Difference Between Prepaid Numbers and Subscription

Subscriptions vs. Prepaid Numbers

Burner offers two ways to use phone numbers in the app: subscriptions and prepaid numbers. Each has different features and flexibility depending on whether you're using iOS or Android.

Important Note: Please review our criteria on how many times you can change your Burners here.

iOS

Subscriptions

Subscription numbers are auto-renewing and include unlimited calls, texts, and MMS.

You can change your number for free, following the guidelines in our Changing Your Burner Number article. However, the number of swaps you can make depends on your plan. Once you’ve used up all the number swaps for the billing period, you’ll need to wait until the next cycle to change numbers again.

Prepaid Numbers

You can also purchase prepaid numbers separately using credits.

• Each prepaid number costs 8 credits.
• Prepaid numbers last 30 days and come with a limited amount of calls and texts.
• Prepaid numbers cannot be extended to last longer.
• If you’d like to keep the prepaid number permanently, you can attach it to your existing subscription, but only if you have an available slot.

Example 1:

You have a subscription with 3 active lines. If you delete one of those lines, you can attach your prepaid number to that open slot to make it unlimited.

Example 2:

If all your subscription lines are active and you’ve already used all your swaps for the month, you won’t be able to attach a prepaid number until your next billing period begins.

• If you have a 3 line subscription and swap out each of those numbers this billing period, it means you have used up all your spots and cannot attach your prepaid number.

Important: Prepaid numbers are for one-time use unless added to a subscription. They can’t be swapped, extended, or renewed directly.

Android

Subscriptions

Subscription numbers on Android work the same way as on iOS — they auto-renew, include unlimited calls, texts, and MMS, and allow free number swaps according to your plan limits.

Prepaid Numbers

The main difference on Android is flexibility. Android prepaid numbers can be extended using credits.

• You can purchase more texts, minutes, or time to keep your prepaid number active.
• If you prefer not to keep paying for credits, you can also attach a prepaid number to your subscription, as long as an available subscription slot exists.

All the same subscription rules apply: if you’ve used all your numbers or swaps for the month, you’ll need to wait until the next billing cycle before attaching a prepaid number.

Can't find the information you're looking for in our Help Center? Take less than 1 minute to fill out this form and let us know what's missing! Once submitted, we'll make sure to get it updated in under 24 hours!