From anonymity to SIM swap protection, REALLY Wireless offers plenty of useful features—but it’s not without drawbacks. Users have reported issues like extensive data speed throttling and lackluster customer service, which may be off-putting enough to consider another option.

The good news is that there are various REALLY Wireless alternatives worth considering. To help you zero in on the best one, we’ll show you what to look for in a carrier. We’ll then cover six popular options to help you jump-start your search.

How To Choose a REALLY Wireless Alternative

When browsing REALLY alternatives, focus on the following aspects of different services:

• • Data privacy policies: All secure carriers worth their salt minimize data collection and refuse to sell your information to third parties. A clear privacy policy and practices like anonymizing or not storing personal identifiers (or not collecting them in the first place) help safeguard your identity.
• • Encryption and network security: Cell phone services can implement various security measures, such as end-to-end encryption (E2EE) of calls/texts, protection against SIM swaps or signaling attacks, and secure network cores. Some even run their own core to shield your data from big telcos and protect against vulnerabilities like SS7 hacks.
• • Network reliability: Your chosen carrier should offer robust nationwide coverage and have the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure reliability. Privacy-focused carriers often piggyback on major 4G/5G networks, though some deploy innovative mesh networks to provide reliable service.
• • Customer support: While prevention is the best medicine, you never know when you might need help with a security issue—and that’s where knowledgeable, responsive support makes a world of difference. Look for white-glove support that offers 24/7 assistance.
• • Transparency: Opt for companies that are transparent about their practices and pricing. Clear, upfront pricing with no hidden fees helps prevent unpleasant surprises down the line. Transparency also extends to breach disclosures and how the provider responds to security incidents, so look into their track record.

Best REALLY Alternative: 6 Services To Consider

Based on the above criteria, we’ve selected six secure carriers that fit different audiences through unique feature sets and security measures:

1. 1. Helium Mobile
2. 1. GXC
3. 1. Efani
4. 1. Cloaked Wireless
5. 1. Pollen Mobile
6. 1. Cape

Read on to learn about each option’s features, pricing, benefits, and pitfalls.

Helium Mobile

Helium Mobile is a privacy-first carrier that takes a unique, decentralized approach to service provision. It lets users run 5G hotspots to enable a community-run network. When no nearby hotspots are available, Helium falls back on its network partner, T-Mobile.

Helium offers rewards for running a hotspot because doing so requires anonymized location data. Rewards come in the form of Cloud Points that can be spent on many products and services, including:

• • Shopping (Nike, Lego, etc.)
• • Foods and drinks (Starbucks, DoorDash, etc.)
• • Entertainment (Spotify, Netflix, etc.)

The location data users share is anonymized and isn’t used for any purpose besides providing the service. Helium promises not to sell data to third parties, though it does collect quite a bit of it according to its Privacy Policy. The company collects names, addresses, and billing information, which many users might not be comfortable with.

What exacerbates this issue is a lack of comprehensive network protection. Helium offers standard features like encrypted browsing, though there are no safeguards like robust SIM swap prevention or SS7 attack prevention.

On the bright side, Helium offers a free plan, which you don’t get with REALLY or many of its competitors. You have three options:

1. 1. Zero: Free; 3 GB of data, 300 SMS, and 100 minutes for calls
2. 1. Air: $15/month; 10 GB of data, unlimited calls and texts
3. 1. Infinity: $30/month; Unlimited calls, texts, and data (throttled after 28 GB of usage)

GXC

GXC is an enterprise-focused REALLY alternative that caters to businesses of various sizes, providing secure mesh-based 5G/LTE networks. Its infrastructure goes beyond cable connections to provide dynamic cellular coverage where users have complete control of the network (and its security).

While GXC’s solutions are mainly geared toward businesses, they can be implemented in any community that wants a private network (e.g., a campus or even a neighborhood). The user owns and runs the network, which gives them the freedom to set up and manage security policies.

As for built-in security, GXC offers various effective measures, most notably:

• • Cellular-grade E2EE
• • Firewalls
• • Intrusion detection

On top of these measures, users can add additional security layers through features like custom network configuration and access controls.

GXC doesn’t offer fixed plans—pricing is determined on a case-by-case basis and tailored to each customer’s hardware and software needs. Due to the provision of a closed ecosystem with advanced security measures, it’s safe to assume that the initial costs for hardware and ongoing support can be high and potentially not feasible for small-scale use.

Another notable issue is a lack of mobility. The private network covers a specific area, so you don’t get any protection outside of it. There’s no nationwide coverage, so you’re limited to a specific location.

Efani

Efani is REALLY’s direct competitor, and it offers quite a few features that stack up well against it. The service is built to protect users from threats like SIM swapping, data leaks, and eavesdropping, so it’s particularly appealing to high-risk individuals.

Efani’s main selling point is the “11-layer authentication process,” which the user must go through to make any major account changes (like porting a number). The layers include:

• • Manual request reviews by several Efani team members
• • Extensive identity verification
• • 14-day cool-off period after the request is approved

These security measures make it extremely difficult for malicious parties to take over a user’s account, which translates to minimal risks of data breaches or identity-related attacks.

Efani claims no hacker has managed to breach its security layers and even offers a $5 million insurance policy that covers any financial loss caused by a successful attack.

The service also offers 24/7 white-glove support, though users have mixed opinions about it. While some have had pleasant experiences, others claim that support isn’t helpful when it comes to resolving incidents.

Another potential concern is the amount of data Efani collects. When you sign up, you need to leave personal details like your name and address, which is below the standard of privacy-focused services.

If you don’t mind Efani’s data collection practices, you can subscribe monthly or annually at the following prices:

1. 1. Monthly: $99
2. 1. Annually: $999

Cloaked Wireless

Cloaked Wireless operates on the T-Mobile network as an MVNO. Its main focus is on SIM swap prevention through strong user authentication and anonymity through crypto payments. The latter feature makes it particularly appealing to crypto enthusiasts because they can fully leverage the service’s features.

By contrast, users who don’t use crypto might need to entrust Cloaked with some personal data involved in the payment process. The service promises not to track or sell such data, though it would be best not to store it in the first place.

If this isn’t an issue, Cloaked can still deliver solid security. Any changes require multi-factor authentication, and users can choose between three options:

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

Unless the user goes through the authentication, no significant account changes can be made because Cloaked’s team can’t perform them without verification. This minimizes the risk of issues like SIM swaps and ensures enhanced data security.

Cloaked offers four pricing plans, all of which include unlimited calls, text, and 4G/5G data. The cost is mainly based on the amount of high-speed data you get:

1. 1. 500 MB: $25/month
2. 1. 10 GB: $45/month
3. 1. 20 GB: $60/month
4. 1. 60 GB: $75/month

One of Cloaked’s main downsides is that it hasn’t built a solid reputation among users. As one Reddit user commented, there’s little to no information about it besides the website. This makes it hard to verify Cloaked’s security and performance in real-life settings, which can be off-putting to some customers.

Pollen Mobile

Pollen Mobile takes a similar approach to network decentralization as Helium Mobile, though the infrastructure is different. You can deploy small cell radios (“Flowers”) to provide coverage, and users (“Honeybees”) connect to this network.

The service doesn’t disappoint security-wise—all communications are encrypted from the users’ devices through the network core, and Pollen’s nodes don’t inspect or log any data.

Pollen Mobile doesn’t partner with traditional carriers. While this contributes to privacy and security, there’s nothing to fall back on in case there aren’t any “Flowers” nearby (within a three-mile radius).

To counter this, the service lets users “drop pollen,” which means putting a pin on a map so that the Pollen team can deploy new nodes.

You can get a Pollen eSIM and use the service for free up to 1 GB, after which you’ll be charged $3/GB up to 10 GB. After this cap, the rest of your usage is free and unlimited.

Pollen Mobile lets users pay in USD or crypto. The latter option ensures anonymity, while the former lets users outside of the crypto space sign up.

You should also factor in the cost of “Flowers,” which will set you back a few hundred dollars. This means the initial cost might be pretty high, and the deployment may be complex for beginners.

Cape

Cape is a secure cell phone service that offers connection without compromise, built with privacy and security at its core. Unlike most REALLY alternatives, it gives you full control and ownership of your data by ensuring it stays on your device.

The service does this through its secure authentication model that replaces passwords with advanced cryptography. When you create an account, you get a digital signature in the form of a 24-word phrase. Nobody—including Cape’s team—has access to the signature, which is required for SIM ports and other major changes.

As the digital signature never leaves your device, SIM swaps are practically impossible as long as you keep the 24-word phrase secure.

To further safeguard your data, Cape doesn’t collect or store most of it in the first place. Hackers can’t steal data that never left the user’s device, which maximizes security.

The service also runs its own mobile network instead of relying on weak legacy architecture. This protects users from common threats like interceptions and SS7 attacks during both domestic and international usage.

These security features are combined with superb network connectivity and unlimited text, calls, and 4G/5G data. You also get free international roaming, though the availability is currently subject to change because Cape is still in beta.

Cape’s features and security measures are available for $99/month. You can leverage them through an eSIM with either your number or a new one.

The Verdict: Which REALLY Alternative Should You Choose?

Based on security features, connectivity, and value for money, Cape might be the best REALLY alternative for most users. It collects minimal data, protects from network attacks, and gives users control of their data.

For additional security, Cape offers the following features:

• • Private payment: To ensure your payment information stays private, Cape uses Stripe’s tokenization to cloak it. Instead of personal data, Cape only stores the token, which can’t be mapped to the credit card number or other information.
• • Enhanced signaling protection: As all traffic is routed through Cape’s mobile network, requests from suspicious networks can be detected and blocked in real time, so your connection remains secure.
• • Encrypted voicemail: The contents and essential metadata of your voicemail are encrypted at all times, ensuring only you can access it.

Talk, Text, and Surf Safely With Cape

Cape’s protection measures go beyond the features of REALLY and most of its competitors, making it an excellent alternative worth considering. The best part is—you can sign up without leaving any personal data to ensure complete anonymity. Here’s how:

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

Thanks to Cape’s partnership with Proton, you can enjoy secure communication beyond your cell phone. Cape subscribers get Proton Unlimited or Proton VPN Plus for only $1 for six months.