Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
SMARTY vs TextNow
Where SMARTY and TextNow differ
| Compare |  SMARTY |  TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £5 | $0 |
| Reference plan prices | 40GB: GBP 10 per month, 40GB, 1-month rolling | Unlimited: GBP 20 per month, unlimited, 1-month rolling | 2GB Data Only: GBP 5 per month, 2GB, 1-month rolling | Free: $0 per month, unlimited talk and text, rolling; Plus Monthly: $18.99 per month, 20GB data, rolling; Unlimited Monthly: $35.99 per month, 20GB data plus unlimited 2G, rolling |
| Unlimited plan price | £20 | $35.99 |
| Markets | GB | US, CA |
| Host network | Three | Not confirmed |
| EU roaming | Fair use | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Mid-contract price rises | No annual price rises on rolling one-month plans | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Wi-Fi calling (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Support channels: only SMARTY offers Community.
- Support channels: only TextNow offers Chat.
- TextNow is available in 1 more country.
- Billing: only TextNow offers Prepaid.
- Markets: only SMARTY offers GB.
- Markets: only TextNow offers US, CA.
Our verdict on each
SMARTY
SMARTY suits anyone after a rolling monthly SIM, a low entry price and the usual extras with no credit check, and it stays cheap at renewal because annual price rises do not apply to its rolling plans. Its unlimited plan ranks 89 of 173 on price, where heavy users get their value.
TextNow
TextNow suits anyone who wants a second line or a spare handset for talk and text without paying a monthly bill, since the Free plan sits at $0 and runs rolling. It is a weaker fit for heavy data users or for anyone who wants support by phone.
Score breakdown
| Area | SMARTY | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Entry plan from £5 a month, unlimited at £20, rolling billing with no annual rises. | 9.3HigherEntry price is $0 and TextNow ranks 1 of 258 on that figure. |
| Offer | 8.9HigherSim only on Three with eSIM, wifi calling, hotspot sharing, a multi line discount and no credit check. | 8.8Sim only, eSIM and wifi calling are offered, and the unlimited plan costs $35.99. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.6The legal entity is TextNow Inc. in CA, with support on help centre and chat. |
How they place
| Ranking | SMARTY | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 184 of 416 | 189 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 85 of 137 | 89 of 137 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 186 of 389 | 190 of 389 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 11 of 26 | 13 of 26 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | SMARTY | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Canada |
Additional countries for SMARTY: 1. Additional countries for TextNow: 2.
What we checked
SMARTY
- smarty.co.uk: 20 facts, checked September 30, 2026
TextNow
- textnow.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | SMARTY | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Rolling | Rolling, PrepaidCovers more |
| Contract length | 1 | 1 |
| Legal entity | Hutchison 3G UK Limited | TextNow Inc. |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Canada |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2009 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Help centre, Chat |
Pros and cons
SMARTY
Pros
- The entry plan is priced from £5 a month and bills on rolling terms.
- No annual price rises on the rolling monthly plans, so what you start on is what you renew on.
- An eSIM, 5G, wifi calling and hotspot sharing are all included.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community only, with no phone line for problems that need a voice.
- EU roaming works on a fair use basis, so a month abroad is not the same as a month at home.
- Coverage is fixed to Three because SMARTY is a virtual network operator, so there is no second host network to weigh.
TextNow
Pros
- The Free plan costs $0 and still includes unlimited talk and text, so a spare line costs nothing to run.
- No credit check is required to sign up, which the free tier shares with the paid plans.
- Sim only plans run on rolling and prepaid billing, with a plan term of 1 month, so there is no long lock-in.
Cons
- The Unlimited Monthly plan, which adds unlimited data on older network generations, costs $35.99 a month, so heavy data users pay well above the free tier.
- Support runs on help centre and chat only, so there is no phone line listed.
- TextNow is a virtual network operator serving US and CA, so it does not reach readers who would pick a network such as GETESA.
Who each suits
SMARTY
Who it suits
- People in GB who want to leave any month on a 1 month rolling term.
- Heavy data users who will pay £20 a month for the unlimited plan instead of watching a cap.
- Households running several lines, since a multi line discount is available.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who would rather buy from the network's own brand: GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are all network sellers, while SMARTY is a virtual network operator on Three.
- Frequent travellers who want roaming included, since fair use is the basis here and 48.2% of cheap plan listings include it outright.
- Anyone who needs a human voice on day one, since support runs on help centre and community only.
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.
Country by country
| Country | SMARTY | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
SMARTY
How much is the cheapest SMARTY plan?+
SMARTY's entry plan starts at £5 a month and bills rolling, so there is no annual term to fund first. That figure is the monthly price from the start, not a headline rate that needs a discount code. Bigger allowances and unlimited data cost more.
How much is unlimited data at SMARTY?+
The unlimited plan costs £20 a month on rolling terms, and on the price lists it places 89 of 173 tracked brands, a stronger showing than its entry price. Heavy users get more here than the entry figure suggests.
TextNow
What is the cheapest TextNow plan?+
The Free plan is the cheapest, priced from $0 a month. It includes unlimited talk and text on a rolling basis, with a plan term of 1 month. It is a sim only plan, so you use a handset you already own.
What does the unlimited plan cost?+
The Unlimited Monthly plan costs $35.99 a month. It pairs a set data allowance with unlimited data on older network generations, plus unlimited talk and text. The Plus Monthly tier carries the same data allowance, so the difference is the older-generation data on top.