About This App
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Category
Social
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Installs
50,000,000+
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Content Rating
Rated for 3+
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Developer Email
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Privacy Policy
https://www.textnow.com/privacy
Screenshots
Editor Reviews
TextNow is a communication app designed to help you make free calls and send unlimited texts. It launched back in 2009 and is available on both Google Play and the App Store. The app has been downloaded over 100 million times on Google Play alone, which shows how popular it is for staying in touch. It's completely free to download and use for calling and texting other TextNow users in the US and Canada. You do need to sign up with an email or phone number to get your own free phone number, which is a key part of the app. While the core service is free, there are optional in-app purchases if you want to call regular mobile or landline numbers internationally or get an ad-free experience. You will see some ads in the free version, but they are usually not too intrusive.
Using TextNow is pretty straightforward. After you download and install the app from Google Play or the App Store, you sign up and pick your free phone number. You can use this number to call and text anyone else who has the TextNow app for free. For texting, it works just like your regular messaging app. A simple tip from a long-time user: if you mainly text and call friends who also use the app, you'll never pay a cent. The call quality is generally good over Wi-Fi. Another user tip is to make sure you have a stable internet connection for the best call clarity, as it uses your data or Wi-Fi to connect calls.
Compared to other similar apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, TextNow stands out because it gives you that dedicated free phone number. Apps like WhatsApp require both people to have the app and use your existing mobile number. TextNow acts more like a second, standalone line. I chose it over others because I wanted a separate number for online classifieds or work without giving out my personal cell number. It's perfect for that. While apps like Google Voice offer a similar free number, I found TextNow simpler to set up and use daily for basic texting. For someone who needs a free, reliable way to text and make app-to-app calls, TextNow is a solid choice in the communication app genre.
Features
- 📞 Provides a free, real US/Canada phone number for calling and texting, setting it apart from apps that just work over an existing contact list.
- 📞 Enables unlimited free texting and calling to any other TextNow user, which is perfect for keeping in touch with family without using plan minutes.
- 📞 Functions as a great secondary line for online sales, travel, or business, a feature that similar apps like WhatsApp don't offer natively.
- 📞 Compared to a similar app like Google Voice, many users find the TextNow interface more intuitive and quicker to get started with.
Pros
- 👍 The fact that it's completely free to get a number and text app-to-app is a huge win over many paid services.
- 👍 The app is very user-friendly and easy to install from Google Play, making it accessible to everyone.
- 👍 It's incredibly reliable for use as a secondary, disposable number for signing up to websites or marketplaces.
- 👍 Compared to similar communication apps, having a dedicated free number in your pocket is its standout feature.
Cons
- ⚠️ Call quality to non-TextNow numbers can be patchy, and international calls require credits, unlike some competitors with broader free tiers.
- ⚠️ The free version has ads, and the interface can feel a bit cluttered compared to cleaner, minimalist messaging apps.