Do you require an additional phone number for texting and calling? Alternatively, do you require a solution to call and text landline numbers while utilizing WiFi and without a mobile phone plan?
TextNow is among the most common messaging apps because it enables users to call and text real numbers over the internet by utilizing a unique internet-based number.
TextNow is available on both iOS and Android devices. TextNow does not require an active mobile plan; you must sign up with your email address or Facebook account, and you will be assigned your very own phone number.
In contrast to Whatsapp, which requires an existing mobile number and only allows you to call other Whatsapp numbers, TextNow does not require an existing mobile number.
With TextNow, you may call any number and text any mobile phone number at any time of day or night. Your text will appear on the other person’s phone as if it were a standard text message.
Yet, TextNow has its flaws. In the case of TextNow, for example, one of the downsides is that if you do not use TextNow for a specified period, they will remove your number from your possession and assign it to someone else.
Additionally, TextNow contains advertisements. This is how it can provide a free service. However, other solutions available do not include as many advertisements.
Today, I will go through the greatest TextNow alternatives 2022 for making free phone calls and sending text messages over the internet. Let us get this party started.
Best TextNow Alternatives – Our Top Pick👌
1. Rebtel: Cheap Calls to International Destinations
Rebtel is one of the great alternatives to textnow to consider if you need to make low-cost international calls. More than 50 nations, including landline phone lines, are accessible via this service.
You can also make phone calls using your mobile phone plan, eliminating the need to connect to the internet.
Rates are reasonable, and you can pay every month. If you only need to make a single phone call, you can save money by not paying as much.
If you refer a friend who purchases with Rebtel, you will receive $5 in calling credit from them.
2. Numero eSIM
In listing the best TextNow alternatives, Numero eSIM always comes in handy. Numero eSIM allows you to obtain a phone number from over 70 countries!
If you have tried to use TextNow to get a number in a specific nation but were unsuccessful, Numero eSIM may be the solution you have been looking for.
Additionally, there are over 3,000 different area codes to choose from. Although not all numbers will be free, you can obtain free credits.
Using Call Forwarding, you can answer calls even if you do not have an internet connection and make your phone number anonymous.
When you make phone calls, your Numero eSIM phone number will not appear on the screen, allowing you to remain anonymous.
Numero eSIM also provides the option of obtaining an international toll-free number for business use.
On the other hand, one disadvantage of Numero eSIM is that you must have an existing phone number to sign up. You cannot just login with your email address or Facebook account.
Download the App on Google Play Store
Download the App on Apple App Store
3. Hushed
Hushed is among the alternatives that place a strong emphasis on privacy.
Instead of keeping your Hushed number indefinitely, the idea is to utilize it for Craigslist advertisements, dating websites, and other purposes, with the option to “burn” your number later.
Hushed allows you to select over 300 area codes in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
You can choose from several prepaid plans that last seven days, 30 days, 90 days, or 365 days.
The ability to call or text other US/Canada numbers exists; however, UK numbers can only call or text other UK numbers. However, you can purchase a worldwide plan to make and receive international calls and texts.
Is there another reason to choose Hushed versus TextNow? It interfaces with Slack and Dropbox, among other services.
Users can back up their communication history and voicemails to their Dropbox account to access them later, even if they uninstall the Hushed app from their device. Slack allows users to send and receive messages and reply to them.
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
4. Talk Home App
If TextNow isn’t tingling your bones, the Talk Home App just might. With over a million downloads and satisfied customers, Talk Home has established itself as the UK’s leading international calling brand.
With over 25 years of calling card experience, the Talk Home App has been introduced as a revolutionary solution to bridge the barriers of long distances with cheap, high-quality calling blended into a single app, available on both IOS and Android.
Talk Home App offers users the amazing convenience of calling through Wi-Fi or local access lines (meaning no internet needed), connecting any phone number, whether mobile or landline, in over 250 destinations worldwide.
And not just that! In addition to the market’s cheapest rates for calling internationally, users can also send text messages and share top-up credit with other users through the in-app transfer feature.
Furthermore, the Talk Home App allows users to send international top-ups to those same phone numbers you can call with Talk Home.
All you need is to simply download the app, sign up and verify your phone number on the app, and allow it access to your contact list. And now, you can call any number from your contact list with just a few taps!
Interestingly, the Talk Home App works on adaptive network capabilities, meaning you get the most optimized connection for your call.
It assigns the best local access numbers for you to choose from the list to connect your call internationally.
Also, for each friend you invite to download the app, you get a bonus of £1 on their first top-up! And because Talk Home App is so cheap, you can do wonders with your bonuses!
So, all-in-all, the benefits you get from Talk Home App are the:-
- High-quality, crystal-clear phone calling
- The best international calling rates for 200+ countries
- Complete transparency and zero hidden fees
- In-app credit transfer facility to instantly transfer app credit
- Super easy to use: get connected with loved ones in seconds
- Secure & backed by leading networks worldwide for 20+ years
- Extensive flexibility in bundle plans and offers
- Pay-as-you-go convenience to not bind you to any long-term contract
Finally, you get to enjoy the entirety of the app and its features without seeing any ads! Get the smoothest international calling experience at the cheapest rates.
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
5. GoDaddy Smartline
You could be thinking to yourself, “Wait, what? GoDaddy is a domain registration corporation, is it not?”
But while GoDaddy is most known for its domain names and hosting services, it also offers a SmartLine, a telephone answering service.
SmartLine is a VoIP service for website and business owners, according to the company.
In the case of a small blog or eCommerce company run by a one-man team, users may like to provide their readers, customers, and email subscribers with a way to contact them without divulging their actual personal phone numbers.
In that instance, SmartLine is a viable option. SmartLine employs call forwarding to send calls to your number; nevertheless, you will be able to tell that the call is coming from SmartLine, so if you are with your family and are not in the mood to accept a business call, you will not be required to do so.
Call forwarding enables you to make essential business calls without losing your concentration.
You can even keep your current phone number and transfer it to SmartLine.
When you make a phone call or send a text, the number that appears on the other end will be the SmartLine number, not your convenient number.
SmartLine is completely free for the first seven days. After that, you would be charged $9.99 each month.
SmartLine, on the other hand, enables users to obtain a free-of-charge number! This is a feature that TextNow and most other TextNow alternatives do not provide, As they are designed for casual consumers rather than business owners.
A toll-free number will be more expensive At $19.99 per month. People will be able to call you for free as long as they are not responsible for the cost of the call on their end.
In addition, having a toll-free number makes you appear more professional and authoritative.
SmartLine is available as an Android and an iOS application. The app and phone service provide some interesting features, such as automatic spam call screening and voicemail transcriptions, which are highly recommended.
Overall, GoDaddy SmartLine is one of the best TextNow alternatives if you require a second number of business purposes besides texting.
6. AbTalk Call – Free Phone Call & Worldwide Calling
AbTalk Call is among the TextNow alternatives for Android users that want to make calls. AbTalk, like the other apps on this list, does not require using a SIM card to obtain a phone number.
I especially enjoyed how you can get a bonus of 1,000 points simply by joining up with Google or Facebook, which I thought was a nice touch.
You can still sign up using your email address, but you will receive fewer bonus points.
Another advantage of using AbTalk instead of TextNow is that it includes a built-in VPN! Using a virtual private network (VPN) while making phone calls and browsing the internet will help you stay safe and secure while transmitting your information.
You are under no need to utilize a VPN, but the option is available, and it is free. You will even receive bonus points for making use of the VPN service.
You will also receive points for bringing in new friends. You will receive 200 points for each referral, with extra credits ranging from 100 to 1,500 points awarded after a set amount of friends have been referred.
You can earn up to 700 points daily by checking in at the hotel.
Points can also be purchased for a small fee and are inexpensive. Get 16,000 points for $0.99, or 60,000 points for $3.99, and you will have earned $16,000 points.
So, what exactly are you supposed to do with the points? You are capable of making international calls.
The app provides information about calling prices. Making a phone call to an international number, such as a number in Buenos Aires, Argentina, costs only 330 points (I believe that is per minute).
Download the App from Google Play Store
7. TextFree
Many TextNow alternatives contain the term “text” in their names! When you first sign up for TextFree, the app will ask you to enter your zip code; if the zip code you want is not available, the app will offer adjacent zip codes that do have phone numbers.
Although it has been observed that some area codes with numbers provided on TextNow did not possess any numbers available using TextFree, I did not find this to be the case. Nevertheless, it is possible that this wouldn’t be the case all the time.
When creating a TextFree account, you must enter your email address as the username and password. Unfortunately, there is no signup option available through Facebook at this time.
Even since TextFree numbers are completely free in perpetuity, you must use them at least once every 30 days to keep them. If you do not use your phone for more than 30 days, your number will be automatically reassigned.
By signing up for a $4.99 premium subscription, you may ensure that you keep your phone number indefinitely. If you do this, you will never lose track of your phone number, even if you do not use it for a long period.
The Textfree UI was extremely user-friendly. In my opinion, the interface was far more user-friendly than TextNow and TextMe.
It has many advertisements, just like TextNow, although they are less intrusive. Still, this is a disadvantage compared to some other TextNow alternatives.
However, when you join up, you will only be able to make free calls for 60 minutes. After that, you can continue to send texts, but you will need to purchase additional minutes if you want to make phone calls.
There are numerous plans to choose from; I got 100 minutes for $1.99, a great deal. If you want to use TextFree for a long period, you can save money by purchasing 1,000 minutes for $18.99 instead of 500 minutes.
You can also earn free minutes by participating in surveys and watching video advertisements.
There are also additional interesting configuration choices. For example, you may customize your ringtone, manage your greetings, choose to have all calls forwarded to voicemail, and set up an auto-response to incoming calls.
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
8. TextMe
TextMe is a fantastic alternative to TextNow that you should check out. It has received over 10 million downloads from the Google Play Store, indicating that it is widely used.
TextMe is also accessible on the iOS App Store and the Amazon App Store.
To get started, simply join up using your address or Facebook profile. While TextMe and TextNow both have advertisements, the disadvantage of TextMe is that the advertisements can get irritating after a while.
On the other hand, I found the UI to be simple. Additionally, you can get rid of the advertising by upgrading your account; the cost of doing so will vary depending on your location.
In addition, it allows you to have many phone numbers simultaneously, making it an excellent TextNow option for that reason as well.
Additionally, upgrading your account will enable you to set up call forwarding, allowing incoming calls to be redirected to your mobile number, similar to how Google Voice works.
Credit packs are also available for purchase. If you purchase many credits at once, the price per credit will be lower, allowing you to make international calls.
Recall that domestic calls (that is, calls made from a US phone to another US number) are completely free. Texting is also completely free.
Additionally, in addition to paying for credits, you can earn credits for free by performing tasks. Consider the following examples: you can complete an offer to earn anywhere from 5 to 100 credits, or you can view a brief video ad to gain one or two credits.
I enjoyed that TextMe provided you with a list of locations where you can obtain an area code. For example, there were nearly 30 different area codes in California!
You are also not required to obtain a phone number in the United States. TextMe is a great option for TextNow if you require a phone number not in your country.
If you plan on making a lot of overseas calls, you may want to consider getting an international phone number. For example, if you plan on making calls to people in Australia, you may want to obtain an Australian phone number.
TextMe presently has the following countries’ phone numbers accessible for use:
- (+1) in the United States
- (+44) in the United Kingdom
- Canada (phone: +1)
- Australia (phone: +61)
- Belgium (+32) is a country in Europe.
- Austria (+43) Colombia (+57) Costa Rica (+43)
- In France, dial +33.
- Prague, Czech Republic (+1 420)
- Malaysia (phone: +60)
- The Netherlands (phone: +31)
- Mauritius (+230) is a country in the Indian Ocean.
- Sweden (phone: +46)
- Poland (+48) is a country in Europe.
However, though all numbers enable users to deliver SMS messages and execute calls, only (+1) numbers in Canada and the United States let them include MMS messages in their texts.
In addition, I would like to point you that foreign numbers are not free. Prices will vary depending on how long you wish to maintain your phone number.
For example, if you will not want the foreign number for more than three months, you might opt to pay only for three months. A monthly subscription that recurs automatically can also be set up so that you never lose your phone number again, which is particularly convenient.
TextMe is one of the most sophisticated TextNow Alternatives.
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
9. 2nd Line
2nd Line appealed to me because it allows you to set up your account with whatever three-digit area code you like. For example, when I selected 715, I was presented with a list of ten distinct 715 area code numbers from which to choose.
Note that the 2nd Line is only available for Android phones when writing.
2nd Line is a paid service that costs $9.99 a month, but I recommend joining up for the free trial first to get a feel for the app before you commit to anything.
Setting up a voicemail inbox or an auto-reply message using your second phone number is possible. Also available is setting up call forwarding so that calls are routed to your primary line.
Compared to other TextNow alternatives, the 2nd Line stands out because it allows you to record your phone calls. For example, you might wish to save a recording of a phone call for future reference, or you might want to record a phone call with your instructor so that you can review the lesson afterward.
Regardless of your reasoning, the ability to record your phone calls is a significant advantage. Make certain, though, that you are not breaking any laws.
In some jurisdictions and nations, it is legal to record a phone conversation without the other party being aware of what you are recording. However, in some regions, you are not permitted to do so.
Download the App from Google Play Store
10. TextPlus
This text messaging app commonly referred to as TextPlus or sometimes written as Text+, is one of the best TextNow alternatives I have personally used. It is also used by a large number of people I know.
You only need a username to sign up and create a password. Even though you are not required to provide an email address, doing so is highly recommended if you want to be able to restore your account if you forget your password or username.
TextPlus, like TextNow, contains advertisements. However, I appreciate that you may remove advertisements for a day for only $0.05.
That is, in fact, five pennies! Since this isn’t a constant subscription, on those days when a user does not need to use his TextPlus number, he will not be charged; on the days that he does need to use it, however, he will simply pay the five cents to have the adverts removed from his text messages.
It will only cost you $0.25 if you wish to remove advertisements for an entire week. Ad removal for a full month will cost you only $0.99/month if you purchase it in advance.
It will only cost $0.10 if you want to keep your number for the entire month, even if you do not intend to use it.
You have to renew it every month manually, but it is only $1.20 annually. That is one of the reasons why I enjoy TextPlus — it makes it quite affordable to keep the same phone number while removing advertisements.
Completing the offers on the offer wall or viewing videos are two other ways to earn credits for absolutely no cost to you.
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
11. Google Voice
If you require a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone number for personal or business purposes, Google Voice is undoubtedly my #1 choice.
VoIP is simply a slang term because the phone number is based on the internet, and calls and messages are transmitted through an internet connection.
You can use Google Voice for nothing, and your phone number will be linked to your Gmail account.
You will be given a unique Google Voice number for each new Google account you create.
The most appealing aspect of the company’s offering is that Google Voice is a website rather than an app.
You can make and receive calls using the app on your phone, but you can also do it on a computer by visiting voice.google.com on your computer’s browser.
On top of making outgoing calls through the desktop website or mobile app, you can also receive calls and texts through the platform.
As a bonus, voicemails are automatically transcribed, allowing you to read voicemails rather than listen to them.
However, I discovered that transcriptions are not always exact, depending on how clear the caller’s voice was when they called.
When selecting your area code, Google Voice, like TextNow, provides you with several options. Additionally, just with TextNow, it is completely free to make domestic calls.
You may, however, be required to top up your account balance if you wish to make an international call to a number in Europe or elsewhere in the world.
You can add $10 or more to your account at a time.
The Google Voice app, in contrast to the TextNow app, does not contain advertisements. While TextNow allows you to pay to have advertisements removed, Google Voice does not have any advertisements at all.
When using Google Voice another useful feature is the ability to link your real phone number to your Google Voice number. This is particularly useful if you have a mobile phone plan.
Even if you do not have an active internet connection, you can have calls to your Google Voice number forwarded to your mobile phone number so that you can answer them from your phone.
This way, if you have it routed to your cell number, calls will be made via your mobile phone connection rather than over the internet, which is more secure.
If you make a phone call over the internet, the call quality will be determined solely by the quality of your internet connection.
I encounter two major problems when making phone calls over the internet: dropped calls and a lack of call clarity, both of which may be extremely frustrating if you need to make an essential business call.
Furthermore, suppose you are utilizing an internet connection while on the road. In that case, it will consume your mobile data, which will cost you money if you do not have an unlimited data plan.
When someone contacts your Google Voice number, you can select which of your associated phone numbers will ring. You can also specify which devices you want your Google Voice account to ring on when someone contacts you by email or phone.
However, as previously said, this is optional, and you do not need to attach a mobile phone number to utilize Google Voice.
As an added convenience, Google Voice allows you to migrate existing phone numbers to Google Voice.
In addition to the Google Voice app, you can use the Hangouts and Hangouts Dialer applications linked to your Google Voice number to communicate with others. You can use them both to make calls from your mobile device while connected to the internet.
While Google Voice is free, you can upgrade to a more expensive Business Plan.
You can add more users and integrate with corporate tools such as Google Meet and Calendar.
Arguably, Google Voice is the best of all the TextNow Alternatives on our list.
📗FAQ
Is Talkatone better than TextNow?
Talkatone is a free program you can download from the app store, unlike Textnow, which needs you to buy a new SIM card.
While Textnow offers add-ons to their basic plan that provide more capabilities, you must pay for them; Talkatone concentrates more on calling and texting.
In addition, the other app can only be used on WiFi unless you increase your plan, but Talkatone can use WiFi and cellular data.
Can I have 2 TextNow numbers?
Yes, you can add more than one number to your arsenal by creating several TextNow accounts, each with a different login, but you can only have one allocated number to a single account at once.
Is TextNow no longer free?
There aren’t any annual or monthly costs. The TextNow service is free to use and sponsored by advertisements. You can pay for a subscription to get rid of the commercials if you don’t like them.
With the one-time purchase of a TextNow SIM card, users can connect to the free wireless network and use it to call and text without WiFi.
What is a completely free text app?
TextMe Up, Google Voice and TextNow are three of the most popular free text apps and allow free SMS and MMS sending as well as domestic and international call making.
Can police track a TextNow number?
TextNow support claims that it is impossible to identify the owner of a TextNow number since TextNow withholds information regarding the user’s identity.
Police would also need to be informed that you were using the app and would require a warrant to search the records.
What is a texting app that is not traceable?
Signal Private Messenger.
You never give the server of this private messaging app access or permit them to store any of your data.
The secret text app uses an advanced end-to-end encryption mechanism to guarantee the anonymity of every message.
Does TextNow show your name?
Incoming calls from a number you’ve added to your phone’s contacts will display the name you’ve supplied for that contact.
You might need to provide the TextNow app access to your Contacts if the names of your contacts do not appear when you receive a call from them.
Conclusion
I believe that Google Voice is the greatest TextNow replacement, particularly for commercial and personal uses, such as calling friends and family members.
However, I also recommend TextPlus, particularly if you are experiencing difficulties making calls using the Google Voice app, which can occur from time to time.
TextPlus has advertisements; however, it is inexpensive to have those advertisements removed, and it is also inexpensive to keep your phone number even if you are not actively using it.
Let me know what other TextNow Alternatives you find invaluable in the comment section.
