Phone validation · Line type checker
Free tool
Mobile or Landline? Line Type Checker
What you get
Get 100 free checks a monthNo credit card required.
Check if a phone number is mobile or landline.
Shows the line type and SMS capable, not who owns the number. Results never get a public URL.
Or try
Example: a number that looks local
Example data. A real result for +1 415 992 9960.
Valid
+1 415 992 9960
This number is non-fixed VoIP.
- 1
VoIP, non-fixed
Non-fixed VoIP numbers come from apps and online services and are not tied to an address.
- 2
Ported from Lumen to Twilio
The digits are a San Francisco number. The line type follows the operator that serves it now.
- 3
SMS capable: Yes
Trueguard marks non-fixed VoIP as SMS capable, so SMS capable is Yes.
How to check if a number is mobile or landline
Type the number
Press Validate
Read line type and SMS capable
Why you cannot tell mobile from landline by the digits
US mobile and landline numbers share area codes, and numbers can be ported from one kind of line to another. The ported number lookup shows whether a US number was ported.
Trueguard reads national range data where it has it, otherwise the country's numbering plan. For US numbers it reads the carrier that holds the number block, and for ported numbers the carrier that serves it now.
Outside the US, a ported number shows the type of its range.
What each line type means
Every value of line.type, with what Trueguard returns for SMS capable. Every field is in the API documentation.
| Type | What it means | SMS capable | At signup |
|---|---|---|---|
mobileMobile | Mobile number. | Yes | Send the code as usual. |
landlineLandline | Fixed line number at a physical address. | No | Skip the SMS. Offer a voice code. |
voipVoIP | VoIP number. line.voipType tells fixed and non-fixed VoIP apart. | Non-fixed: Yes. Fixed: No. | Non-fixed VoIP: run the VoIP number checker. |
fixedLineOrMobileFixed line or mobile | The country uses the same ranges for fixed and mobile lines, so the two cannot be told apart. | Empty | Send, and have a fallback ready. |
tollFreeToll free | Toll free number, free for the caller. | No | Skip the SMS. |
premiumRatePremium rate | Premium rate number. The caller pays a high rate. | No | Status is risky. Do not send. |
sharedCostShared cost | Shared cost number. The caller and the receiver share the cost. | Empty | Review before you send. |
personalPersonal | Personal number that forwards to another line. | Empty | The line behind it is not known. |
pagerPager | Pager number. | No | Skip the SMS. |
uanUniversal access number | Universal access number. | Empty | Usually a business line. |
voicemailVoicemail | Voicemail access number. | Empty | Not a line a person signs up with. |
m2mMachine to machine | Machine-to-machine (IoT) number. | Empty | A device number, not a person's. |
satelliteSatellite | Satellite phone number. | Empty | Review before you send. |
unknownUnknown | The line type is not known, or the number is not valid. | Empty | Also returned for every invalid number. |
Line type and SMS
SMS capable comes from the line type. Yes for mobile and non-fixed VoIP. No for landline, fixed VoIP, toll free, premium rate and pager. Empty for the rest. It is not a test message, so it does not say the number is in use.
Fixed VoIP
fixedNon-fixed VoIP
nonFixedCheck VoIP numbers in detail with the VoIP number checker.
Why line type matters at signup
Skip SMS to lines marked No
Premium rate numbers come back risky
Send non-fixed VoIP to a second check
Check line type from your code
POST /v2/phone/validation, one number per request. Read line.type, line.voipType and line.smsCapable. 100 checks a month are free with no card. The Standard plan is $49.99 a month for 20,000 checks, then $0.0025 a check. Median response is under 500 ms.
curl -X POST https://api.trueguard.io/v2/phone/validation \
-H "X-API-KEY: $YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"phone":"+14159929960"}'Questions about line type checks.
Anything missing? Contact support or read the documentation.
How can I tell if a number is a cell phone or a landline?
Not from the digits. In the US, mobile and landline numbers share area codes, and numbers can be ported. Trueguard reads range data, and for US numbers the carrier holding the block and the porting database, then returns the line type. Check 5 numbers a day here, or get 100 checks a month free with an API key.
Can you text a landline?
Trueguard marks landlines, toll free, premium rate and pager numbers as not SMS capable, so you can skip sending a code to them. SMS capable comes from the line type. It is not a test message.
Is a VoIP number a landline or a cell phone?
Neither. VoIP is its own line type. Fixed VoIP is tied to an address and marked not SMS capable. Non-fixed VoIP comes from apps and online services and is marked SMS capable. The VoIP number checker shows the split.
What does "fixed line or mobile" mean?
Some countries use the same ranges for fixed and mobile lines, so the two cannot be told apart. SMS capable is left empty for these numbers.
Does it work for numbers outside the US?
Yes. Line type works for any country. Current carrier and porting cover US numbers only, and Canadian numbers do not get them. Outside the US, a ported number shows the type of its range.
Is the line type checker free?
5 checks a day in the browser with no account. A free API key gives 100 checks a month with no card. Above that, the Standard plan is $49.99 a month for 20,000 checks, then $0.0025 a check. The page checks one number at a time. For more, use the API.
Can I find out who owns a phone number?
No. The checker returns line and operator data, not a person. Trueguard does not do reverse phone lookup or caller names.
Will the person know I checked their number?
No. The check reads number data only, without a call, a text or an HLR request. For the same reason it cannot tell you whether someone will answer.
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