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The best SMS activate services in 2026, now that SMS-Activate has closed
An SMS activate service rents you a phone number for a few minutes so you can receive one verification code without giving out your own number. SMS-Activate was the best known, and it shut down at the end of 2025. These are the services people moved to, and how to pick one.
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Disclosure: the SMSPool links on this page are referral links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission from SMSPool. It adds nothing to what you pay, and we only list services that are still running.
What an SMS activate service does
You choose the app or website that will send the code and the country you want a number from. The service gives you a number. You type that number into the sign-up or login form, and the code shows up in your browser a minute or two later.
- One-time activations are the cheap option. The number is yours for one code, usually for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Rentals keep the same number for days, weeks or months, so you can receive more codes on it later.
- Refunds: if no code arrives before the number expires, the good services cancel the order and return the money to your balance automatically.
Prices depend on the service you need the code for and on the country. Numbers from the United States and Western Europe cost more than numbers from countries with cheap SIM cards.
The short list
| Service | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SMSPool | Most people | One-time numbers and rentals in many countries, refunds when no code arrives, and an API |
| HeroSMS | Former SMS-Activate users | SMS-Activate's closing notice pointed its users here |
| 5SIM | Low prices | A large catalogue with prices that change with supply |
| SMS-Man | Rare countries | Broad country coverage |
| GrizzlySMS | Budget orders | Cheap numbers; a younger service with a shorter track record |
| TextVerified | US numbers | Focused on US numbers, which many US apps ask for |
Prices and coverage change every day, so compare the exact service and country you need on each site before you deposit.
Our pick: SMSPool
SMSPool covers what most people need from one account: one-time numbers for a single code, rentals when you need the same number again, a wide list of countries, and an automatic refund when a code never arrives. It also has an API, so developers can order numbers from a script, for example to test their own sign-up flow from different countries.
Start with a small deposit, order one number for the service you need, and check that the code arrives before you add more.
The alternatives
HeroSMS
When SMS-Activate shut down, its closing notice pointed users to HeroSMS, and several reviewers describe it as the successor. If you had scripts written against the SMS-Activate API, check whether HeroSMS still accepts the same calls. Some users are wary because the service is new, so keep your balance small at first.
5SIM
5SIM is often the cheapest option, because prices move with how many numbers are available for each service and country. That also means the cheapest numbers can be the most used ones, so a code may fail more often. It suits people who order many codes and do not mind a retry.
SMS-Man
SMS-Man is worth checking when the other services have no numbers for the country you need. Compare its price for your service before you top up, since it is not always the cheapest.
GrizzlySMS
GrizzlySMS sells some of the cheapest numbers. It is a younger service than the others, so do not keep a large balance there.
TextVerified
TextVerified focuses on US numbers. Many US apps and banks refuse virtual numbers they can recognise, and a US-focused provider has a better chance of getting a code through. Expect to pay more per code than for numbers from other countries.
Watch out for fake SMS-Activate sites
SMS-Activate is closed. Any site using its name today is not the original service, and its closing notice said so. Do not deposit money on a site that claims to be SMS-Activate.
What to check before you top up
- Automatic refunds. If no code arrives, your money should come back to your balance without a support ticket.
- Stock for your service and country. Each site shows how many numbers it has for each combination. Low stock means more failed codes.
- Minimum deposit and payment methods. Check them before you sign up, not after.
- Rentals, if you will need the number again. A one-time number goes back into the pool, so you cannot use it to receive a code later.
Use rented numbers for the right accounts
A rented number is useful for keeping your own number private, for receiving a code in a country where you have no SIM card, and for testing the sign-up flow of an app you build. Two things to keep in mind:
- Do not use a one-time number for an account you want to keep. The number goes to someone else after your order. If the account later asks for a code to log in or to reset the password, you will not get it, and the next person using that number might. For accounts that matter, use your own number or a long rental.
- Follow each site's rules. Most platforms forbid creating accounts in bulk or getting around a ban, and they close accounts they link to rented numbers. Rented numbers do not make that allowed.
- You rent a number
- Your code arrives
- Rental ends
- Next renter
- Later login code
One-time number · step 1 of 5
You pick a service and a country, and get a number for about 20 minutes.
Read every step as text
One-time number
- You pick a service and a country, and get a number for about 20 minutes.
- You enter it in the sign-up form, and the code shows up on the rental site.
- The order ends, and the number goes back into the pool.
- Someone else rents the same number for the same app.
- Months later the app asks for a code to log in or reset your password. It goes to the number, not to you.
Long rental
- You rent the number for weeks or months instead.
- The sign-up code arrives as before.
- While the rental lasts, later login codes come to you too. For accounts you want to keep, your own number is still safer.
If you are the one sending the codes
If you run a sign-up form, the people above are also your users. Rented numbers are one reason verification providers now screen each request before they send a code. Our comparison of the top 5 SMS verification providers shows which ones check for fraud first, and the developer comparison shows how each API works.