Best Voice-over-IP Providers in 2024
There are many ways to describe Voice-over-IP, or VoIP. I've seen it called an anonymous, internet, alias, or throwaway phone number (and more). Regardless of the name, I personally consider VoIP to be a healthy part of a good privacy and security strategy. The advantages are endless. For one, VoIP is harder to SIM Swap compared to a normal SIM phone number. VoIP can also help provide you privacy since most SIM numbers can easily be Googled or looked up on any number of the hundreds of people search sites and return information about the carrier and who the number is registered to. On the day-to-day, VoIP – combined with other strategies I recommend on The New Oil – can help reduce spam calls/texts, prevent would-be stalkers, create healthy work/life balances, control what information people (like prospective employers) can find about you, and help compartmentalize or reduce tracking by big corporations. Sadly, VoIP is a tool that's not widely available in many countries, but for those with access to it, VoIP can provide numerous benefits and should at very least be considered. So this week let's explore some of the best VoIP options currently available for consumers.
Before we begin, there's a huge misconception I see often that I need to address: VoIP is not a replacement for secure messaging. A lot of people criticize the services I recommend here for not being open source, end-to-end encrypted, and other such criteria I would normally encourage readers to consider when recommending communication methods. These are extremely important points to keep in mind, however there is still a use-case for services like VoIP. My bank will not use Signal. Or all my coworkers. Or even some of my friends and family, for that matter – the same kind of people who may download an app like TrueCaller which will then collect my phone number or who will put my phone number into a third-party employment management software, where I lose all control over what happens to my information and it may get breached or sold. I always recommend getting the people around you to use more secure messaging options wherever possible, however this isn't always possible and in those situations, I think VoIP can be a reasonable compromise.
These services are listed in alphabetical order and not order of recommendation.
Hushed
Hushed's biggest selling point, in my opinion, is that they offer an unlimited amount of numbers. Of course, you have to pay for them, but as long as the check clears (figuratively speaking), they're willing to give you a number. This means that whatever your needs, Hushed is willing to accommodate. Furthermore, Hushed doesn't require a SIM number: you can download the app, buy a number, and get started using it as-is. They also offer international calling plans. Unfortunately, like most VoIP options, Hushed only provides phone numbers for the US and Canada and has no desktop app. But for most people in those countries, Hushed is a fantastic option worth investigating.
Google Voice
Okay, hear me out: Google is one of the most privacy-invasive companies in the world. But, as I already said: 1) VoIP is not a replacement for encrypted messaging, and 2) VoIP is about preventing public-facing attacks like SIM-swapping or stalking. In that context, Google Voice is hard to beat. You can lock your Google account with a security token for maximum security, the free plan is pretty generous, and there's even a web portal so you can check and respond to calls and messages without a phone, or you can forward calls and messages to your SIM number if you'd prefer not to have the app on your phone. Unfortunately, Google Voice also comes with some significant drawbacks. Mainly: they only provide numbers for the US and Canda, and they require a Google account and thus, by extension, a SIM number even if you do use the app.
MySudo
MySudo is a popular choice in the privacy community, largely propped up by an endorsement from privacy rockstar Michael Bazzell. That's not to say they haven't earned it. MySudo offers a whopping 9 numbers – complete with email, voice calls, messaging, and even masked credit cards (iOS only), all without requiring your phone number. The iOS version even allows you to sync with a browser so you can put your phone away and still continue to send and receive messages, as well as offering masked credit cards similar to Privacy.com or other services. MySudo claims to offer zero-knowledge encryption at rest, and end-to-end encryption with other MySudo users. That said, MySudo – like every other entry on this list – is not perfect. They only offer phone numbers in the US, Canada, and the UK, and I personally have taken great issue with their marketing materials as being misleading and disingenuous. That said, most users need not pay any attention MySudo's blog or marketing to take advantage of the service, which has – in my years of use – been reliable and consistent.
Skype
Another “hear me out” moment. Skype is owned by Microsoft, another privacy-hostile company. Still, Skype offers a level of flexibility most other services on this list don't. For example. Skype is available in over 25 countries, a far cry from most other services' 1-3. They also offer 10 phone numbers, work independently of your SIM card, and offer a desktop app to manage your calls and messages. That said, Skype requires a Microsoft account and – more importantly – charges per-minute. This could be a great option for those who don't plan to use VoIP much and require international coverage, but may not be right for everyone.
Tossable Digits
Tossable Dgiits may be one of the more impressive services I've seen in the VoIP space. Tossable Digits offers unlimited numbers and international calling in a whopping 70 countries – by far the most on this list. This is a great option for people who may live in countries outside the usual US/Canada/UK, but again there are drawbacks. Tossable Digits bills by the minute, which again is rough for those who do a lot of calling, and SMS is only supported in the US and Canada, so for those who rely on texting a lot, this is rather limited. Tossable Digits also doesn't offer a free tier or desktop app.
Viber
Viber is another rather niche service, but in my research I found them to have some unique advantages that make them worthy of inclusion. For example, they claim to allow you to call anyone in the world with phone numbers available from 59 countries and don't require a SIM number to use the app. They also claim to be zero-knowledge (presumably at-rest or with other Viber users) and offer disappearing messages – which is always a plus in my book for security and minimalism reasons. Unfortunately, even on top of the Viber Out subscription, you will still have to pay per-minute and you only have access to that one phone number. Again though, for users outside the US and Canada, Viber offers a solution worth looking into.
Honorable Mention: JMP Chat
Of course I would be remiss if I didn't include JMP Chat as – at least – an honorable mention. JMP Chat is probably the most privacy-friendly VoIP provider I've found so far, but they're not right for everyone. This is primarily because JMP Chat uses XMPP as a backbone, meaning it's up to you to find a server that you trust that also supports SIP and find a working client. Fortunately, JMP Chat can help with this last one (at least on Android) by offering the Cheogram app to users. It can also be a process to translate a phone number into an ID that JMP Chat can recognize and send messages to or call. At this time, JMP Chat also only offers US and Canadian phone numbers, though those numbers should be capable of international calling/messaging and JMP Chat is supporting other projects interested in adding more international capabilities. JMP Chat is not for the faint of heart, but for those able and willing to put in the work, the organization puts a heavy emphasis on data sovereignty, interoperability, open source, and other values that align heavily with the privacy community.
Honorable Mention: VoIP.ms
Last but not least, recently I was approached by VoIP.ms about working together to promote their product. This intrigued me because this was another service that Michael Bazzell had recommended. After some back and forth with their CEO – and looking through the documentation – I was really impressed by their rates and offerings. VoIP.ms offers phone numbers from over 60 countries around the world with low rates, but the main reason I don't list them on the website is the lack of a first-party mobile app. You will have to go find another app and link it with your VoIP.ms account to start using your phone number. However, VoIP.ms offers a wide range of support for common apps including videos and documentation on how to get started using those apps. So, much like JMP Chat, VoIP.ms may not be right for everyone, but for those who are technical enough and not afraid to get their hands dirty, the service offers cheap, flexible numbers from a wide range of countries that can be managed from a variety of apps and operating systems.
Conclusion
Considering how much of a proponent of VoIP I am, I think it's great that we have so many options for VoIP. I'm disappointed though, that we have so few that are privacy respecting or source-available. I get why – providing a VoIP service is a massive undertaking that requires deep technical skill and massive infrastructure. It's typically not something that a new dev can code in their room on a spare weekend. I hope to see this landscape shift in the future where more privacy-respecting options become available in more countries. For now, remember to rely on encrypted messaging wherever possible and use VoIP as a backup solution to protect your privacy accordingly. If you've never considered VoIP before, consider this your invitation to give it some thought and explore some of the options.
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