Your phone going dead is annoying. Your phone number going missing is dangerous.
In the U.S., a phone number sits at the center of password resets, bank alerts, account recovery, and identity checks. When attackers go after a number, they are not chasing free calls. They are chasing leverage.
That is why comparing Efani, Google Fi, and Google Voice is really a comparison of architectures. Each one answers the same question differently: who controls your number, and how hard is it to move?
The Core Difference
Most SIM swap attacks start with persuasion.
Someone convinces a carrier that they are you. The carrier moves the number. Text messages follow. Accounts fall next.
Every provider claims to “take security seriously.” The real difference is where they place trust.
- Efani distrusts everyone by default, including the customer.
- Google Fi trusts the Google Account.
- Google Voice removes the carrier layer entirely, but introduces classification issues.
Once you understand that, the rest of the comparison clicks into place.
Efani treats the phone number as a high-risk asset. Google Fi treats it as an extension of your Google identity. Google Voice treats it as a cloud service, closer to email than cellular.
Those design choices ripple into everything else, from support flows to banking compatibility.
Efani
Efani is built for people who assume they could be targeted.
How Efani Handles Number Changes
Efani slows number changes down on purpose. Sensitive actions go through layered verification, manual review, and waiting periods. This breaks the speed advantage attackers rely on.
The experience is not instant. That is the feature.
If a number move takes days instead of minutes, social engineering loses its power.
Cooling-Off Period vs Instant Control
Efani enforces a waiting period before critical changes like port-outs. Google Fi and Google Voice do not.
That single policy creates a different risk profile. With Efani, even a successful impersonation attempt still has to survive time and scrutiny. With self-service systems, compromise can cascade immediately.
Insurance As A Signal
Efani includes a large insurance policy tied to SIM-swap related losses. This is not common in consumer wireless.
It signals that Efani is willing to carry financial risk alongside the customer. Traditional carriers rarely do.
Cost And Who It Makes Sense For
Efani is expensive by mobile standards. It is not priced for casual users.
It makes sense when the downside of losing a number is far greater than the monthly fee. If the number protects significant assets, businesses, or public-facing identities, the math changes.
Google Fi
Google Fi sits in the middle of the spectrum. It offers meaningful protections, but they depend on user behavior.
Google Account As The Single Gate
With Google Fi, the phone number lives inside your Google Account. If the account is secure, the number is secure. If the account is compromised, the number follows.
This creates a clean but fragile model. There is no separation between account access and number control.
Number Lock Is Critical
Google Fi includes Number Lock, which blocks transfers unless it is disabled first. This is the most important Fi security setting.
Without it, an attacker who gains account access can generate transfer details quickly. With it, the damage window narrows.
Advanced Protection Changes The Equation
When paired with hardware keys or passkeys, Google Fi becomes much harder to attack remotely. Phishing becomes less effective. Account takeover becomes rarer.
The tradeoff is rigidity. Recovery is slower. Mistakes can lock you out longer.
Google Fi works best for users who are disciplined about security hygiene.
Cost And Everyday Use
Google Fi is cheaper than Efani and more flexible. It is easy to manage, easy to pause, and easy to use as a primary line.
The risk is concentration. Everything depends on the Google Account.
Google Voice
Google Voice changes the game by removing SIM cards from the equation.
Why SIM Swaps Do Not Apply
A Google Voice number is not tied to a physical SIM. A carrier cannot move it. A store employee cannot touch it.
To steal it, an attacker must compromise the Google Account itself.
The VoIP Classification Problem
Google Voice numbers are classified as VoIP, not mobile. Many banks, payment platforms, and government services treat VoIP numbers as lower trust.
This shows up in two painful ways:
- Some services refuse to send security codes to VoIP numbers.
- Some services allow login but block sensitive actions.
These failures usually happen at the worst moment, during fraud checks or travel-triggered reviews.
Google Voice Works Best As A Secondary Layer
As a public-facing number, Google Voice is excellent. It is flexible, cheap, and portable.
As a sole identity number, it is risky. Too many systems still assume a mobile number equals higher assurance.
Banking And 2FA Compatibility Compared
This is where the gap between mobile and VoIP becomes non-negotiable.
Efani and Google Fi issue true mobile numbers. Banks and government systems treat them normally.
Google Voice does not. Some institutions accept it. Others do not. There is no reliable way to predict which category a service falls into until you are locked out.
For anyone who values predictable access to financial systems, this difference matters more than call quality or pricing.
Security Philosophy Compared
Efani uses managed security. Humans, delays, and verification layers are baked in. It protects you even if you make a mistake.
Google Fi uses self-managed security. Strong tools exist, but you must configure and maintain them correctly.
Google Voice uses architectural avoidance. It sidesteps SIM swaps entirely, but runs into institutional trust barriers.
None of these approaches is objectively “best.” Each fits a different risk tolerance.
Cost vs Risk
Efani is expensive and stable. Google Fi is moderate and flexible. Google Voice is cheap and constrained.
The mistake is comparing them like phone plans. They are closer to different insurance products.
- Efani sells downside protection.
- Google Fi sells convenience with optional hardening.
- Google Voice sells flexibility at the cost of acceptance.
Once you frame it that way, the pricing differences make sense.
The Hybrid Approach Most People End Up Using
Many U.S. users quietly adopt a layered setup.
One mobile number is treated as sacred. It touches banks, identity checks, and account recovery. That number lives on Efani or Google Fi with every lock enabled.
A second number handles everyday communication. That number often lives on Google Voice.
This separation reduces blast radius. If one number is compromised or blocked, the other survives.
It is not complicated. It is compartmentalization.
Conclusion
If your phone number is just a way to receive calls, almost any service works.
If your phone number is the key to money, work, or reputation, the question changes. You are no longer shopping for coverage. You are choosing a control system.
Efani prioritizes control and delay. Google Fi prioritizes integration and self-service. Google Voice prioritizes portability and cost.
The right choice is not about features. It is about how much damage a stolen number could actually do.
FAQs
1. Is Efani overkill for most users?
For casual use, yes. For people whose phone number protects high-value accounts or public identities, it is proportional.
2. Can Google Fi be secure enough without Efani?
Yes, if Number Lock is enabled and the Google Account is strongly protected. The risk is concentrated in one place.
3. Why do banks distrust Google Voice numbers?
Because VoIP numbers are easier to create, move, and recycle. Some institutions see them as lower assurance.
4. Can Google Voice replace a mobile number entirely?
It can for communication. It often fails for banking, government logins, and high-risk account recovery.
5. What is the safest overall setup for a U.S. user?
One locked-down mobile number for identity and finance, plus a separate flexible number for everyday use.
