Both TripoSIM US number plans include the same number, the same 300 minutes a month to the US and Canada, the same incoming calls, voicemail and texts from US senders. The only real decisions are how you pay and what happens if you stop. Here is the arithmetic, then the rules that sit around it.
The arithmetic
The monthly plan is $12.99. The yearly plan is $100, paid once, which works out to about $8.33 a month.
| Months you need the number | Paying monthly | Paying yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.99 | $100 |
| 3 | $38.97 | $100 |
| 6 | $77.94 | $100 |
| 7 | $90.93 | $100 |
| 8 | $103.92 | $100 |
| 12 | $155.88 | $100 |
Up to 7 months, monthly costs less in total. From month 8, the yearly plan is cheaper. Over twelve months the difference is $55.88, roughly 36% less on the yearly plan.
The rules that change the answer
Welcome credit. The yearly plan includes $5 to spend in the TripoSIM app on a travel eSIM, an eSIM top-up or extra US minutes. If you would buy any of those anyway, it narrows the gap for shorter stays slightly.
How long a cancelled number is kept. If a monthly plan ends, the number is paused and kept for 90 days. On the yearly plan it is kept for 30 days. After that it is released and cannot be recovered. The longer monthly hold exists because numbers are often linked to accounts such as WhatsApp, and it gives you time to come back or move them.
Refunds. Payments on both plans are not refunded, including unused time or minutes. The exceptions are a full refund if TripoSIM cannot deliver your number within 72 hours, and any refund your local law requires. So the yearly plan is only cheaper if you are confident you will use it for 8 months or more.
Extra minutes. If you call more than 300 minutes a month, you can add 100 minutes for $5 on either plan. Top-up minutes stay valid while your number is active. A heavy caller pays the same for extras on both plans, so extras do not change which plan is cheaper.
Does heavy calling change the math?
Not between the plans, but it changes your total. Both plans include 300 minutes a month to US and Canadian numbers, and extras cost the same on both. Each outgoing call is rounded up to the next full minute; unanswered calls are free.
| Your calling each month | What you pay on top of the plan |
|---|---|
| Light: about 50 minutes | Nothing. Well inside the allowance. |
| Typical client work: about 250 minutes | Nothing, but little buffer for a busy month. |
| Heavy: about 430 minutes | Two top-ups of 100 minutes, $5 each, in that month. |
Included minutes reset each month and do not carry over. Top-up minutes do: Top-up minutes are used after your monthly minutes, stay valid while your number is active and carry over when you renew. They are not refundable. So a heavy caller over a full year on the yearly plan with two top-ups pays $110, against $165.88 paying monthly. Incoming calls have their own fair use of 300 minutes a month.
What should you check when comparing another provider?
A lower headline price is not always a lower bill. Before you compare, check:
- Is the price per number or per user, and is it an introductory rate that rises later?
- Is the monthly figure only available with yearly billing?
- Are taxes or activation fees added at checkout?
- Does it include texting both ways? The TripoSIM number receives texts from US and Canadian senders; sending texts is not included. If you need to reply by text, a two-way provider may suit you better even at a higher price.
- What happens to the number if you stop paying, and for how long is it held?
Three quick examples
A five-month work project in another country. Monthly costs $64.95, less than the yearly plan, and you can stop when the project ends. Monthly wins.
A year abroad with a possible early return. If there is a real chance you will stop before month 8, monthly protects you. If you are confident about the full year, yearly saves $55.88.
A permanent move. Yearly. You keep the lowest price and the welcome credit, and you can turn off renewal later if your plans change.
Our suggestion
If you are unsure, start monthly for a month or two to confirm the number works the way you need, then switch to yearly once you know you will keep it. Check in the TripoSIM app how a switch is handled for your account before you rely on it. Try your own numbers in the cost calculator, or compare the plans on the plans page.