TextNow offers one of the cheapest phone plans on the market with a completely free talk and text plan. For just the cost of a $4.99 SIM card, the plan includes unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 350MB of essential data for select apps on T-Mobile's 5G network. It's one of the best values you'll find for a cheap phone plan.
The carrier also offers three unlimited data passes for customers who need access to a little more data. These passes stretch from one hour to one month. If you rarely use data, they're a cheap way to add flexibility to your phone plan. On the other hand, customers who typically use a few gigabytes of data every month will find the passes are more expensive and may not meet their needs.
Let's dive into TextNow's cheap plan options and learn if it's the right carrier for you.
TextNow Free Talk & Text plan
TextNow's Free Talk & Text Plan is one of the cheapest plans on the market because it's actually free. There’s no recurring monthly bill or hidden cost somewhere. You simply complete a one-time purchase of a TextNow SIM card for $4.99 and sign up for a TextNow account. After the card is installed and activated, the only thing you’ll need to pay for is high-speed mobile data.
The free plan from TextNow includes:
- Unlimited calls and texts
- 350MB Essential Data for select apps
- Free local phone number
- Voicemail
TextNow Free Flex Plan
| Carrier | TextNow |
|---|---|
| Data | 550MB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$0 per month
+ $4.99 Upfront
|
| View Details |
What is Free Essential Data?
Free Essential Data is 350MB of mobile data included with the TextNow Free Talk & Text Plan. It can be used for apps like email, GPS, and rideshare. This free data allows customers to access some of their most important apps without having to purchase a data pass.
You should note that while Free Essential Data covers email apps—like Gmail or Yahoo Mail—it does not include instant messaging apps. Additionally, the 350MB allotment refreshes monthly. If you exceed your allotment, you'll need to purchase an unlimited pass to access mobile data on your plan.
Unlimited data passes
If you need mobile data, TextNow offers ���data passes” instead of monthly plans. These passes provide flexibility that you won't typically find with other carriers. They can be as short as an hour or as long as a month. You have the freedom to pay for data only when you need it.
There are three pass options; each offers unlimited data with an allotment of high-speed priority data. If you exceed that allotment, you’ll have unlimited data at a lower speed for the remainder of your pass period.
Here are the details and pricing for each TextNow data pass.
TextNow unlimited data passes
| Hour Pass | Day Pass |
Month Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass length | 60 minutes | 24 hours | 30 days |
| High-speed data | 300MB | 2GB | 10GB |
| Talk & text | Included | Included | Included |
| Pricing | $.99/hour | $4.99/day | $39.99/month |
| View plan | View plan | View plan |
Are TextNow data passes a good value?
TextNow and its data passes are a good value for customers who don't use much data. That said, if you use 10GB of data or more per month, TextNow's pass allotments and prices are not the best choice because you're overpaying for data.
For example, the Month Pass includes 10GB of priority data for $39.99/month, which is roughly $4 per 1GB of data. Competitors like Tello's Unlimited Plan ($25/month) and US Mobile's Unlimited Starter plan ($25/month) also offer coverage on the T-Mobile network. They come with 50GB and 70GB of high-speed data, respectively. That’s over three times more data at cheaper prices than TextNow’s monthly pass. While TextNow charges $4, Tello charges just $.50, and US Mobile charges $.35 for 1GB of data.
How much mobile data do I need?
The average customer uses between 10-15GB of data per month. That said, everyone is different and you may need more or less. TextNow's plans work best for customers who don't use much data. The more data you need, the more expensive TextNow's service will be.
Check out our mobile data usage guide to calculate your personal needs.
Why is TextNow so cheap?
TextNow is able to offer cheap service and free plans because of the TextNow app.
Unlike other carriers, you must use the TextNow app to place phone calls, listen to voicemails, and send texts instead of the native apps on your device. The carrier uses non-invasive ads inside the app to pay for your free service.
Switch to TextNow
If you're interested in a free phone plan then it might be time to switch to TextNow. To start the process just download the TextNow app and create an account. You'll also need to check your phone compatibility to bring your own device since TextNow does not sell phones with its plans. You should also note that TextNow only offers physical SIM cards, so it isn't compatible with eSIM-only devices like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15. If your device is compatible, you'll purchase a SIM card and activate it after it's delivered.
Pick one of the TextNow plan options below to get started:
|
#1
|
TextNow
Free Flex Plan
$0.00/mo
+ $4.99 Upfront
|
|
#2
|
TextNow
Unlimited Month Pass Plan
$35.99/mo
|
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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