> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.dialbird.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choosing a number

> Pick the right country, type, and number when you sign up or add one later.

Your number is how customers reach you, so it's worth picking one that suits your business. Whether you're signing up or adding another number later, you choose a few things along the way: the country, the type, and the number itself.

## The country

You can get numbers in the **United States**, the **United Kingdom**, and **Canada**. A few other countries appear in the list marked **Coming soon**, so you can see what's on the way, but you can't pick them yet.

Which of the supported countries you can actually buy from depends on where your business is based:

* A **UK** business can get **UK, US, and Canadian** numbers.
* A **US** or **Canadian** business can get **US and Canadian** numbers, but not UK ones.

## The type of number

What's on offer depends on the country. Here's the full list:

| Country        | Types available                                         |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| United States  | Local, Local Inbound Only, Toll-Free                    |
| United Kingdom | Local, Mobile, Mobile Inbound Only, Freephone, National |
| Canada         | Local, Toll-Free                                        |

What each one is for:

* **Local:** an ordinary area-code number, available in all three countries. Good for looking local to the customers near you.
* **Toll-Free** (US and Canada) or **Freephone** (UK): free for your customers to call.
* **Mobile** and **National:** extra options in the UK.
* **Inbound Only** variants (Local Inbound Only, Mobile Inbound Only): shown in the picker where available.

See [Phone numbers](/phone-numbers/overview) for a fuller explanation of what each type is best for.

## The actual number

Once you've set the country and type, you pick the number itself:

1. **Search by area code or town** to find one that looks local to your customers, then pick from the list of available numbers. Use **Refresh** if you'd like to see a different batch.
2. **Give it an icon.** Choose an emoji so you can spot the inbox at a glance in your sidebar. There's a default phone icon if you'd rather not pick one.
3. **Give it an inbox name**, such as "Sales" or "Support". This is required, and it's what the number is called in your sidebar.

Dialbird shows you the **monthly cost** before you confirm, so there are no surprises.

## Adding another number later

You're not limited to the one number you started with. To add another once you're set up:

1. Go to **Settings**, then **Phone numbers**.
2. Click **Add a New Number**.
3. Choose the **country** and **number type**, search and pick your number, then set its **icon** and **inbox name**.
4. Confirm to add it. You'll be charged the monthly cost for the new number.

<Note>
  Which countries you can buy a number in depends on where your business is. A UK business can also get US and Canadian numbers, but a US or Canadian business can't get UK ones.
</Note>

<Note>
  Planning to **text US customers**? US phone companies require your business to be registered first. See [Carrier (A2P) registration](/getting-started/carrier-registration/overview).
</Note>