What Is TextNow? How the Free Number and Wireless Plans Work

Introduction

TextNow gives you a real US or Canadian phone number, calling and texting over Wi-Fi or data, for free, paid for by ads shown inside the app. That's the version most people know. Since 2013, TextNow has also run its own wireless service, TextNow Wireless, selling SIM and eSIM plans that work over a cellular network instead of just Wi-Fi.

This guide covers how a free TextNow number works, what happens if you stop using it, what the paid tiers actually add, and two things people often get wrong: whether TextNow can call 911, and whether it can receive verification codes.

What TextNow Is

TextNow is a free-to-download app for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and the web that gives you a real US or Canadian phone number for calling and texting over an internet connection, rather than a traditional cell signal. The free version is supported by in-app ads, with paid add-ons available to remove them and unlock extra features.

It's not only a Wi-Fi app, though. TextNow has operated its own wireless carrier service, TextNow Wireless, since 2013, which runs as a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, currently on T-Mobile's network. That side of TextNow sells SIM and eSIM plans that work like a normal cell plan, separate from the free ad-supported app.

Getting and Keeping a Free Number

When you sign up, TextNow lets you choose a US or Canadian area code and pick from roughly ten available numbers in it. You can release a number and choose a new one, but only once every 15 days.

A newly claimed number expires within 24 hours if you never use it to call or text anyone. After that, TextNow doesn't publish a fixed timeline for how long an inactive number survives; it varies by usage, and TextNow sends a warning before reclaiming one. Calling or texting at least once a day keeps a free number active indefinitely, and if a number does get reclaimed, TextNow can't give you that same one back. A paid Lock In Number or Ad-Free+ subscription locks your number to your account regardless of how often you use it.

What's Free vs. What's Paid

The free tier covers unlimited calling and texting to US and Canada numbers, funded by ads. Ad-Free+, a paid subscription, removes the ads and adds several things the free tier doesn't include: Lock In Number, better support for receiving verification codes, unlimited photo and video history, caller info, call forwarding and voicemail transcription. Lock In Number is also available as its own standalone purchase if that's the only thing you need.

TextNow Wireless: Its Own SIM Plans

Separate from the free app, TextNow Wireless sells three SIM/eSIM plans: a Free Plan with unlimited talk and text on 5G plus limited data for select apps; a Plus Plan with unlimited talk, text and data outside of media streaming and gaming, with no ads; and an Unlimited Plan with fully unlimited talk, text and data and no ads, currently priced at $35.99 a month (or billed weekly), cancel anytime.

TextNow migrated these wireless plans to a new network partner in 2025 and 2026: new activations moved to new SIMs starting 15 August 2025, and the prior network was shut down on 31 July 2026, along with TextNow's older metered data plans. As part of that change, TextNow also discontinued SIM-based cellular coverage outside the United States, affecting wireless users in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico after 30 July 2026, though the free Wi-Fi calling and texting app is unaffected.

Calling, Texting and International Rates

TextNow's free calling and texting covers any US or Canada number, not just other TextNow users. International calls to more than 230 countries are available by purchasing International Long Distance credit, with rates TextNow advertises as starting under a cent a minute. If you're on a US-based TextNow line, roaming into Mexico is included on every wireless plan, while roaming into Canada is included only on the Plus and Unlimited plans.

911 Calling and Verification Codes

TextNow does support 911 calling, which is a common point of confusion. On a phone, dialing 911 in the TextNow app hands the call off to your device's native dialer to reach local emergency dispatch. On a Wi-Fi-only device like a tablet or computer, TextNow can place the 911 call directly and may prompt you to share your location.

Verification codes and two-factor authentication are a genuine limitation. Because free TextNow numbers get recycled from an inactive pool, many services block them for SMS verification. TextNow says you'll reliably receive most verification codes only with an active SIM plan or a Lock In Number/Ad-Free+ subscription, and that Canadian verification codes are largely unsupported regardless.

Who Runs TextNow

TextNow was founded in 2009 by Derek Ting and Jon Lerner, originally under the name EnFlick, while they were students at the University of Waterloo; the company took the TextNow name in 2015. It's privately held, headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario with a second office in San Francisco, and Derek Ting remains CEO. In September 2026, TextNow said it had crossed $1 billion in cumulative revenue since launch, and that its service is now used by more than 10 million people across the US.

Conclusion

TextNow is two things at once: a free, ad-supported app with a real number for calling and texting over Wi-Fi, and a separate MVNO wireless carrier with its own paid SIM plans. It does handle 911 calls properly, but free numbers are recycled and often blocked from receiving verification codes, which is the trade-off worth knowing before you rely on one for anything important.

If you need a number that won't get reclaimed or blocked by verification systems, Ringflow's cloud phone system gives your team a dedicated business line on mobile and desktop apps, built for that from the start.

TextNow covers calling and texting, but if video is what you're after, our guide to the best free video calling apps breaks down Zoom, Google Meet, Teams and FaceTime's real limits.

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