How to Get a US Phone Number for Your LLC
Required for Stripe activation and useful for banking. Best options ranked by cost and reliability.
Key Takeaways
- US phone number required for Stripe customer support field
- Ultra Mobile PayGo: $3/month, real carrier number (not VoIP)
- Must enable WiFi Calling to use outside the US
- Real carrier > Google Voice for business (some services reject VoIP)
- Keep balance topped up — losing this number affects your business accounts
Why You Need a US Phone Number
When you activate your Stripe account, you are required to provide a US phone number for the customer support field. This is the number your customers will see on their credit card statements. Stripe requires a valid US number — international numbers are not accepted for this field.
A US phone number is also helpful when setting up a Mercury bank account and other US-based financial services. Having a real carrier number (not VoIP) makes your business appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
Why Real Carrier Matters
- Some services (Stripe, banks) reject VoIP numbers during verification
- Real carrier numbers on the T-Mobile network are much harder to spoof
- Better reliability for receiving SMS verification codes
- More professional appearance for customer-facing support lines
Option 1: Ultra Mobile PayGo (Recommended)
Ultra Mobile PayGo is the best option for most foreign founders. It costs just $3/month and gives you a real T-Mobile carrier number — not VoIP.
What's Included ($3/month)
- Real T-Mobile network number
- WiFi Calling: 100 minutes + 100 texts included
Overage Rates
- Calls: $3.59/min
- Texts received: $0.10/text
- Texts sent: $0.50/text
- Data: $0.20/MB
Where to Buy
You can purchase from JD.com (some sellers pre-activate the SIM for you) or directly from ultramobile.com. Pre-activated SIMs save you the hassle of activation.
Note: Ultra Mobile PayGo had risk control issues in 2025, but these were resolved as of August 2025. The service is currently stable and working normally.
WiFi Calling Setup (Critical Step)
Critical Warning
You must enable WiFi Calling to use your Ultra Mobile SIM outside the United States. Without WiFi Calling enabled, the SIM will not work internationally. This is the most common mistake — do not skip this step.
Insert SIM card
Insert the Ultra Mobile SIM into your iPhone.
Open WiFi Calling settings
Go to Settings → Cellular → WiFi Calling → Enable WiFi Calling on This iPhone.
Enter E911 address
You need a US address for E911 registration. Use any valid US address from Google Maps. Some addresses are overused and may fail — try different ones if the first doesn't work.
Example E911 Address Format
2900 Ford Rd, Bristol, PA 19007 US
Option 2: Tello (eSIM Only)
Tello offers flexible plans starting from $5/month with eSIM support. This is a good alternative when Ultra Mobile is unavailable or if you prefer eSIM.
Key Details
- Plans starting from $5/month
- eSIM only — no physical SIM option
- WiFi Calling supported
- Flexible plan customization
Note: If your phone does not support eSIM natively, you will need an eSIM adapter such as PlanB Switch to use Tello.
Option 3: Google Voice (Not Recommended)
Google Voice is free but uses VoIP technology. While it works for personal use, it is not recommended for business purposes.
Why We Don't Recommend It
- VoIP-based — some services (Stripe, banks) reject VoIP numbers
- Requires an existing US number to set up (catch-22 for foreign founders)
- OK for personal use, but risky for business-critical accounts
- Number portability is limited
Cost Comparison
| Service | Monthly | Type | WiFi Calling | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra Mobile PayGo | $3 | Real carrier | Yes | Yes (best value) |
| Tello | $5+ | eSIM | Yes | Yes (backup) |
| Google Voice | Free | VoIP | N/A | No (business) |
| Skype Number | $3/mo | VoIP | N/A | No |
Ultra Mobile PayGo
Monthly: $3
Type: Real carrier
WiFi Calling: Yes
Recommended: Yes (best value)
Tello
Monthly: $5+
Type: eSIM
WiFi Calling: Yes
Recommended: Yes (backup)
Google Voice
Monthly: Free
Type: VoIP
WiFi Calling: N/A
Recommended: No (business)
Skype Number
Monthly: $3/mo
Type: VoIP
WiFi Calling: N/A
Recommended: No
Important Tips
Keep Your Balance Topped Up!
Number deactivation causes major issues with Stripe and banking. If you lose your US phone number, you may lose access to critical business accounts that rely on it for verification.
- Charge extra credit in one go — each top-up has taxes added
- Set calendar reminders for monthly top-ups
- Pre-pay 2-3 months at a time when possible
- This number is a critical business asset — treat it accordingly
FAQ
Can I use a non-US number for Stripe?
No. Stripe requires a valid US phone number for the customer support field on your account. International numbers are not accepted for this purpose.
Can I port my number to another carrier later?
Yes. You can port your Ultra Mobile number to another carrier if needed. Make sure to initiate the port before your current plan expires to avoid losing the number.
What if Ultra Mobile is unavailable or down?
Use Tello as your backup option. Tello offers eSIM plans starting at $5/month with WiFi Calling support.