TextNow review
Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
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.
Key facts
- Best for
- A free or very low cost talk and text line in the US and Canada, with no credit check.
- Seller type
- Mvno (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- SIM-only
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Price from
- $0 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Reference plan prices
- 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 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Unlimited plan price
- $35.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- 5G
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- eSIM
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Wi-Fi calling
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Credit check required
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- US, CA (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- TextNow Inc. (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Canada (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 2009 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Chat (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Billing
- Rolling, Prepaid
- Contract length
- 1
- Official website
- textnow.com
Pros and cons
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.
- Esim is supported alongside sim only service, and 5G and wifi calling are both offered.
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.
- The Plus Monthly plan bundles a set monthly data allowance, and the same allowance carries over to the Unlimited Monthly plan alongside the older-generation data.
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.
Core features
TextNow offers sim only service, so you bring a handset and pay for the line alone. Esim is supported, which means you can activate a plan on a compatible phone without waiting for a card in the post. 5G is offered on the service. Wifi calling is included, so calls can carry over a broadband connection when the mobile signal is weak. A credit check is not required, so a credit history does not stand between you and the free tier.
How it compares on our data
On entry price, TextNow sits at position 1 of 258 brands tracked, which reflects how little the cheapest plan costs. The unlimited side of the picture is different. On the price of an unlimited plan, TextNow ranks 1 on the free tier and 129 of 173 on unlimited pricing, well down the field, because its unlimited plan carries a set data cap alongside the unlimited voice and messaging.
Plans and prices
The entry point is the Free plan, priced from $0 a month, covering unlimited talk and text. Above it sits Plus Monthly, which adds a monthly data allowance while staying on rolling billing. Unlimited Monthly is the top tier at $35.99 a month, pairing a set data allowance with unlimited data on older network generations. Every plan is rolling and billed month to month.
The company behind it
The service is run by TextNow Inc., a company headquartered in Canada that was founded in 2009. It trades as a virtual network operator rather than a network in its own right, and its plans cover US and CA. Support is offered through help centre and chat, so questions are answered in writing rather than by phone.
How TextNow compares
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.7
- 9.0 vs 8.6
- 9.0 vs 8.5
Infimobile is also on the prepaid phone plans list and sells in the same markets.
9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 8.8- 9.0 vs 9.4
- 9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.3
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.2- 9.0 vs 9.2
Budget Thuis Mobile
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.8- 9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.6- 9.0 vs 8.6
9.0 vs 8.6
9.0 vs 8.6
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.0
- 9.0 vs 8.0
- 9.0 vs 8.0
- 9.0 vs 8.0
Where TextNow is available
- Available
- Canada, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
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.
Is there a contract to sign?+
Billing runs on a rolling and prepaid basis, with a plan term of 1 month. There is no long contract listed, so you can drop the line without a long exit term. Each plan renews monthly rather than annually.
Do I need a credit check to sign up?+
A credit check is not required, so no credit history stands between you and a line. That applies across the plan list, including the free tier and the paid plans. It sets TextNow apart from providers that run a check before activating a line.
Which countries can I use TextNow in?+
TextNow serves US and CA, so the service is aimed at the US and Canada. Outside those markets you would need a different provider, such as GETESA, yesss! or Lonestar Cell MTN. Coverage follows the host network in the places TextNow operates.
Can I get an eSIM rather than a physical SIM?+
Esim is supported, so plans can be activated digitally on a compatible handset. Sim only service is also offered for phones that take a physical card. 5G is available on the service, and wifi calling is included as well.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support is offered through help centre and chat, meaning self service articles in a help centre and live chat, with no phone line listed. If you would rather speak to someone, a network provider may suit you better. The same plan list applies either way.
Who is behind TextNow?+
The service is run by TextNow Inc., headquartered in Canada and founded in 2009. It operates as a virtual network operator, selling plans on top of a host network rather than owning the network infrastructure itself.
Sources
- textnow.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: ESIM, 5G, Support channels
“Activate via eSIM right in the app”
- textnow.com/about-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“TextNow is founded by Derek Ting and Jon Lerner”
- textnow.com/coverage checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Seller type
“As a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)”
- textnow.com/international-calling checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Credit check required
“No Contract or Credit Check”
- textnow.com/terms checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Markets
“regulated telecommunications services are provided by TextNow Inc., a Delaware corporation”
- textnow.com/wireless checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Billing, Contract length, Price from, Reference plan prices, SIM-only, Unlimited plan price, Wi-Fi calling
“Plus and Unlimited renew automatically on weekly or monthly cadence”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
TextNow
A free or very low cost talk and text line in the US and Canada, with no credit check.