Ghost vs Google Voice vs Hushed: Best App for Private Texting

Private texting in 2026 offers three distinct paths: Ghost masks your real number per message without a subscription, Google Voice gives you a free US second line tied to your Google account, and Hushed sells prepaid temporary numbers on fixed-duration plans. This comparison examines features, privacy tradeoffs, and six-month cost scenarios so you can choose the right tool for dating safety, marketplace contact, freelance client communication, and everyday stranger interactions.

Understanding the Three Models

People searching for "private texting apps" often assume all options work the same way. They do not. Ghost, Google Voice, and Hushed represent three different architectures for separating your personal identity from your communications.

Ghost (number masking): You send SMS from your existing phone. Recipients see a protected sender ID — not your real mobile number. There is no second line to manage, no inbox to monitor, and no number for recipients to save. You pay per message via credits ($1/5, $4/20, $10/50) that never expire.

Google Voice (free second line): Google assigns you a US phone number for calls, texts, and voicemail. It is a real, persistent number tied to your Google account. Free for personal use in supported regions. Recipients interact with your Google Voice number — not a masked version of your personal line.

Hushed (prepaid disposable numbers): You purchase a real phone number for a fixed duration — 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, or 365 days. When the plan expires, the number disappears unless you renew. Multiple numbers available for different purposes.

Understanding this distinction prevents the most common mistake: choosing a second-number app when you need identity masking, or choosing a masking tool when you need a persistent business line with voicemail.

For context on what "private" means in SMS, read anonymous SMS vs end-to-end encryption. None of these three apps encrypt message content. They protect your phone identity to varying degrees.

Ghost: Identity Masking Without a Second Line

Ghost solves a specific problem: you need to text someone you do not fully trust with your real phone number, and you may never need to contact them again after this interaction.

When you send through Ghost, your personal mobile number stays completely hidden. The recipient sees a masked sender ID. They cannot reverse-lookup your name, save your number for future contact, or call you back on your personal line. If you include a Reply Link, they can respond through a web interface — still without learning your real number.

Strengths:

• Real number never exposed — true identity masking
• Pay-as-you-go with no subscription ($1 minimum)
• Credits never expire — no monthly pressure to use them
• 100+ country outbound SMS coverage
• Reply Links for anonymous two-way conversation
• Message scheduling
• Free trial at /free — no account required

Weaknesses:

• SMS only — no voice calls or voicemail
• Not encrypted — protects identity, not content
• No persistent number for business cards or long-term contact
• Android app and web; verify current iOS availability

Ghost is ideal when your privacy need is "this person should never know my real number" rather than "I need a second phone line." See /how-ghost-protects-privacy for the full technical explanation.

Google Voice: Free US Line, Google Account Required

Google Voice is Google's free telephony service for US users. It provides a real phone number with calling, texting, and voicemail — integrated with your Google account and accessible across devices.

Strengths:

• Free for personal use in the US
• Full calling, texting, and voicemail
• Transcription of voicemails
• Works on web, Android, and iOS
• Call screening and spam filtering
• Number porting available

Weaknesses:

• Requires Google account — ties to your broader Google identity
• US-focused — limited or no availability in many countries
• Not number masking — recipients get a real, saveable number
• Google account connection raises privacy concerns for some users
• Business features require paid Google Workspace
• Google can change or discontinue services (history of product shutdowns)

Google Voice is an excellent free option if you want a US second line for calls and texts and are comfortable with Google account integration. It is not ideal if your goal is to hide your identity from strangers — recipients still receive a persistent number connected (through account records) to you.

Compare with Ghost on our /ghost-vs-textnow page for a related second-line vs masking analysis.

Hushed: Prepaid Temporary Second Numbers

Hushed occupies the middle ground between permanent second lines and ephemeral masking. You buy a real phone number for a defined period, use it for calls and texts, and let it expire when you are done.

Strengths:

• Numbers in multiple countries (US, Canada, UK, and others)
• Flexible duration plans (7-day to 365-day)
• Calling and texting on purchased numbers
• No long-term subscription required — prepaid model
• Multiple numbers for different purposes simultaneously
• Voicemail on supported plans

Weaknesses:

• Numbers expire when plans end — renewal required for ongoing use
• Per-number pricing adds up with multiple lines
• Not true masking — recipients see and save your Hushed number
• Account and payment information required
• Outbound international SMS varies by number type and plan
• No Reply Link equivalent for identity-free two-way contact

Hushed fits users who want a real temporary number for a defined period — a two-week vacation, a month-long project, a dating chapter — without committing to a monthly subscription like Burner.

Feature Comparison Table

Feature availability based on public product information as of early 2026. Verify current capabilities on each provider's website.

Six-Month Cost Analysis

Pricing structure matters as much as features. Here is what six months of typical use costs on each platform.

Prices as of early 2026. Ghost at 20¢/SMS. Hushed pricing varies by country and duration. Google Voice free tier assumes US personal use.

Reading the cost table

Google Voice wins on price for US users who want a persistent second line with calling — it is free. The cost is not financial; it is privacy (Google account tie-in) and the fact that recipients get a real, saveable number.

Ghost wins on cost efficiency for intermittent stranger contact. If you text 15 strangers per month, you spend ~$3/month with no waste. You are not paying for a number sitting idle between interactions.

Hushed wins on cost when you need a real number with calling for a defined period and Ghost's SMS-only masking is insufficient. A 30-day US number at ~$5 beats Ghost if you need inbound calls — but costs more than Ghost if you only need occasional outbound texts.

See /affordable-sms for Ghost's full pricing breakdown.

Privacy Compared: Identity vs Account vs Number

Financial cost tells half the story. Privacy cost tells the other half.

Ghost's privacy model: Your real phone number is the asset being protected. Ghost ensures it never reaches the recipient. There is no persistent second identity to link back to you through a saved number. The tradeoff: message content is not encrypted, and Ghost processes messages through its service (see /privacy-summary).

Google Voice's privacy model: Your Google account is the identity anchor. The Voice number is separate from your personal mobile, but Google connects both through your account — along with your email, search history, location data, and advertising profile. Recipients get a real number. Anyone who connects that number to your name (through Google, social media, or reverse lookup) has a persistent contact path.

Hushed's privacy model: Your Hushed account and payment method create an identity trail. Recipients get a real temporary number they can save during the plan's active period. When the number expires, that specific contact path closes — a genuine advantage over Google Voice for time-limited interactions. But during the active period, the number is as persistent as any other.

For communicating with strangers, Ghost's masking provides the strongest identity protection because there is no number to save at all. For separating work and personal calls within the US, Google Voice's free second line is pragmatic despite the Google tie-in. For temporary projects needing a real callable number, Hushed balances duration flexibility with reasonable privacy.

Which Wins for Dating App Safety

Dating is the use case where number sharing creates the most asymmetric risk. You know little about this person. They will have your number indefinitely.

Ghost is the strongest choice for moving off dating apps because:

• Your match never receives a saveable number
• Reply Links enable conversation without number exchange
• If things go wrong, there is no number to block on your personal phone — because they never had it
• Cost is per-message, not a monthly number you manage for each new match

Google Voice is a reasonable middle ground if you want free calling and are comfortable giving matches a real (but not personal) number. They can still call and text that number indefinitely.

Hushed works for a dating chapter with a 30-day number — intentional temporariness. But renewal management and the fact that matches can still save the number during the active period make it less protective than masking.

Read /dating-privacy and our dating number masking guide.

Which Wins for Marketplace Contact

Marketplace sellers text buyers they will never see again. The ideal tool provides contact during the transaction and nothing persistent after.

Ghost wins for the same reasons as dating: masked outbound SMS, Reply Links for pickup coordination, international coverage for cross-border sales, and no subscription for occasional sellers.

Google Voice works for US-only sellers who want a free dedicated selling line with calling — but buyers will save that number.

Hushed suits sellers who want a dedicated temporary selling number with voice capability for a busy selling month, then want it to expire.

See /marketplace-safety and marketplace seller safety blog.

Which Wins for Freelance and Business SMS

Freelancers need professional responsiveness without personal number exposure.

Ghost for SMS-only client contact — masked messages, scheduling, Reply Links, pay-as-you-go pricing that scales with project volume.

Google Voice for US freelancers who want a free professional line with voicemail and calling — acceptable if you are comfortable with the Google account connection.

Hushed for short-term contract work requiring a callable business number for a defined engagement period.

Read /business and the freelance SMS setup guide.

International Messaging Needs

Ghost supports outbound SMS to 100+ countries — the broadest coverage of the three for international texting without additional plans.

Google Voice is US-centric. International calling rates apply; international SMS is limited.

Hushed offers numbers in select countries (US, Canada, UK, etc.) but international outbound capabilities vary by purchased number type.

If your privacy need includes texting people in multiple countries — international marketplace buyers, global freelance clients, contacts while traveling — Ghost's coverage is the most practical.

Honest Limitations

Ghost: No calling, no voicemail, no encrypted content, no persistent number for business identity. Perfect for masking; insufficient as a full phone replacement.

Google Voice: Google account dependency, US availability limits, no true identity masking, service continuity risk (Google product history), and recipients get a persistent number.

Hushed: Plans expire (ongoing cost for persistent needs), real numbers recipients can save, no masking of your personal mobile, and per-number pricing complexity.

Being honest about these limitations helps you combine tools appropriately — Ghost for stranger SMS, Google Voice for free US calling, Hushed for temporary callable lines.

Setup and First-Use Experience

Ghost: Fastest time-to-first-message. Open /free, type a message, send. No Google account, no number selection, no plan duration decision. Purchase credits when ready. Ideal when you need to text one person right now without committing to a telephony platform.

Google Voice: Requires a Google account (if you do not already have one, you are creating a significant identity footprint). US users select a number from available inventory, verify an existing phone number, configure forwarding preferences, and install the app. Expect 15–20 minutes for full setup. You gain a persistent telephony identity that integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google services — convenient if you are already in that ecosystem, concerning if you are trying to minimize Google data collection.

Hushed: Account creation, payment, country/area code selection, duration plan choice (7-day vs 30-day vs annual), number assignment. The duration decision requires predicting your needs — buy too short and you renew mid-project; buy too long and you pay for idle time. Setup takes 10–15 minutes. You receive a real callable number immediately.

For impulse privacy needs ("I need to text this marketplace buyer in the next five minutes"), Ghost wins decisively. For deliberate second-line setup ("I am launching a side business and need a professional number"), Google Voice or Hushed's more involved setup is appropriate.

Extended Scenario Analysis

Scenario: US freelancer with domestic and international clients

You have three US clients who occasionally call, two UK clients who text only, and periodic one-off prospects from marketplace referrals.

Recommended stack: Google Voice for US client calls and voicemail (free). Ghost for UK client SMS and all prospect outreach (international coverage, masking). Total cost: ~$4–10/month in Ghost credits plus $0 for Google Voice.

Why not Hushed alone? You would need separate numbers for US and UK at $5–15 each per month, plus you still expose a saveable number to every contact.

Why not Ghost alone? US clients who need to call you require a voice solution Ghost does not provide.

Scenario: Dating in a major US city

You use dating apps regularly and move 2–3 matches per month to text.

Ghost: ~6 credits/month ($1.20). No saveable numbers. Reply Links for conversation. Best privacy per match.

Google Voice: Free. Each match gets your GV number permanently. Acceptable if you are comfortable with persistent secondary contact.

Hushed: $4.99/month for a 30-day number. Renew monthly while actively dating. Matches save the number during the active period.

Cost over 6 months: Ghost ~$7. Hushed ~$30. Google Voice $0. Privacy ranking: Ghost > Hushed > Google Voice.

Scenario: Selling items monthly on Craigslist

You sell 3–5 items per month, each requiring 2–4 texts with buyers.

Ghost: 12–20 credits/month ($2.40–4.00). No subscription. No leftover numbers. See marketplace seller safety.

Google Voice: Free. Buyers retain your GV number. Manageable if you do not mind a persistent selling line.

Hushed: Overkill unless you also need voice for a busy selling month.

Scenario: Temporary work assignment abroad (90 days)

You are on a 90-day contract and need a local-callable US number for HR and team contact.

Hushed 90-day plan: ~$15–25 for a dedicated US number with calling. Appropriate — you need persistent callable contact for a defined period.

Google Voice: Free if you already have it set up. Works if you have reliable internet for VoIP calls abroad.

Ghost: Wrong tool — HR needs to call you, not receive masked one-way texts.

This scenario illustrates that Ghost is not always the answer. Callable persistent lines have legitimate use cases where masking is insufficient.

Google Voice Privacy Deep Dive

Google Voice's privacy tradeoffs deserve explicit treatment because "free" obscures the cost.

When you create Google Voice, you link a telephony identity to a Google account that likely already contains your email, search history, location data, YouTube preferences, and Android device information. Google can correlate Voice call metadata, message timestamps, and contact patterns with your broader profile. This is not hypothetical — it is the standard Google account data model.

For users whose privacy goal is "strangers should not have my personal mobile number," Google Voice achieves separation at the recipient level. Your match, buyer, or client receives a Google Voice number — not your personal mobile. That is genuine protection.

For users whose privacy goal is "minimize corporate data collection about my communications," Google Voice moves you in the wrong direction by deepening Google account entanglement.

Ghost occupies a different position: minimal account footprint, no Google tie-in, no persistent second number, and true masking of your real mobile. The tradeoff is SMS-only capability and per-message cost.

Read the full /privacy-summary before choosing based on privacy priorities alone.

Hushed Duration Strategy

Hushed's prepaid model rewards planning. Here is how to choose duration:

7-day numbers: Single event, one buyer, short vacation contact. Cheapest entry (~$1.99) but renews quickly if the interaction extends.

30-day numbers: Dating chapter, monthly selling spree, short freelance contract. The most common choice for temporary needs. ~$4.99–7.99.

Annual numbers: Side business, long-term project, expat needing persistent US contact. ~$49.99/year. At this price point, compare with Burner and Sideline subscriptions for feature completeness.

Multiple simultaneous numbers: Hushed supports separate numbers for separate purposes (one for selling, one for dating). Costs multiply per number — three 30-day numbers cost ~$15/month.

Ghost avoids duration planning entirely because there is no number to expire — you pay per message when you need to send.

When Each App Is the Wrong Choice

Clarity about misfit scenarios prevents expensive tool switching.

Ghost is wrong when: You need inbound calls, professional voicemail, a number on business cards, team shared inboxes, or encrypted content. Ghost is SMS masking — powerful for identity protection, insufficient as a complete phone system.

Google Voice is wrong when: You are outside the US, you want to minimize Google data collection, you need international SMS broadly, or you want strangers to lose contact ability when an interaction ends. Google Voice creates persistent contact paths tied to your Google identity.

Hushed is wrong when: You send only occasional outbound texts (overpaying for number duration you do not use), you need team features, or your primary need is hiding your real number rather than obtaining a temporary second one.

Being honest about misfit scenarios is as important as recommending fit scenarios. The goal is the right tool — not always Ghost.

Twelve-Month Total Cost Projection

Monthly texts	Ghost (annual)	Google Voice (annual)	Hushed (annual)
5/month	~$12	$0	~$24–60
15/month	~$36	$0	~$30–60
40/month	~$96	$0	~$50–100
80/month	~$192	$0	~$50–100

Ghost at 20¢/SMS. Hushed assumes periodic number renewals or one annual number. Google Voice free tier, US only.

Google Voice's $0 annual cost is compelling for US users who accept the tradeoffs. Ghost's cost scales linearly with use — you never pay for idle months. Hushed cost depends heavily on whether you need one annual number or multiple short-duration numbers throughout the year.

For a complete picture of Ghost pricing, visit /affordable-sms. For privacy implications beyond cost, read /how-ghost-protects-privacy.

Legal and Compliance Notes

All three apps require lawful use. Harassment, fraud, threats, and impersonation are prohibited regardless of platform.

Ghost: Designed for legitimate privacy protection. Not intended for evading law enforcement or conducting illegal activity. Message content is not encrypted — not suitable for legally protected confidential communications.

Google Voice: Subject to Google's terms of service and acceptable use policies. Business use may require Google Workspace. Call recording laws vary by state — verify local requirements.

Hushed: Prepaid numbers have been associated with short-term verification and temporary contact use cases. Ensure your use complies with Hushed terms and local telecommunications regulations.

For broader legal context on private communication, see our legal guide to anonymous communication.

Making the Final Decision: A Step-by-Step Framework

If you have read this far and still feel uncertain, walk through these five questions in order.

Question 1: Do I need to hide my real number, or just use a different number? Hide real number → Ghost. Different number → Google Voice or Hushed.

Question 2: Do I need voice calls and voicemail? Yes → Google Voice (free US) or Hushed (prepaid). No → Ghost is sufficient for SMS.

Question 3: How often will I text strangers per month? Under 20 → Ghost pay-as-you-go. Daily heavy use with calls → Google Voice or Hushed.

Question 4: Am I in the US? No → Ghost for international SMS; Google Voice likely unavailable. Hushed may offer local numbers in select countries.

Question 5: Am I comfortable linking another Google account service? No → Ghost or Hushed. Yes → Google Voice is free and full-featured domestically.

Most readers searching "private texting app" answer Question 1 with "hide my real number" and Question 3 with "occasionally." That combination points to Ghost in the majority of cases — which is why we built it.

But "majority" is not "everyone." Google Voice is the rational choice for US users who want free calling and accept Google's ecosystem. Hushed is the rational choice for temporary callable numbers with defined end dates. Choosing honestly beats choosing the app with the best marketing.

Try Ghost free at /free, compare pricing at /affordable-sms, and read /privacy-summary before making your final decision.

Final Thoughts: Match the Tool to the Privacy Problem

Privacy tools fail when they solve the wrong problem. Google Voice solves "I need a free US phone line." Hushed solves "I need a real number for a defined period." Ghost solves "strangers should never have my personal mobile number."

If your privacy problem sounds like the third statement — and for most marketplace sellers, daters, and freelancers it does — Ghost is the purpose-built answer. If it sounds like the first or second, Google Voice or Hushed may genuinely serve you better, and choosing them is not a compromise — it is correct tool selection.

Consider keeping two tools: Google Voice for the US calls and voicemail you need daily, and Ghost for every text to someone who should never learn your real mobile. That combination costs only what you send via Ghost — often under $5/month — while covering both telephony and identity protection needs that no single app in this comparison fully addresses alone. Review our Ghost vs TextNow vs Burner guide if you are also evaluating subscription disposable numbers alongside these options.

The worst outcome is not choosing the wrong second-line app. It is continuing to give your real number to people who should never have had it. Start there. Everything else follows.

Whichever app you choose, make it your default before your next marketplace listing, dating app match, or freelance inquiry — not after something goes wrong. Preventive privacy costs pennies. Reactive privacy costs hours of spam management, awkward blocks, or a full number change. The comparison tables, cost analysis, and scenario walkthroughs in this guide give you the framework — the only remaining step is to use them. Visit /dating-privacy or /marketplace-safety for use-case-specific next steps once you have chosen your tool. Both pages include practical workflows that pair naturally with the tool selection framework above. Take five minutes to try Ghost at /free before committing to a Google account setup or Hushed number purchase. You will know immediately if masking fits your workflow.

Our Recommendation by Scenario

Scenario	Best choice	Why
Text strangers without revealing real number	Ghost	True masking, pay-per-use
Free US second line with calls	Google Voice	Free, full-featured domestically
Temporary callable number (30–90 days)	Hushed	Prepaid duration plans
Lowest 6-month cost (US, with calls)	Google Voice	$0
Lowest 6-month cost (occasional SMS only)	Ghost	~$6–18 for light use
Dating app transition	Ghost	No saveable number
International outbound SMS	Ghost	100+ countries
Business voicemail + SMS	Google Voice or Hushed	Ghost is SMS-only
Maximum identity protection	Ghost	Number never exposed

For most people whose primary concern is "strangers should not have my real phone number," Ghost is the purpose-built solution. Google Voice and Hushed are strong tools for different problems — free US telephony and prepaid temporary lines, respectively.

Explore affordable SMS pricing, read the /privacy-summary, and try Ghost at /free before committing to any platform.

Frequently Asked Questions