Burner gives you a temporary phone number for ~$5/month. Phound Pro gives you a permanent number, unlimited calling, video meetings, AI call summaries, and team messaging — for $9.99/month. And Phound Basic? That's free.
Phound Basic is free forever. Phone numbers and unlimited calling included in Pro — $9.99/mo/user.
What's free vs what's paid
Not every Phound feature costs money. Here's what you get on each plan:
Pro is the plan comparable to Burner's phone number subscription — at roughly twice the price, but with an entire communications platform included.
The basics
Burner is a virtual phone number app that lets you create temporary, secondary phone numbers on iOS or Android. Numbers are subscription-based — you pay monthly to keep them active, and they're deleted when your subscription lapses. Burner is mobile-only, with no desktop app, no video meetings, and no team features.
Burner works well for short-term privacy needs. If you want a permanent virtual number with a full communications platform built around it — a true Burner app alternative — keep reading. Phound is built by the FreeConferenceCall team, with two decades of carrier-grade calling behind it.
Comparison
Note: The comparison below is Burner vs Phound Pro ($9.99/mo) — the plan that includes a real phone number. See the section above for what Phound Basic (free) includes.
| Feature | Burner | Phound Pro ($9.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$4.99/mo per line | $9.99/mo (full platform) |
| Free plan | ✘ None | ✔ Yes (no phone number) |
| Number type | Temporary (expires when you stop paying) | ✔ Permanent |
| Number porting | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| Calling | VoIP only | ✔ Unlimited calling US/MX/CA |
| SMS / MMS | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Video meetings | ✘ No | ✔ Up to 500 participants |
| AI meeting summaries | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| Group messaging | ✘ No | ✔ Yes |
| Desktop app | ✘ Mobile only | ✔ Mac + Windows |
| Multiple / additional numbers | One per subscription | ✔ Multiple lines & profiles |
| Team / business features | ✘ No | ✔ Yes (Business plan) |
* Phound Basic (free) includes Phound-to-Phound calling, meetings up to 100 participants, and messaging — but does not include a real phone number.
Why switch
Burner numbers disappear when you stop paying. Phound Pro numbers are permanent — yours to keep as long as you want.
For $9.99/mo you get unlimited calling, video meetings for 500, SMS, AI summaries, and team messaging. Burner gives you one number.
Phound Basic is free — video meetings, messaging, and AI summaries with no credit card. Burner has no free tier at any level.
iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. Burner is mobile-only. Take Phound to your laptop or work desktop.
Switching
Download Phound on iOS, Android, Mac, or Windows. Sign up free — explore video meetings, messaging, and AI before committing to a plan.
Upgrade to Phound Pro ($9.99/mo) to get a permanent local or toll-free number. Port your existing number or pick a new one.
Once your Phound number is live and your contacts updated, cancel your Burner subscription. Your Phound number stays yours permanently.
Use cases
| If you use Burner for… | Why Phound is better | Relevant plan |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy from spam callers | Virtual number keeps your real number private — and the number doesn't expire | Pro |
| Keeping work and personal separate | Multiple lines and profiles in one app | Pro |
| Verifying apps / sign-ups | Permanent local number works everywhere Burner does | Pro |
| Dating or marketplace listings | Your number stays private with no expiry surprises | Pro |
| Team calls or business lines | Team features, call recording, AI summaries, shared numbers | Business |
| Video calls | Phound includes HD video — Burner offers none at any price | Basic or Pro |
Pricing
Burner starts at approximately $4.99/month per line. Phound Basic is free; Phound Pro, which includes a real phone number and unlimited calling, is $9.99/month.
| Burner | Phound Basic | Phound Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$4.99/mo per line | Free forever | $9.99/mo per user |
| Credit card required? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Includes phone number? | Yes (temporary) | No | ✔ Yes (permanent) |
| Calling | VoIP only | Phound-to-Phound only | Unlimited US/MX/CA |
| SMS | Yes | No (app only) | ✔ Yes — North America |
| Video meetings | ✘ No | Up to 100 participants | Up to 500 participants |
| AI summaries | ✘ No | Meeting summaries | Call + meeting summaries |
| Desktop app | ✘ No | Yes (Mac + Windows) | ✔ Yes (Mac + Windows) |
| Number expires? | Yes — when you stop paying | N/A | ✔ Never |
FAQ
Phound Basic is free forever — no credit card required. The free plan includes Phound-to-Phound calling and video, meetings for up to 100 participants, messaging, and AI meeting summaries. A real phone number that external callers can dial requires Phound Pro at $9.99/month.
Burner gives you a temporary phone number on a monthly subscription — numbers expire when you stop paying. Phound Pro gives you a permanent local number plus unlimited calling in the US/Mexico/Canada, SMS, video meetings for up to 500 people, AI call summaries, and desktop apps — all for $9.99/month.
Yes. A real phone number that any carrier can call requires Phound Pro at $9.99/month. Phound Basic (free) includes Phound-to-Phound calling and video, but does not include an external phone number.
Phound Pro supports number porting for most US carriers. If you'd like to keep an existing number, contact Phound support. Burner numbers are VoIP and typically cannot be ported out.
Yes. Phound is available on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. Burner is mobile-only.
Phound is a leading Burner alternative. At $9.99/month, Phound Pro includes a permanent local number, unlimited calling in the US/Mexico/Canada, SMS, video meetings for 500 participants, and AI call summaries — compared to Burner's approximately $4.99/month for a temporary number only. Also weighing Google Voice? Compare Phound to Google Voice.
Yes. With Phound Pro, you get a virtual local number to use publicly, keeping your personal number private. All calls and messages are protected.
Yes. Phound Business ($18/mo/user) includes smart IVR, shared numbers, business voicemail, AI personal assistant, team management, advanced analytics, and international calling plans.
Phound Basic is free — video meetings, messaging, and AI with no credit card. When you're ready for a permanent phone number, Phound Pro is $9.99/month and includes everything Burner offers plus everything it doesn't.
App Store · Google Play · Mac · Windows
Burner is a trademark of Ad Hoc Labs, Inc. Phound is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ad Hoc Labs. Comparisons are based on publicly available information at time of publication and may change.
