Comparison
A 5SIM alternative for people who just need one code
5SIM is a capable platform with deep country coverage and a well-documented API, and it is a reasonable default for developers running verification at volume. The trade-off is surface area: operator selection, multiple product types and a dashboard designed for people who are here every day.
If you need one code today, most of that is friction. Anon SMS shows you a price table, takes one confirmation, and puts the code on screen.
Numbers from $0.18 · top up from $5
Code on screen in seconds
No app, no forwarding, no waiting.
Pay per number, from $5
Prepaid wallet, no subscription, balance never expires.
No code, no charge
Unreceived codes refund automatically to your wallet.
Anon SMS vs 5SIM, side by side
Written from public information and our own product. Where 5SIM is the better choice, that is said plainly below the table.
| Anon SMS | 5SIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Occasional, one-off verifications done in a browser | Developers and volume buyers using an API |
| Operator choice | Handled for you — best available operator per country | Manual operator selection per purchase |
| Minimum top-up | $5, balance never expires | Varies by provider; some enforce higher minimums or expiring credit |
| Refund when no code arrives | Automatic, back to your wallet | Usually available, often only after the timer runs out or a support ticket |
| Price visibility | Live per-country price shown before you buy, and published publicly on /pricing | Prices typically visible only after you register and fund an account |
| Where the code appears | Live on the activation page, with a resend control | In the dashboard or over the API |
Our prices, in the open
A live sample: the cheapest in-stock countries for Telegram right now, at the price you would actually pay. Compare it against whatever you pay today — no account needed to look.
| Country | Price per number | Numbers in stock |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | $0.18 | 313,053 |
| Indonesia | $0.22 | 54,861 |
| Palestine | $0.32 | 101 |
| Chile | $0.36 | 289,306 |
| Colombia | $0.36 | 8,423 |
| Morocco | $0.36 | 4,859 |
| Costa Rica | $0.44 | 2,355 |
| Egypt | $0.48 | 34,787 |
How buying here works
- 1
Top up your wallet
From $5 by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or crypto. No subscription.
- 2
Pick a service and country
Every row shows the live price and how many numbers are in stock.
- 3
Read the code here
It appears on the activation page in seconds. No code, no charge.
Why we do not ask you to pick an operator
Operator choice does occasionally matter, but for a single verification the useful decision is country, not carrier. We route to available stock in the country you chose and quote you one price, so there is one fewer thing to get wrong.
If a particular operator is genuinely a requirement for your workflow, that is a real reason to use a platform that exposes the choice — and 5SIM does it well.
The honest version of the reliability question
No provider can promise a code, because delivery is decided by the service you are verifying with, not by the reseller. What a provider controls is what happens when delivery fails: whether you pay, and whether you have to ask.
Here you do not pay and you do not ask. Unreceived codes refund automatically, and a rejected number can be cancelled two minutes in for the full amount.
5SIM alternative — common questions
Does Anon SMS have an API?
The product is built around the browser flow: buy, watch the code arrive, get refunded automatically. If you need programmatic verification at volume, an API-first provider such as 5SIM will suit you better today.
Is one provider more reliable than another?
Delivery is decided by the service you are verifying with and by how heavily the number range has been used, so results across providers on similar supply are broadly similar. Judge providers on price transparency and how refunds behave when a code does not arrive.
How long do I have to enter the code?
The number stays yours for about 20 minutes, which is longer than any verification screen keeps its own timer open. If the code has not arrived by the time the number expires, the charge is returned to your wallet automatically.
Do I pay if no code arrives?
No. You are charged when a code is delivered. If the SMS never lands before the number expires, or you cancel the number after the two-minute grace period because the service rejected it, the full amount goes straight back to your wallet balance.
How do I pay for numbers?
You top up a wallet once — card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or crypto, from $5 — and each number is a small one-off charge against that balance. There is no subscription and the balance does not expire.
Keep reading
- SMS-Activate alternative
For people who find SMS-Activate powerful but heavy going.
- SMSPool alternative
For people who want the price and stock in the open before funding.
- Full live price table
Every service and country, public, no sign-up.
- Telegram verification number
The most-bought service, priced live.
Try it with one number
Top up $5, buy a single number, and see whether the code lands. Nothing to cancel, nothing recurring, and unreceived codes refund themselves.
Top up from $5 · refunded if no code arrives
Comparisons reflect publicly available information at the time of writing and may change; check the other provider's own site for their current terms. Read our refund policy for exactly how refunds work here.