Dingtone
Dingtone is a consumer mobile app that provides virtual second phone numbers and low-cost VoIP calling and SMS to individual users, primarily privacy-conscious consumers, international callers, travelers, and freelancers across 200+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Dingtone does
Dingtone is a consumer mobile application, founded in 2012, that provides virtual second phone numbers and VoIP-based calling and SMS services to individual users worldwide. The app enables users to obtain local phone numbers across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and select European countries, make low-cost international calls to over 200 destinations at rates starting around 0.9 cents per minute, send SMS/MMS to any number including non-users, and use features such as voicemail, call forwarding, call blocking, and group messaging. Dingtone numbers can also be ported out to major US carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint). The technology core is a VoIP platform that routes calls and texts over WiFi and cellular data without consuming traditional cellular minutes, delivered through iOS and Android clients with no additional hardware or SIM cards required.
The company monetizes through a freemium, credit-based pay-as-you-go model: users buy Dingtone credits to make calls and send texts, and can also earn free credits through daily check-ins, watching videos, completing offers, and inviting friends. Dingtone's primary customer segments are privacy-conscious consumers seeking to shield personal numbers from online exposure, international callers (migrants, expats, families abroad), frequent travelers avoiding roaming fees, and small business owners/freelancers needing a separate business line. Distribution is product-led through the Apple App Store and Google Play, supported by a Brand Ambassador influencer program and content marketing via the company blog.
The firm is privately held, controlled from Hong Kong under the entity Dingtone, Inc., with disclosed scale commentary of 100M+ users (as of 2019 website data), 610K+ five-star ratings, and combined app-store ratings of 651K+ across iOS and Google Play. No external funding rounds, ownership stakes, or revenue figures are disclosed; the company maintains a headcount in the 101–250 range per available firmographic data.
Dingtone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dingtone
- Legal name
- Dingtone, Inc.
- Website
- https://dingtone.me
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Dingtone is a consumer mobile app that provides virtual second phone numbers and low-cost VoIP calling and SMS to individual users, primarily privacy-conscious consumers, international callers, travelers, and freelancers across 200+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dingtone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile VoIP Communications
- NAICS
- Telecommunications Resellers (517121)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VoIP Access & ITSP Services (HDAIAHAD)
Keywords
Where Dingtone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dingtone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Usage-based Credits: Users purchase Dingtone credits to make international calls and send SMS texts. Credits are consumed based on usage with per-minute rates for calls to different countries. Free credits can be earned through daily check-ins, watching videos, completing offers, and inviting friends.
- Credits for Inviting Friends: Users earn bonus credits for inviting friends to join Dingtone, creating a viral loop.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-use international calling rates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Dingtone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dingtone provides a consumer mobile application that issues second/virtual phone numbers with local area codes in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and several European countries, enabling users to make and receive VoIP calls and SMS/MMS over WiFi or mobile data to numbers in 200+ countries. The service is credit-based (no monthly fees or contracts), supports voicemail, call forwarding, call blocking, group chatting, and allows porting numbers out to major carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
Product overview
Dingtone is a single, unified consumer mobile application that provides virtual second phone numbers for privacy protection and low-cost international communication. The core Dingtone App serves as the main platform through which users access phone number provisioning (Phone Number Service), VoIP calling and SMS (Calls & Texts Service), and credit-based rate plans (Rates & Plans). The offering includes add-on features such as Local Area Code Numbers for regional number selection and a Brand Ambassador Program for influencer marketing. All services are accessed through the mobile app without requiring additional hardware or SIM cards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dingtone App Consumer mobile application (iOS and Android) that provides users with a second virtual phone number for WiFi calling, SMS/MMS, voicemail, call forwarding, and call blocking without needing an extra SIM card or paying monthly cellular plan fees.
- Virtual Phone Number Service Virtual phone number provisioning across multiple countries (US, UK, Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Australia and others) with selectable local area codes, supporting caller ID, call block, call forwarding, voicemail, and port-out to carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Includes local area code number selection for US and Canadian regions.
- VoIP Calls & Texts Service VoIP-based calling and SMS service enabling users to make calls over WiFi and 3G/4G data networks to mobile and landline phones in more than 200 countries at per-minute rates from 0.9 cents, with SMS/MMS support and group chat features that work with non-Dingtone recipients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Save money on international calls with rates starting at 0.9 cents per minute
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dingtone
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Dingtone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Dingtone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Dingtone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TextNow: TextNow is a direct competitor offering free and low-cost VoIP phone numbers, calling, and texting over WiFi/data. Same target market (privacy-conscious and cost-sensitive US consumers), same freemium+ads model, and same mobile-app distribution.
- Burner: Burner is a direct competitor offering disposable second phone numbers for iOS and Android with subscription pricing. Same privacy use case, same app-store distribution, and Dingtone is explicitly compared to Burner in PCMag coverage.
- Hushed: Hushed provides private second phone numbers with VoIP calling and SMS in 60+ countries, sold via subscription. Same privacy and international-calling use cases as Dingtone and explicitly named as a peer in third-party reviews.
- 2ndLine: 2ndLine is a mobile app that provides a second US/Canadian phone number for calling and texting over data. It targets the same international-caller and privacy-conscious segments as Dingtone, with comparable freemium pricing.
- Talkatone: Talkatone offers free US/Canadian phone numbers with VoIP calling and SMS over WiFi, ad-supported. Directly comparable to Dingtone in target market, business model, and feature set, and is often reviewed alongside it.
- Sideline: Sideline is a second-number app aimed at professionals and small businesses needing a separate work line. It overlaps with Dingtone's small-business and freelancer segment using the same mobile VoIP technology.
- Line2: Line2 provides a second phone number with calling, texting, and voicemail for business users on mobile and desktop. Same second-line use case as Dingtone, with a more SMB-focused pricing structure.
- TextFree: TextFree provides a free US phone number for SMS and calling over WiFi/data, ad-supported. It targets the same privacy and free-calling segment as Dingtone and shares the freemium, app-led distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Google Voice: Google Voice provides free US phone numbers, VoIP calling, voicemail, and SMS integrated with the Google ecosystem. It is the dominant free alternative in Dingtone's category and sets the price ceiling at zero for comparable services.
- Skype: Skype is a long-established VoIP service offering international calling, SMS, and a phone number (Skype Number). It is a broad incumbent whose international-calling rates and reach compete with Dingtone's core product.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dingtone social profiles
Digital presenceDingtone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dingtone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Dingtone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dingtone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dingtone
What does Dingtone do?
Dingtone provides a consumer mobile application that issues second/virtual phone numbers with local area codes in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and several European countries, enabling users to make and receive VoIP calls and SMS/MMS over WiFi or mobile data to numbers in 200+ countries. The service is credit-based (no monthly fees or contracts), supports voicemail, call forwarding, call blocking, group chatting, and allows porting numbers out to major carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
Is Dingtone a public or private company?
Dingtone is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dingtone founded?
Dingtone was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Dingtone based?
Dingtone is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dingtone make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Usage-based Credits are the primary driver. The others are credits for Inviting Friends.
Who are Dingtone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TextNow, Burner, Hushed, 2ndLine, Talkatone, Sideline, Line2 and TextFree. Broad incumbents are Google Voice and Skype.
Does Dingtone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dingtone.
What industry is Dingtone in?
Dingtone's product category is Mobile VoIP Communications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAHAD, VoIP Access & ITSP Services. Its NAICS code is 517121 and its SIC code is 4813.