Can you get Google Voice in Canada?
By Monty · Updated November 2, 2026
Lots of Canadians go looking for Google Voice because they want a second number, cheap calls to the US or a way to keep their cell number when they move abroad. Google Voice in Canada does exist, but not the free version people in the US use, and the version you can get won't do most of those jobs.
Not the free version. Personal Google Voice is only available in the US. In Canada you can only get it as part of a paid Google Workspace plan, from US$10 a user a month on top of Workspace. Canadian Google Voice numbers can't send or receive texts, and you can't move an existing Canadian number into it yet.
Is Google Voice available in Canada?
Only for businesses. The free personal version, which Google calls Basic, is only available in the US, and so are the single-user paid plans. What Canada got in May 2020 is the Google Workspace version, which a company adds to its Workspace account and hands out to its staff.
It costs US$10, $20 or $30 a user a month depending on the plan, and that's on top of the Workspace subscription itself. For that you get a Canadian number for calls. You don't get texts, because Google says Voice only supports texts in the US. The same page says moving an existing number into Voice isn't supported in Canada yet, so you'd be starting with a new number.
A Canadian Google Voice number is fine for a small business that wants a work line on staff laptops. It's no help if you want your bank and the CRA to keep reaching you, because they text the number they already have.
Can I use a US Google Voice number in Canada?
If you already have one, mostly yes. Google says you can get texts on it from anywhere and send them over Wi-Fi, and texts to Canadian numbers are free. Calls are less tidy, because outside the US they can use your phone plan's minutes and your carrier may add roaming fees. Getting a new one from Canada is the hard part, because the free version is for people in the US.
Keep in mind that it's a US number. Everyone who has your Canadian cell number will keep using that, so you'd need to update every account one by one. And Google takes the number back if you stop using it. After the reclaim date you have 45 days to get it back, and then it's gone. A call, a text or listening to a voicemail keeps it alive.
What to use instead of Google Voice in Canada
It depends on what you wanted Google Voice for. If you want a second number for selling things online, any new number will do. If you're moving abroad and want to keep getting your texts, a new number is the wrong answer, because nobody has it yet.
| Option | What you get | Texts | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice through Workspace | A new Canadian number for calls | No | Needs a paid Workspace plan, and you can't bring your own number |
| A second prepaid plan | A new Canadian cell number on a SIM or eSIM | Yes | A monthly plan to pay, and the account closes if it lapses |
| A virtual number app | A new number that works over the internet | Usually | A new number, so every account needs updating |
| NumberNest | Your own Canadian number, in an app | Yes | Not open yet, join the waitlist |
A second prepaid plan works, but you have to keep the account going. chatr, for example, cancels an account by itself if the balance stays below the monthly fee for 90 days, and the number goes with it.
When I moved to Australia I looked at Google Voice for my UK number, but the personal version only works with US numbers. The other services I found that take your number online looked like they hadn't been updated in years, and I wasn't sure they'd still be running a few years from now. I wanted something simple that didn't cost much and couldn't find it, so I built NumberNest.
Keeping your own Canadian number in NumberNest
If the real goal is keeping your Canadian number while you live somewhere else, NumberNest does that directly. You move the number you already have into the NumberNest app, so there are no accounts to update with a new number. Texts arrive in the app on your phone and on the web, and calls ring in the app over the internet.
To move it you give NumberNest your account number with your current carrier, the account holder's name and address and your latest bill. Calls move first, and texts usually follow within minutes but can take up to 2 business days. It costs $5.99 a month. If you're moving abroad for more than a few months, I'd bring the number over rather than keep paying for a plan you hardly use. NumberNest is on a waitlist while it gets ready to open, and the guide to keeping your Canadian number abroad compares every option.
Common questions
Is Google Voice free in Canada?
No. The free version is only for people in the US. In Canada it's part of Google Workspace, from US$10 a user a month plus the Workspace plan.
Can I get a Canadian number on Google Voice?
Yes, but only through a Google Workspace plan, and the number can make and take calls but not texts.
Can I port my Canadian number to Google Voice?
Not yet. Google says moving an existing number into Voice isn't supported in Canada.
Can I still use my US Google Voice number in Canada?
Yes for texts, which work from anywhere. Calls from outside the US can use your phone plan's minutes. Keep using the number, because Google takes back numbers that aren't used.
What's the best Google Voice alternative in Canada?
For a spare number, a cheap prepaid plan. For keeping your own number while you live abroad, bring it to an app like NumberNest so nothing has to change.