Published : December 13, 2019Being a social animal, humans enjoy staying in touch with their loved ones, friends, and family. To stay connected to the outside world they use various communication technologies and techniques. And to meet this need, thousands of companies are out there with innovative communication products and services.
One such prominent name on this list is TextNow. To help readers better understand TextNow, we have tried to address all of the important topics surrounding this technology, including its working, benefits, TextNow reviews, and pricing plans.
What Is TextNow?
TextNow is a free phone service and mobile data provider that offers free calling and texting services to customers with eligible devices. TextNow is especially useful for mobile app development services companies because TextNow is a mobile data provider that can help understand your audience. To access TextNow services, users have to simply download the TextNow app and order a TextNow SIM card for their devices.
In addition, by adding a TextNow SIM card to your unlocked phone, users can also connect to the United States’ largest 5G/4G network.
Although these services may appear similar to other apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and other messaging apps, this is not the case. The main difference between TextNow and other messaging apps is that users can use TextNow both with and without Wifi. This is not possible with most other messaging apps.
If you don’t have adequate WiFi coverage or are on the move, you can simply switch to a TextNow SIM card, which provides nationwide mobile networks all across the United States.
: WiFi Texting AppWhat Is TextNow Used For?
TextNow is used to make phone calls and send messages at affordable rates. You can access TextNow services in two ways– first, by installing the TextNow app, and second, by using a TextNow SIM card on an unlocked Android or Apple phone.
TextNow phone services allow you to stay in touch with customers, friends, and family all over the United States and Canada. And the best part is that there are no monthly fees because calling and texting are completely free even with the basic plan.
You only have to pay for the add-on services in case you select them. Once you subscribe to the TextNow service, you can make as many voice calls and send as many texts as you want.
How Does TextNow Work?
TextNow makes free calls and sends messages via the internet/mobile data. Also, TextNow phone services can be accessed in two ways: via mobile app and via SIM card. Again, you are not required to get a new TextNow free phone number along with the SIM card because the company allows users to keep their existing number.
In addition to that, you can also buy premium numbers from TextNow. To the uninitiated, premium numbers are those that appear more appealing than other numbers (e.g., 966-6666). Premium numbers are an excellent choice for businesses because they are easy for customers to remember.
Once you have a number, sign up to TextNow using the number directly from your web browser to stay connected.
However, if your wifi connection is poor or you have no internet connection at all, you can use the TextNow SIM card to access phone services. It is worth mentioning that this mobile phone company has one of the largest 5G/4G networks in the United States.
You’re probably wondering how TextNow can offer everything for free. Well, the company covers the service cost through advertisements in our app, so you never have to pay a monthly phone bill.
Key Features of TextNow Phone Service
Three of TextNow’s key features are listed below. Let’s take a quick look at each one.
(Source: textnow)
A. International Free Calling
The first benefit of subscribing to TextNow is that the app lets you make international calls, including free calls to the United States and Canada. However, to make and receive phone calls to countries other than Canada and USA, you must have the necessary funds in your account. You will be charged per minute based on the country or region you dialed to.
There are two ways to fund your account:
- Buy plans or make in-app purchases through the Google App Store or Apple App Store.
- Earn free credits by watching ads or referring the app to your friends.
B. Messaging
Text messaging is the next benefit you get when you subscribe to TextNow. The app allows users to send plain and free text messages to any other mobile number. You can also make text messages more interesting by adding emojis, animated GIFs, pictures, videos, and other supported media.
However, as previously stated, in order to send messages to countries other than the US and Canada through TextNow, you must have a certain amount of funds in your account. You can fund your account in two ways– through in-app purchases, watching ads, or referring the app to your friends.
C. Group Chats
TextNow’s group texting feature is very similar to that of other messaging apps. You can add two or more people to the same conversation and interact with them in the same message thread. You can even add emojis and stickers to the conversation to make it more interesting and engaging.
These are TextNow’s three key features. In a nutshell, the app allows you to communicate or stay in touch with your friends & customers across the US, Canada, and other countries via primary communication methods such as calls and texts.
How To Make International Phone Calls With TextNow?
To make international calls with TextNow, follow the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Navigate to the dialer page. Here you will see ‘Canada & USA’ at the top right corner, set as a default setting. Note that calling these countries– USA & Canada, is completely free. However, you can change the country through the drop-down menu.
Step 2: After you select a country, the name of that country will appear in the top right corner instead of “Canada & USA.” You will also notice that the ‘Free’ tag under the country name has been replaced with the country’s call charges. For example, when you select Belgium as a country, you will see ¢8.6/Minute.
Step 3: Next, dial the Belgium phone number you want to connect to.
That’s it. However, if you do not have a sufficient balance in your account, the calls will fail, and a warning message will be displayed.
TextNow Phone Plans, Add-ons & Pricing Information
TextNow pricing plans and add-on services are detailed below.
A. TextNow Basics
You can get the TextNow app free from the Google Play or Apple App stores for your smartphone or tablet. The app will require an internet connection to work. You can use your mobile data plan or a wifi connection.
Besides, you can even use your browser to access TextNow. However, remember that both the app and the browser are free to use but are ad-supported.
Furthermore, you can call any phone number in the United States or Canada for free. However, to make international calls to countries other than the United States and Canada, you must purchase TextNow cheap international calling plans.
B. TextNow Add-ons
If you want to make communication more easy and effective, you can purchase the TextNow add-ons listed below:
- Premium Numbers: TextNow offers premium numbers at $4.99/month. As previously stated, premium numbers are easy to remember and recommend for businesses.
- Lock-in Number: TextNow also provides a locked-in number add-on, which will keep your phone number locked to your account for the period of your locked-in subscription. It will cost $4.99 per month.
- Ad-Free Lite: If you find ads distracting and irritating, you can subscribe to Ad-Free Lite. This add-on service will remove all ads except the banner ads at the bottom.
- Ad-Free+: If you don’t even want to see that bottom ad, get an Ad-Free+ subscription. This subscription removes all advertisements from the app, taking the user experience to the next level.
So these are the TextNow pricing plans and add-ons. Subscribe to the ones based on your needs and budget.
TextNow Reviews & Customer Feedbacks
Understandably, as a user, you will look for TextNow reviews or TextNow customer feedback before purchasing it. Let us help you out. We researched some of the top mobile app and software review websites to see what people were saying about TextNow, and here’s what we discovered:
TextNow Reviews On Google Play Store
On Google Play Store, TextNow has 1,159,000 votes with an average rating of 4.4/5 stars. Pretty good, right? Most TextNow reviews on the Play Store praise its features, phone service, affordable pricing plans, and simple user interface.
TextNow Reviews On Apple Store
On the Apple Store, TextNow has 531,970 votes with an average rating of 4.8/5 stars– almost similar to the TextNow reviews on the Google Play Store. This means that both the TextNow iOS and Android apps are well-liked by users.
Most TextNow reviews on the Apple Store also mention its reasonable pricing plans, free texting, phone bill cut, and user-friendly interface.
TextNow Reviews On AppGrooves
TextNow has over 1,854,192 votes with an average rating of 4.5/5 on a popular mobile app review website– AppGrooves. Most positive TextNow reviews mention the unlimited talk time, unlimited texts, free calling and texting feature and the low-cost plans.
In a nutshell, TextNow has overwhelmingly positive ratings on the majority of popular app review platforms. Most TextNow reviews praise the app’s usability, reliability, free texting, and low price. However, we recommend that you conduct your own research before making a final decision.
TextNow– FAQs
Is TextNow free?
Yes, the basic version of TextNow is free. However, it is ad-supported. To get the ad-free TextNow app, you must purchase add-ons like Ad-Free Lite or Ad-Free+.
Is TextNow a legitimate app?
Yes, TextNow is a completely legal app that offers free calling service or allows you to make and receive unlimited voice calls to the United States and Canada. TextNow reviews on popular platforms also support its legitimacy.
Is TextNow a VoIP number?
Yes, TextNow is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service that lets users text and call any phone number in Canada, the United States, and several other countries.
Is TextNow safe to use?
Yes, TextNow is completely safe for adults to use. However, it is recommended that teens or students should only use it with adult supervision.
Can TextNow be used without WiFi?
Yes, TextNow can be used without Wifi by using a TextNow SIM card that connects to a cell tower network to make voice calls or send messages.
From where I can download TextNow?
You can download the TextNow app from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Updated : October 25, 2024
Paras Kela brings a wealth of IT knowledge to his writing, with a strong focus on technical content. In recent years, he has specialized in virtual telephony solutions, creating clear and insightful content. His passion for technology, experience in the IT field, and dedication to learning new trends make complex topics easy to understand.
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