Burner is a real app from Ad Hoc Labs, Inc. of Los Angeles, launched in 2012, that gives you a second phone number on your existing phone, and its FAQ says it doesn't sell or share your personal information. The catch is that numbers and messages can be deleted for good if a payment fails or a prepaid number runs out.
If you've ever wanted to keep your real number off an online classified ad, a dating profile or a business sign-up form, you've probably come across Burner. Before you hand over a phone number, even a spare one, it's sensible to ask whether the app is safe. I've read through Burner's own FAQ and help centre so I can tell you what it says, and where it stays silent.
Who makes Burner and what it does
According to Burner's FAQ, the app is made by Ad Hoc Labs, Inc., which is based in Los Angeles. Burner launched in 2012 and runs on iOS, Android and the web. So it's a long-running product from a named US company, not a fly-by-night download.
The idea is simple. Burner says it gives you a real second phone number on the phone you already have. You can hold several numbers at once, choose an area code when you create one, and use each for a different purpose, such as work, selling things online or meeting new people.
How Burner calls and texts work
Burner's FAQ describes calls to a standard Burner number as routed to your main cell number by default, so your phone rings as normal. Callers see your Burner number rather than your personal one. It supports calls, texts and picture messages, and it describes a virtual number as one that lives in an app rather than on a SIM card.
That's the privacy value: the person on the other end never gets your real digits. If you want more ideas for keeping a business line separate, my guide to getting a free business telephone number covers some other routes.
What Burner says about your privacy
Burner's help centre says the service was designed to provide user-to-user privacy, so people can communicate by voice and text without sharing permanent or semi-permanent phone numbers. Its FAQ also says Burner doesn't sell or share your personal information with third parties.
There's a limit to what I can tell you. The help page on data protection gives a high-level overview and points to the privacy policy and terms of service for what data is collected, and I couldn't read those full documents. So I won't claim anything about encryption, audits or how Burner answers legal requests. If those details matter to you, read the privacy policy before you rely on the app.
When Burner numbers expire or get deleted
This is the safety issue most people overlook. A second number is only useful while you still have it, and Burner's own help pages are clear about when it goes.
- Subscription numbers renew automatically and don't expire on their own. They end if a payment fails or if you delete the number yourself.
- If a payment fails, you get a 7 days grace period to update your payment method before the Burner is deleted.
- Prepaid numbers have an expiration date and are deleted within 30 days unless you upgrade to a subscription. The app notifies you in advance.
- Deleting a Burner number is permanent and removes the associated calls, texts and voicemail.
The help centre adds that once a number expires or is burned, all associated message content, meaning texts and media, is permanently deleted from Burner's system. It does keep limited activity records such as the date and time of calls or messages, and says those don't include the content of messages or calls. Its advice is to save anything important before a number goes.
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| What I checked | What Burner's own pages say |
|---|---|
| Who makes it? | Ad Hoc Labs, Inc., based in Los Angeles |
| Launched? | 2012 |
| Do calls reach my phone? | Standard numbers route to your main number by default |
| Sells personal data? | Says it doesn't sell or share it |
| Failed payment? | 7 days grace period, then the number is deleted |
| Prepaid numbers? | Deleted within 30 days unless upgraded |
The catch with using a Burner number
- Losing the number can mean losing access to anything tied to it, such as account logins that send codes to that number. Don't use a Burner number as the only way into important accounts.
- A second number isn't a promise of anonymity. Burner keeps limited activity records, and a service that asks for ID will still know your identity.
- Burner's FAQ is silent on whether a deleted number may later be reassigned to someone else, so treat an old number as one that could end up elsewhere.
- I couldn't confirm Burner's cancellation, refund or emergency calling rules from its public pages, so check the terms in the app before you rely on it for anything urgent.
Scams and fake Burner apps
Anything that handles your phone number attracts copycats. Install Burner only from the official App Store or Google Play listing, or from its own website, and check that the publisher is Ad Hoc Labs, Inc.
- Ignore messages or ads offering free premium numbers in return for your login.
- Never share verification codes that arrive on any number with anyone who asks for them. Real companies don't need them from you.
- Be careful when a buyer or 'support agent' asks you to move a chat to your Burner number and then asks for payment outside the platform.
- If you're selling things online and want to judge dodgy sellers or fake praise, my guide to spotting a fake product review.
My verdict on Burner
Short answer: Burner is a real, long-running app from a named company, and it does what it says, which is give you a spare number that rings through to your main phone. It's reasonably safe for keeping your real number private in everyday situations. It isn't a magic privacy shield, and you can lose a number and its messages for good if a payment fails or a prepaid number runs out. Back up what matters and read the privacy policy first.
Frequently asked questions
Is Burner app legit?
Yes. Burner's FAQ says it's made by Ad Hoc Labs, Inc. of Los Angeles and launched in 2012. It gives you a second phone number on your existing phone.
Does Burner sell my personal information?
Burner's FAQ says it doesn't sell or share your personal information with third parties. For full detail on what it collects, read its privacy policy.
What happens when a Burner number expires?
Subscription numbers don't expire on their own, but a failed payment gives you a 7 days grace period before deletion. Prepaid numbers are deleted within 30 days unless you upgrade, and message content is permanently deleted afterwards.
Do my calls go to my real phone?
Burner's FAQ says calls to a standard Burner number are routed to your main cell number by default, and callers see your Burner number instead of your personal one.
Is a Burner number completely anonymous?
No. Burner's help centre says it keeps limited activity records such as the date and time of calls or messages, though not their content, and any service that checks your identity will still know your identity.
