, and it’s ad-supported; TextFree Plus removes ads for $9.99/month. textfree.com

So the main free options are TextNow and TextFree.