You need a US phone number but you don't actually use it for calls. Maybe it's for your business registration, service signups, or just keeping a US contact on file. Whatever the reason, you're looking for the cheapest way to keep a working US number.
Here's every option in 2026, ranked by cost.
The Contenders
1. Free US-only calling apps - Free (US Residents Only)
A few well-known free US calling services are the obvious first choice. They're free, they work, and they're backed by major tech companies.
The catch: You typically need to be in the United States to set them up, and you need an existing US phone number to verify your account. If you're reading this article, you probably can't use them.
Also, these providers periodically reclaim inactive numbers. If you don't use it regularly, you might lose it without warning.
2. Budget consumer VoIP - ~$3/month
Some consumer VoIP services offer US phone numbers at around $3/month (pricing varies by subscription).
Pros: Cheap, well-known companies.
Cons: SMS support is hit or miss. Many services using short codes won't deliver to these numbers. This makes them unreliable for the one thing you actually need: receiving verification codes.
3. IncNumber - $5/month
Built specifically for people who need to park a US number. Every SMS is forwarded to your email. Incoming calls hear a custom greeting and hang up.
Pros: SMS-to-email forwarding, works from anywhere, email-based (no app needed), custom voice greeting, no US address or US payment method required.
Cons: No outbound calling or texting — receive-only by design.
4. Business VoIP services - $14-15/month
Proper business phone systems with apps, team features, and CRM integrations.
Pros: Full-featured, reliable, good apps.
Cons: At $14-15/month, you're paying for features you don't need. That's ~$180/year for a number you might use a few times a month — too much product, too much cost for number parking.
Cost Comparison
| Service | Monthly | Annual | SMS Forwarding | Non-US Setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free US-only calling apps | $0 | $0 | In-app | Not possible |
| Budget consumer VoIP | ~$3 | ~$36 | Unreliable | Yes |
| IncNumber | $5 | $60 | Yes | |
| Business VoIP services | $14-15 | $168-180 | In-app | Yes |
Keeping Your US Number While Living Abroad
If you're living outside the United States, maintaining a US phone number gets complicated fast. The options that work perfectly for US residents fall apart once you cross borders.
Free US-only calling apps don't work abroad. The most popular free options require a US-based phone to set up, enforce geographic restrictions, and reclaim numbers that go inactive. If you're in Berlin, Lagos, São Paulo, or Tokyo, these services aren't available to you — or they'll cut you off after you leave.
Your old carrier plan is expensive to keep. Some expats keep a T-Mobile or AT&T line active just to hold onto a US number. That's $25-50/month for a line you never use for calls. Over a year, you're spending $300-600 to park a number.
International forwarding is unreliable. Even if you could forward calls to your non-US number, international SMS forwarding is spotty, and many US services won't send verification codes to international numbers at all.
What non-US residents specifically need is different from what US residents need:
- No US address or US payment method required — You may not have either anymore
- No app that requires US App Store or Google Play region — Many VoIP apps are region-locked or behave differently outside the US
- SMS delivery that works regardless of your location — Email-based forwarding works everywhere; app-based solutions depend on your network
- No "inactivity reclaim" policy — You're parking this number, not using it daily
This is the core problem IncNumber was built to solve. You get a real US phone number from outside the US, every SMS is forwarded to your email (which works from any country), and there's no app to install, no US address needed, and no risk of losing the number to inactivity. $5/month, from anywhere.
Whether you moved abroad permanently, you're a digital nomad, or you never lived in the US but need a US number for your business — the requirements are the same. You need a US phone number that works from outside the US, without the overhead of a full phone plan.
What Matters for Number Parking
If you're parking a number (keeping it active but rarely using it), here's what actually matters:
- Works outside the US - You're not in the US. The service must be signupable and payable from abroad.
- Low maintenance - You don't want to install apps or check dashboards.
- Cost - You're paying for something you barely use. Every dollar counts.
The cheapest reliable option for non-US residents
$5/month for a real US phone number. SMS forwarded to email, no app needed, cancel anytime. Save $120/year vs business VoIP.
Get your US number →Our Recommendation
If you're in the US, free US-only calling apps are a fine option.
If you're outside the US and need a reliable number for the lowest cost, IncNumber at $5/month hits the sweet spot. You get reliable SMS forwarding to your email, a professional voice greeting, and nothing else to manage.
A $3/month consumer VoIP number saves you $24/year but the SMS reliability issues make it a risky choice for business-critical verifications.