TextNow Pros and Cons: What You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

No matter how much money you try to save with each paycheck, it can be hard to keep a consistent amount of cash in your bank account. Goods, such as gas and groceries for example, continue to skyrocket in price, which can make it even difficult to have a reliable cell phone plan through a big wireless carrier, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon Wireless.

Big wireless carriers are known to charge large sums of money on your monthly bill, simply because you are gaining access directly to their network that allows you the fastest data speeds and top service to make phone calls and send text messages. For lots of folks that are looking for a more affordable cell phone option, TextNow is a reliable resource that can provide customers with the best access to calling and texting features, plus data, and it’s all for free.

In this article, we’ll discuss more on what TextNow is and how it can benefit you with topics such as:

• What is TextNow?
• How is TextNow free?
• Pros of TextNow
• Cons of TextNow
• Is TextNow right for you?

What is TextNow?

Learning more about TextNow and their services and features can make it a great option for those looking to save money!

There are tons of mobile providers out there that range from the main three, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that can help you to save money.

For many families who have come down hard on money and are struggling to keep their cell phone plan active, or even for those looking to put some cash back into your savings account, TextNow is a great option to consider. 

TextNow is a unique free phone service provider that offers everything from unlimited calling and texting, and data to scroll through social media and stream music and videos on-the-go. It uses T-Mobile’s network coverage providing users access to their reliable service throughout the country and the best 4G LTE and 5G data coverage available. 

This unique phone service provider is known for offering flexible plans for those who need data hourly, daily, or monthly. TextNow allows its users to have access to unlimited talk and text for free with passes depending on how much data you need. Whether you just need some data for the hour, throughout the day, or wish to purchase a monthly pass, TextNow gives its users the capability to choose the type of plan that they need at the price that they are willing to pay.

What is a MVNO?

When it comes to selecting a new cell phone plan, MVNOs are a great option because of how affordable they are.  A MVNO is when a major network company–such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or T-Mobile–can sell minutes to a mobile service, such as TextNow, who doesn’t  own their own network and service. With TextNow, MVNO users gain access to T-Mobile’s network coverage and fast data speeds with no extra fees from using it directly through one of their own plans.

MVNOs are able to provide plans with prices that fit your budget with no long-term contracts to sign, and TextNow allows customers to customize their plan and choose what works best for them at their budget. The main con to choosing a MVNO is that you can experience a slow down of data speeds in populated areas due to the main network’s customer usage. The busier the traffic is on the main network’s coverage, the slower a MVNO’s data speeds and service will be. 

How is TextNow Free?

TextNow is free, but knowing how is important!

There is nothing better than getting some good deals, or even better, receiving something for free, especially if it comes to your cell phone service. Having a reliable cell phone plan is essential since the world runs on cellular devices to communicate, and TextNow has everything you need for a free service that gives you all of the essentials.

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Before signing up for a plan through TextNow, you may be wondering how people are able to get their services for free, and it’s through ads. When you sign up for TextNow and get one of their SIM cards to put in your phone, you will receive free calling and texting on the spot, and this is because of their use of ad revenues. 

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When you’re using the app to call or text, it displays ads within it, which in return allows you to use their service free of charge. Ads are known to get annoying when watching them during your movie or TV show, or even within the TextNow app, but this allows customers to continue to receive reliable calling and texting service at absolutely no charge to them.

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The only thing that customers have to pay for upon signing up for a TextNow plan is the SIM card, and if you wish to use any data. The SIM card that is usable on all unlocked devices only costs $5 and you can have it sent right to your home with free shipping. 

Data Plans

As stated before, TextNow is a free service that allows its users to make phone calls and send text messages just by getting their affordable $5 SIM card, but this doesn't include data. If you are someone who needs a data plan, or pass as TextNow calls them, there are a few different options to choose from.

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Check out some of the best data plans for people needing fast 4G LTE and 5G speeds on their phone:

• Essential Data - Free for unlimited talk and text, maps, rideshare, and email
• Hours Pass - $0.99 for 60 minutes of unlimited talk, text, and data with 300MB of high-speed data
• Day Pass - $4.99 for 24 hours of unlimited talk, text, and data with 2GB high-speed data
• Month Pass - $39.99 for a recurring monthly payments of unlimited talk, text, and data, 10GB high-speed data, no ads, and free roaming in Canada and Mexico

Pros of TextNow

Knowing what makes lots of people switch to TextNow is crucial in order to save money and still receive great service!

There are a lot of reasons to consider TextNow as your wireless provider, mainly because of all of the perks that you receive. It’s important to get to know the pros and cons of a wireless service provider, or MVNO such as TextNow, so let’s discuss some of the pros that make people want to switch over to them and drop their old phone plan.

Pro: Free Calling and Texting

While it may seem like something that is hard to believe, TextNow truly does offer free calling and texting upon signing up. On their standard free 5G phone service plan, you get unlimited calling, texting, email, maps, and rideshare–so all of the essentials that are needed in this day and age–all for free! The only thing that you have to pay for is a $5 SIM card on an unlocked cell phone and you can pay for data starting at $0.99.

Pro: Uses T-Mobile’s Network

Out of the three main big wireless networks that are offered throughout the country–AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless– TextNow has access to T-Mobile, which offers customers some of the best 5G data speeds in the country. T-Mobile has the most 5G towers, allowing everyone from big cities, the suburbs, and even rural areas to get access to great coverage no matter where they are. This is no different for TextNow customers and there is service and coverage stretching all across the country, making its affordability available for everyone.

Pro: Most iPhones and Androids Work When Making the Switch

Whenever you’re considering moving to TextNow, all you need to do is pay for a $5 SIM card to use their services without having to purchase a new cell phone. It’s important that you make sure that your smartphone is unlocked first, meaning it’s not tied down to any other service providers and networks. Customers can easily confirm this on the TextNow website to  see if your IMEI number is valid and can be used on their network, and customers are able to keep their current cell phone number. 

Cons of TextNow

Get familiar with what the common complaints are about TextNow to ensure it’s the right fit for you!

While there are many people that are satisfied with the service provided through TextNow, many others have experienced issues, or things that they wish the provider would change. Whether it’s the annoying ads on the app, or something more major, it’s important to consider all of the cons of a cell phone provider too to ensure that it’s the right choice for you.  

Con: Ads Littered on the App

It’s a known fact that TextNow offers free calling and texting to its customers, but it comes at the expense of having to deal with ads. For some people, ads don’t bother them, but for others it can drive them crazy. If you enjoy getting free calling and texting and are willing to throw in a couple bucks to get rid of the ads on the app, you can pay $6.99 a month for the Ad-Free+ add-on.

Con: Limited Data Options

While only having to pay for data sounds like a steal with a plan through TextNow, it can be disappointing when seeing just how little data passes they offer. As of now, there are only three data options, including an hourly pass of $0.99, a day pass of $4.99, or a recurring monthly payment of $39.99 for only 10GB of high-speed data. With the monthly pass, customers also do receive no ads on the app and free roaming in Canada and Mexico. 

Con: Data Deprioritization 

No matter what kind of MVNO is out there,customers can experience data deprioritization. This is common for MVNO users where customers can experience a temporary slow down of your data speeds usually during the busiest times of the day. This congestion is due to the high traffic of people on the main network–in this case, T-Mobile–where their customers get top priority over anyone with a MVNO. 

Is TextNow Right For You?

Knowing if TextNow is right for you is crucial for customers looking to put some extra cash in their wallet!

There may be many questions that are running through your head, such as, “Is TextNow right for me?” TextNow is great for those who are looking for another option to save money. If you’re willing to make some changes to what you’re normally used to when it comes to your cell phone plan, then TextNow can be a great option with some sacrifices.

If you’re looking to put more money into your savings, consider the pros and cons of TextNow and what good it can do to your wallet and life! 

If you’re having trouble figuring out which cell phone plan or provider is right for you, consider REALLY where you can compare companies to figure out what fits your price range, and even what offers the best coverage in your area!