What is a second phone number?
A second phone number is an extra number that lives in an app on the phone you already own - no second SIM and no second handset. It gives you a separate line for calls and texts, so you can keep your personal number private for selling online, work, dating or a side business.
How does a second number work without a second SIM?
A normal mobile number is tied to a SIM card from a mobile network. A second number of this kind is different: it runs over the internet - Wi-Fi or mobile data - through an app on your existing phone. There is nothing to insert and no extra device to carry. You can add one in minutes and use it alongside your real number, switching between the two in the same app.
When you call or text from your second number, the person on the other end sees that number, not your personal mobile - which is the whole point of keeping the two apart.
What can you use a second number for?
The common thread is wanting a separate line without a separate phone. People use one to:
- Sell online safely - hand out a number on Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, eBay or Gumtree and keep your real one to yourself.
- Keep work and life apart - a work line you can quiet out of hours, without giving colleagues or clients your personal number.
- Run a side business - a professional-looking business line without a second contract or handset.
- Sign up and date more privately - share a number with a new app or a new person without attaching your main one.
Is a second number the same as a "virtual number"?
You will sometimes see the term "virtual number", but it is not a helpful label - and in the UK it can be misleading about what you are actually getting. A second number from nothanumber is a genuine UK number, mobile or landline, that you can call and text from. It behaves like a real number because it is one; it just happens to live in an app rather than on a SIM.
How much does a second phone number cost in the UK?
It depends on the provider. nothanumber keeps it simple: a small monthly fee to hold a number (from around £4.99 a month), with calls and texts charged as you use them from a single top-up wallet. You always see the rate before you do anything that costs money, so there are no surprises. There is no long contract - it is pay as you go.
Second number vs a second SIM vs a second phone
- A second SIM means a new number from a network, a spare SIM slot (or a swap), and usually its own plan to manage.
- A second phone means another handset to buy, charge and carry.
- A second number in an app means neither - the extra line sits on the phone in your pocket, and you turn it on or off as you like.
Common questions
Do I need a second phone or a new SIM for a second number?
No. A second number of this kind runs in an app on the phone you already own. The number works over the internet - Wi-Fi or mobile data - so there is nothing physical to insert and no second handset to carry.
Will people see my real number when I call or text from a second number?
No. When you call or text from your second number, the other person sees that number, not your personal mobile number.
How much does a second phone number cost in the UK?
It varies by provider. nothanumber will charge a small monthly rental to hold a number (from around £4.99 a month), with calls and texts on a pay-as-you-go wallet and the rate shown before anything that costs money.
How do you get a second number?
nothanumber is a UK app that gives you a second number - mobile or landline - on your existing phone, with calls, texts and voicemail built in. It's ready to use, and access is invite-only for now - join the waitlist and we'll let you know the moment your spot is ready.