Virtual phone number services for receiving SMS. What types are there and how are they useful

Engaging in traffic arbitrage without SMS activators is difficult. You'll have to buy physical SIM cards every time you need to register on social networks or verify a number on Google. But what if you need mass registration on Vkontakte or a number from a specific country, like Kenya? This is where SMS activators come in handy.

In the article, we discuss what such services are, how they can help arbitrageurs, and what the top SMS activators are on the market.

What is a virtual phone number service

Activation and number rental services provide the opportunity to undergo verification using a number that isn’t linked to you, your passport details, or your location.

You simply register with the activation service, rent an available number, and enter it on the website you need, such as Facebook. After that, in the activation service's personal account, you’ll receive a verification code message sent to you by Facebook. And all this without buying a physical SIM card and entering personal data. This allows you to maintain anonymity online and makes leakage of personal information practically impossible.

Virtual numbers can also be used in working with financial offers. The main thing is not to buy disposable numbers for traffic sources where you enter your payment details.

Why SMS activators and virtual number rentals are needed   

Activators are needed in working with almost all traffic sources, from targeted advertising to Telegram channels:

• For driving traffic on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, VKontakte). Due to FB storms and a greater number of ad account bans, you’ll constantly need to register new accounts and pass checkpoints. And without a "clean" phone number, you won't be able to do this.
• For driving traffic with Google Ads. Without phone number verification, a Google ad account is not considered verified, which means there will be restrictions on launching campaigns.
• Bypassing GEO restrictions. Some websites allow registration only with phone numbers from specific countries. SMS activators can help bypass this block because they provide numbers for almost all regions.
• Mass account registration. For launching ad campaigns and lead generation, arbitrageurs often need to register multiple accounts on various platforms at once. Activators allow you to avoid restrictions on the number of accounts since they provide different numbers for verification. Plus, most activators have APIs for integration with autoregistration software, which will save you a significant amount of time.
• To bypass Telegram restrictions. In Telegram, one user can create up to 10 channels, but for arbitrage, this will clearly not be enough. Plus, registration in Telegram without SMS activation is impossible, and it’s not possible to create a new account with an already used number.

From rented numbers, you can not only receive SMS but also send them. Many services also rent out numbers for calls (but different tariffs apply for such services). The cost of renting a number depends on the service, the duration of use, and the GEO. The cost of numbers in Tier 1 countries, for example, will be higher than in Tier 3.

Virtual number services for SMS reception

Finding an activation service that suits you perfectly won't be difficult as there are many of them online. When choosing, make sure to check:

• whether the service has numbers in the GEOs you need;
• numbers for the required platforms (Telegram, VKontakte, Facebook);
• the option to extend the rental if you need the number for a long period.

365SMS.ru. The service provides numbers for Russia, CIS, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. There is an option to choose an operator for the desired GEO, as well as for activation on a specific platform (Instagram*, VK, TikTok). Numbers are issued for 20 minutes, during which time you can receive an unlimited number of SMS messages for free. If no SMS is received on the selected number, the money will be refunded to your balance.

There is an API for integration with third-party software. Discounts of up to 80% are available. The cost of numbers depends on the GEO, status (Gold, Platinum), and the service for which you are purchasing the number (for Telegram, for example, the number will be more expensive than for Facebook).   

OnlineSIM.ru. A major service for renting numbers and SMS activations. Operating since 2013. You can rent a number for any period (from 1 day), plus there is an option to extend the rental. 40 countries are available, and SMS messages can be received from any permitted websites and applications without limitations.

There is also an option for one-time SMS reception from 111 countries worldwide. Please note the restrictions — within 20 minutes, you will only be able to receive SMS from one website or application selected when ordering the number.

There are also free numbers from countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America, which can be used after authorization.

5sim.net. The service offers rental of numbers from 180+ countries worldwide. There are over 500 000 numbers available for rent, which can be used for one-time or repeated SMS reception. If you don’t receive an SMS, the money will be automatically refunded to your balance after the order is completed. API is available. 24/7 technical support. The account can be replenished using Visa, MasterCard, MIR, QIWI, UnionPay, GCash, KakaoPay, and Apple Pay.

SMS-activate.org. A popular activation and number rental service. The menu includes over 180 GEOs, with discounts and wholesale prices available for regular users. If you don't receive an SMS to the selected number, the service will automatically refund the money to your balance. There are verification functions via SMS, phone number, or a call from a bot. You can also rent a number with call forwarding functionality if you need to receive calls from clients or employees. Additionally, you can request an API for integration with your software.

SMS Service. This SMS receiving service provides real SIM card numbers rather than virtual VoIP numbers. There are 170+ countries available for one-time message reception and 22 countries for long-term number rental. You can choose the operator, and there is integration with SMS activation APIs. There is a 20% discount on all countries and services for users who receive more than 50 SMS messages per day. If you don’t receive a code within 20 minutes, the money will be refunded to your balance.

Plus, the service promises number exclusivity, which means that if you purchase a number, it will be exclusively yours, and it won’t be resold to another user.

Conclusion  

Rental services for numbers and SMS activation can significantly simplify traffic arbitrage. You don't need to buy hundreds of SIM cards and provide your personal data to third-party services. With activators, you can undergo mass registration, create new accounts, and bypass GEO-restrictions.

Don't forget to use mobile proxies, user agents, and VPNs that match the geolocation of the virtual number. This will help you avoid being blocked by registration services such as VK, Facebook, etc.