Temporary number for Steam verification
Steam does not need a phone to create an account, but it asks for one the moment you set up the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, enable trade confirmations or recover a locked account. Steam sends a 5-digit code by SMS and states that VoIP numbers are not supported, so a physical-SIM line is required. Once linked, the number is tied to Steam Guard and to trade holds. SMS Nitro reserves a physical-SIM number for 20 minutes; read the code in your dashboard and pay only if the code arrives.
Can I verify Steam with a temporary number?
Yes. Pick Steam in the catalog, choose a country (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland have the best recent results), enter the number in the app and read the 5-digit code in your dashboard. The number is reserved for 20 minutes and you are charged only when the SMS arrives. Steam rejects most VoIP numbers, so choose a country marked physical SIM. Numbers for Steam are unlimited and never run out.
- Availability
- Unlimited: Steam numbers never run out, available 24/7
- Price
- From $0.02 per code (Brazil, last snapshot)
- Code format
- 5 digits by SMS
- VoIP numbers
- Usually rejected: use physical SIM
- Number reserved for
- 20 minutes
- Billing
- Only when the code arrives; automatic refund otherwise
- Best countries
- United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland
Steam number prices by country
Fixed public prices per delivered code. Logged in, you see the live price and success rate before confirming.
| Country | Code | Price per code |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | +55 | $0.02 |
| United Kingdom | +44 | $0.02 |
| Kenya | +254 | $0.02 |
| Portugal | +351 | $0.02 |
| Canada | +1 | $0.03 |
| United States | +1 | $0.04 |
| Indonesia | +62 | $0.04 |
| Netherlands | +31 | $0.04 |
| Malaysia | +60 | $0.05 |
| Philippines | +63 | $0.05 |
| France | +33 | $0.05 |
| Kazakhstan | +7 | $0.05 |
Prices snapshot from 2026-10-31. Charged only when the SMS arrives.
Best countries for this app
How to get a Steam verification code
Choose Steam in the catalog
Pick a country; the price is shown before you confirm.
Enter the number in the app
Select the country code and type the number in Steam's sign-up or verification screen.
Read the 5-digit code
It appears in your dashboard within seconds of being sent.
Pay only if it arrives
No SMS within 20 minutes means the amount returns to your balance.
Why use a temporary number for Steam?
- Enable the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator on a second Steam account used for a child or a family library.
- Developers and QA teams verifying test accounts on Steamworks without exposing staff phone numbers.
- Trade and Community Market confirmations require Steam Guard mobile, which requires a phone on the account.
- Keep your personal mobile off an account you stream from or share publicly.
Best countries for Steam verification
Steam checks the type of line, not the country, so any physical-SIM number in the SMS Nitro catalog can be added to a Steam account registered elsewhere. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland are listed as best for Steam because SMS delivery to these carriers is consistent. Cheapest physical-SIM options at the last price snapshot: $0.02 in Brazil, $0.02 in the United Kingdom and $0.02 in Portugal, with the United States at $0.04. Steam has 32 countries available with unlimited numbers.
Tips to keep the Steam account
- Write down the Steam Guard recovery code (it starts with R) shown when you enable the authenticator; it restores access when the number is gone.
- Keep the Steam Mobile app signed in on your phone: after setup, Steam Guard codes are generated in the app, not sent by SMS, so the expired number is not needed for logins.
- Removing the Mobile Authenticator later puts a 15-day hold on trades and Market listings, so set it up once and keep that app installed.
- Steam asks you to select the country from a list and then type the number; enter only the national part without +1 or +44.
If Steam rejects the number or the code is slow
- Steam says the phone number is a VoIP number or cannot be used → switch to a physical-SIM number; SMS Nitro marks the pool on each product. Nothing is charged for the rejected attempt because no code arrived.
- SMS never arrives but Steam shows the code screen → wait 3 minutes before requesting again. After the 20-minute hold the amount comes back to your balance automatically; order a new number and retry.
- 'Too many attempts, please try again later' → Steam rate-limits phone changes on an account. Wait a few hours before adding a number again instead of buying several numbers in a row.
Frequently asked questions
Does Steam require a phone number?
Not to create an account, but yes to enable the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, confirm trades and Community Market listings and use some account recovery options. Steam sends a 5-digit SMS code to the number you add under Account Details.
Does Steam accept VoIP or virtual numbers?
No. Steam states that VoIP numbers are not supported for phone verification. Use a physical-SIM number; every SMS Nitro product shows which pool it belongs to, and the countries listed as best for Steam are physical-SIM lines.
Can I use a temporary number from SMS Nitro for Steam Guard?
Yes. Buy a physical-SIM number, add it in Steam Account Details, read the 5-digit code in your SMS Nitro dashboard and enter it. The number is reserved for 20 minutes and you pay only if the code arrives.
What happens to Steam Guard when the temporary number expires?
The Mobile Authenticator in the Steam app keeps working, because codes are generated on the device, not sent by SMS. Save the recovery code shown during setup. Only a later phone change or authenticator removal would need a new SMS.
Which country is cheapest for a Steam verification number?
At the last price snapshot, physical-SIM numbers cost $0.02 in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Kenya and Portugal, and $0.04 in the United States and Indonesia. Steam accepts international numbers regardless of the account's store region.
How much does a temporary number for Steam cost?
From $0.02 per delivered code in Brazil at the last price snapshot; physical-SIM pools and strict countries cost more. The exact price for Steam is shown before you confirm and is frozen until the SMS arrives.
How long is the number reserved for Steam?
20 minutes. During that time the number is yours alone and every SMS from Steam appears in your dashboard. You pay only when the first code arrives.
What if the Steam code never arrives?
You are not charged. The held amount returns to your balance automatically and you can take another number for Steam, from the same or a different country, right away.
Does Steam accept virtual numbers?
Rarely. Steam checks the carrier behind the number and refuses most VoIP ranges, so pick a country marked physical SIM; those are real carrier lines.
Can I receive a second Steam code on the same number?
Yes, while the number is active, at no extra cost. Ask Steam to resend and read the new SMS in the same dashboard row; the latest code is the valid one.
Does Steam see my real phone number?
No. Steam only sees the temporary number you typed. Your personal number is never shared, and the SMS is read in your SMS Nitro dashboard, not on your phone.
Related pages
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