Can I get a business mobile number without a contract?

Yes. Services like Line offer pay-monthly business mobile numbers with no contract, no minimum term, and no cancellation fees. You can cancel anytime.

How much does a UK business mobile number cost?

Costs vary by method. A second SIM costs £5-15/month on a contract. A virtual number from Line starts at £1.70 for the first month, then £5/month — including SMS, voice calls, and a shared inbox.

Can I text and call from a business number on my personal phone?

Yes, with a virtual business number from Line, you can send and receive texts and calls from your existing phone using the app or web dashboard — no second SIM or handset needed.

What's the difference between an 07 mobile number and an 01/02 landline number?

07 numbers are mobile numbers that customers trust and can text. 01/02 numbers are geographic landlines — useful for local presence but they can't receive SMS. For tradespeople, a mobile 07 number usually works best.

Can my team share a single business number?

Yes. With Line's shared team inbox, multiple team members can see and reply to messages and calls from one business number — so no customer gets missed even when someone's on a job.

Business Numbers

How to Get a Business Mobile Number in the UK (2026 Guide)

A step-by-step guide to getting a dedicated UK business mobile number. Compare options, costs, and the fastest ways to separate work from personal calls.

Simon

3 March 2026 · 5 min read

TL;DR — What you need to know

You can get a dedicated UK business mobile number in under 3 minutes
No need for a second phone, SIM card, or contract
Virtual number apps like Line let you text and call from your existing phone
Prices start from £1.70/month with no lock-in

If you're a tradesperson, freelancer, or small business owner in the UK, using your personal mobile number for work is a problem you've probably learned to live with. Customers calling at 9pm on a Sunday. No way to hand off calls when you're on a job. Texts from suppliers mixed in with family group chats.

Getting a separate business mobile number fixes all of this — and it's far easier (and cheaper) than most people think.

This guide walks you through every option available in the UK, what each one costs, and how to pick the right one for your business.

Why you need a separate business number

Using your personal number for business might seem fine when you're starting out, but it creates real problems as you grow:

No work-life boundary — customers can reach you 24/7 with no way to switch off
Missed opportunities — when you're on a job, calls go to voicemail (or nowhere)
No team handoff — if you hire someone, they can't answer your personal phone
Unprofessional image — a dedicated number signals you're a real, established business
GDPR exposure — your personal number on invoices, Checkatrade, and van signage means it's public forever

A separate business number solves every one of these problems — and the best part is you don't need a second phone.

Types of UK business phone numbers

Before you choose a method, it helps to understand what's available:

Feature	Mobile (07)	Landline (01/02)	Toll-free (0800)	Virtual (07)
Receive SMS
Receive calls
No hardware needed
No contract
Team sharing
Business hours
Cost per month	£10-30	£5-15	£5-20	From £1.70

For most tradespeople and small businesses, a virtual mobile (07) number gives you the best of everything — customers can call and text, you don't need extra hardware, and you can manage it from your existing phone.

4 ways to get a business mobile number in the UK

Method 1: Second SIM card / dual-SIM phone

The old-school approach. Buy a SIM-only plan from any UK network and use it in a second phone or a dual-SIM handset.

Pros: Familiar, works offline, separate billing. Cons: You need a second phone (or a dual-SIM device). No team sharing. No business hours. Monthly contract usually required.

Cost: £5-15/month on a 12-24 month contract.

Method 2: Network business plan

EE, Vodafone, Three, and O2 all offer business mobile plans. These are essentially consumer plans with VAT invoices and sometimes multi-line discounts.

Pros: Support for multiple handsets, sometimes better coverage. Cons: 12-24 month contracts, hardware costs, no shared inbox or business features.

Cost: £15-30/month per line, plus handset costs.

Method 3: VoIP / landline number

Services like Google Voice (limited in the UK), Vonage, or 8x8 provide internet-based phone numbers. These are often 01/02 landline numbers rather than mobile 07 numbers.

Pros: Cheap, no hardware, call routing features. Cons: Usually a landline number (no SMS), can feel impersonal, often designed for larger teams with complex pricing.

Cost: £6-20/month per user.

Method 4: Virtual business mobile number (recommended)

A virtual mobile number is a real UK 07 number that lives in an app on your phone. You can text, call, and manage everything from your existing device — no SIM swap, no second phone.

Pros: Real 07 mobile number, SMS and calls, business hours, shared team inbox, no hardware, no contracts. Cons: Requires an internet connection for calls (Wi-Fi or mobile data).

Cost: From £1.70/month with Line.

How to set up a business number with Line

Create your account

Go to useline.io/signup and enter your email. No credit card required to start — you can explore the dashboard before choosing a number.

Choose your number

Pick a real UK mobile (07) number from the available pool. You'll see the number instantly and can start using it straight away.

Start texting and calling

Send your first text or set up your voicemail greeting. Add team members if you need a shared inbox. Set business hours so calls go to voicemail outside working hours.

The whole process takes under 3 minutes. There's no porting, no paperwork, and no waiting for a SIM to arrive in the post.

Get your business number today

Real UK mobile number with SMS, calls, and a shared inbox. Set up in under 3 minutes.

Get a Number

What to look for in a business number provider

Not all business number services are created equal. Here's what matters:

Real mobile (07) number — not a landline or shared short code. Customers trust mobile numbers and can text them.
SMS and voice — you need both. Many VoIP services only do voice.
No long contracts — your needs change. Monthly rolling is ideal.
Shared inbox — if you have (or plan to have) a team, everyone should be able to see and reply to messages.
Business hours — automatically send calls to voicemail outside working hours so you can switch off.
Simple pricing — watch out for per-user, per-minute, and per-message fees that stack up. Look for inclusive credit bundles.

Next steps

Getting a dedicated business number is one of the easiest wins for any small business. It takes minutes, costs less than a coffee, and immediately makes your business look more professional.

If you're ready to get started, sign up for Line and have your number in under 3 minutes. First month is just £1.70 — no contracts, no hardware, cancel anytime.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to get your business number?

Set up in under 3 minutes. No contracts, no hardware, no hassle.

Get a Number