12.06.24
TextNow CEO Derek Ting once said that having a phone number in today’s world is as valuable as having a Social Security number. He’s not wrong, as having a phone number allows you to access crucial services like banking, your job (or a job search), school, health care, social media accounts, and so much more – not to mention the ability to connect with friends and family. The rub, however, is that despite its value to everyday life, it’s rarely free. If you want to accomplish any of that, including sending pictures of your dog’s latest antics to the group chat, you usually have to pay for a phone plan. But there are free alternatives that still allow you to send texts, start a group chat, make calls in some cases, and even get a free phone number to do it all. Here is a list of the best free texting apps.
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Summary: Best Free Texting Apps Overall
| Category | Provider | Service Details | |
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| Best Overall |
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| Best for Group Chats |
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| Best for Small Businesses |
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| Safest |
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| Easiest Sign-Up |
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Best Free Texting App Overall
TextNow
Platform Android, iOS, Desktop (Windows, Mac)
Our Take TextNow is the only app on this list that provides you with your own local phone number that you can use to make both domestic and international texts/calls. Acting as a real second phone number that can be accessed easily through your phone or computer, this free app can be used as your primary or secondary line to connect with other real mobile numbers.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Free local phone number.
- Free unlimited calls & texts with international support.
- Free texting features like group chats, picture, video & GIF support, voice notes, message reactions, and scheduled texts.
- Not end-to-end encrypted.
- Verification codes can only be received with a paid subscription.
Best Free Texting App for Group Chats
WhatsApp
Platform Android, iOS, Desktop (Windows, Mac)
Our Take WhatsApp is one of the most popular and used messaging apps worldwide, which makes it easy to set up group chats with various features designed for easy sharing and threads for an optimal texting experience. Note that you can only text with other contacts who also have a WhatsApp account.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Free account set-up and usage.
- Can contact any WhatsApp account/number worldwide for free.
- End-to-end encryption.
- Can't connect unless your contact is also on WhatsApp.
- Can only sign up with a verified mobile phone number.
Best Free Texting App for a Small Business
Google Voice
Platform Android, iOS, Desktop (Windows, Mac)
Our Take Google Voice is a great way to set up a secondary business phone number for free that will provide you with unlimited text & call, as well as other useful features like voicemail transcription and call forwarding.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- No in-app ads.
- Can contact any other mobile phone number (not limited to Google Voice platform).
- Can only sign up with a verified mobile phone number.
- Can only text Canadian and U.S numbers for free (international numbers would require a paid upgrade).
Safest Free Texting App
Signal
Platform Android, iOS, Desktop (Windows, Mac)
Our Take Signal is a service that prides itself on prioritizing user privacy. It offers end-to-end encryption and does not collect user data or serve ads. It’s a great app to use for texting if you’re concerned about online privacy.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Free account set-up and usage.
- Can contact any Signal account/number worldwide for free.
- End-to-end encryption.
- Can't connect unless your contact is also on Signal.
- Can only sign up with a verified mobile phone number.
Free Texting App with the Easiest Sign-Up
Mesenger
Platform Android, iOS, Desktop (Windows, Mac)
Our Take Messenger is one of the very few texting apps that will allow you to sign up without a mobile phone number. It will require you to have a Facebook account, which you may already have, and if you don’t, you can sign up for one with an email if you don’t have a mobile phone number readily available.
Pros & Cons Pros:
- Free account set-up and usage.
- Can contact any Messenger account/number worldwide for free.
- Can use seamlessly with other Meta features like Facebook Marketplace.
- Can't connect unless your contact is also on Messenger/Facebook.
Methodology: How to Evaluate the Best Free Texting Apps
When evaluating texting apps, you’d be surprised to find how many of them do offer their services for free (though not all “free” is created equally, and many are actually free trials). Finding the right one for your needs, then, requires more than just consideration of price, but also a review of the following:
Cross-platform availability (can be used on different devices).
Privacy and security.
Access to different contacts (not limited to contacts available in the same service only).
Ease of registration.
Each of these factors are considered with their own weight, leading to a score that helps us determine the best picks.
Beginner's Guide to Texting Apps
What is a Free Texting App?
A free texting app is a mobile application that can be used on a smartphone, tablet, or even desktop computer in some cases, to send and receive text messages without incurring any fees or signing up for a monthly plan.
How Does a Free Texting App Work?
Unlike a traditional talk & text plan that uses a cellular network provided by a phone carrier, a free texting app works off an internet connection instead, be it home or public Wi-Fi, mobile hotspot, or mobile data to send and receive messages. This avoids the typical costs associated with SMS and MMS texting, allowing you to communicate for free.
Types of Free Texting Apps
Most free texting apps offer similar, if not the same, services. The main difference to look for is whether it’s an end-to-end app, or a SMS app:
End-to-end free texting app: An end-to-end app means that all communication is taking place within the same system, so both parties have to be using the app to chat. Apps like WhatsApp, Viber, Signal, Messenger are examples, where you can only message a contact that also has a number or account in that app.
SMS app: A SMS app acts similarly to the default messaging app that comes with your paid phone service, where you can message any other mobile phone number. To do that, these apps – like TextNow or Google Voice – provide you with a real local phone number you can use to text other numbers. These numbers are usually labelled as VoIP (Voice-over-IP) numbers that can route phone texts and calls over an internet connection rather than a traditional cellular network.
If you already have a primary phone number, or you’re a teen looking for a free texting app to maintain group chats with friends, an end-to-end app is great for supporting premium chat features. If you don’t have a primary phone number or are in need of a second one (like if you’re running a small business), then an SMS app that offers free texting is your best option.
Pros and Cons of a Free Texting App: End-to-End vs. SMS
These two different types of free texting apps are made to fulfill specific needs for different purposes, and it’s worth understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each one to pick what works best for you.
Pros
End-to-End Texting App
- Usually offers encryption for secure, private messaging.
- Enables richer messaging features like “read” receipts, “typing” indicators, polls, threads, etc.
- Messages and conversations can be backed up or restored.
- Less susceptible to phone-based phishing scams.
SMS Texting App
- Offers a local phone number to use for identification purposes .
- open access: can message any other mobile phone number, including international.
- Affordable alternative for a second line for privacy, a short-term need, or a small business.
Cons
End-to-End Texting App
- Limited access: can only message contacts who use the same app.
- Can’t be used as a phone number for verification purposes (such as if a website has to send you a code).
- Most will only allow you to register with an existing mobile phone number, which may not be feasible for everyone.
SMS Texting App
- Unable to offer the same level of secure messaging, as it’s not contained within one ecosystem .
- Since it still relies on an internet connection, texts and calls won’t connect if mobile data or Wi-Fi aren’t enabled.
- Doesn’t usually offer the same rich chat features as an end-to-end texting app.
How to Pick Out the Best Free Texting App
With a long list of options, it’s easy to get lost in the “sign up for free!” mentions, without considering the best pick for your needs. Sit down, take your time, and note these key factors to find the app that will work for you:
Do you need a phone number? This question answers two different use cases: whether you need a real phone number, or whether you need to sign up with one. If you’re specifically looking for a phone number to text with, whether it be your primary line or a second one, then look for an app that offers a free phone number. If you don’t have a phone number, are not looking for one (such as if you’re a teen without cellular phone service) and just want an app to text your friends with, look for an app that offers registration with an email or other identifying information that isn’t a phone number.
Are you concerned about security or privacy? If the privacy and security of your messages is important to you, look for an app that specifically offers “end-to-end encryption,” as that will ensure that the only individuals or entities that can ever read your messages are you and your contacts. Note that this usually refers to your data being safe from third-party sellers or advertisers, but it does not protect your messages from legal subpoenas or warrants. (RCS messaging, an enhanced way to text, also offers some encryption.)
Do you need cross-platform support? Some may be content with using a messaging app on their phone alone, but the great advantage of most messaging apps is that they can be used on multiple devices at once. This means that if you like to keep up with your chats while at work, for example, you can install the app on your computer and continue your conversations there. Make sure that the app you’re looking at has support across all platforms.
Are you looking for specific chat features? If you’re looking for the iMessage experience with reactions, threads, file sharing, voice notes, and more – without paying for the iMessage price of an iPhone – then find a texting app that supports rich messaging features.
Free Texting App Alternatives
There are other ways to stay connected with friends and family that don’t necessarily involve downloading a separate texting app, such as:
Social media apps. If you already have an Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok app installed, you can use it to find your friends and send them “Direct Messages” (DMs), utilizing those apps’ chat features.
Email. Old but reliable – you can set up a free email account and message friends and family, though it won’t be as instantaneous as a chat conversation.
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