Petitext vs Google Voice vs Hushed vs Burner: which second phone number fits you?
In short:pick Petitext if you want a number that works entirely from your email — no app, no US requirement, from $1.99 for a single day. Pick Google Voice if you’re in the US and want free, permanent voice + text. Pick Hushed or Burner if you need an app with calling. Pick Firefox Relay if you mainly want to mask your existing number. Petitext does not do voice calls and no virtual number here is dependable for verification codes.
The comparison, honestly
| Petitext | Google Voice | Hushed / Burner | Firefox Relay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| App required | No — email only | Yes (app/web + Google account) | Yes | No (needs a real phone) |
| Works from outside the US | Yes | Largely US-only to obtain | Hushed yes; Burner US/CA only | US/CA only |
| Can text someone first | Yes (number in the email subject line) | Yes | Yes | No (reply-to-last only) |
| Voice calls | No | Yes | Yes | Incoming only |
| Conversation archive | Yes — in your email | In app | In app | Partial |
| Short-term / disposable | Yes — from $1.99/day | No (permanent) | 30-day prepaid from $2.99 (Hushed) | Monthly |
| Monthly option | Not yet — passes up to 7 days | Free | $4.99 (Hushed) – $7.99/mo (Burner) | $3.99–$4.99/mo |
| Reliable for OTP codes | No | Often | Often | Often |
Where Petitext loses
Two rows in that table go against us, and they matter. Petitext has no voice calling — it is a texting service, full stop. If you need to take calls on a second number, Google Voice, Hushed, or Burner are better choices. And Petitext is not reliable for one-time verification codes: our numbers are VoIP-classified, and many services detect and block virtual numbers for OTP delivery. If receiving verification codes is the whole point, none of the virtual-number services are a safe bet, but a carrier-backed option will treat you better than we can.
Where Petitext wins
- No app, no account ecosystem. Everything — receiving, replying, even starting a conversation — happens in the email inbox you already use. Texting someone first is one email: their number in the subject line, your message in the body.
- Works from anywhere. Google Voice is hard to obtain outside the US. A Petitext US or Canada number needs only an email address, so it works for expats, students abroad, and travelers.
- Truly short-term. A day pass is $1.99, a 3-day pass $3.99, a week $8.99. Sell the couch, rent out the room, and let the number expire — no monthly commitment to remember to cancel.
- Your archive is your inbox. Every conversation is saved and searchable in your email, a clear record of what was said — nothing locked inside an app.
What Petitext is not for
Petitext is person-to-person only: one human writing to another. There is no API, no bulk send, no automation, and no marketing messaging — those uses are prohibited and enforced. If you need a business texting platform, this is the wrong product, and we’d rather tell you that here than after you’ve paid.
Competitor details are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of July 16, 2026 — check their sites for current pricing. Last updated: July 16, 2026