Meow Mobile vs TextNow

Meow Mobile

Who it suits

• Households in the US that want a prepaid, rolling SIM only line on AT&T without a long contract.
• People who rarely leave the country and stream or hotspot often, since roaming is paid and unmetered data opens at $15.
• Anyone adding a spare line for a child, a partner or a second phone, since a credit check is not required and hotspot sharing is included.

Who should look elsewhere

• GETESA, which sells as a network (network), for readers who want the host network itself rather than a virtual network operator.
• yesss! and Lonestar Cell MTN, both sold as networks (network, network), for anyone who treats buying direct from the network as a condition rather than a preference.

TextNow

Who it suits

• People in the US or Canada who want a second number for messages and calls and will not stream much video.
• Households keeping an old handset on a cheap line purely for talk and text.
• Readers who want an eSIM line and prefer paying monthly with no fixed term.

Who should look elsewhere

• Anyone outside the US and Canada, who should look at GETESA, yesss! or Lonestar Cell MTN instead.
• People who stream and tether regularly, since the paid data allowance is modest next to what network sellers offer.
• Readers who need phone support, because the listed channels are a help centre and chat.