SMS Activate Shuts Down:what is reliable alternatives for receiving SMS verification?

The old version of the temporary number platform SMS Activate announced that it will stop operations starting from December 29, 2025, and will transition relevant technical transfers to HeroSMS. Official statements indicate that former SMS Activate users can continue to purchase services through HeroSMS with certain discounts available, and users with account balances over $30 can apply for refunds after completing identity verifications.

This news has triggered discussions on the increasing demand for temporary numbers overseas, with many users starting to search for other number platforms or stable overseas numbers solutions.

Why are SMS verification service becoming more important?

With the continuous upgrades of overseas platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and TikTok, the registration and verification processes have become stricter. Whether you are an overseas e-commerce seller, overseas media operator, or overseas tool promoter, overseas numbers have now become a core resource for account verification, used not only for "receiving verification codes" but also for directly affecting the reliability and stability of accounts.

1. Accounts require number verification

Compared with email, mobile numbers are uniquely stronger in terms of authenticity, making it easier to obtain and exchange, which is crucial for performing real-time control checks on the identification of registered numbers.

When the system detects abnormal login behavior, or users attempt to change passwords or binding methods, the platform often requires mobile verification. Many apps highly rely on mobile number verification, such as:

Media Type Apps

• Google (for abnormal login and device change, needs stringent mobile verification)
• WhatsApp (for registration, login, changing devices, all highly dependent on mobile number verification)
• Telegram (for registration and partial security operations, must verify via SMS or voice verification code)
• TikTok / TikTok Shop (for registration, login, real-time control verification, and store bindings)
• Zalo (Vietnamese social networking, requires mobile number verification for account registration)

Payment Type Apps

• PayPal, Wise, Skrill (usually for registration, binding devices, changing security settings, abnormal login times need strict SMS verification, used for financial and account security verification)

2. Multiple accounts require batch acquisition

For common users, one mobile number registration corresponds to one account, but for multiple number users, many platforms have strict rules, and one mobile number can only register one account/lifetime account. If you need to conduct batch operations, you will need multiple available mobile numbers.

If you use a physical mobile card, not only will the cost of the number and the device be high, but the management is complicated. Thus, the quantity of overseas number demand is continually increasing, and the numbers are dynamic to the user’s use case.

How to choose a SMS verification service?

In recent years, many users have begun to choose platforms like SMS Activate for number services, as the main reasons are the fast acquisition of numbers, low costs, and no real-name requirement for using the number, providing convenience in testing accounts and timely registration scenarios.

However, as platforms increase their restrictions, the drawbacks of a single-use number service have become increasingly clear:

• High reuse rate: A single number may be used by many users, easily leading to the platform being flagged as "high-risk trading period," making it impossible to complete registration.
• Limited to one-time verification, impossible to use long-term: Many once-off numbers cannot be used continuously; accounts need secondary verification and switching bindings, and cannot perform mobile verification through their own numbers.
• Different environmental conditions do not match: Number originating from one service platform may be used for operations completed on another device or within a different environment, leading to possible false alerts.

In practical scenarios, SMS Activate's closure also reflects a trend, where single-use number platforms are increasingly unable to support long-term demands for overseas number operations, especially for users who operate multiple overseas numbers. It is not only necessary to "have a number" but also to have more stable, long-term, and controllable number solutions to enhance the reliability of account settings.

DuoPlus Cloud Number: Comprehensive Solutions for Numbers and Devices

The stability of overseas numbers is not solely determined by a single factor, but rather the combined results of devices, networks, and numbers. In a platform environment, the authenticity of a number usually determines the flow of channel information obtained through the mobile number, device indicators, IP, and behavior transcripts.

In this context, providing a single number has been unable to satisfy needs. A truly stable number service should also account for multiple sources of number origins, environmental variables, and usage pathways.

To meet the stable demands of overseas number operations, DuoPlus Cloud Numbers not only provide long-term usable overseas numbers but also offer both physical numbers and virtual numbers, while connecting directly to the cloud for use, allowing numbers to exist in the same device environment during registration, logging in, and operational processes.

Why choose DuoPlus Cloud Number for SMS verification?

1. Physical Number / Virtual Number can be freely selected

Users can choose based on business needs to directly select different physical numbers(Non-VOIP) or virtual numbers(VOIP) from different countries for applications like WhatsApp, Telegram, Zalo, TikTok, etc., eliminating the restrictions of a single number type and meaning instant use.

2. Centralized backend management, verification codes directly reaching

All numbers and verification codes are gathered on the backend display, eliminating the need to switch to third-party access platforms, significantly increasing registration and management efficiency.

3. Support for continuous use, suitable for long-term accounts

One-time numbers are unstable, often prone to creating false alerts, while DuoPlus Cloud Numbers support continuous utilization, effectively avoiding the risks brought by multiple switching numbers, particularly in industries requiring ongoing verification.

In traditional number access platforms, a one-time number can cost several dollars, but using DuoPlus's cloud numbers allows you to obtain the lowest price for unlimited access to numbers at just $0.04 a day, significantly lowering your number costs.

Two Types of Usage Scenarios

Depending on different business needs, cloud numbers can be used independently or combined with cloud devices, achieving better authenticity and operational efficiency.

1. Fast registration and management

On DuoPlus, users can quickly complete the registration for the required physical numbers while quickly receiving the verification codes, with DuoPlus primarily assisting in unified management for overseas number numbers through centralized testing and short-term registrations.

2. Long-Term Operations & Environment Simulation

Users can directly purchase cloud phones and cloud numbers on DuoPlus, bind each number to a cloud phone, and achieve secure isolation with a true “one device, one number, one account” setup.

Operational Advantages:

• Effectively improves account authenticity and reduces the risk of platform anti-detection caused by logging into multiple accounts on the same device
• Lowers long-term hardware costs, ideal for multi-account matrix operations

How to Choose the Right Number Type for Your Needs?

Both physical numbers and virtual numbers provided by DuoPlus can be used to receive SMS messages and complete account registration and verification. However, they differ significantly in terms of stability, usage duration, and applicable scenarios.

How to Purchase a Cloud Number?

1. Open the DuoPlus Cloud Phone and register an account

2. Enter the DuoPlus cloud phone dashboard and click “Cloud Number”

3. Select the required country, number type, and rental duration, then complete the purchase

4. All purchased numbers will be displayed centrally in the Cloud Number list

There is no absolute “better” choice between physical and virtual numbers—the key is matching the number type to your use case. If your needs are limited to testing or one-time verification, temporary SMS services can effectively reduce costs. However, for long-term operations on platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or TikTok, or scenarios requiring frequent SMS verification, choosing a renewable overseas number combined with a stable device environment is the more sustainable solution.

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