TextNow Review 2026: When Free Costs More Than You Think

TextNow's pitch is irresistible on the surface: free phone service. No monthly bill. Just download the app, get a number, and start making calls and sending texts — supported by advertisements. It sounds like the ultimate budget hack. But there is a reason the old saying exists: if you are not paying for the product, you are the product. TextNow's ad-supported model means your usage data, behavioral patterns, and personal information are being monetized to fund the service. You are trading your privacy for a phone plan, and the exchange rate is terrible.

Beyond the privacy concerns, TextNow relies on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for calls, which delivers noticeably worse call quality than native cellular calling. The "free" tier provides extremely limited data, the paid tiers are mediocre at best, and the entire service lacks any meaningful security features. When Tello offers real cellular service on the same T-Mobile network starting at $10/month with actual security and no ads, the "free" tag starts looking like a very expensive bargain.

The Privacy Problem: You Are the Product

This is not a theoretical concern. It is the fundamental business model. TextNow provides free phone service funded by advertising revenue. To sell advertising effectively, TextNow collects and monetizes data about how you use the service. This is how ad-supported businesses work. It is how they have always worked.

What TextNow Knows About You

When you use an ad-supported phone service, the company operating it has access to:

• Your phone number and contact list
• Call and text metadata — who you communicate with, when, how often
• Location data — where you are when you use the service
• Device information — make, model, operating system, identifiers
• Usage patterns — how often you open the app, what features you use
• App browsing behavior — ad interaction data, click patterns

This data has value. Advertisers pay for it because it allows them to target you with precision. TextNow's privacy policy reflects this reality — the service collects the data it needs to sustain its ad-funded model.

Why This Matters More for a Phone Service

You might accept ad-supported models for a free email service or social media platform. A phone service is different. Your phone number is a core identity anchor:

• Banks and financial institutions use your phone number for authentication
• Two-factor authentication codes arrive via your phone number
• Emergency services are accessed through your phone
• Personal and professional contacts reach you through it

When you use an ad-supported service as your primary phone line, you are handing a data-monetization company the keys to one of the most sensitive pieces of your digital identity.

The Uncomfortable Math

TextNow is "free" because advertisers are paying TextNow more for your data and attention than you would pay for phone service. Think about what that implies: your data is worth more to advertisers than $10-25/month. If your privacy has any value to you at all, paying $10/month for Tello or $25/month for Visible is the bargain — not the "free" service.

TextNow Plans and Pricing

TextNow offers a free tier and several paid options:

The Free Tier Reality

The free plan provides:

• VoIP calling and texting over Wi-Fi or data (not native cellular)
• Very limited cellular data — enough for basic app connectivity, not much else
• Full ad experience — banner ads, video ads, interstitial ads throughout the app

If you are constantly on Wi-Fi, the free plan can technically work for basic calling and texting. But VoIP call quality is noticeably worse than cellular, and the moment you step away from Wi-Fi, you are working with almost no data.

The Paid Tiers Are Mediocre

Once you start paying for TextNow, the value proposition collapses:

For $10/month, you can get real Tello service on the same T-Mobile network with no ads, no privacy concerns, actual security features, and often more data. The paid TextNow tiers are solving a problem that Tello solves better for similar or lower prices.

VoIP Quality: The Hidden Downgrade

TextNow's calling relies on Voice over Internet Protocol — your voice is converted to data packets and sent over the internet rather than through dedicated cellular voice channels. This introduces real quality differences:

VoIP vs. Cellular Calling

The 911 Problem

VoIP services have historically had issues with 911 emergency access. While TextNow has worked to improve this, VoIP-based emergency calling may not provide the same automatic location information that native cellular calls deliver. If your phone is your lifeline in an emergency, VoIP introduces unnecessary risk.

The Verification Problem

Many banks, services, and platforms reject TextNow numbers for verification purposes because they can identify VoIP numbers. This means:

• You may not be able to use your TextNow number for bank account verification
• Some platforms will reject it for two-factor authentication setup
• Government services may not accept it as a valid phone number
• Job applications that call you back may get routed through VoIP with poor quality

If you need a phone number that is universally accepted and works reliably for verification, TextNow's VoIP numbers frequently fail that test.

Speed Test Results

We tested TextNow's cellular data component on T-Mobile's network:

TextNow sits at the very bottom of T-Mobile's priority queue. The rush hour speeds of 5 Mbps are significantly below what other T-Mobile MVNOs deliver during congestion. For a service that depends on data quality for VoIP calls, low priority during peak hours creates a compounding problem: your calls get worse exactly when the network is busiest.

The speed testing is somewhat academic for the free tier, where cellular data is so limited that sustained usage is not really possible. For paid tiers, these speeds are acceptable for basic use but clearly inferior to what Tello delivers on the same network.

Security: Nothing to See Here

TextNow's security posture matches its price point — minimal to nonexistent.

What TextNow Offers

• SIM PIN protection: Not available
• Two-factor authentication: Not available
• Data breach history: None known

The Ad Model Amplifies Security Risks

TextNow's lack of security features is concerning on its own. Combined with the ad-supported model, it creates layered risks:

1. No 2FA means password-only account protection
2. No SIM PIN means no defense against number hijacking
3. Ad infrastructure introduces additional attack surface (malvertising, tracking, third-party data sharing)
4. Data collection means more personal data exists in TextNow's systems to potentially be exposed

The ad-supported model requires TextNow to share data with advertising partners, ad networks, and analytics providers. Each data-sharing relationship is a potential vulnerability point. Even if TextNow itself has not been breached, the advertising ecosystem it participates in has been responsible for numerous data exposure incidents industry-wide.

Security Comparison

When you pay for a carrier like Visible or Tello, the business model is straightforward: you pay money, they provide service. When you use TextNow free, the business model is: you provide data and attention, advertisers pay TextNow, TextNow provides minimal service. The first model aligns the carrier's interests with yours. The second does not.

Our 11-Point Scoring Breakdown

A 3/11 is the lowest score in our database. The coverage score earns a zero (rather than the 0.5 other T-Mobile MVNOs receive) because TextNow's heavy reliance on VoIP and lowest-priority data access makes the "coverage" less meaningful than traditional T-Mobile MVNO coverage. You technically have T-Mobile towers, but the experience is substantially degraded.

TextNow vs. The Competition

vs. Visible

Verdict: Visible wins in every category except raw price. But when the "free" option costs you your privacy and gives you inferior call quality, Visible's $25/month is the genuine bargain. You are paying for real service with real security and real call quality.

vs. Tello

Verdict: TextNow's only advantage is the free tier. For $10/month — the cost of two coffees — Tello gives you real cellular service on the same T-Mobile network with proper security, no ads, no privacy concerns, and a phone number that is accepted everywhere. The $10/month investment in Tello buys back your privacy, your call quality, and your security.

Who Should Get TextNow?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is TextNow really free?

TextNow offers a free tier, but it is funded by advertising. You pay with your data, attention, and privacy rather than money. The free tier also has very limited cellular data and uses VoIP for calls rather than native cellular.

Is TextNow safe to use?

TextNow has no known data breaches, but the ad-supported model means your usage data is collected and shared with advertising partners. Additionally, there is no 2FA or SIM PIN protection, making accounts vulnerable.

Why is TextNow free?

TextNow is free because it sells advertising. To make that advertising effective, TextNow collects data about how you use the service and shares it with advertising partners. You are the product being sold to advertisers.

Does TextNow work without Wi-Fi?

TextNow has some cellular data capability through T-Mobile's network, but the free tier provides very limited cellular data. Without Wi-Fi, the free plan becomes nearly unusable beyond basic texting.

Are TextNow calls good quality?

No. TextNow uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for calls, which has noticeably lower quality than native cellular calling. Expect compression artifacts, higher latency, and more dropped calls, especially on weak data connections.

Do banks accept TextNow numbers?

Many banks and financial services reject TextNow numbers because they can identify them as VoIP numbers. If you need a phone number for banking verification, TextNow may not work.

Does TextNow work for 911?

TextNow has implemented 911 capabilities, but VoIP-based emergency calling may not provide the same automatic location information as native cellular calling. For emergency reliability, a standard cellular service is safer.

Can I port my number to TextNow?

TextNow supports number porting for some paid plans, but the process has mixed reviews. Porting out of TextNow can also be complicated compared to standard carriers.

Does TextNow have 2FA?

No. TextNow does not offer two-factor authentication. Your account is protected by a password alone.

Does TextNow have SIM PIN?

No. TextNow does not offer SIM PIN protection.

Is TextNow better than Tello?

No. Tello scores 9.5/11 versus TextNow's 3/11. For $10/month, Tello provides real cellular service on the same T-Mobile network with security features, no ads, and no privacy concerns. The $10 monthly investment in Tello is dramatically better value than "free" TextNow.

Can TextNow numbers be traced?

TextNow numbers are VoIP numbers and can potentially be traced by law enforcement with proper legal process. However, the anonymity of free TextNow numbers has also made the service popular for scam calls, which may cause your legitimate TextNow number to be flagged or blocked by some services.

Will TextNow recycle my number?

Yes. If your TextNow account is inactive for an extended period, your number may be recycled and assigned to another user. This is a significant risk if you use the number for any account verification.

Does TextNow have customer service?

TextNow offers customer support primarily through in-app help and email. Reviews are mixed — response times vary, and complex issues may take extended time to resolve. There is no phone-based support line for the free tier.

Is TextNow good for kids?

TextNow can work as a supervised Wi-Fi calling option for children, but parents should be aware that the ad-supported model exposes children to advertising and data collection. A parental-controlled plan on Tello may be a better option with more privacy and security.

Final Verdict

TextNow earns 3/11 — the lowest score in our entire carrier database. The "free" service is an illusion. You are paying with your privacy, your data, and your call quality. The ad-supported telecom model fundamentally misaligns the carrier's incentives with your interests: TextNow profits when it collects more data from you and shows you more ads, not when it provides better service.

The VoIP call quality is measurably inferior to cellular calling. The number is rejected by many banks and verification services. There is no 2FA, no SIM PIN, no build-a-plan, and no true unlimited data. The paid tiers are outperformed by Tello at similar prices on the same T-Mobile network.

The alternatives make the decision simple:

• For unlimited data: Visible at $25/month, taxes included, real cellular service, full security, 10/11 score
• For budget service: Tello from $10/month, real T-Mobile cellular, build-your-own plans, 2FA + SIM PIN, 9.5/11 score
• For the absolute cheapest option with real security: Tello's build-a-plan lets you start around $10/month with actual privacy

Free is not free when it costs your privacy, your call quality, and your security. When real phone service starts at $10/month with Tello, the math is simple: pay the $10 and keep your data to yourself.

This review is based on our independent 11-point scoring methodology. Tom Spark and Prepaid Report may earn commissions from affiliate links, but this never influences our ratings or recommendations. TextNow earned its 3/11 score through the same objective criteria we apply to every carrier. Learn more about our methodology.