Rent a German phone number for SMS
A +49 mobile number for German services, readable from anywhere.
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Quick answer
Where can I rent a German phone number for SMS?
KeepANumber rents German mobile numbers (+49) that receive SMS for 7, 30 or 90 days, at $9.50, $16 or $35 as of October 18, 2026. Texts appear in your online dashboard. A German prepaid SIM needs an ID check under § 172 TKG; a rental needs no ID upload, only an email and a crypto payment.
How much does a German number cost?
Prices for one German number as of 2026-10-18: $9.50 for 7 days, $16 for 30 days ($0.53/day) and $35 for 90 days. Stock changes during the day; the checkout shows whether a German number is available before you pay.
Germany phone numbers: key facts
| Country calling code | +49 |
|---|---|
| Mobile number format | +49 15x / 16x / 17x … |
| Telecom regulator | Bundesnetzagentur |
| Mobile operators | Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica (O2) and 1&1 |
| Prepaid SIM registration | ID check before activation (§ 172 TKG) |
| Number portability | Free; the number must be active with the new provider by the next working day (§ 59 TKG) |
| KeepANumber rental | $9.50 (7 days) · $16 (30 days) · $35 (90 days); SMS only |
Why is a German SIM card hard to get without an ID?
Since 1 July 2017 every German prepaid SIM must be linked to a verified identity before it is activated. The rule began as § 111 of the Telecommunications Act, added by the 2016 anti-terror law, and is now § 172 TKG. The Bundesnetzagentur lists the accepted checks (in-store ID, video identification, eID and others) in its Verfügung 94/2021. If you live abroad or prefer not to upload a passport for a second number, that makes a local SIM impractical.
What does a German mobile number look like?
German mobiles start with 015, 016 or 017 nationally, written +49 15x, +49 16x or +49 17x from abroad without the 0. Numbers in the 015x range have 11 digits after the 0, for example 0151 2345 6789; 016x and 017x numbers have 10 or 11. The 0164, 0168 and 0169 ranges are paging services, according to the plan the Bundesnetzagentur filed with the ITU in August 2025.
Who rents a German number?
People who moved to or from Germany and need texts from German shops, classifieds, delivery and rental platforms while their paperwork catches up; people testing their own app with German users; and anyone who wants a number for a listing that they can drop afterwards. For your bank or a public authority, use your own number: those accounts outlive any rental.
How does porting work in Germany?
Under § 59 TKG a number moves for free to a new provider and must work there by the next working day; customers can claim compensation for each day of delay. This concerns numbers on your own contract. A rental cannot be ported: you renew it, or you move your accounts to another number before it ends.
Questions about German numbers
Do I need a German address to rent a German number?
No. You need an email address and a crypto payment.
Is the rental registered in my name?
No SIM is issued in your name. You rent the use of a number for a period; our records are described on the privacy page.
Can I receive texts from German banks?
A rented number is not a good fit for a bank account, which needs a number you keep for years.
Other countries
- Netherlands numbers
+31 · from $9.50 for 7 days
- Poland numbers
+48 · from $9.50 for 7 days
- France numbers
+33 · from $9.50 for 7 days
- Sweden numbers
+46 · from $9.50 for 7 days
- § 172 TKG (Telekommunikationsgesetz), read 2026-10-18
- Bundesnetzagentur: identification procedures for prepaid cards, read 2026-10-18
- ITU, German national numbering plan (8 August 2025), read 2026-10-18
- § 59 TKG, number portability, read 2026-10-18
- Bundesnetzagentur, mobile subscribers, read 2026-10-18