Which apps require a phone number? 62 apps compared

All 62 services in this table ask for a phone number at some point, but not at the same moment or with the same strictness. 52 ask before you can use the app, ten only later in settings or when you post a listing. 36 limit how many accounts a number can open, and 30 may ask for the number again later.

Updated October 20, 2026

How to read the table

We keep a fact sheet for each service we offer numbers for, describing how its sign-up uses your number. The tables below put all 62 side by side, grouped by type. Every name links to that service's page.

When it asks: on first start, at sign-up, or only later in settings (or when you post a listing).
Code by: SMS, a phone call, or inside the app on another device.
Asks again later: whether the app may want the same number again, for example on a new phone.
One account per number: whether a number already in use can open a second account.

Messengers

Messengers are the strictest group about the number: it is your identity there. All but Discord tie one number to one account, and seven of the nine may ask for it again later.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
WhatsApp	On first start	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Telegram	On first start	SMS, in-app or call	Yes	Yes
Signal	On first start	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Viber	On first start	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
WeChat	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	Yes
LINE	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
imo	On first start	SMS	No	Yes
Discord	Later, in settings	SMS	No	No
BiP	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes

Social and video

Social apps mostly ask at sign-up but are relaxed about sharing: only VK and Bigo Live limit a number to one account.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
Instagram	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	No
Facebook	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	No
TikTok	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
X (Twitter)	Later, in settings	SMS	Yes	No
Snapchat	At sign-up	SMS or call	No	No
LinkedIn	Later, in settings	SMS	No	No
Reddit	Later, in settings	SMS	No	No
VK	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Twitch	Later, in settings	SMS	No	Up to five (Twitch)
Bigo Live	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes

Accounts, e-mail, AI and gaming

Seven of these eleven may ask for the number again later, and five of the eleven turn down many virtual number ranges.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
Google	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	No
Microsoft	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	No
Apple	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	No
Yahoo	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	No
ChatGPT	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Claude	At sign-up	SMS	No	Up to three (Claude help)
Proton Mail	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
Yandex	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	No
Naver	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	Yes
Steam	Later, in settings	SMS	No	No, but linked accounts count as one person
Truecaller	On first start	SMS or call	Yes	Yes

Online shops

Every shop here asks at sign-up. For six of the eleven, our fact sheets record no one-account rule.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
Amazon	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	No
eBay	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	No
AliExpress	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
Shopee	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Lazada	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Tokopedia	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Temu	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
SHEIN	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
Walmart	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
Hacoo	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Pazarama	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes

Second-hand and classifieds

Second-hand platforms want a confirmed number from sellers, and four of these five keep one number per account.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
OLX	When you post or buy	SMS	No	No
Vinted	Later, in settings	SMS	No	Yes (Vinted help)
Kleinanzeigen	At sign-up	SMS	No	One private, plus one business
sahibinden	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
RentAHuman	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes

Rides and food delivery

Ride apps ask on first start, delivery apps at sign-up, and BlaBlaCar in your profile. Every one of them keeps one number per account.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
Uber	On first start	SMS or call	Yes	Yes
Bolt	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes
Grab	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes
Gojek	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes
BlaBlaCar	Later, in settings	SMS	No	Yes
Wolt	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Glovo	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Deliveroo	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes

Streaming, dating and travel

Dating apps are the most demanding here: all five tie one number to one account, and Tinder, Bumble and Hinge check it again later.

	When it asks	Code by	Asks again later	One account per number
Netflix	Later, in settings	SMS	No	No
Spotify	At sign-up	SMS	No	No
Tinder	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes
Bumble	On first start	SMS	Yes	Yes
Badoo	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Hinge	At sign-up	SMS	Yes	Yes
Match	At sign-up	SMS	No	Yes
Airbnb	At sign-up	SMS or call	Yes	No

Apps that ask only later, in settings

These ten let you create an account first and add a number afterwards, often only when you switch on a feature or two-step sign-in. If you are looking for an app you can join without a phone number, start here:

OLX is the odd one out: it asks when you post a listing or contact a seller rather than at sign-up.

Apps that tie one number to one account

36 of the 62 services limit how many accounts one number can open, nearly all of them to exactly one. On those, a number someone else already used is often refused as taken before any code is sent.

All messengers except Discord, every ride and delivery app, and every dating app in the list.
Some limits are higher than one: Claude allows up to three accounts per number, Twitch up to five, Kleinanzeigen one private plus one business account.
For a second account on these apps you need a second number, and on apps that ask again, one you can still reach later.

Common questions

Which apps can I sign up for without a phone number?

Of the 62 in our table, Discord, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitch, Steam, Netflix, BlaBlaCar and Vinted let you start without one and ask later in settings. OLX asks when you post or reply to a listing.

Why do so many apps want a phone number?

A number is harder to create in bulk than an e-mail address, so it slows down fake accounts. Apps with drivers or couriers also need a way to reach you.

Can one phone number have several accounts?

It depends on the app. Messengers, dating, ride and delivery apps almost always allow just one; Claude allows up to three and Twitch up to five. Where our fact sheets record no rule, that is no promise a number already in use will be accepted.

Where do these facts come from?

From our own fact sheets, kept by hand for every service we offer numbers for. The account limits for Claude, Twitch, Kleinanzeigen, Steam and Vinted come from their help pages, listed under Sources.