How To: 5 Apps That Let You Make Calls Without Giving Out Your Real Number

How To: 5 Apps That Let You Make Calls Without Giving Out Your Real Number
Throwaway phones aren't just for seedy criminals and spies—they can be useful for many everyday situations.For example, you don't necessarily want to give your real phone number out to strangers when you're buying or selling something on Craigslist, managing an Airbnb listing, or hooking up on Tinder. A burner can even help you pull off a successful phone prank on your friends.Don't Miss:Your One-Stop Guide to Secure, Encrypted MessagingWhile seedy criminals and spies may prefer disposable phones, the rest of us can make do with disposable numbers, which are much cheaper and less wasteful. There are plenty of apps out there that let you disguise your phone number for a minimal fee. A handful of these apps also have some really useful extras, including self-destructing messages and the ability to handle multiple numbers.We dug around to see which smartphone apps are the best for throwaway phone numbers, and here's what we've come up with—for Android and iPhone—in no particular order.

1. HushedHushed, developed by AffinityClick, is currently one of my favorite apps. The app has a beautiful, intuitive design and lets you select area codes from more than 40 different countries. It uses your data or Wi-Fi network to place the calls, so there are no expensive service charges for long-distance calls. There's also a voicemail box that's separate from your main one.The app works for both Android and iOS, and offers a free 3-day trial. You can pay for a private number with relatively cheap ingoing/outgoing per minute rates, or join an actual plan. In my opinion, the best deal is the $4.99/month per new number for unlimited use, which makes it an excellent deal if you use it a lot. If you decide to delete the number, you'll have to start over with a new one and new plan.Hushed also allows texting, though the feature is only available for the US, Canada, and the UK for now. If you prefer messages to self-destruct once they're opened, then Hushed has you covered there as well; simply turn on the included Private Messaging feature (which requires both parties to use Hushed) and you're all set.Install Hushed from the iOS App Store (iPhone) Install Hushed from the Google Play Store (Android) Throwaway numbers for both calls and texting.

2. BurnerBurner, created by Ad Hoc Labs, has been around for some time. The app has a relatively clean layout, and allows you to call and text from a new private number that you select—but it's only available in the US and Canada. Unlike Hushed above, Burner numbers will use minutes from your normal carrier plan, but Burner does also have a separate voicemail inbox.The best part about Burner is that they let you "burn" your number, so you can toss it out and get a new one in seconds. You can try out Burner with a limited 7-day trial. There's no standard plans available; instead, you purchase credit packs starting at $1.99, which can be used to buy a burner number for a week, two weeks, a month, etc. with different calling/texting allotments. These can be extended with more credits, and you can also pay $4.99/month per new number for unlimited use.Burner also allows you to connect your number to apps like Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, and SoundCloud, which opens up all kinds of creative and organizational possibilities. Note that Burner is not a way to remain anonymous; It's only for creating a layer of privacy between you and others. They do keep backups of data and corporate with law enforcement when subpoenaed.Install Burner from the iOS App Store (iPhone) Install Burner from the Google Play Store (Android) A nice view for all your interactions.

3. SidelineSideline is a budget-friendly calling app. Like Burner, it's US and Canada only, and it uses your carrier network, so calls made or received with Sideline will show up on your carrier bill. There's also a few ways to make the voicemail separate from your real number. As a bonus, you can even port phone numbers over to Sideline, in case you don't want to let one go from another service.The best part about Sideline is that it's totally free, for the most part, and supported by ads. However, you can get rid of advertisements by paying for the Pro subscription for $2.99/month, and it will also let you toggle between Wi-Fi and cellular calls. Overall, it's a bit basic, but much cheaper, so definitely check it out if you don't need the enhancements of other apps.Install Sideline from the iOS App Store (iPhone) Install Sideline from the Google Play Store (Android) There are ads, but they're ignorable.

4. Line2Line2 offers you personal and business features, at comparatively affordable prices. You can select a US or Canadian phone number, granting you 5,000 calling minutes per month and unlimited messaging—that don't count against your cellular plan—with low international call and texting rates. There's also call forwarding, group calls and messaging, and voicemail-to-email notifications.The best part is that it can be used on more than just your Android or iOS smartphone; there's apps for Mac, Windows, Amazon Fire, iPad, and Apple Watch.The app grants you a 7-day free trial, and prices start at around $9.95/month. It's definitely pricier than the others, though the flexibility of the app's calling features may justify the higher price for some. You can also subscribe annually for a small discount. The business plans, starting at $14.95/month, add simultaneous call forwarding, multiple lines, toll-free numbers, and other features.Install Line2 from the iOS App Store (iPhone) Install Line2 from the Google Play Store (Android) There's advanced business features for all your needs. Images via Line2

5. TextMe UpTextMe Up by TextMe Inc. is a pretty promising app for Android and iOS. You can select a US, Canadian, or foreign country number, and allows you to text for free in the US and Canada. You can also make calls to over 200 countries.You can call other TextMe Up, FreeTone, or TextMe users for free, but in order to make phone calls to anyone else, you will need to either subscribe or purchase or "earn" credits by watching videos or completing offers. To get unlimited calling to your TextMe Up number, it's an affordable $2.99/month per line. Also, the first number you create is free, but you'll have to pay for additional numbers.The app is relatively new, and in my experience, it was a bit buggy. However, I think the app has a lot of potential and is definitely worth checking out.Install TextMe Up from the iOS App Store (iPhone) Install TextMe Up from the Google Play Store (Android) Each of these apps has its own benefits, so it all depends on how you want to use your throwaway number or numbers. If you just need a quick number you never plan on using again, Burner might be the way to go. Want lots of numbers for different reasons, TextMe Up may be a good choice. Don't want to use your cellular plan's minutes up? Hushed, Line2, or TextMe Up are your options.Don't Miss: How to Make Anonymous Calls from Your iPhoneFollow Gadget Hacks on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube Follow Apple Hacks on Facebook and Twitter Follow Android Hacks on Facebook and Twitter Follow WonderHowTo on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+
Cover photo by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks; screenshots by Isaac Sahag/Gadget Hacks



Switch GBoard to the Default keyboard. Tap and Hold on Earth icon from keyboard > Next Keyboard from Popup. This might be useful: Trick to fix Google's Gboard app not working on iOS or Crash. Now, Install and use Google Gboard keyboard app fluently and more efficient on iPhone/ iPad. Don't miss to share your experience with us.
How to Use the keyboard on the Apple iPhone 3G « Smartphones


Pandora's dominance. Image via Statista. While Pandora has consistently rolled out new updates that improve their application, making it increasingly more popular as they add labels, artists, and countries in which the service operates, there's one important feature that they have persistently neglected to touch—music controls in the notification shade.
The Fastest Way to Access the Notification Tray in Full


You can add many people that you know, and even add people who you would like to know more about. However, there are times, when you find some people are not worth being on your friends' list. The reasons are plenty and personal too, and in such situations, you must be thinking how to delete friends on Facebook.
How to Remove Friends From Facebook - YouTube


How To Remove Music Player From Lock Screen On iOS 11? Published on 2017-12-13 One of my friend who uses iPhone had reported a problem that after updating his iPhone to iOS 11, the music player keeps prompting on the lock screen .
Fix: how to remove a stuck music player widget from your

1. UCSC Genome Browser Tutorial: the basics - YouTube


How To: Get Weather Forecasts in the Notification Shade on Your Samsung Galaxy S4 How To: Get the Galaxy S8's New Weather Widget on Older Galaxy Phones News: Always-Updated List of Apps That Let You Change Their Home Screen Icons on Your iPhone
How To Turn OFF And ON Severe Weather Alerts On Galaxy S6 And


Not your average Android news — a diverse mix of advice, insight, and analysis with veteran Android journalist JR Raphael. News Analysis How to make your home screen look like KitKat -- without
How to configure Android L launcher on Nexus 5 or similar


Nextbit Robin review We found the camera disappointing and the gallery app decidedly flaky, though Nextbit did acknowledge some issues with both and told us that a software fix is in the works


Your Google account is the lifeblood of your Android phone. From email to photos, payments, and, of course, apps, your Gmail account is the key to making your phone hum, no matter what you're
How to Use Google Maps Offline on Android Phone - Techbout


Make sure that your Google+ profile only reflects the information that you want it to. Control your online presence and privacy in Google's social network by following the suggestions of this video. Learn how to edit your Google plus profile.
How to Manage Your Google Privacy Settings | PCMag.com


In this video teardown, we learn how to take apart an Desire HTC Desire Google Android smartphone, the first step in any repair. This video presents a step-by-step guide of the reassembly process. To follow along, you will need an air gun to reduce dust, an anti-static (ESD) wrist strap, a wedge, a
How to send ringtone via bluetooth htc desire hd - How to


Instagram has updated with new feature which is called activity. In this the people can able to see the last seen and active status of the user by which people can identify who are ignoring. where as the Instagram has also update how to hide that


The Galaxy S8 Oreo update is in full swing, with more devices around the world being treated to Android 8.0 as we speak. Samsung fixed whatever went wrong with the original Oreo release for the
Here's the official changelog for Samsung's Android Oreo


Google translate beatbox | How to make google translate beatbox Hyper Tricks. Loading Unsubscribe from Hyper Tricks? Beat Box - Fantastic! - Ball Zee - Duration: 8:28.
How To Make Google Translate Beatbox | Google Translate


Report Ad
The Right Choice for Endless LED Solutions

0 comments:

Post a Comment