If you’re an agency managing multiple client accounts, you’re a software development company looking to test your services with real phone numbers, or you just don’t want to use your personal number to create an online account, you’ve probably looked into companies that provide non-VoIP numbers for these purposes.

But with many of these companies offering numbers for short-term use and for hire, you might be wondering how these differ—and which is best for which scenarios. That’s what we’ll be discussing in this guide, so keep reading for everything you’ll need to know about buying short-term-use VoIP numbers vs renting.

First: Their Similarities

Before we look at the difference between these two options, let’s start with what’s the same when comparing buying VoIP numbers for short-term use versus renting them for long-term use: the numbers themselves.

If you use a service like https://www.smspool.net/, you’ll get access to the same high-quality non-VoIP numbers whether you’re renting them over a period of months or buying them for a shorter window of use (usually up to an hour).

There’s no increase in call quality if you’re renting a number longer-term. The idea is that these numbers are tied to real mobile carriers in specific locations (you can choose by region), so they act just as your own phone number would.

Difference Between Buying And Renting Non-VoIP Numbers

The main difference between buying and renting non-VoIP numbers is the time you’ll have access to the number for.

When you’re buying a number for short-term use, you’ll usually only have 20 minutes to an hour to use it. After that, the number will become inactive. That makes it the more affordable option as you’re paying a small, single fee rather than a monthly rental fee, but it also restricts what you can do with the number as you’ll only have access to it for a short amount of time.

When you’re renting a non-VoIP number, you’ll be able to choose your exact rental period. You’ll be able to use the number as often and as freely as you like within this period, and you’ll pay a recurring fee for as long as you rent the number for.

When To Rent Vs When to Buy For Short-Term Use

You might be fine using a non-VoIP number for short-term use if you just need it for:

• One-time testing purposes
• Creating an account that doesn’t require multiple ongoing verifications with the same number
• Trialling a product or service before you commit (after which you can choose to sign up with your own number)

There are a few occasions when you’ll be better off renting a non-VoIP number, including:

• To repeatedly access the same account that requires a phone number for SMS verification or two-factor authentication
• To test an online product or service over a period of weeks or months

Ultimately, it all comes down to your exact planned use case and the right communication infrastructure in your business. If you’re not sure you want to commit to renting a non-VoIP number without testing it out first, you could start by buying a number for short-term use, then go from there.