Features
09.20.24
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DISCLAIMER: The prices you see on this or any other blog article are subject to change. Please check the TextNow app for the most recent pricing.
TextNow's free service doesn't just stop at talk & text. It also includes Free Essential Data, a nationwide wireless service that allows you access essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare for free. Oh, and don't worry, those unlimited calls & texts are still included, only now, you can make them without Wi-Fi.
How to get Free Essential Data
The answer here is really quite simple: Activate a TextNow SIM card.
While you can download the TextNow app, sign up for free, and start using it over a Wi-Fi network for free, the only way we can connect you to a network outside of Wi-Fi is through a SIM card.
The SIM card is a one-time purchase that once activated on your compatible iPhone or Android phone, can connect you to the nation's largest 5G network. Once you activate it, no further action is needed. We will automatically grant your account with Free Essential Data, which includes unlimited calling & texting with your TextNow account, and access to your email, maps, and rideshare apps on the go.
How is TextNow free?
It's as simple as an ad.
Through in-app ads, and exclusive brand deals & discounts, we're able to pass on the cost of phone service to advertisers, and not to you.
How to get flexible data for other apps
We know that most Americans rely on their Wi-Fi for at least half of their data usage. This means that you are most likely overpaying for a data plan that you're not fully utilizing, or need.
So, we came up with a solution: Data passes that can be purchased when you actually need them – you're running an errand and need to access your banking real quick, or you know you will be out and about most of the day and don't want to look for Wi-Fi everywhere. Our affordable passes start at just $0.99, and can give you data for an hour (60 minutes), a day (24 hours), or the whole month if you prefer stability.
These passes are different than our free essential data because they give you access to all your other apps as well, so you can browse, stream, and post on the go.
You can add a data pass at anytime through the menu of the TextNow app (again, only with an active TextNow SIM), and cancel it just as easily through the app whenever you want. No hoops to jump through here – just free and flexible data.
TextNow data roaming
One excellent feature of all our data passes: they also give you the option to roam anywhere in Canada or Mexico, at no additional cost. So you don’t have to worry about swapping out a SIM when crossing the border.
