NumVerify vs Phone List Cleaner
NumVerify (APILayer) is a developer phone-validation API priced per request, gated behind a monthly subscription. Phone List Cleaner is a self-serve CSV workflow with prepaid one-time packs and a sms_ready decision built in.
- NumVerify gates HTTPS, monthly limits, and CSV behind a recurring subscription. Phone List Cleaner is prepaid - buy 2,500 credits for $19, no recurring charge.
- NumVerify returns line_type, carrier, country. Phone List Cleaner returns those plus sms_ready, call_ready, reason, duplicate, and a sms_ready_only.csv.
- There's no CSV upload in NumVerify - you write code or pay for a separate tool. We accept CSV / TSV / XLSX / TXT / JSON natively.
- NumVerify uses a static dataset. We route to live providers when the package calls for it.
Side-by-side, attribute-by-attribute.
Prices and behaviour pulled straight from the public pricing page of NumVerify. If anything is wrong, email hello@phonelistcleaner.com and we'll fix it.
| Attribute | Phone List Cleaner | NumVerify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid packs ($19 / 2,500 → $499 / 250K) or monthly subscription | Monthly subscription only ($14.99/5K → $129.99/250K) |
| Smallest meaningful tier | $19 one-time for 2,500 - no recurring | $14.99/mo for 5K - recurring, even if you only need it once |
| Returns sms_ready boolean | Yes | No - derive it from line_type yourself |
| CSV upload + download | Yes | No - API only |
| Dedup before billing | Yes - duplicates cost zero credits | Not handled. Duplicate rows = duplicate billing |
| HTTPS in free / lower tiers | Always HTTPS | HTTPS gated behind paid tiers |
| Free tier | Format-only check pre-signup | 100 lookups/month free |
| Live carrier routing | Yes on network package; static fallback otherwise | Static dataset |
| Refund on hard-fail | Auto-refund | Not part of plan |
| Sales call required | Never | Never (public pricing) |
Same job, different bill.
What it actually costs to clean a list. Numbers pulled from public pricing in July 2026.
When each one actually wins.
Pick the tool that fits the job. If NumVerify is the better answer, we'll say it.
- You're a developer prototyping a tiny side project that needs <100 lookups a month and the free tier is enough.
- You're committed to a single-API integration and you've already built CSV ingestion, sms_ready logic, and dedup somewhere else.
- You like APILayer's broader catalog and want to consolidate billing across multiple data APIs.
- You want to clean a list this week, not subscribe forever.
- You want sms_ready_only.csv to land in your SMS tool without writing a transform.
- You don't want duplicate billing - we dedup before any paid lookup, every batch.
- You want HTTPS on day one, every tier.
- You want a refund the second a provider hard-fails, not a support ticket.
Questions buyers ask before switching.
Is NumVerify accurate?
NumVerify draws from a static carrier dataset. That's accurate enough for country and basic line type detection but can be stale on porting and roaming. Where you need live data (current carrier, port status), the network package on Phone List Cleaner routes to a live provider.
Can I cancel a NumVerify plan after one batch?
Yes, but you've paid for a recurring slot. With our one-time pack, you pay $19-$499 once and the credits stay.
Do you offer a free tier for testing?
You get full-format detection (libphonenumber) without signing up, and a small grant of credits on signup so you can run a few real lookups before buying a pack.
Can I export a sms_ready_only file from NumVerify?
Not natively. You'd request the API per number, filter the JSON, and assemble the CSV yourself. Phone List Cleaner generates it as part of every batch.
How does dedup work?
On upload, every number is normalized to E.164 and grouped. We only call the upstream provider once per unique number - duplicate rows reference that single lookup at zero credit cost.