SMS-Activate Alternatives: What to Use Now
SMS-Activate reportedly stopped operating around late December 2025. Here is what is known, how to avoid lookalike sites, and how the alternatives compare. We run one of them, so weigh this page with that in mind.
What happened to SMS-Activate?
Public reports say SMS-Activate stopped operating around late December 2025, and that users were pointed to a service called HeroSMS. Reports differ on the exact date and on what happened to leftover balances, and we found no official statement that settles them. We have no connection to SMS-Activate, so we cannot confirm more than that, and we cannot help recover a balance.
Watch out for lookalike sites
Popular closed services attract copycats. Be careful with any site using the SMS-Activate name or a similar address.
- Do not enter an old password on a site you are not sure about. If you reused that password elsewhere, change it.
- Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your balance.
- Try any new service with a small top-up first, including ours.
SMS-Activate alternatives compared
| Service | How you pay | Countries | Rentals |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS Pin Verify (us) | Per number, charged only if the code arrives | 175 | 3, 7, 14 or 25 days on USA routes |
| 5SIM | Per number, refunded if no SMS | About 180 (their figure) | Not compared |
| SMSPool | Per number, refunded if no SMS | About 150 | Yes |
| Textverified | Per verification (SMS or voice) | USA only | 1 day to 1 year |
| HeroSMS | Not reviewed by us | Not reviewed by us | Not reviewed by us |
Details are from each service's public pages on 1 Nov 2026 and can change. See prices in our full comparison.
Which one fits you
- You used it for USA numbers. We focus on USA carrier mobile lines (non-VoIP), which many apps accept where they refuse VoIP.
- You need many different countries at the lowest price. Compare the exact app and country on two or three services. Prices change with stock, and no single service is always cheapest.
- You want to try without paying. We have free numbers in 100+ countries for quick tests.
Moving from SMS-Activate to our API
If you built on the SMS-Activate API, expect to change your code: our endpoints and replies are different. Requesting a number, reading the SMS and cancelling a number all work the same way in principle. Service names also differ, so look them up with get_rates.php first. Details are in the API guide.
Popular USA services and prices
Live prices for the services customers buy most. Each link opens that service's page with the current price and a direct sign-up link.
| Service | Price per number |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp number (USA) | $2.60 |
| Telegram number (USA) | $1.20 |
| Gmail number (USA) | $0.35 |
| Yahoo number (USA) | $0.10 |
| PayPal number (USA) | $0.50 |
| Venmo number (USA) | $0.20 |
| Kraken number (USA) | $0.30 |
| Facebook number (USA) | $0.50 |
| Instagram number (USA) | $0.40 |
| Google Voice number (USA) | $0.35 |
| Walmart number (USA) | $1.00 |
| Credit Karma number (USA) | $0.25 |
| CashApp number (USA) | $0.20 |
| Amazon number (USA) | $0.15 |
| Coinbase number (USA) | $0.30 |
| TikTok number (USA) | $0.20 |
Looking for something else? See all services and countries.
For developers
The same numbers are available through a REST API: request a number and poll for the SMS, at the website's prices and with the same charge-on-delivery rule. Endpoints and examples are in the API guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is SMS-Activate still working?
Public reports say it stopped operating around late December 2025. We found no official statement to confirm the details, and we have no connection to the company. Be careful with any site that claims to be SMS-Activate now.
Is there a site like SMS-Activate?
Yes. Several services sell numbers per activation, including 5SIM, SMSPool, HeroSMS and SMS Pin Verify. They differ in price, countries and how they handle a number with no code, so compare the app and country you actually use.
Can you recover my SMS-Activate balance?
No. We have no connection to SMS-Activate and cannot see or move its balances. Reports about leftover balances differ. Never pay a site or person who promises to get your balance back.
Can I use my SMS-Activate API code with SMS Pin Verify?
Not without changes. Our API has its own endpoints and plain-text replies, so you will need to update your calls. The steps are in our API guide and take little code.
Where did SMS-Activate users go?
Reports say users were pointed to HeroSMS. We have not reviewed that link ourselves, so check any service, including ours, with a small top-up first.