Cheapest US number to buy in Pakistan (2026): a straight guide

If you freelance or sell online from Pakistan, a US number solves a few real problems at once. It reads as professional to American clients. It lets you run WhatsApp Business on a line that isn't your personal one. And it gives you a place to receive OTP codes for sign-ups that expect a US phone.

So the question I get most is simple: what's the cheapest US number I can actually buy from Pakistan? Not the cheapest in theory — the cheapest one that works from here. Those are two different lists, and this guide is about the second one.

First, why the free apps don't work

Search "free US number" and you'll land on Google Voice and TextNow. Both are genuinely free in the US. Both are dead ends from Pakistan.

• Google Voice only hands out numbers to people setting up from within the US, tied to a US account. Try it from a Pakistani connection and it either hides the option or refuses at the number step.
• TextNow is built for North America — the US and Canada. Outside that region the app won't assign you a working number, and even people who get one report it stops functioning later.

You can burn an afternoon on VPNs and workarounds. I've watched people do it. The number they finally squeeze out tends to break the moment they actually need it — usually right when a verification code is on its way. That's the worst time to discover your "free" number was never really yours.

So let me save you the afternoon: from Pakistan, a reliable US number is a small paid subscription, not a free trick. The good news is "paid" here is cheap.

What "cheapest that works" actually means

When you're buying from outside the US, judge a number on four things:

• Does it work from Pakistan at all? If sign-up needs a US address or a US card, it's out.
• What does it really cost per month? Watch for setup fees and minimums hiding behind a low headline price.
• Is it WhatsApp-ready? Meaning it can receive the SMS or call that WhatsApp uses to verify.
• Can it receive OTP codes? The one-time passwords apps text you when you log in or register.

Here's how the three usual options stack up on exactly those points.

The pattern is hard to miss. The free options are only free if you're already sitting in North America. From Pakistan, the practical cheapest is the small flat fee — and it happens to be the only one that ticks every box.

Getting a US number with G100, honestly

Full disclosure: this guide lives on G100's site, so of course I'm going to explain how G100 works. But I'll give you the caveats too, because a number that surprises you later isn't a bargain.

G100 is a US-registered app. You sign up, add funds to a wallet in USD through Stripe, and pick a dedicated US or Canada number. There's no KYC, no documents, and no US address required — which is the whole reason it works from Pakistan when the free apps don't.

The number itself is a flat $1.95/month. Everything else is pay-as-you-go from your wallet, so you only spend on what you use:

• Calls run about $0.03/min.
• You can receive SMS and OTP codes straight away.
• The number is WhatsApp-ready, so you can register WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business on it.
• If you want the official WhatsApp Business Cloud API — shared team inbox, broadcasts, templates — that's an optional $10/month add-on.
• It runs in the browser and on mobile, so you don't need a second phone.

The honest caveats

Two things you should know before you pay, so nothing catches you out:

• Outbound SMS isn't live yet. You can receive texts and OTP codes today, but sending texts from your number is coming after the US 10DLC registration clears. If your whole plan depends on texting customers first, wait for that or plan around it. Calls and WhatsApp are unaffected.
• G100 gives you US, Canada, or Puerto Rico numbers — not a Pakistani one. That's exactly what you want for looking US-based and passing US sign-ups, but if you actually need a local Pakistani number, this isn't the tool for that job.

Neither of those is a dealbreaker for the usual freelancer's goal — look professional to US clients, run WhatsApp Business, catch OTP codes. It just pays to know before you buy.

Quick setup, start to finish

1. Open app.g100.us and create an account.
2. Add a little balance to your wallet with a card (USD, via Stripe).
3. Search US or Canada numbers, pick one you like — an area code that matches your clients reads nicely — and activate it for $1.95/month.
4. Send yourself a test message and confirm it lands in your inbox. If SMS arrives, WhatsApp verification will too.
5. Register WhatsApp Business on the number, or use it to receive the OTP codes you were stuck on.

That's the entire thing. No VPN gymnastics, no borrowed US address, no number that quietly dies next week.

FAQ

Can I get a US number in Pakistan for free?

Not reliably. The popular free apps — Google Voice and TextNow — need a US setup to register and don't work from Pakistan. A paid US-registered app like G100 works from anywhere and costs a flat $1.95/month, which is cheaper than most people expect once they've wasted time on the free routes.

Will a US number from G100 work for WhatsApp?

Yes. G100 gives you a dedicated US or Canada number that's WhatsApp-ready, so you can register WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business on it and receive the verification code. There's also an optional WhatsApp Business Cloud API plan at $10/month if you want a shared inbox and broadcasts.

Can I receive OTP codes on a G100 US number?

Yes, you can receive SMS and OTP codes today. Just be realistic about which services allow VoIP numbers — some banks and strict apps block them — but for most sign-ups and WhatsApp verification it works fine.

Do I need documents or a US address to sign up?

No. G100 doesn't ask for KYC documents or a US address. You pay in USD with a card through Stripe and choose your number. Just remember G100 sells US, Canada, and Puerto Rico numbers — not Pakistani numbers.

If the goal is a cheap US number you can actually buy and use from Pakistan, the shortlist is short. Grab one at app.g100.us and check the pricing page for the full breakdown before you commit.