Premium phone numbers: what makes a number premium
Sellers ask more than the price of a plain number for one with a short word, repeating digits, a round ending or an old area code. Published asking prices for a premium phone number start at $9 and go past $10,000.
Why a phone number counts as premium
Sellers charge more for Premium phone numbers than for plain numbers because those numbers are easier to remember or dial. The patterns include a short word, an old big-city area code, repeating digits, plus a round ending such as 000, or a straight run like 1234. The word has no industry grade behind it. Each seller picks their own sales label: VIP, gold, platinum, business class and exclusive. The seller sets the asking price; no regulator or carrier does.
A premium-rate number is not the same thing: it charges the caller. In the seller's sense, a premium number adds no charge for the caller; it only cost its owner more to acquire.
Four things sellers price
Buyers pay for parts of a number, and RingBoost's published cost guide breaks it into those parts. Other sellers price along those same lines.
- The final four digits. RingBoost says the line number affects price the most, and repeaters such as XXX-222-2222 belong to the most expensive group.
- One word. The rarest kind is a pure seven-letter vanity number: the digits after the area code spell one word.
- The area code itself. Original codes whose numbers have run out cost more, such as 212 for New York and 310 for Los Angeles. RingBoost says the price of a 212 number can top out at $30,000.
- The three middle digits. According to that guide, numbers with a memorable prefix like 202 or 220 and otherwise random digits typically begin at just under $100.
Asking prices by tier, as published
What sellers publish is a set of tier prices and sample listings. Buying a local number is a one-time cost; after that, you pay a provider to run it.
| Seller | Tier or example | Asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive Digits | Daily specials, up to five in each area code that qualifies | $9 (regularly $49) |
| NumberBarn | Cheapest listed local numbers | From $9.95 |
| RingBoost | Local vanity numbers, by phrase and area code | $99 to over $10,000 |
| 212areacode.com | Standard random 212 number | $150 |
| 212areacode.com | Business Class 212 number | $200 and up |
| PhoneNumberGuy | A four-digit ending you choose, ordered for you | $350 and up |
| Exclusive Digits | 840-8000, a "Thousand" ending in Washington, DC | $449 |
| Exclusive Digits | 840-8888, "Lucky 8s" in Washington, DC | $499 |
| 212areacode.com | Inventory: Custom (you pick the last 4) or Exclusive | $750 and up |
| Exclusive Digits | 497-7777, "Lucky 7s" in Bethesda, MD | $889 |
| Exclusive Digits | 330-0000, "Bookends" in Washington, DC | $9,999 |
NumberBarn's broker page shows what sellers on its marketplace might ask: $450 for (305) 123-5000, $2,999 for (212) 555-BARN, $7,500 for (555) FOR-SALE and $25,000 for an ultra-premium (555) 444-4444. Those are examples only, not average sale prices, NumberBarn says. As numbers sell, Exclusive Digits listings change.
How the appraisal rubric puts a score on a number
A published rubric of 100 points guides scores on the site's phone number appraisal: 30 for area code, 40 for pattern, 20 for spelling and 10 for ease of recall.
| Pattern in the last 7 digits | Points |
|---|---|
| All 7 digits the same | 40 |
| Last 4 digits the same | 32 |
| Ends in 000 | 26 |
| Last 4 form a straight run, such as 1234 or 4321 | 24 |
| Last 4 in an ABAB or AABB pattern | 20 |
| Last 4 in an ABBA pattern | 16 |
| Three of the same digit in a row | 12 |
| 4 or fewer different digits | 6 |
- Area code: an original 1947 big-city code scores 30 (212, 213, 312, 214, 713, 202, 215, 305, 404, 617); other codes from 1947 or earlier score 22; codes from 1948 to 1989 score 16; codes from 1990 to 1999 score 12; newer codes score 8. Toll-free: 800 gets 30 points, 888 gets 22, 877 and 866 get 16, while 855, 844 and 833 get 10.
- Spelling: 20 points if 7 digits all spell a word, 12 when the last four spell a 4-letter word, and 6 for a 3-letter word.
- Recall: 2 or fewer different digits scores 10, 3 scores 7, and 4 scores 4.
A total of 70 or more is Top tier, 50 to 69 is Premium, 30 to 49 is Good and anything lower is Standard. The rubric's worked example, (212) 356-9377, spells FLOWERS and scores 50: Premium.
Licensing, not selling, premium toll-free numbers
You cannot buy a premium 800 or 888 number. Under FCC rule 47 CFR 52.107, no one may sell a toll-free number for a fee. RingBoost and other sellers offer toll-free numbers as monthly licenses. Its cost guide lists a typical monthly toll-free license price of $15 to $100, sometimes more. For how they are assigned, see vanity toll-free numbers.
Where to find premium phone numbers for sale
| Seller | What it sells | Listed price | Monthly fee | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Marketplace | Local numbers | From $9 one-time | None stated | Search at Exclusive Digits |
 Marketplace | Local and toll-free | From $9.95 one-time | $2.99 a month | Search at NumberBarn |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | From $99 one-time | None stated | Search at RingBoost |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | From $100 one-time | None stated | Search at PhoneNumberExpert |
| 212areacode.comNumber broker | Local numbers | From $150 one-time | None stated | Search at 212areacode.com |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | From $200 one-time | None stated | Search at PhoneNumberGuy |
 Number broker | Toll-free vanity | Asks for a quote | None stated | Search at CallSource Vanity |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | Asks for a quote | None stated | Search at Golden Phone Numbers |
Some sellers and providers may pay us a referral fee. It never changes the order, and the order is set by first-year cost. How we earn
Search by pattern or word with the vanity number generator, then compare listings on vanity number sellers. If luck matters more than looks, see lucky phone numbers. Once you buy, port the number to the carrier or app you use.
Questions
How much does a premium phone number cost?
Published prices run from $9 to $9,999: an Exclusive Digits daily special on the low end, an all-zero ending in Washington, DC on the high end. For local vanity numbers, RingBoost puts the price at $99 to over $10,000.
What is a VIP phone number?
Sales labels such as VIP, gold and platinum mark numbers that have repeating digits, end in a round number, or spell a word. No standard defines them, so weigh the digits and the price rather than the label.
Which phone number costs the most?
According to Wikipedia, which cites the BBC, the number +86 28 8888 8888 went in 2003 to Sichuan Airlines for CN¥2.33 million, roughly US$280,000. In the US, RingBoost says the price of a 212 number can reach $30,000.
Is there a way to sell a premium number that I already own?
Yes, a local one, through a broker or marketplace. Not a toll-free one. For details, see sell my phone number.