TextNow requires you to sign up with a Google account, Facebook account, or Apple ID of your choice, and after signing up you'll get a free virtual number for the U.S. However, you'll only be able to make unlimited calls and send text messages in the U.S. and Canada, and you'll have to pay a fee if you want to use it in other countries/regions. The app also lets you choose a wallpaper for your conversations, turn on timestamps, set a password, export conversations, set a ringtone for each recipient and add shortcuts to your conversations on the home screen, and you can set up your own voicemail if you want to receive calls in addition to SMS messages, and you can update your number every 15 days, and if you don't use it for a week it will be reclaimed by TextNow, after which you can only re-register. If the number is not used within a week, it will be reclaimed by TextNow and the user can only re-register after reclaiming the number! (Suggestion: If you want to use TextNow's free number, call or text at least once every two days to keep the number active, TextNow makes it clear that incoming calls/texts do not indicate an active account, so you can't rely on receiving CAPTCHAs to keep the number).
Advantages
- Free to use
- Works on the web version, but can only be used to receive text messages
- Protects the app with a password
- Watch adverts to earn a balance
Cons
- Large pop-up ads on the web page are easy to miss, but can be removed for $0.03
- Number will be recalled if not used for a week
Pricing
Free to use;
Wireless data features: $0.99/hour, $4.99/day, $39.99/month;
BOLD numbers can be ordered with a TextNow SIM card for just $1.99 for unlimited nationwide talk and text service for $0/month;
