Hushed: US Second Phone Number

Review by eFreeware

The people most likely to want Hushed are those who keep handing out a phone number they would rather not give away. If you sell things online, date through apps, sign up for store loyalty schemes or set up utilities in a city you have not moved to yet, your real number ends up scattered across other people's contact lists. Hushed offers a second number that handles calls and texts instead, so the number attached to those conversations is not the one your bank and your family use.

What you get is a virtual line rather than a physical SIM. Numbers are available in more than 300 area codes across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and calls and texts run over the internet using VoIP, so there are no long-distance charges to worry about when the person you are calling is in another country. The app is free to download and carries no ads.

A buffer for dating apps and online listings

The strongest case for a temporary number is the moment a stranger asks for your contact details. On a dating app, passing out your everyday number means that person keeps a permanent line to you whether the conversation goes well or not. A Hushed number gives you somewhere for that exchange to happen, and if things turn unpleasant you can delete the number rather than block a string of new ones.

Selling a couch or a phone through an online ad works the same way. The number stays tied to the item while it is for sale, and once it is gone you can drop the line instead of fielding calls about something you sold a month ago. Because caller ID shows the Hushed number rather than your name, the person on the other end sees a number without a name attached to it.

The developer also pitches this for shopping, where stores ask for a number to send discounts or process refunds, and for forms and surveys that tend to lead to spam. Handing over a temporary line keeps that traffic away from the number you actually answer.

Moving, travel and staying in touch across borders

The same idea applies in reverse when you travel: choose a number in the area code you are visiting and calls to local businesses and new contacts stay local.

Families spread across countries get a version of this too. Picking a number in a relative's local area code turns a call to them into a local call on their end, which matters more in places where receiving a long-distance call costs money. Since the numbers are stored in the app, none of this requires swapping SIM cards or carrying a second handset.

Verification is the one area where I would set expectations carefully. The developer says many third-party services will accept a Hushed number for a verification code sent by text or call, but not all of them will. If a particular account insists on a carrier number, that is outside what the app can promise.

Getting a line running

Setup begins with choosing a number. You pick from the available area codes in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, and the developer says you can start calling and texting right away once you have one. There is no SIM card involved at any stage, and the app stores the numbers for you.

Plans come in one-line and three-line versions, which is worth noting if you want separate numbers for separate parts of your life rather than a single replacement. Calls and texts are unlimited on a subscription, and annual plans carry a 20 percent discount. Subscriptions renew on their own unless you deactivate them at least 24 hours before the current cycle ends, and you manage or cancel the line through your Google Play settings.

One limitation deserves a plain mention: Hushed is not built for 911 services. Emergency calls still need to go through your regular phone number, so this is an addition to your main line rather than a replacement for it.

The features that come with every number

Each virtual number includes voicemail, call forwarding, call routing and auto-reply texts at no extra charge, which covers the basics you would expect from a normal line. Auto-reply is the one I would reach for most often: when you are not available to answer a listing inquiry or a new match, an automatic response keeps the conversation alive without you typing anything.

Calls can be made around the world without long-distance fees. For anyone who has paid per-minute rates to call another country, that is the part of the pitch that carries the most weight.

Numbers are meant to be disposable when you want them to be. You can delete a line you no longer need, which suits short projects like a house sale or a single trip, and the same account can hold onto a number long term if you would rather keep it.

Where the fit is strongest

This is a good match for anyone whose main concern is keeping one number private without giving up calls and texts. People who sell online regularly, date through apps, travel between countries or manage accounts in two places will get the most out of a line they can hand out freely and remove when it stops being useful. The three-line plan in particular looks aimed at someone who wants distinct numbers for distinct purposes.

It is a weaker fit for anyone hoping to drop their carrier entirely. The 911 restriction makes that clear, and verification codes are accepted by many services rather than all of them, so a primary number still has a job to do. The subscription model also means this is an ongoing cost rather than a one-time purchase.

The app has been around a long time, with more than ten million installs and a 4.0 average from over 55,000 ratings, which suggests a settled product rather than a new experiment. A recent update added local currency pricing in the Play Store so you see plan costs in your own money, and fixed a contacts permission prompt that would not open.

A second line worth paying for if privacy is the point

Hushed does one job and does it in a way that covers most of the reasons people want a second number. The combination of 300-plus area codes, unlimited calling and texting on a subscription, and included voicemail, forwarding and auto-reply features makes it a complete virtual line rather than a bare number.

I would suggest it to anyone who regularly gives out a number they would rather keep to themselves, whether that is through marketplace listings, dating apps, store sign-ups or a move to a new city. Travelers and people with family abroad have a clear reason to look at it too. If you need a line for emergencies or for a service that insists on a carrier number, plan on keeping your regular phone as well.

The free download makes it easy to see whether the available area codes suit you before committing to a plan, and the annual discount softens the cost for anyone who intends to keep a line long term. For the specific problem of separating your public life from your private number, it is a straightforward solution.

What's new in version 5.38.1

What's New • Small change, big difference: Prices in Hushed now display in your local Play Store currency instead of only USD, removing the extra step of converting prices yourself. That means the price you see in the app is the price you’ll see in your local currency at checkout. Bug Fixes • We fixed a bug where the contacts permission prompt sometimes refused to open. It opens now.