800 number: how it works and how to get one
The first US toll-free prefix was 800, which has been in use since 1966. The business covers the call cost, and the number is assigned rather than sold.
- Toll-free
- Yes
- In service since
- 1966
- Who covers the cost of the call
- Whoever holds the number
- Is outright purchase allowed?
- No: 47 CFR 52.107
- Code for the country
- +1 (for US, Canada and the Caribbean)
Reference: 47 CFR Part 52, Subpart D covers toll-free numbers; the NANPA toll-free history lists the prefix dates.
Get a 800 number
Toll-free numbers are part of a plan. Your provider asks its RespOrg to set the number aside for you, and 800 can be the prefix you choose, along with a word number if one is free.
| Provider | Cheapest plan | First year | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 Developer API | Pay-as-you-go local number, $1.15 a month | $13.80 | Open Twilio |
 Toll-free specialist | Solo, $6.99 a month billed yearly | $84 | Open UniTel Voice |
 Second-number app | Deluxe (local number), $6.99 a month billed yearly | $102.88 | Open GoDaddy Conversations (formerly Smartline) |
 Business phone system | US & CA Metered, $10.50 each month, billed yearly | $126 | Open Zoom Phone |
 Business phone system | Starter, $12 a month billed yearly | $144 | Open KrispCall |
 Second-number app | Elite, $12 a month billed yearly | $144 | Open eVoice |
 Second-number app | True Solo, $14 a month billed yearly | $168 | Open Grasshopper |
 Business phone system | NEXT Core, $15 a month billed yearly | $180 | Open Nextiva |
 Business phone system | Basic, $15 a month billed yearly | $180 | Open Phone.com |
 Business phone system | Starter, $15 a month billed yearly | $180 | Open Quo (formerly OpenPhone) |
 Toll-free specialist | Startup, $19 a month billed yearly | $228 | Open 800.com |
 Business phone system | RingEX Core, $20 a month billed yearly | $240 | Open RingCentral |
 Business phone system | Essentials, $19.95 a month | $269.35 | Open Ooma Office |
Some sellers and providers may pay us a referral fee. The order always remains based on first-year cost. How we earn
Make it spell a word
Each digit that follows 800 stands for letters, so the final 7 digits can spell out a word. Look up the digits for your word or see how vanity toll-free numbers get assigned.
800 number questions
Is 800 itself a scam?
No. Businesses and agencies use 800 as a genuine toll-free prefix. Caller ID can be faked, and scammers can rent toll-free numbers. Judge the call itself, not the prefix, and never share a code or card number with a caller you did not expect.
Is it free to call a 800 number?
Yes. Calls from US landlines and most mobile plans cost nothing, and the number holder pays. International calls may be blocked or charged.
Can I buy a 800 number?
A toll-free number cannot be sold. A provider assigns one for you as part of a plan, and the number stays yours as long as you keep paying.