for virtual phone number - USA - is there anything better than skype? in terms of cost

I am not looking for the one off temporary numbers that are available on some websites. Something stable/personal number and secure.

Thanks

 

I am in the Philippines and wanted something better than having to buy minutes on a sim.
Although the price was fine, there were inconveniences: maximum number of minutes i could purchase...
trying to buy a new block of time impossible if any time remains, so if on Customer Service hold or something, it's possible to run out and get disconnected after a long wait...etc.

So, I bought a sim and had it delivered to family member, had them put it in their phone and activate it, after a few days we got on Facebook Messenger to port the number to Google Voice. It all went very smoothly.
By porting the number I do not have to ensure that either one call or text comes through every month to avoid losing it.
I can call any number in the USA for free, and anyone can call me... but MOST banks do not allow for VOIP numbers for getting verifications & OTPs, etc, so it's not good for that.
Many other logins will allow it ... can't recall right now the ones I've used it for.
I looked at Skype once and saw it was very expensive. For the amount of minutes i've had to log, it would have been a big waste.

So, what is your country?
What kind of calling do you want?

 

i'm in europe, i just want to be able to receive/make calls and receive text with USA number, i'll look into GOogle voice but as you said it, it seems a bit complicated

 

If you’re looking for something other than Skype for a virtual phone number in the USA, there are some excellent options worth considering. Google Voice is a solid one—it’s free and pretty reliable. You get an actual phone number that works with your mobile and computer. Another one I’ve tried is TextNow. It’s free and gives you a US number, but you might need to deal with a few ads. If you need something more secure for verification or privacy, check out services like verification phone number. They provide disposable numbers that work well for online verifications and are easy to use. It depends on what number you need, but these are some excellent choices beyond Skype.

 

Last edited: Nov 18, 2024

check out https://www.magicjack.com/ and see if this service is OK for your needs, I used it for about 7 years it was good as a voip phone. Worked great as a secondary phone. you get a stable number and was reliable.

 

Yes, there are better alternatives to Skype for a stable, secure, and personal virtual phone number in the USA, especially in terms of cost. Services like Google Voice (free for U.S. users), TextNow, and Talkatone offer personal U.S. numbers with free or low-cost plans. For more advanced features, OpenPhone and Grasshopper provide professional-grade services at competitive rates. These options often include voicemail, texting, call forwarding, and apps for mobile and desktop. They’re generally more reliable and cost-effective than Skype for long-term use. I ordered my number here and had a great experience. The setup was fast, and it works perfectly for SMS verification. Highly recommend it for anyone needing a reliable virtual number with secure and instant message delivery.

 

Last edited: Jun 21, 2025