Looking to get a US phone number for your business? It’s easier than you may think when you switch to the cloud. Instead of using a traditional SIM card to make calls, you can use a virtual US number to build relationships with your customers.
A US virtual phone number can help you call and text US contacts with a country code and area code they’re already familiar with. US phone numbers are a great option to grow your business and help customers connect with your brand. You can get a US number from almost anywhere with a virtual provider.
In this article, we’ll share how to get a US phone number in minutes, why you should get one, and free and paid virtual number providers you should consider.
How to get a US phone number from almost anywhere
Getting a US phone number for your business is an easy process and only takes a few minutes to complete. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Create an account with Quo, formerly OpenPhone.
- Select your city or area code in the US to pick your phone number. You can pick a specific phone number to give you a local presence in virtually any city or state in the US, along with options to get a toll-free or Canadian phone number.
Virtual phone number look-up
- Once the signup process is complete, you’re done. You now have a USA phone number!
Check out this video to get a sneak peek of how to create a Quo account:
How to choose a US phone number
If you’re unsure what kind of US phone line you need, here’s a breakdown of the common types:
| Features | Local number - A2P 10DLC | Toll-free number | Short code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number format | 415-555-1234 | 800-555-1234 | 12345 |
| Spam filtering | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| SMS/MMS support | ✅ | Depends on provider | ✅ |
| Voice support | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Setup time | 2-7 days | 2-7 days | 6-7 weeks |
| Best for | Creating a local presence | National customer service lines | High-volume SMS marketing |
| Cost | $5-$15+ per month | $5-$40+ per month | $500-$1,000+ per month |
Most growing businesses are better off using local or toll-free numbers rather than short codes. Short codes are expensive and mainly used for large-scale SMS campaigns. Think ‘text DONATE to 12345.’
How to complete A2P 10DLC registration for a US phone number
Once you get a US number from a virtual provider like Quo, you can call customers right away. But to text customers in the US, you’ll need to complete A2P 10DLC or US carrier registration:
- What it is: A2P 10DLC stands for Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code. It’s a standard for business text messaging in the US, used when sending messages from a local virtual number to customers.
- Why it’s required: US cell carriers require any business texting through a cloud-based phone provider to complete this verification step. It’s how they filter out spam and protect consumers.
- How it works with Quo: You can register directly in your Quo workspace by completing a short form with your business and messaging details. Once approved, you’re ready to start texting customers in the US.
Why you need a US phone number
Operating outside the US but have US customers? Or want to work with US based customers? You should have a US phone number.
There are many benefits to having a US phone number, including:
- Your company looks bigger and more legitimate to US customers.
- No international calling fees when calling US-based customers, whether you live in another country or are just temporarily elsewhere.
- US customers are more likely to answer calls from recognizable US area codes; you can even select a local phone number in specific cities with a large concentration of your customers.
- Better call quality since you don’t need to worry about long-distance ping or jitter.
- More privacy means you and your team can share a second phone number while directing callers to your customer support number.
Most international businesses think they can get a free Google Voice number. This isn’t possible. You can’t create a free Google Voice account unless you already have a US phone number to verify it. Fortunately, you can use plenty of alternatives to get a US phone number.
Getting a US phone number is an easy process with the right virtual phone number provider. Instead of working with traditional phone services, setting up expensive infrastructure, or waiting for implementation, you can use virtual US phone number services to have a US business phone number much faster.
The best US phone number providers at a glance
Looking to see how the best US phone number apps stack up? Check out the table below for a quick rundown of the top options:
| Provider | Starting price | Best for | Unlimited calling to US & Canada | SMS/MMS to US & Canada | Shared phone numbers | Additional phone numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quo | $15 per user per month | Small and growing teams that want to stay aligned on conversations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $5 per number per month |
| Google Voice | $10 per month for individual plan | Solopreneurs using Google Workspace | Unlimited calls to Canada from the US only | US customers only | Requires upgrade for ring groups only | X |
| TextNow | Free with ads | Second numbers for personal use | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| RingCentral | $20 per user per month | Enterprise support teams | ✓ | 25 messages per user per month | ✓ | $4.99 per number per month |
| Grasshopper | $14 per account per month | Growing teams needing multi-digit extensions | ✓ | Local numbers only | X | $9 per number per month |
Five US virtual phone service providers that actually deliver
You can choose from dozens of American phone number providers, so choosing a Voice over Internet Protocol provider can be confusing. Here’s a breakdown of the providers you should consider and what makes each of them unique:
1. Quo: Best US phone number provider for small businesses and growing teams
Quo is a VoIP phone system for startups and small businesses. You can make free calls to the US and Canada, send free texts to US numbers, and make international calls at affordable rates. You can get both local US and Canadian numbers or North-American toll-free numbers for your business.
What makes Quo stand out? It’s easy to use and highly collaborative. Each Quo plan includes a new number for every user who joins your workspace. Businesses can share phone numbers so team members can share responsibility for incoming calls and messages, tag team members in specific customer conversations for help, and review calls with AI call summaries and transcriptions.
Quo also gives you access to advanced messaging features that can save you time texting, like auto-replies, scheduled messages, and automated text flows. Connect Quo to CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Jobber, or connect it to any tool in your stack with our Zapier and Make integrations. If you want to go even further, you can build custom integration using the Quo API.
With Quo, you can eliminate missed calls entirely. Our 24/7 AI answering service Sona consistently answers calls for you, capturing leads, answering questions, and taking down messages, so that your team doesn’t miss a single detail.
Get access to the business phone features you need with Quo. Sign up today for our seven-day free trial.
Quo pricing
- Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada, on-demand call recording, shared phone numbers, phone number porting, one free local or toll-free US or Canadian number per user, and more
- Business: $23 per user per month for phone menus and IVR, automatic call recording, AI call summaries and transcripts, call routing with ring groups, analytics, and more
- Scale: $35 per user per month for AI call tags, dedicated onboarding, inbound phone support, and priority chat and email support
2. Google Voice: Best for Google Workspace users
Google Voice needs no introduction: it’s one of the most popular tools for getting a free US number. That said, it’s not a perfect solution — the free version of Google Voice is only available in the US.
The only way to get a US mobile number outside the US is to buy a Google Voice for Business plan for $10 per month for an individual user. If you want a plan with multiple users, you’ll also need a Workspace subscription, which starts at $7 per user per month. Even on paid accounts, texting is only available to US customers.
Google Voice for Google Workspace does offer free voice calls to the US. Plus you get calls to Canada, if you’re a US user. But beyond voicemail transcriptions and business hour settings, it provides limited features to help your business grow.
You won’t be able to get access to toll-free numbers and vanity numbers, which can be a limitation for your customer support teams. And without auto-replies, you won’t be able to respond to customers quickly after business hours. There’s not even a desktop app available — you have to use your browser to call with the Google Chrome extension.
Google Voice pricing
If you have more than one person on your team, you’ll need to have a Google Workspace subscription starting at $7 per user per month in addition to one of these Google Voice plans:
- Starter with voice only: $10 per user per month for one user, free calls in the US and Canada, and access to mobile and web apps
- Starter: $10 per user per month for calls to the US and Canada, voicemail transcriptions, and integrations with Google Workspace
- Standard: $20 per user per month to unlock on-demand call recordings, ring groups, and phone menus
- Premier: $30 per user per month to unlock automatic call recordings and advanced reporting
3. TextNow: Best for personal plans with high-speed data
TextNow is a WiFi texting app you can also use to make and receive calls. If you want to send texts without WiFi, you can purchase a TextNow SIM card for an additional fee.
TextNow’s free calling and texting service is ad-supported, but you can always upgrade to an Ad Free Lite plan for $1.99 per month. Your phone call recipients don’t need to have TextNow installed on their device, so you can directly call their cell phone or landline without communicating through the app.
Unfortunately, TextNow is only available in the US and Canada. If you’re located outside the US, you have to sign up with a VPN installed on your device. Plus, it’s possible to lose your phone number due to inactivity unless you pay an extra $4.99 per month to ‘lock in’ your number. You can also upgrade to a Premium Number for $4.99 per month to protect your number from deactivation.
TextNow pricing
TextNow is free to use with ads. To make calls without WiFi, you first need to get a SIM card for $3.99, then purchase a data bundle:
- Day Pass: $2.99 for 24 hours of unlimited talk and text, plus 2GB of data
- Weekly Unlimited: $8.99 for a week of unlimited calls and texts, plus 5GB of data
- Unlimited Plan: $35.99 for one full month of unlimited talk and text, plus 20GB of data
4. RingCentral: Best for enterprise support teams
RingCentral is a VoIP service provider that offers unified communications to businesses. This means you can access call, text, and video calling tools on your mobile phone, laptop, or desktop computer.
Unfortunately, RingCentral’s service has many drawbacks, even if you’re located in the US. Many of their basic business features require upgrades to a higher tier. For example, with the base plan, you only get 25 messages per user and 100 pooled toll-free minutes each month.
You’ll have to upgrade to the Ultra plan for 10,000 pooled toll-free minutes, 200 texts per month, and unlimited storage for call recordings and files. This is still nowhere near enough for growing businesses.
RingCentral pricing
Teams can choose from three RingCentral pricing plans:
- Core: $20 per user per month to access unlimited calls in the US and Canada, AI call transcriptions, and 25 SMS messages per user per month
- Advanced: $25 per user per month to get 100 SMS messages per user per month, automatic call recording, AI call summaries, and CRM integrations
- Ultra: $35 per user per month to get additional storage, device analytics, AI-assisted business texting, and 200 SMS messages per user per month
5. Grasshopper: Best for multi-digit extensions
Grasshopper is a popular choice in the world of virtual phone providers, especially if you want to get extensions with your US phone number. Multi-digit extensions can be useful for teams with large headcounts and internal call management. You can add unlimited users to any plan except for the True Solo tier, which is designed for self-employed folks.
On the downside, Grasshopper’s platform is a bit outdated and doesn’t come with modern features such as call summaries and third-party integrations. It also costs nearly twice as much to purchase additional numbers compared to Quo.
Keep in mind Grasshopper is only available to customers in the US and Canada. This means you need to be physically present in the US or Canada to sign up or use a VPN to create a Grasshopper phone number.
Grasshopper pricing
Grasshopper offers three plans:
- True Solo: $14 per month for one user, one phone number, and one extension
- Solo Plus: $25 per month for unlimited users, one phone number, three extensions, call recording, IVR, and simultaneous ring
- Small Business: $55 per month for unlimited users, four phone numbers, unlimited extensions, and everything in Solo Plus
*Additional numbers cost $9 per month.
How to choose between free vs paid US phone number apps
Apps offering free phone numbers like Google Voice or TextNow work fine if you need a US phone number for personal use. They help you keep your real number private for marketplace listings, dating, and other online interactions.
If you’re running a business, a paid app is ideal. You’ll get features like shared numbers to split responsibility for calls and texts, call recording with transcripts and summaries, and call routing to capture leads and better serve customers.
| Method | Best for | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free apps | Personal use or temporary needs | $0 per month | No upfront cost, quick setup | Ads, limited features, unreliable for business |
| Paid US phone number apps | Small and growing businesses | $15-$50+ per month | Business features, team collaboration, scalable | Rely on internet connection, some expensive providers |
Already have a US phone number app that isn’t working? You can port your number to Quo for free to keep serving your customers on the number they know and scale with better features.
What to look for when choosing a US phone number provider
After going through dozens of US number providers, here are six key factors we think you should look out for:
- True cost: Don’t just look at the advertised monthly price — check for hidden fees and usage limits. For example, strict caps on texts or call minutes can quickly drive up costs and become a hassle.
- Call management abilities: To handle call volume efficiently, look for features like phone menus, automated call routing, call forwarding, caller ID, ring groups, and shared numbers.
- Integrations: Your phone system should integrate with tools like your CRM to automatically sync data where you need it. This helps your team work with full context.
- Scalability: It should be easy to add team members and numbers as your business grows. The platform should also be intuitive to use so your team can get onboarded quickly.
- Automations: Save time with advanced features like call transcripts and summaries, auto-reply text messages, and scheduled texts.
- Customer support: Check reviews to see how responsive and helpful the provider is when you need assistance.
Get started with a US number on Quo for free
With essential business phone features like shared numbers, unlimited calls and texts to the US and Canada, call recording, CRM integrations, and more, Quo is the only VoIP number provider you need to get your US number today.
Get started with our seven-day free trial and see Quo in action.
Frequently asked questions about US phone numbers
Yes. With Quo, you can purchase US numbers without an address — as long as you verify your identity for security reasons. You can then immediately start calling customers.
Due to emerging regulations pushed for by the large US cell carriers, if you wish to text from a local number to other US numbers, you’ll need either business identification or a Canadian or US address. For more information, check out our US carrier registration guide.
For personal use, you can look at eSIM providers like Airalo, which offer call, text, and data packages to travelers. Each package offers a limited set of minutes, texts, and data, which can get expensive if you make a lot of phone calls with your US number.
You can get a free US phone number through Quo with our seven-day trial. Once you’ve confirmed we’re a good fit for your team, you can register for our Starter plan at $15 per user per month.
Looking for a free option for personal use? There aren’t too many available options apart from TextNow with ads and Google Voice, which requires you to get or have an existing US number for verification.
Even if you want to use popular messaging apps like WhatsApp to make calls, you still need a number for verification to call without a SIM card.
Skype shut down in May 2025, so you can’t have a free Skype number for business anymore. A good alternative is a VoIP provider like Quo, which you can try for free with a seven-day trial.
The process for getting a US telephone number varies by virtual phone number provider. You can get a US number in Canada in minutes by creating an account with Quo, choosing your preferred local number, and providing your credit card information. During your free seven-day trial, we put a temporary hold amount on the card to verify your identity and prevent spam.
Once you confirm Quo is a good fit, you can continue using it; we’ll even send you a heads-up email when your trial is set to expire.
A US phone number is a 10-digit number formatted as NYX-NZZ-XXXX:
• Area code: The first three digits of the number signify the area code where the number is located.
• Central office code: The next three digits signify the office code where the number is located.
• Line number: The last four digits indicate the specific number assigned to a user.
If you’re calling a US number from outside North America, you’ll also have to dial the country code +1 or 001.
Virtual number costs vary across different providers. A starting plan for a virtual phone system costs as little as $15 to $25 per user per month. Mid-range VoIP phone systems cost between $25 to $50 per user per month. They’re a more cost-effective option compared to traditional business phone systems.
If you want to text with a virtual number, you’ll have to pay for US carrier registration, which has additional fees to consider.
Yes, virtual phone numbers are legal in the US and Canada. Many individuals use them as a second cell phone number, and businesses use them for their support and sales needs.
Yes, you can get a virtual number in the US even if you’re a non-US citizen with providers like Quo. You’ll just have to verify your identity with a valid government-issued photo ID.
Absolutely! It’s very easy to port a virtual number to Quo. Just fill out a short porting form in your Quo account with your previous carrier information and complete A2P 10DLC registration. We’ll take it from there.
Security depends on your provider, so it’s important to check the specifics. Quo uses enterprise-grade security practices to protect your communications and data. This includes AES-256 encryption, SOC 2 Type II certification, two-factor authentication, and HIPAA compliance for healthcare teams. You can learn more about our security and compliance practices.
