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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

TextNow

55
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

TextNow offers a free secondary phone number for calls and texts, which many users find valuable, but it is plagued by inconsistent call/text reliability, frequent spam, and mandatory paid features for essential functions like verification codes and data.

4.8★ lifetime (909,808) Free + in-app purchases since 2009 by TextNow, Inc. updated 0.0 mo ago recent negative 57% 120 reviews across 2 regions
Reliability Verification Codes & Paid Features Privacy & Account Issues Free Service Value Spam & Unwanted Calls
5★157
4★22
3★37
2★32
1★252
recent reviews across 2 regions, vs the 4.8★ lifetime average

TextNow provides a free second phone number for calling and texting, which is highly appreciated by users needing an alternative communication method or a way to save on phone bills R2R3R11. However, recent reviews highlight significant issues including unreliable call and text delivery, excessive spam calls, and a paywall for features like verification codes and stable data plans R4R6R10R12.

What users like

  • Provides a free second phone number for calls and textsR2R3R9R11
  • Useful for staying in touch without traditional phone service or for a backup numberR3R22R44R52
  • Supports cross-platform texting between Android and Apple devicesR2R72

What users complain about

  • Call and text functionality is often unreliable, with messages not sending or calls dropping/having poor qualityR4R10R27R29
  • Requires payment for receiving verification codes, which users find contradictory to a 'free' appR6R30R43R69
  • Users experience a high volume of spam calls and texts, even with paid subscriptionsR12R18R34R281
  • Recent updates introduced mandatory facial verification for account setup, raising privacy concernsR17R23R42R69
  • Issues with account creation, login, and suspension are frequently reportedR26R38R42R60
  • Customer support is difficult to reach or unresponsiveR4R29R58R64
  • Paid features like locking numbers or data plans are seen as overpriced, confusing, or unreliableR34R49R144R174
  • Some users report losing their assigned number prematurely or having accounts disabled without clear reasonR18R49R65R107
  • Lacks features like FaceTime or video sending, and has issues with video ad creditsR30R32R33R153

Latest update · v26.27.0

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

We're back with a few quiet improvements this time around to keep your conversations running smoothly. BUG FIX * Fixed a freeze that could happen when retrying a message that didn't send the first time. Like what you're seeing? Drop us a review—your feedback shapes what we build next!

Recurring themes

Reliability negative
Many users report significant issues with calls dropping, poor audio quality, or messages not being sent or received. This contradicts the developer's claim of 'conversations running smoothly' and a 'freeze fix' in the latest update, as users still experience fundamental communication failures.R4R10R27R29
Verification Codes & Paid Features negative
A major point of contention is the requirement to pay for receiving verification codes, which many users feel undermines the app's 'free' premise and is a basic necessity for many online services. There are also complaints about confusing or overpriced subscription plans for locking numbers or data.R6R30R34R43
Privacy & Account Issues negative
The recent introduction of mandatory facial verification for account setup has caused significant backlash, with users expressing privacy concerns and difficulty completing the process. Many also report issues with signing up, logging in, or having their accounts suspended or numbers lost without clear reasons.R17R18R23R26
Spam & Unwanted Calls negative
A recurring complaint is the high volume of spam calls and texts received on TextNow numbers, with some users reporting dozens daily, even after blocking numbers or paying for services.R12R18R34R281
Free Service Value positive
Despite the issues, many users appreciate TextNow for providing a free phone number, which is especially valuable for those without traditional service, needing a second line, or looking to save money.R1R2R3R9

Who it's for

TextNow is for individuals who need a free secondary phone number for basic calling and texting, especially if they rely on Wi-Fi for communication or want to avoid traditional phone bills R3R22R52. It is also suitable for those who need a number for online forums or temporary use . It is NOT for users who require reliable call/text quality, need to receive verification codes frequently without paying, or are concerned about privacy due to mandatory facial verification R17R43R69.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative (56.8% negative), which contrasts sharply with the lifetime rating of 4.78. This suggests a significant decline in user satisfaction recently, possibly due to new features like facial verification and increased paywalls. The developer's notes mention minor bug fixes, but recent reviews indicate ongoing, more severe issues with call/text reliability and account access that are not addressed.

Frequently asked

Is TextNow truly free?
TextNow offers a free phone number for calling and texting over Wi-Fi, which many users appreciate R2R3. However, essential features like receiving verification codes require a paid subscription R6R43.
Why do I need to scan my face for TextNow?
Recent updates to TextNow have introduced mandatory facial verification during account setup, which the app states is to 'see if you’re a real person' R17R69. This change has caused significant user frustration and privacy concerns R17R23R69.
Can I receive verification codes with TextNow?
While TextNow can be used for some verification, many users report that receiving verification codes for other apps or services requires a paid VIP subscription R6R30R43.
Does TextNow have good call quality?
Call quality on TextNow is mixed; some users find it acceptable on Wi-Fi R6, but many others report frequent issues such as dropped calls, people being unable to hear them, or calls ending suddenly R10R27R58.
Why am I getting so many spam calls on TextNow?
Many TextNow users report receiving a high volume of spam calls and texts, with some experiencing dozens daily R12R18R34R281. This issue persists even for users who pay to lock in their numbers R34.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 5/5 · US Good review: I love TextNow soooo much IVe been using it for a couple of years now and the only issue I've ever had with it is the codes for different app because thats basically thé whole point of a paid number I would, and have, recommended this to countless friends. It works for Android AND Apple cross texting which I find nice.
  2. [R3] 5/5 · US Very helpful app: So hi am Amir I been using this app for about two weeks and it’s been very help and it’s a good app for calling android uses especially if you don’t have your own phone number i will recommend this to all my firends
  3. [R9] 3/5 · US Good app: I do love to use TextNow to talk to my brother
  4. [R11] 5/5 · US Keeps me from losing opportunities: Very free and will have some ads but aside from that no problems! Little hiccups
  5. [R22] 4/5 · US extremely helpful!////// Update! Still helpful, but finally found the issues.: TextNow is an extremely helpful app to have when you need to stay in touch with people, but don’t have service on your phone. They have a few plans providing you with data and even a e-sim, and one of those options is even FREE!/// Still agree with everything I said above. However, I ran into a rather large issue in my
  6. [R44] 5/5 · US Reliable affordable easy activation: I been using this ever sense I lost my old job and they made it easy and affordable I never left once I got a job !!
  7. [R52] 3/5 · US connection issue?: Not a bad app and comes in clutch for when times get hard or for when life happens and I don't have the funds for my phone bill. Would give this 5 stars buy the only issue/ complaint I have is there has been times when I make a call in the spot where it shows the duration of a call is it says preparing? Don't know if it's a connection issue or wat. Before u ask yes I have cleare
  8. [R72] 5/5 · US TextNow:: Text now is a great app I love how you can call android users on an iPhone
  9. [R4] 1/5 · US Issue unresolved: I can’t receive calls and I can’t text. I’ve been waiting to hear back after I was told that they will email me. That was yesterday. Now I have been waiting on chat support for an hour and I am just wasting my time.
  10. [R10] 1/5 · US Horrible service: This app is horrible half way through phone calls people will say that can’t hear you. It’s horrible
  11. [R27] 2/5 · US Phone calls don’t work: It’s great with text messages, but my phone calls for some reason. Don’t go through. I can’t hear them. They can’t hear me. It just doesn’t work.🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️
  12. [R29] 1/5 · US Only works half of the time: I was able to take pictures in the beginning, but now cannot send them at all. The chats constantly get stuck after I’ve typed them so I have to back out of the text and go back in to send it as a draft. There is no one to help troubleshoot so it’s not worth purchasing
  13. [R6] 1/5 · US Want to love it: The call quality is okay but you have to be on WiFi. I don’t like that they charge you if you want to receive any type of verification code. This app charges weekly to get verification codes
  14. [R30] 3/5 · US Why not: Why do they not have like a FaceTime and if I get a code sent to my phone I have to get vip like what the hell
  15. [R43] 1/5 · US 0 stars: You shouldn’t have to get a 2 dollar subscription to get a code that makes no sense on a app the clams to be free
  16. [R69] 1/5 · US Using facial verification now: It costs money to receive a verification code and they recently implemented a facial scan to “see if you’re a real person” to set up your account. Unreal. Never using this app again.
  17. [R12] 1/5 · US Sucks: I have over 2,000 spam call I block and they still keep calling
  18. [R18] 2/5 · US Need to fix: The app says the number must be used once every 30 days to keep number but I have lost number after just 12 days. Some numbers turn out to already be spam as I get 20 calls a week and I haven’t given out number.
  19. [R34] 1/5 · US Too Much Spam: I receive about 6-8 calls a day from Spammers. I pay to lock this number in for work. As a paying customer, Spam & Ads should disappear. But I'm actually getting MORE spam calls now that I switched from locking in the number from 1-week at a time to 1-month at a time. I giving them guaranteed monthly business and I get more spam/ads for it. Makes no sense!
  20. [R281] 3/5 · CA works good but…: i get calls from random people? why?!!
  21. [R17] 1/5 · US Awful app: So now requires you to scan your face. Ridiculous, why harvest my data and sell it to some broker. Awful app. You used to be free with no strings attached.
  22. [R23] 1/5 · US Why take a pic now: This app is invasive now. Why do i need to take a pic, smh deleted!
  23. [R42] 1/5 · US Technical Problems: I’ve had this app for years. One day, I’ve logged out of it, and it would not allow me to log back in. Instead, it asks for my face identification to confirm if it’s me. I did the verification. It’ll say, “processing selfie”, then it’ll say, “congratulations, you’re done!” Just to say, “Error. Too many attempts. Please wait 1 minute before trying again.” It will say that on my
  24. [R26] 1/5 · US No sign up: Can’t sign up = Fail. When signing up, you enter an email, then it tells you that email doesn’t exist in the database… duhhh. So no ability to create an account.
  25. [R38] 1/5 · US Bad input validation: Doesn’t allow .io domains for registration so can’t use it. Garbage input validation.
  26. [R60] 1/5 · US Trash: Spent 30 minutes signing up several times. Still no account… now a message that an account can’t be created at this time.
  27. [R58] 1/5 · US Awful: This is a joke of an app I have upgraded. I have attempted to get in touch with a customer service multiple times. I can’t do anything. I can only receive calls from spam people when it’s actually an important call. I cannot get it if I do get a voicemail. I cannot listen to it. I have tried every hit and temp and everything. I’m online for my brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max and it just doesn’t
  28. [R64] 1/5 · US Banned my account and no contact support: I was using this app just fine, and one day it just stopped working for nor reason, tried to contact the customer support in the app, wouldn’t work either
  29. [R49] 1/5 · US Ridiculous.: They will make you repay for your assigned phone number and when you do they give your number away and take your money, no option to get it back. Definitely won’t be using this service again in the future.
  30. [R144] 3/5 · US TalkaTone Light is way better: Decent app, works OK, but they are charging you $4.99 PER WEEK for the same features that you can get from TalkaTone Light for $1.99 PER MONTH! I’m sticking with the better Value- TalkaTone by far
  31. [R174] 3/5 · US Data Drought: Look, I’m a TextNow Simp. I’ve turned dozens of people on to dropping their monthly bill and kissing contracts goodbye. But! Yall, the data packages are WACK. $40 for a measly 20GB of data? Woof. And what’s worse, It’s a major headache to refill before the 30-days-of-doom has expired. I need 40GB. They call it Unlimited Monthly….. MAKE IT UNLIMITED!, A Fed-Up Fan
  32. [R65] 2/5 · US Good, but I keep getting suspended?: I use textnow because I don't have service on my phone, and it's usually all well but i have to be super care about what I say because it's normally just casual conversations. Ive had to use multiple different emails to make new accounts because i keep getting suspended for little to no apparent reason. I can't ever tell my partner i love him because that gets
  33. [R107] 3/5 · US Text now: Is a good phone number but one issue I have is they should stop disabled accounts and let’s everyone enjoy the number incase someone travel abroad
  34. [R32] 5/5 · US About textknow: Well it’s great but can y’all add FaceTime
  35. [R33] 4/5 · US My opinion: It’s better because if you don’t have a certain app for texting and calling you can get this but you can’t FaceTime on top of that I love all of this, but just please add FaceTime
  36. [R153] 3/5 · US Good but some things need help: It’s good, but whenever you try to watch a video like, for example you can get those credit things by watching an ad it doesn’t let you and you can’t even earn the coins so by watching videos so it just makes me frustrated But other than that, it does everything like it supposed to except whenever you send a video it is terrible quality
  37. [R1] 5/5 · US TextNow: Very good app
  38. [R83] 3/5 · US Honest review: I don’t have a phone and I constantly need verification so this is perfect!!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store