# Virtual number

A virtual number is a phone number not tied to a SIM in your own phone: it is hosted by a provider and forwards its SMS to a web dashboard or an API.

## What is Virtual number?

A virtual number is a phone number not tied to a SIM in your own phone: it is hosted by a provider and forwards its SMS to a web dashboard or an API.

## Virtual numbers for verification

In the verification market the term covers both internet-based numbers and carrier SIMs hosted in a provider's hardware. What matters to the app is the line type, which is why the catalog shows it.

Source: https://smsnitro.com/glossary/virtual-number