Get a US or Canadian Virtual Number From the United Kingdom
If you are in the United Kingdom and want a United States or Canadian number, it costs $2.14 per month and works for receiving and making calls. Text messages are not supported.
What you get
- Select a United States or Canadian number while you are in the United Kingdom
- Make calls from the number and receive calls on the same number
- Know the monthly price is $2.14 and the service is calling only
How it works
Choose your number
Decide whether a United States or Canadian number fits the calls you need
Confirm calls only
Confirm that you need calls rather than text messages
Set up your number
Get the number for $2.14 per month and use it for incoming and outgoing calls
Why people use StartACall
Instant setup
Start calling in seconds from any browser. Nothing to install.
Pay as you go
Per minute pricing, no monthly plan, and your credit never expires.
No app, no SIM
Works in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox on desktop and mobile.
Can you get a North American number while living in the United Kingdom?
Yes. A person in the United Kingdom can buy and use a virtual number with a United States or Canadian area code. The number is for calling, so people can call it and you can place calls from it through the service. It is not a way to obtain a United Kingdom number, and it does not include text messaging. StartACall offers these two number countries only: the United States and Canada. Choose the country and area code that makes sense for the people who need to reach you, rather than assuming your physical location determines what you can use. If you need callers in London or elsewhere in the UK to see a local UK number, this particular product will not meet that requirement. Buying a number does not alter your UK address, mobile provider, or legal obligations. It simply gives callers a voice route using the selected North American number.
What a virtual number is useful for
A United States or Canadian virtual number can give overseas customers, relatives, suppliers, or applicants a familiar number to call. It can be useful when a business serves North American contacts from the UK, when a family wants a simple calling route, or when you need to separate a calling identity from a personal mobile number. The practical question is not whether the number makes you physically local. It is whether a caller benefits from dialing a US or Canadian number and whether voice calls are the interaction you need. Before purchasing, decide which country and area code will be clearest to the people who will call. A number intended for contacts in Toronto may need a different area code from one intended for contacts in California. Consider what happens outside your working hours too. A number can reduce dialing friction, but it cannot replace clear contact instructions or prompt call handling.
Calling capabilities and the important limitation
The virtual number both makes and receives calls. That matters because some number products only forward incoming calls or only provide an outgoing caller ID. Here, use it for voice conversations in both directions, subject to the normal service setup and applicable calling conditions. It does not support SMS. Do not buy it for verification texts, two factor authentication codes, appointment reminders by text, or customer conversations that depend on messages. A calling plan and a text capable mobile line solve different problems. Tell contacts to call the number, and keep another channel available if they normally send texts. Setting that expectation before sharing the number avoids missed communications and reduces the chance that someone mistakes a voice number for a full mobile service. If a form requires a mobile number for texts, use a suitable separate number rather than relying on this voice product.
Cost and how it fits with international calling
The virtual number costs 2.14 dollars per month. That monthly charge is for keeping the US or Canadian number available, not a replacement for call charges. StartACall can place calls to any phone number in 195+ countries from a browser tab. Those calls are prepaid and billed per minute, with no subscription for the calling service. Keep the two ideas separate when budgeting. Number availability is limited to the United States and Canada, while the browser calling reach covers destinations worldwide. Add prepaid balance for the calls you plan to make, then keep the number only if the convenience of receiving and making calls with that North American identity is worth the monthly charge. Review your likely call pattern rather than choosing based on a vague idea of international coverage. A caller in another country can still reach the number, but their own carrier may apply its normal charges.
How to choose between a US and Canadian number
Start with your audience. Select a US number when most callers expect a United States area code, and select a Canadian number when Canada is the more natural calling context. Consider time zones, the location shown on your website or paperwork, and whether callers already associate you with one market. An area code can make a number easier to recognize, but it does not create an office, residency, or local eligibility where those are required. Avoid presenting the number as proof that you are located in that country. If you serve both markets, choose the one that removes the most friction for the contacts who call most often. You can explain your UK location plainly while still offering a convenient North American voice number for inbound and outbound conversations. Choose based on the calls you expect next month, not on a country you might serve later.
Set expectations before you share the number
Once you have selected a number, test an incoming call and an outgoing call before putting it on a contact page, invoice, or email signature. Check that the person answering knows it is a voice line and knows how to handle callers in the relevant time zone. State a clear calling window where appropriate. If your contacts may try to text, say that the number is for calls only and provide an email address or another messaging method. For international outbound needs, use the browser calling service rather than assuming the virtual number changes which countries can be called. Calls can reach any phone number in 195+ countries, but the purchasable virtual numbers remain US and Canadian only. This distinction makes the setup easier to explain and prevents an avoidable mismatch between expectation and service. Update every place the number appears if your preferred contact method changes, so callers receive the same guidance.
US or Canadian virtual number compared with a UK number need
| US or Canadian virtual number | Need for a UK number | |
|---|---|---|
| Available country | United States or Canada | Not available through this product |
| Use from the UK | Available | Does not apply |
| Voice calls | Makes and receives calls | Choose a service that offers a UK voice number |
| SMS | Not supported | Choose a text capable service if messages are required |
| Monthly number cost | 2.14 dollars | Varies by provider |
Common questions
Can I buy a US virtual number from the United Kingdom?
Yes. You can buy and use a United States virtual number while in the United Kingdom.
Can I get a United Kingdom virtual number?
No. Virtual numbers are available for the United States and Canada only.
Does the number receive calls?
Yes. It can receive calls and it can also be used to make calls.
Can people text my virtual number?
No. The virtual number does not support SMS.
How much does the virtual number cost?
It costs 2.14 dollars per month.
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