TextNow

TextNow sells phone service with a number included on every plan, so it sits closer to a mobile carrier than to a number-only app. The wireless page lists a Free plan at $0 a month with 550 MB of data and nationwide 5G talk and text, paid for by ads, plus Plus and Unlimited tiers billed weekly or monthly.

Users can pick a local number or bring an existing one, activate service through an eSIM in the app and buy day passes for extra data. Apps cover iOS, iPad OS, Android, Windows and macOS, and a browser-based Web Messaging option is linked from the header. The terms name TextNow, Inc. with an office in Waterloo, Ontario, and state that US regulated services come from TextNow US, described as a Delaware corporation.

• Free ad-supported tier. The Free plan is listed at $0 a month with 550 MB of data and nationwide 5G talk and text. The page says ads pay for it, so expect advertising in the app.
• Weekly or monthly billing. Plus and Unlimited can be billed weekly or monthly. Weekly billing gives a low headline price, but the monthly rate with 20 GB is the better comparison for steady users.
• Day passes. Day passes are one-time purchases that do not renew: Plus Day Pass at $1.99 with 2 GB and Unlimited Day Pass at $2.99 with 2 GB. They suit occasional heavy days.
• Included number. A free number comes with every plan, and a local number can be chosen or an existing one brought. Number choice is therefore part of sign-up, not an extra purchase.
• eSIM activation. Service is activated through an eSIM in the app. The homepage also links a SIM card purchase and a device eligibility checker for handsets that may not support it.
• International calling. Calls are priced per destination, and rates to more than 230 countries and destinations are shown before the user dials. Rates themselves are not on the pages we read.
• Points for ads and app use. Users earn points through app use and ads and can spend them on service features. The pages do not state how many points a feature costs.

• A light user who wants a second number for free. The Free plan includes a number, 550 MB of data and talk and text, in return for ads. It fits low-volume use such as sign-up verifications or occasional calls.
• A person who needs short bursts of data. Day passes give 2 GB for a single purchase that does not renew, which suits a travel day or a gap between plans without committing to a month.
• A household moving off a traditional carrier. Plus and Unlimited bring 5 GB or 20 GB with nationwide 5G talk and text. Plus excludes streaming and gaming, so heavy video users need the Unlimited tier.

A new user downloads the app for iOS, iPad OS, Android, Windows or macOS, or opens Web Messaging in a browser. The homepage says a free number is included on every plan, and a local number can be chosen or an existing one brought.

For phone service the next step is activation through an eSIM in the app, with a SIM card purchase and a device eligibility checker linked for older handsets. The pages we read describe plans rather than a detailed setup procedure, so the checker is the safest first stop. Users who want more data can add day passes or move to Plus or Unlimited, billed weekly or monthly.

TextNow, Inc. gives an office address in Waterloo, Ontario, while US telecom services come from TextNow US, described as a Delaware corporation. The free tier carries 550 MB of data, paid for by ads.

Plus and Unlimited are priced weekly or monthly with 5 or 20 GB, and Plus excludes streaming and gaming. It behaves more like a mobile carrier than a number-only app.

In our virtual phone number apps ranking TextNow stands at #9 of 13: the products next to it are Line2 above and Textfree below. Challengers hold places 1 to 3 where a category has them; the number here is a place in the order, not a mark out of ten.

The vendor states no country of establishment, so TextNow is left out of the regional count for this list.

In the catalogue: Free ad-supported tier; Plus and Unlimited published weekly or monthly; one-off day passes.

Free is $0 a month with 550 MB of data and nationwide 5G talk and text, paid for by ads. Plus is $4.99 billed weekly with 5 GB, or $18.99 billed monthly with 20 GB, and excludes streaming media and gaming. Unlimited is $8.99 billed weekly with 5 GB, or $35.99 billed monthly with 20 GB, and includes streaming and gaming. Day passes do not renew: Plus Day Pass $1.99 with 2 GB, Unlimited Day Pass $2.99 with 2 GB. International calls are priced per destination and shown before dialling. The plan pages show dollar signs but name no currency code, so confirm the currency at checkout. Weekly billing can add up to more than a monthly plan over a month.

Checked against textnow.com for Best Virtual Phone Number Apps in 2026, review date 13 November 2026.

Service starts through an eSIM in the app, and apps cover iOS, Android, Windows and macOS plus web messaging.

Points earned through ads and app use can be spent on features.

A separate kids phone service is promoted on the homepage.

The terms name TextNow, Inc. as the contracting party, with an office in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. They say regulated telecom services for US users come from TextNow US, described as a Delaware corporation, and they do not say where TextNow, Inc. is incorporated.

No parent company or acquirer is named. The pages we read do not describe encryption, data residency or certifications, and they do not explain how ad targeting uses personal data. Users who care about those points should read the privacy documents before relying on the Free plan.

Integrations the vendor names (9):

• iOS
• iPad OS
• Android
• Windows
• macOS
• Web Messaging
• eSIM
• SIM card
• Yello (separate kids phone service)

We pick the closest products in the same guide by tags, price model and region.

• Sonetel (#1 of 13): Stockholm-listed number provider with local numbers in phone and web apps. Watch out: the pricing page lists no minutes for any plan, so call volume limits are not visible before sign-up. (Sweden)
• MySudo (#4 of 13): Separate digital identities for calls, texts, email and payments. Watch out: minutes and messages are capped on SudoGo and SudoPro, so a busy line runs out.
• Line2 (#8 of 13): One-plan second line with US and Canada numbers. Best for: Freelancers wanting one flat plan for a US or Canadian second number.
• Textfree (#10 of 13): Ad-supported texting and calling from a Pinger product. Suits: Casual users wanting a no-cost number for calls and texts.

Read from the vendor’s own pages on 12 November 2026.

• textnow.com/wireless: Free, Plus and Unlimited plans, day passes, billing periods, currency note
• textnow.com: Included number, international rates, eSIM, apps, points, Yello
• textnow.com/terms: Waterloo office, TextNow US, no parent named
• textnow.com/wireless: Data allowances and streaming and gaming limits

We test for four things rather than for features: setup time, price in practice, exit and audience. That puts TextNow at #9 of 13. The editorial process sets out how facts are gathered and how commercial links are handled.