The short answer: You can get and use an internet-based phone number (a VoIP number) from almost anywhere in the world, using nothing more than an app and a data connection. But a VoIP number is not regulated or treated the same way as a mobile number from your home operator, and “a number that can receive SMS” is not the same thing as “a number your bank, government portal, WhatsApp, Google or Apple ID will accept for SMS verification”. Knowing what it can and cannot do before you sign up will save you a lot of trouble later (as of June 2026).
- You can get and use a VoIP phone number from abroad with just an app and data
- VoIP numbers are often rejected by banks, government services and major app sign-ups
- “Having a number” and “passing verification” are two separate problems
- If verification is your goal, keep a real mobile number as a backup route
- A data-only eSIM can't make phone calls or receive SMS, but app-based calls (WhatsApp and similar) work over data
“I live abroad, but I still need a phone number I can be reached on” — and ideally a cheap one. That's a common situation for students, remote workers and long-stay travellers. This article explains how to get a VoIP number from overseas, how it differs from a mobile number, and where it genuinely falls short. Signing up while assuming a VoIP number works everywhere is the fastest way to get stuck the moment a verification code is required. For the basics of numbers, SMS and calling, see also Can you use a phone number, SMS and calls with an eSIM?
What is a VoIP number, and how does it differ from a mobile number?
A VoIP number is a phone number that routes calls over the internet rather than over a mobile voice network. You get one by signing up for an internet-calling app or service, and — this is the appealing part — you don't need a physical SIM card or a contract with a mobile operator to hold one.
A mobile number, by contrast, is tied to a voice service from a mobile operator. It assumes a SIM (or eSIM) plus a voice plan on your account. The main differences look like this:
- How you get one: a VoIP number comes from an app or online service; a mobile number requires a voice plan from your mobile carrier at home or a local operator
- How the call travels: VoIP goes over the internet; a mobile number goes over the operator's voice network
- How strictly identity is checked: mobile plans generally involve stricter identity verification, so a mobile number is widely treated as “belonging to a real, identified person”
- How SMS is handled: many VoIP services don't support SMS at all, and even those that do may not pass verification checks
Those last two differences — identity checks and SMS handling — are exactly what decides whether a number works for verification, which we come to below.
How to get a VoIP number from abroad
Even while living outside your home country, you can often get a VoIP number — either a local number in the country you're staying in, or a number with your home country's dialling code, depending on what the provider offers. The usual process looks like this:
- Choose a service: compare VoIP number apps and providers, checking which country codes they can issue numbers for and whether they allow sign-ups from your current location
- Register and verify your identity: you'll typically sign up with an email address or an existing contact number; some services also ask for ID documents
- Pick a plan and receive your number: choose a monthly or pay-as-you-go plan and get your number issued
- Connect it to data: because calls run over the internet, the app needs Wi-Fi or mobile data to work at all
Important: supported countries, pricing, SMS support and whether the service can be used from abroad all change over time, and many providers restrict which numbers they will issue to customers outside the country. Check the provider's official site and app store listing for current details before you pay for anything. Rather than committing to one name, treat this as a category of service and compare a few options against your own requirements.
Note that running a VoIP app abroad assumes you have a working data connection in the first place. You can pick a data plan for your destination — by country, data allowance and number of days — from our eSIM comparison page.
What a VoIP number can and can't do
VoIP numbers are useful, but knowing where the line falls matters more than anything else here. Typical cases are summarised below (details vary by provider and change over time; as of June 2026).
| Use case | VoIP number | Mobile number from an operator |
|---|---|---|
| Calling landlines and mobiles | ○ Usually works | ○ |
| Receiving calls on the number | ○ | ○ |
| In-app calls (WhatsApp, Messenger and similar) | ○ (works over data — the number type doesn't matter) | ○ |
| Sending and receiving SMS | △ Not supported by some providers, or partial support | ○ |
| SMS verification for your bank back home, brokerage or credit card | × Often rejected | ○ Usually assumed |
| Government, tax or national ID portals | × Often rejected | ○ Usually assumed |
| New account verification for WhatsApp, Google or Apple ID | × May be refused | ○ Usually assumed |
The key point: being able to receive an SMS is not the same as that SMS passing verification. Even if your app can technically receive messages, a service that excludes VoIP numbers from its verification system will either never send the code or block the registration outright. For more on the situations where this bites, see How to receive SMS verification codes from home while you're abroad.
Why VoIP numbers struggle with SMS verification
There are concrete reasons banks, government services and the big tech platforms tend not to accept VoIP numbers for SMS verification.
- Strength of identity verification: a mobile number is issued after an identity check, so it's read as “linked to a specific person”. A VoIP number is easy and cheap to obtain, so it's frequently excluded as an anti-fraud measure
- No SMS support, or non-standard delivery: many VoIP services don't handle SMS at all, or receive it through their own mechanism, so the sending system treats the number as undeliverable
- Number-type lookups: most services check the number type (mobile vs. landline/VoIP) and allow or refuse verification on that basis
In other words, a VoIP number can be genuinely useful as an everyday contact number, but it's unreliable as your gateway for important verification. If a bank or government process needs a number from you, don't rely on VoIP alone — keep another route available.
Who a VoIP number suits, and who needs another option
Here's how the fit breaks down.
A VoIP number is a good fit if you
- Want to call family, friends or businesses back home — and be reachable by them — while living abroad
- Need a cheap number to keep as a contact point for enquiries in a specific country
- Don't need a full voice plan, but want to hold one number people can reach you on
You should line up another option as well if you
- Need a number for SMS verification with your bank, brokerage, credit card or a government service
- Want to register a new WhatsApp, Google or Apple ID account with that number
- Have processes that specifically require a mobile number as proof of identity
If verification is your real goal, keeping your existing home-country mobile number alive is worth considering. For the approach of retaining a number you already have rather than getting a new one, see How to keep your home-country phone number while studying abroad; for an overview of number apps in general, see How to choose a phone number app for study abroad.
A VoIP number needs data — where Bloomy fits in
Because VoIP calls travel over the internet, a VoIP number only works when you have a usable data connection. If you want your number app to work when there's no Wi-Fi — out and about, or the moment you land — you need data sorted out in advance.
To be clear about what Bloomy is: Bloomy is a data-only eSIM. It does not come with a phone number, and it cannot send or receive SMS or make voice calls. If you need a number, SMS or voice calling, look at a separate solution — a VoIP number app like the ones described above, or a plan that includes a number.
What Bloomy's data does give you is the connection those apps run on: with data available, VoIP apps and in-app calling in WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and similar services can generally be used. “Number from an app, connectivity from an eSIM” is a practical split. Bloomy plans are subject to a fair use policy, and real-world speed and stability vary with the local network, your device and your exact location. For how numbers and SMS work with a data-only eSIM, see Data-only eSIMs and SMS verification. You can choose data allowance and duration for your destination on the comparison page.
Frequently asked questions
For more detail, see our FAQ. Other articles on numbers and messaging are collected in the Phone number & SMS category.
Summary: useful, but don't mistake it for a verification number
You can get a VoIP number from abroad through an app, and it's genuinely handy for staying reachable and making calls home. But it isn't treated the same way as a mobile number, and honestly, it's often rejected for SMS verification by banks, government services and major platforms. Keep “having a number” and “passing verification” as two separate questions and you won't get caught out. Supported countries, pricing and SMS support all change, so confirm the current details on the provider's own site or app store listing before signing up. For the data connection your VoIP app needs while you're abroad, pick a plan for your destination on the Bloomy comparison page — prices are shown in USD and worth checking at the time of purchase.
