Virtual US & UK Numbers and Cheap International Calling: Rentals, Per-Minute Rates and How Zitto Compares

Quick answer: A rented virtual number gives you a US or UK phone number that works from any phone or computer, for a small business line, remote work, family abroad or travel. Zitto states its UK and US rentals cost $8/month and calls to the US cost $0.04/minute [CLIENT-PROVIDED, verify on the pricing page]. Compare that with alternatives on four things: monthly fee, per-minute rate, what's included (SMS, inbound calls), and signup requirements.

Disclosure: Zitto sells virtual numbers and calling. Competitor details come from their own pages on the date shown at the top. They change, so check before you buy.

Who actually needs a second number (illustrative scenarios)

• The freelancer abroad: lives in Lisbon, works with US clients, and wants them to call a US number at local rates.
• The small online shop: wants a UK customer-service line without a physical office.
• The family caller: calls parents in the US every week and is tired of roaming charges.
• The traveller: has a data-only travel eSIM (see our eSIM guide) and needs a number for bookings and restaurants.
• The privacy-minded: doesn't want to hand out a personal mobile number on marketplaces or dating apps.

What you get with a rented number

Price comparison: numbers and calling

Note: Microsoft announced Skype's retirement in 2025. Check the current status of any Skype-related product before you compare it.

How to read this: business VoIP suites are good when a team needs shared inboxes and CRM integrations. Google Voice is hard to beat if you qualify for it. Zitto's case is simple flat pricing, no account checks and crypto payment, for individuals and small teams who just want a number and cheap minutes.

Doing the per-minute math

Monthly cost = number rental + (minutes × rate)

** Billing increments matter. Per-minute rounding can add 10–30% to the cost of short calls compared with per-second billing.

Call quality: what makes VoIP sound good

1. Connection: 100 kbps up/down is plenty for a voice call. Stable matters more than fast.
2. Latency & jitter: under ~150 ms one-way feels natural.
3. Codec: Opus and G.711 are common. Opus copes better with poor connections.
4. Routing quality: cheap carriers sometimes use low-quality routes. Test calls to the numbers you actually ring.
5. Headset: a cheap wired headset beats a laptop mic for the person on the other end.

Setting up a remote business line in 15 minutes

1. Rent a US or UK number.
2. Set call forwarding to your mobile, app or SIP softphone.
3. Record a short voicemail greeting with your business name.
4. Set business hours and an after-hours message.
5. Put the number on your website, Google Business Profile and invoices.
6. Test an inbound and outbound call from another phone.

Compliance basics

• Telemarketing & robocall rules: in the US, the TCPA and STIR/SHAKEN caller-ID authentication rules apply to outbound calling. In the UK, Ofcom and PECR rules apply.
• Caller ID honesty: only display numbers you're entitled to use.
• Recording calls: consent rules vary by state and country. Tell people when you record.
• Local presence rules: some countries need address proof for local numbers. Ask your provider which numbers are available without it.

Numbers vs eSIM: which do you need?

Zitto's pitch is having all three in one place, all paid in crypto.

Choosing a provider: checklist

• Monthly price and what's included
• Per-minute rate and billing increment for your main destinations
• Inbound SMS/calls supported
• Caller ID on outbound calls
• App or SIP support for your devices
• Porting out allowed
• Refund policy
• Payment methods you're comfortable with

US vs UK numbers: practical differences

Tip: for a customer-facing line, a geographic number in your customers' region tends to get more calls answered than an unfamiliar or toll-free one.

Softphone setup options

1. Provider app: easiest. Calls ring in a mobile or desktop app.
2. SIP credentials: use any SIP client (e.g. Linphone, Zoiper, Bria) on desktop or mobile. Good for teams with an existing phone setup.
3. Call forwarding: forward to your existing mobile. Simple, but you may pay forwarding minutes.
4. Web dialer: call from the browser with no install.

Whichever you pick, test from a weak connection (e.g. café Wi-Fi) before relying on it for client calls.

Cost control for calling

• Set a monthly budget alert if the provider supports it.
• Check mobile vs landline rates: some destinations charge more to call mobiles. For the US, rates are often the same for both, but confirm.
• Prefer per-second billing if you make many short calls.
• Use messaging apps for long personal calls where both sides have data. Save paid minutes for landlines, businesses and people without data.
• Watch for premium-rate numbers: calls to premium destinations can cost far more than standard rates.

Worked example: a freelancer's monthly phone bill (illustrative)

Based on Zitto's client-stated rates: one US number at $8/month, plus 15 client calls a week averaging 12 minutes to US numbers.

• Minutes: 15 × 12 × 4.3 ≈ 774 min
• Calling: 774 × $0.04 ≈ $30.96
• Total ≈ $38.96/month (before any taxes or fees)

Compare this with a business VoIP plan whose per-user price includes unlimited US calling. Above a certain number of minutes, an unlimited plan may cost less. Below it, pay-per-minute usually wins. Work out where that cut-off falls for you.

Privacy and data handling

A second number keeps your personal mobile number private, but the provider still processes call logs, numbers dialled and sometimes recordings. Before choosing any provider, check:

• How long call records are kept
• Whether recordings or voicemails are stored and where
• Whether they ask for identity documents for certain countries
• How lawful data requests are handled

Moving your number later (porting)

If you might switch providers, ask before renting:

1. Is porting out supported for this number type?
2. Is there a porting fee?
3. What documents are needed? Porting usually needs proof the number is yours, such as an account PIN or a letter of authorisation.

Virtual numbers from some providers can't be ported out at all. If the number will be printed on business cards, check this first.

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Bottom line

For most individuals and small teams, a second number and cheap calls should cost a few dollars a month, with no paperwork. At the client-stated $8/month rental and $0.04/minute to the US, Zitto is in a competitive range. Back it with a live pricing page and a fair, dated comparison, and the case makes itself.

FAQ

Zitto US/UK number price? $8/month, as stated by Zitto. Confirm on the pricing page. Calls to the US? $0.04/minute, as stated by Zitto. Check the billing increment. Receive calls and texts? Depends on the number type. Check what's included. Legal? Yes, within telecom and anti-spam rules.