Efani is a cell phone service for security-conscious users, but it’s far from ideal. From collecting personal data to reportedly mishandling customer complaints, it comes with notable drawbacks that might make subscribers look elsewhere.

Before choosing an Efani alternative, you should familiarize yourself with which features and functionalities to look for.

What To Look for in an Efani Alternative

To avoid analysis paralysis and prioritize impactful features instead of unnecessary bells and whistles, focus on the following criteria when exploring Efani alternatives:

• • SIM swap and account protection: Check the carrier’s security measures designed to prevent SIM swapping and other unwanted account changes. This would typically include multi-factor authentication, port freezing, or comprehensive verification procedures that protect from social engineering attacks.
• • Privacy of personal data: Choose a carrier that collects minimal personal data and doesn’t sell or otherwise share such data with third parties. Ideally, you should be able to use the service without handing out any personal information.
• • Network coverage and reliability: Security shouldn’t come at the cost of network performance, so make sure your chosen service uses networks with good coverage in your area. Secure MVNOs typically leverage big networks (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.), so check whether the partner network meets your coverage needs.
• • Value for money: Privacy-focused plans often cost more than standard plans because the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to ensure security is costly. While you should expect to pay a premium, make sure the cost is justified by sufficient peace of mind.
• • Reputation and customer support: Research your chosen provider beyond their website to see what users and security experts think about it. Factor in the carrier’s customer support with a focus on responsiveness—in case of a suspected attack on your line, you’ll need a provider that can respond quickly and safeguard your data.

6 Efani Alternatives Worth Considering

Among many privacy-focused cell phone services that have surfaced over the past few years, the following six stand out because of their robust protection and broad offering:

1. 1. Cloaked Wireless
2. 1. Silent Link
3. 1. Go Talk Wireless
4. 1. Purism Librem AweSIM
5. 1. Cloudflare Zero Trust SIM
6. 1. Cape

Below, you’ll see detailed breakdowns of each option’s features, pricing, benefits, and shortcomings.

1. Cloaked Wireless

Cloaked Wireless is an MVNO focused on preventing SIM swaps and other common incidents. While its main target audience is crypto enthusiasts, it’s a solid option for all privacy-conscious users who wish to upgrade their cell phone security.

The key strength of Cloaked Wireless lies in user authentication. Account changes require multi-factor verification powered by three options:

1. 1. Time-based one-time password (TOTP) apps
2. 1. FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) keys
3. 1. WebAuthn login

Cloaked claims that support and other staff can’t initiate any account changes (including SIM swaps) without the above authentication, which goes a long way toward account protection.

Regardless of your chosen plan, the service offers unlimited calls and texts, as well as nationwide 4G/5G coverage. The only difference lies in high-speed data availability, and you have four options to choose from:

1. 1. Secure 0.5GB: $25/month, 500 MB high-speed data
2. 1. Secure 10: $45/month, 10 GB high-speed data
3. 1. Secure 20: $60/month, 20 GB high-speed data
4. 1. Secure Max: $75/month, 60 GB high-speed data

You can choose between a physical SIM and eSIM, though the latter is recommended because it’s more secure by default. As for payment, you can provide your credit card information or use crypto payments for anonymity.

The downside of the first option is that Cloaked might collect your data, though the company promises not to track or sell it.

Unfortunately, there’s no free international roaming—you need to add roaming credits at predefined rates.

2. Silent Link

Silent Link can be an excellent Efani alternative if you want complete anonymity and only need mobile data without outbound SMS or calls. This makes it a highly niche service best suited for frequent travelers who want to roam across networks anonymously.

Thanks to Silent Link’s “zero KYC” policy, you don’t need to leave any data to get started. All you need to do is select your plan and pay in cryptocurrency.

The crypto payment is a double-edged sword—while it ensures anonymity, it can be complex to set up unless you’re already well familiar with the crypto space. This further narrows Silent Link’s audience to crypto enthusiasts and excludes the general public without crypto experience.

Still, if you fit the profile, you can expect Silent Link to deliver on its promise of anonymity. You get inbound SMS and calls, as well as global 4G/5G data cloaked to prevent issues like:

• • Silent SMS surveillance
• • SIM toolkit attacks
• • Censorship and restrictive monitoring

Silent Link recommends choosing between the following two plans:

1. 1. DATA.PLUS: $9 (one-time payment), internet access only without a number or SMS/calls
2. 1. US.PLUS: $78/year, internet access with a U.S. phone number and inbound SMS/calls

The service also offers three legacy plans, though it claims they might be phased out down the line:

1. 1. NO NUMBER: $9 (one-off payment), data-only
2. 1. US.IDENTITY: $59/year, data plus inbound SMS/calls through a U.S. number
3. 1. UK-IDENTITY: £56/year, data plus inbound SMS/calls through a U.K. number

Note that these prices only give you access to the service—roaming data is charged separately through a pay-as-you-go model.

3. Go Talk Wireless

Go Talk Wireless is an MVNO that operates on T-Mobile’s network. It’s a decent solution for users who prioritize security over privacy and want additional safeguards to block external attacks.

The carrier offers a robust Android and iOS app that goes beyond account management and includes:

• • A VPN service
• • Anti-phishing protection that blocks malicious links
• • An identity monitoring toolkit

These features are combined with Go Talk’s three-factor authentication (3FA), which adds hardware authentication powered by YubiKey tokens on top of the regular 2FA measures. It’s a solid security layer that can effectively minimize the risk of SIM swaps.

As mentioned, Go Talk prioritizes security over privacy—the company’s Privacy Policy states that Go Talk collects various personal information, from names and addresses to credit card information.

While it promises not to monetize your data, Go Talk states that this information may be shared with third parties, including “those you authorize” (which isn’t much different from the way traditional carriers manage privacy).

If you don’t mind the somewhat lackluster privacy, you can choose between five plans:

While the service is reasonably priced, the data is pretty scarce and insufficient for many users. There are no unlimited data plans, which can be a deal-breaker for many users.

4. Purism Librem AweSIM

After building security-hardened phones and laptops, Purism branched out into secure cell phone services through its Librem AweSIM offering. While it’s technically an MVNO, it runs on Purism’s proprietary mobile core, which means your personal data is concealed from the partner carrier.

While Purism hasn’t explicitly stated whose architecture they leverage, the company says its coverage “depends on AT&T backbone,” which indicates its partner network.

All of Purism’s infrastructure uses open-source software, which promotes transparency and gives users more confidence in the way their data is managed. AweSIM also doesn’t engage in ad tracking or selling user data—as per the Purism Privacy Policy:

“Under no circumstances will the data collected be used beyond of the contractual purpose, or otherwise sold to third parties.”

You can use AweSIM with any GSM-unlocked phone, though Purism naturally recommends pairing it with their Librem 5 or Liberty Phone, both of which are built around security and privacy.

If you only need the cell phone service, you can choose between three options:

1. 1. SIMple 1 GB: $39/month, unlimited calls and texts, plus 1 GB of data
2. 1. SIMple Plus 3 GB: $59/month, unlimited calls and texts, plus 3 GB of data
3. 1. AweSIM Unlimited: $99/month, new phone number, unlimited talk, text, and data

While the highest tier technically offers unlimited data, the speed is throttled after 22 GB, which may not be enough (especially as some secure carriers offer more for the same amount of money). International roaming is also charged separately, which isn’t ideal for frequent travelers.

5. Cloudflare Zero Trust SIM

If you need an Efani alternative for business use, Cloudflare’s Zero Trust SIM is worth considering. As it’s not a direct-to-consumer solution, it takes a different approach to security compared to other options we’ve covered.

Specifically, the service integrates into Cloudflare’s broader Zero Trust platform, which aims to secure business communications across different channels (email, chat applications, etc.).

As such, it requires implementing Cloudflare’s infrastructure—if you’re not already a customer, Zero Trust SIM might not be a feasible option because it’s not offered as a standalone solution.

That said, Cloudflare users can enjoy outstanding protection by implementing Zero Trust SIM. Cloudflare protects every packet of mobile traffic, meaning all outbound data from the device is secured and inspected.

Mobile traffic is also routed through Cloudflare’s network (Cloudflare Gateway), where it undergoes DNS and content filtering to offer real-time protection from threats like phishing and malware.

Zero Trust SIM can be used on corporate and BYOD devices. Either way, the SIM is locked to the hardware, which protects from SIM swaps and cloning attacks.

Contract details and pricing information about Zero Trust SIM aren’t publicly available—Cloudflare requires users to register their interest on the website for additional information.

6. Cape

Cape is a privacy-first cell phone service that not only protects from mobile attacks but also uproots them by directly addressing their underlying cause. Specifically, Cape replaces legacy architecture and weak authentication methods like passwords and 2FA with solutions like:

• • Secure authentication: Using asymmetric cryptography, Cape creates a unique digital signature for each user at signup. Nobody but you has access to the signature (including Cape’s team), so only you can initiate account changes like SIM ports.
• • Independent mobile core: Cape’s mobile network replaces legacy architecture to protect from interception and SS7-based attacks. All domestic and international traffic is routed through Cape’s core, which effectively eliminates network vulnerabilities.
• • Enhanced signaling protection: Cape’s core allows it to closely monitor signaling activity across networks so that it can detect and block requests from suspicious ones in real time.
• • Private payment: Unlike Efani and most services, Cape doesn’t store payment information (or any personal information). It uses Stripe’s tokenization to conceal credit card data, which remains hidden through the payment process.

To further enhance communication security, Cape also encrypts all voicemails. The contents and key metadata of all messages are encrypted on the server and then re-encrypted using your private key, so only you can access them.

Cape’s pricing structure is transparent and straightforward—you get unlimited calls, SMS, and 4G/5G data with superb network connectivity for $99 without hidden fees. Cape also offers free international roaming for eligible devices and locations, the list of which will expand as Cape’s beta progresses.

Cape currently offers eSIM without physical SIM options, and you can either choose a new number or port your own.

Get Started With Cape in Minutes

Considering Cape’s protection scope, minimal data collection, and broad offering, it’s the most comprehensive Efani alternative on the market. If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, you can sign up anonymously—all you need to do is follow these steps:

1. 1. Verify your eligibility on the website
2. 1. Download the Cape app from the Play Store/App Store
3. 1. Choose a new number or port in your existing number
4. 1. Save your unique 24-word passphrase
5. 1. Download and activate your eSIM

Cape partners with Proton to offer robust online security on top of uncompromised network protection. Cape subscribers get Proton Unlimited or Proton VPN Plus for only $1 for six months.