Virtual Number for Telegram: Sign Up Without Your Own SIM
Telegram asks for a phone number at sign-up and occasionally checks it again. A virtual number for Telegram lets you create a second account for a channel, a bot or work without using your personal SIM.
Can you use Telegram without a phone number? Not for registration — but the number can be virtual. Your real number is visible to anyone who has you in their contacts, so channel admins and support teams often separate work and personal accounts this way.
Telegram verification at a glance
| Category | Messengers |
|---|---|
| Countries people often use | USA, India, United Kingdom |
| Main advice | If Telegram says "phone number banned" or "too many attempts", cancel and try a number from another country. Set a cloud password immediately: without it, you can't recover an account on a one-time number. |
| If the code doesn't arrive | Telegram Not Sending Code, This Phone Number Cannot Be Used for Verification, Recovering an Account Registered on a Temporary Number |
| Services that support it | 17 |
How to get a number for Telegram: step by step
- Pick a service from the ranking — for example Tiger SMS — and top up with any payment method.
- Choose "Telegram" and a country (for Telegram, people often use: USA, India, United Kingdom).
- Enter the number in Telegram and wait for the code in your account.
- No code? Cancel the order and the money returns to your balance. Why codes fail.
Tip: If Telegram says "phone number banned" or "too many attempts", cancel and try a number from another country. Set a cloud password immediately: without it, you can't recover an account on a one-time number.
Telegram code didn't arrive? Fixes
- Telegram Not Sending Code? What to Do — Telegram sends codes into the app before SMS — how to get the SMS.
- "This Phone Number Cannot Be Used for Verification": How to Fix It — Google and other apps reject the number — what it means and what to do.
- Recovering an Account Registered on a Temporary Number — What to do when the number isn't yours anymore.
Telegram verification FAQ
Can I use Telegram without a phone number?
You need a number to register, but it can be virtual. After sign-up you can hide it from other users in privacy settings.
Can I recover a Telegram account on a one-time number?
No. Once the activation ends, the number may go to someone else. Set a cloud password so you don't depend on SMS.
Is there a free virtual number for Telegram?
Public free numbers are almost always rejected by Telegram, and anyone can read the code. A paid one-time number costs a few cents.
Why is Telegram not sending the code?
Telegram often sends the first code to an existing session instead of SMS. See Telegram not sending code.
Where to buy a number for Telegram
Tiger SMS
Editor's choiceTiger SMS sells one-time virtual numbers for SMS verification in 260+ countries and for 200+ services, with 800,000+ numbers available every day. Prices start at $0.001, and you pay only when the SMS arrives: if no code comes, press Cancel and the money goes straight back to your balance.
- Receive SMS online
- Non-VoIP numbers
- SMS verification API
- Visa & Mastercard
- PayPal
HeroSMS
NewHeroSMS presents itself as the continuation of SMS-Activate after that service shut down, citing the same infrastructure, an API, a mobile app and numbers in 180+ countries.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
TextVerified
A US service focused on non-VoIP American numbers for verification, with single-use codes and rentals.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
- Visa & Mastercard
- USDT & crypto
SMSPool
An English-language service with a strong pool of US and UK numbers, rentals and an API.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
- Visa & Mastercard
- Apple Pay & Google Pay
5SIM
Lets you pick a specific mobile carrier inside a country when buying a number.
- Receive SMS online
- Cheap SMS verification
SMS-Man
A long-running service with a large catalog of apps and countries, a mobile app and an API.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
- USDT & crypto
- Visa & Mastercard
Grizzly SMS
An SMS activation service aimed at bulk sign-ups and low prices on popular platforms.
- Receive SMS online
- SMS verification API
- Cheap SMS verification
OnlineSIM
Focused on reliability and long-term number rentals for repeat logins, plus a page of free public numbers.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
SMSPVA
One of the oldest SMS receiving services, popular with marketers, offering one-time numbers and rentals.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
- Visa & Mastercard
PVAPins
Non-VoIP numbers for one-time codes and rentals, mostly used by English-speaking customers.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- Non-VoIP numbers
- USDT & crypto
- Visa & Mastercard
SMSBower
NewA newer activation service with an API for software and a low entry price.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
365SMS
NewA number and activation service aimed at bulk account registration.
- Receive SMS online
- SMS verification API
Tellabot
A US service for receiving verification codes on American numbers, with an API and webhooks. You pay only after the SMS arrives.
- Receive SMS online
- SMS verification API
- Non-VoIP numbers
- USDT & crypto
SMSHub
A marketplace where third-party suppliers provide numbers. Prices are low; quality depends on the supplier.
- Receive SMS online
- SMS verification API
- Cheap SMS verification
Anosim
A European service with numbers on physical SIM cards, mainly German. Useful for platforms that reject virtual numbers.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- Non-VoIP numbers
Vak-SMS
A service built mainly for Russian-speaking users, with local payment methods.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- Cheap SMS verification
SimSMS
One of the oldest one-time SMS activation sites. Each number is issued for one service.
- Receive SMS online
- Phone number rental
- SMS verification API
- Payeer, AdvCash & e-wallets
- USDT & crypto