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5 free text apps for Android that send real SMS messages
Searching online for free texting apps is a pain in the rear end. There are free apps that work with your existing SMS service and messenger apps that send messages but not real SMS. This is a problem we hope to rectify with this article. Every app on this list can send complimentary text messages to people in one way or another. The list isn’t very long because this is a niche option. Most cell phone plans now allow unlimited texting, and many people have switched to messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram. With all that in mind, here are the best free texting apps for Android.
Please note that these apps send texts as a service and are not a replacement for the stock SMS app on your phone, like Textra or QKSMS. We have a separate list of those types of texting apps.
The best free texting apps for Android
How do free texting apps work?
Free texting apps send texts the way any other service does. You send the text, and the other person receives it. However, these services work separately from your phone and often have a data component. That means you can send texts from a website or mobile app, which still appear as regular texts on the recipient’s phone.
None of these services are entirely free. Most free texting apps use two different business models. The first is a monthly allotment of free texts; you must buy more once your allotment runs out. The second lets users watch or view advertising to earn credits, and those credits let you send texts. These apps are still services and have to generate revenue, so it’s unsurprising to see such systems in place.
Google Voice
Price: Free
Google Voice is an excellent free texting app and easily one of the most popular. It lets you send complimentary SMS messages and free phone calls in the U.S. or Canada. Those who are outside of those areas have spotty coverage at best. In any case, you get some extra perks, like a decent Google Chrome extension for computer use, a nifty app with Material Design, and some lovely voicemail options for calls. The SMS and MMS support is good, but nothing too different from what we’ve seen on this list. It’s a rock-solid option and probably the one you should try first. Please note that you do need a Google account for this app.
Text Free
Price: Free / $9.99 per month
Text Free is one of the most popular free texting apps on Android. It also works on iOS, which is very popular. The app does what it says. Sign up for an account, claim a phone number, and start texting people. This one also features free calls. However, you are limited to 60 minutes per month for free. You can watch video ads or purchase more minutes if you need to. It has three subscription plans: monthly for $9.99, half-yearly for $39.99, and yearly for $69.99. The service reclaims inactive numbers after a while so that you can reserve yours for a monthly fee. In any case, this app does work. The app boasts international support as well.
TextMe Up
Price: Free / $2.99 per month
TextMeUp isn’t a lot different from TextFree. The app gives you a phone number. You send text messages and receive them. The app has fewer ads per page, but ads are in more places. It’s just a matter of preference. This one also supports phone calls with a credit system. You do get a few to start with. There are various subscription plans that remove ads and include free phone calls. This app only offers free SMS to the United States and Canada. The UI is Material Design, and that’s nice as well.
TextNow
Price: Free /In-app purchases ($0.99 – $99.99 per item)
TextNow is another popular option for free calls and free texts on mobile. It has the cleanest UI of all the apps on the list. It sent texts and made phone calls without any issues during our testing. As it turns out, TextNow also operates as an MVNO. It has different subscription plans starting from $0.99 for WiFi calls, texts, international calls and texts, and data plans. This is an excellent experience. However, free texts are limited to the United States and Canada.
TextPlus
Price: Free /In-app purchases ($0.99 – $44.99 per item)
TextPlus is our last pick, and it’s another solid option. It offers free SMS texts to the U.S. and Canada. It also provides free phone calls. However, it works on a credit system. You earn credits by watching ads. Add non-data SMS and calls for $9.99 monthly (GSM phones only). There is also an option to remove ads for $0.99 per month, and that’s the cheapest on this list. Finally, you can buy just credits for calls if you want to. The free texting worked fine in our testing, and the UI is clean. It’s another good option if the previous three didn’t work for you.
Bonus: Pulse SMS and others
Price: Free /In-app purchases ($0.99 – $99.99 per item)
Many people look for free texting apps so they can text on non-connected devices like tablets. Pulse SMS, Android Messages, AirDroid, Pushbullet, etc., are all excellent options. These apps don’t provide complimentary text messages. However, they let you use your existing text plan on any other device you own. Our favorite is Pulse SMS. It’s clean and one of the few with a single up-front cost instead of a subscription.
You get the app, install it on all your devices (including your computer), and send and receive actual texts from your regular phone number. Microsoft has an up-and-coming app that is doing better at this as well. These apps don’t send texts for free (you still need a carrier plan), but they let you send your texts on all your devices.
If we missed any great free texting apps, tell us about them in the comments below!