SMS-Activate alternative
SMS-Activate was for years the largest temporary number marketplace and the de facto API standard. Since its closure at the end of 2025, users and software developers need a replacement that speaks the same protocol.
Is SMS-Activate still working?
No. SMS-Activate closed on 29 December 2025 and directed users to Hero SMS; balance withdrawals ended in February 2026 and the old domains now show only a placeholder, so any site operating under that name today is not the original. Scripts written for its API still work with providers that implement the same protocol; SMS Nitro exposes an SMS-Activate-compatible endpoint for that reason.
What SMS-Activate was
A marketplace of virtual numbers from hundreds of countries with activations and rentals, a large affiliate network and an API that dozens of registration tools adopted as their default. Its closure left those tools pointing at a dead endpoint.
What SMS Nitro does differently
- Private numbers only, never shared inboxes.
- Price frozen at purchase, charged only when the SMS arrives; the number is reserved for 20 minutes.
- Live price and recent success rate per app and country before you confirm.
- Card and crypto top-ups from $5, balance that never expires, no subscription.
- REST API plus an SMS-Activate-compatible endpoint, so existing tools migrate by changing the key.
- Catalog written in each language from scratch, with a legal entity, refund policy and support behind it.
Moving from SMS-Activate to SMS Nitro
Create an account, top up from $5 and compare the prices of the apps you use most. If you used SMS-Activate through its API, the SMS-Activate-compatible endpoint lets most scripts run unchanged after you swap the base URL and the key. Numbers that receive no SMS are never charged, so testing a new provider costs nothing when it fails.
Who should pick SMS Nitro
Developers who want to keep their SMS-Activate-based code, and users who want the same catalog model with clearer billing: frozen at purchase, charged only on delivery.
SMS Nitro at a glance
| Billing | Pay only if the code arrives. If no SMS arrives before the number expires, the frozen amount returns to your balance automatically, in full. |
|---|---|
| Number reserved for | Up to 20 minutes per activation. Rentals from 24 hours to 30 days with unlimited incoming SMS. |
| Payment | Card via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay) or crypto (USDC or SOL on Solana). Minimum top-up $5. Card top-ups carry a 10% processing fee; crypto has none. |
| Subscription | None. Pay per verification; your balance never expires. |
| Countries | 180+ countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Germany, Brazil, Indonesia and the Philippines. |
| Apps | 700+ apps and websites: WhatsApp, Telegram, Google, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, OpenAI, PayPal, Tinder, Amazon and more. |
| Developers | REST API plus an SMS-Activate-compatible endpoint. API key available after your first top-up. No API surcharge. |
| Support | Tickets from the dashboard and email, answered by people. |
| Price | From $0.02 per verification code, depending on the app and the country. |
Frequently asked questions
Will my SMS-Activate scripts work?
Most of them, after changing the API base URL and the key. The methods getNumber, getStatus, setStatus, getBalance and getPrices are supported.
Can I transfer my SMS-Activate balance?
No. Balances were held by SMS-Activate; contact their successor for that. SMS Nitro cannot access them.