A second phone number app adds a dedicated business line to the phone you already own. No extra handset needed. This guide compares five options for US businesses in 2026: Tossable Digits, Google Voice, Quo (formerly OpenPhone), Grasshopper, and Sideline. Prices below come from each provider's official pages and may change, so confirm them before you buy.
Key Takeaways
- A second number protects your personal line and gives customers a dedicated way to reach you.
- Free personal apps suit basic use but often lack team controls and call handling.
- Compare SMS rules, forwarding, porting, and 911 limits, not just monthly price.
- Tossable Digits fits privacy-minded businesses wanting forwarding, voicemail, recording, and no contract.
Overview of Second Phone Number Apps in the US Business Market
A second phone number app provides an extra number through a mobile or web app, usually over VoIP, while your personal carrier number stays separate. The FCC describes VoIP as voice calling over broadband.
Three ways to get two numbers on one phone
- VoIP app: Works over the internet and adds business features such as voicemail, IVR, and texting.
- Carrier second line: A separate plan from your mobile carrier, not an app-provided number.
- Dual SIM or eSIM: A device setup that runs two carrier lines. Apple supports it on iPhone XS and later, and support varies by Android model and carrier.
What a business number gets you
- Privacy for your personal number
- Professional voicemail and business-hours boundaries
- Call forwarding to any phone you set
- Customer texting and separate numbers for tracking ad response
- A number that stays with the business if staff or owners change
IBISWorld projects about $11.7 billion in US VoIP industry revenue for 2026. That covers consumer, business, and government VoIP, not second-number apps alone.
The best pick depends on what you value most: price, privacy, texting, team collaboration, or room to grow.
Best Second Phone Number Apps for Business in 2026
Each option below is scored on pricing, number types, calling and texting, business tools, privacy controls, portability, and fit by business size.
Tossable Digits
Tossable Digits, operated by Telusion, Inc., has provided virtual numbers since 2005. It offers local numbers in 500+ US cities, toll-free, vanity, and international numbers, subject to availability. The company is BBB accredited with an A+ rating.
It suits businesses that want to separate work and personal communication. Features include:
- Call and text forwarding to any existing phone worldwide
- Voicemail by phone, web, or email, with MP3 attachments
- Call recording with an automated legal-compliance announcement
- IVR auto-attendant, virtual number groups, and API access
- Call screening, robocall blocking, and caller ID control
- Mobile app and two-factor account security
Snapshot
- Pricing and terms: Every feature is included in every plan, with no contract and no trial. Confirm current prices on the official pricing page.
- Included features: Unlimited SMS, recording, and voicemail come with each number.
- Porting: Free port-in from most US and Canadian carriers, typically 1-5 business days, with no port-out charges.
- Best fit: Privacy-focused businesses, solo operators, remote workers, marketers tracking calls, and small businesses.
- Caveats: Business SMS is allowed only on toll-free numbers. US and Canadian local numbers are limited to person-to-person messaging, and business content can trigger suspension. Emergency calling isn't listed as a supported feature, and MMS isn't offered.
Google Voice
Google Voice is the familiar choice for solo users. Know which version you're buying:
| Offering | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic personal | $0, US-only, single user |
| Standalone Starter / Standard | $10 / $20 monthly |
| Workspace Starter | $10/user/month, up to 10 users |
| Workspace Standard | $20/user/month |
| Workspace Premier | $30/user/month |
It works well alongside Gmail, Calendar, and Contacts. Workspace Standard adds auto-attendants, ring groups, and on-demand recording. Standalone plans have no ring groups.
Caveats
- Inactive numbers can be reclaimed after a warning.
- Personal port-in costs $20, and not every number qualifies.
- 911 works only on paid plans, not free Basic Voice, and outages can block it.
- Team sharing and CRM depth trail dedicated business platforms.
Best fit: Solo US operators needing basic calling and texting.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Quo is built for teams. Several people can answer one number, share text threads, add internal notes, and sync with CRMs such as HubSpot and Salesforce.
| Tier | Monthly billing, per user | Annual billing, per user/month |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $19 | $15 |
| Business | $33 | $23 |
| Scale | $47 | $35 |
Snapshot
- Numbers: One new or ported number per user. Extra numbers cost $5/month.
- AI: Summaries and transcripts come with Business and Scale. Every plan includes 1,000 automation credits, equal to about 10 AI answered calls.
- Trial: Seven days, with no US texting until you pay and complete carrier registration.
- Porting: No Quo fee, typically 3-7 business days.
- Caveats: Emergency calling isn't available, and costs climb with each seat.
Best fit: Collaborative businesses and growing teams.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper is an established virtual phone system with traditional business controls: a phone menu, extensions, forwarding, and voicemail.
- True Solo: $14/month billed annually ($168), with 1 user, 1 number, 1 extension.
- Solo Plus: $25/month billed annually ($300), with unlimited users and 3 extensions.
- Small Business: Offers multiple numbers and unlimited extensions. Check the official page for pricing.
Texting works in the mobile and desktop apps. MMS is limited to local numbers and requires registration. The seven-day trial needs no credit card and includes 50 talk minutes. Port-in is free. Grasshopper says its system isn't designed for emergency dialing.
Best fit: Solo operators and small businesses that want a familiar setup. Teams wanting AI or a shared inbox may find it dated.
Sideline
Sideline is a simple second-line app for people who mostly call and text from their existing phone. Calls use your carrier's network.
- Pricing: $14.49 monthly, $69.99 per six months, or $129.99 yearly. An introductory offer is $6.99 for the first month. There's no free trial.
- Features: Separate voicemail, unlimited SMS/MMS and group messaging, and auto-replies to missed calls or messages.
- Caveats: Numbers are classified as VoIP, not true wireless. Some companies reject them for verification codes. No 911 calling or texting. Port-out may be refused by the receiving provider.
Best fit: Solo and text-heavy businesses. Look elsewhere for shared numbers, IVR, or CRM links.
How We Chose the Best Second Phone Number Apps
We judged each service as a business communication asset, not just a number supplier. Criteria included:
- Call reliability, audio quality, and voicemail
- SMS/MMS support and carrier-compliance readiness
- Forwarding, business hours, and IVR
- Number ownership rights and porting
- Team sharing, integrations, and support
Those same checks highlight mistakes that quietly inflate cost or break day-one use.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using a free personal plan for business. Confirm commercial-use terms before you rely on it.
- Ignoring per-user and add-on costs. Quo's $19 headline becomes $95 for five monthly-billed Starter seats.
- Assuming texting is ready on day one. Unregistered 10DLC traffic and unverified toll-free numbers can be blocked by carriers.
- Assuming 911 works. Several apps here don't support it.
- Assuming 2FA works. Banks and platforms may reject VoIP numbers.
- Skipping recording rules. Federal law is generally one-party consent, but states such as California require all-party consent.
Matching provider to use case
Once you know your primary need, start here:
- Basic solo line: Google Voice
- Privacy and call management: Tossable Digits
- Text-heavy solo work: Sideline
- Teams sharing a number: Quo
- Traditional virtual PBX: Grasshopper
Conclusion
The best second phone number app depends on your workflow, team size, and privacy needs, not the lowest advertised price. Before you put a number on your website, invoices, or ads, test the basics:
- Call quality and text delivery
- Voicemail, forwarding, and porting
- Support response and total cost
If you want flexible business numbers with privacy and call management tools, review Tossable Digits' current plans and confirm which number, SMS, forwarding, recording, IVR, and voicemail options fit your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to add a second phone number for free?
Free personal VoIP options exist in the US, such as basic Google Voice. Before relying on one for business, check commercial-use terms, number retention rules, porting, support, and missing business features.
How can I get two numbers on one phone?
Use a second-number app, a dual-SIM or eSIM carrier line, or a carrier add-on. Apps need internet but add business features. Carrier lines work over cellular but offer fewer call-handling tools.
How to get a second phone number on iPhone for business?
Install a business-number app or activate a compatible eSIM. Then label the lines, choose the business line for calls and messages, set forwarding, and confirm the provider supports iOS.
Which app is best for business second phone number providers?
It depends on whether you need privacy, low cost, texting, shared inboxes, forwarding, IVR, or number ownership. Use the criteria above and match them to your workflow.
What is the most secure texting app with secondary numbers?
Compare encryption claims, privacy policies, account security, two-factor authentication, and data retention. CISA notes SMS isn't encrypted, so no provider's texting is automatically secure.
Can two cell phones have the same number for business?
Not by duplicating a cellular SIM. A shared virtual business number can ring or message multiple devices, though simultaneous ringing, shared inboxes, and permissions depend on the provider.
