How we rank secure mobile services
One question drives every score: if someone is actively trying to take your phone number, how likely are they to succeed, and what happens to you if they do?
What we compare
We look at two kinds of service: secure mobile carriers, which build protection into how the carrier itself runs, and the SIM swap protections that the major U.S. carriers offer as account settings. Both are scored on the same scale, so you can see what you gain by switching.
The seven criteria
Each service gets a 0–10 score on every criterion. The overall score is the weighted average.
| Criterion | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| SIM swap defense | 25% | How hard it is for someone who is not you to move your number onto a new SIM: identity checks, who can approve a change and whether a store employee can override it. |
| Port-out protection | 20% | Whether your number can be transferred to another carrier quickly, or whether a lock, PIN or waiting period stands in the way. |
| Loss coverage | 15% | Whether the provider puts money behind its promise if a SIM swap gets through anyway, and how much. |
| Privacy & data handling | 15% | How much personal data the provider collects, how long it keeps it and what it shares. |
| Network & travel | 10% | Nationwide coverage, data allowances and how well the plan works outside the U.S. |
| Support | 10% | Whether a security-aware person answers when something looks wrong, not a script. |
| Value for the risk | 5% | Price measured against what a hijacked number would cost the person who uses it. |
Why prevention outweighs everything else
SIM swap defense and port-out protection together make up 45% of the score, because a SIM swap that never happens costs nothing. Loss coverage is weighted next: when prevention fails, the question is who pays. Network, support and price matter, but they are not what decides whether you keep your number.
Where our information comes from
We score each service on what it publishes about its plans, security features, pricing and terms. We update the rankings when a provider changes a plan or a feature. Prices and features change, so check the provider's current terms before you buy.
Current scores
Disclosure
SecureMobileService is published with support from Efani, the service we rank first. Read more on our About page.
Your phone number deserves more than a PIN.
Efani's SAFE Plan adds 11 layers of authentication, a 14-day port-out cooling-off period and up to $5 million in SIM swap coverage. No contract, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.