Refunds and balance
The billing rule is simple: an SMS that arrives is charged, anything else is not. Here is how it looks in the dashboard.
How do refunds work on SMS Nitro?
When you take a number, its price is frozen on your balance and shows as pending. If an SMS arrives, the amount is charged. If you cancel or the reservation expires with no SMS, the amount is released back automatically. There is nothing to request. Rentals are charged upfront and replaced if they receive nothing in the first hour.
Reading your transactions
- Freeze: the price is held when you take a number.
- Charge: the hold becomes a charge when an SMS is delivered.
- Release: the hold disappears when you cancel or the number expires empty.
- Top-up: card or crypto deposits, with bonus lines when a promo applies.
If a charge looks wrong
Open a ticket with the order ID. Support checks the SMS log for that number; if the message was not actually delivered to you, the charge is reversed to your balance. Write to [email protected] if you cannot log in.
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
Can I withdraw my balance?
Balance is prepaid credit for the service; see the refund policy for the exceptions (verified processing errors).