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Top 10 TextNow Alternatives and Competitors
The best TextNow alternative for most people in the US is Google Voice: a free number, no ads, voicemail transcription, and it runs on any phone or browser. If you want a second line for business, Sideline or Quo (formerly OpenPhone) are the better fit. If you want privacy or a number you can throw away, Burner or Hushed. For cheap international calling, Dingtone. Everything else on this list is a free ad-supported number app in the same mould as TextNow, with small differences in ads, reliability, and number retention.
TextNow is still a solid product. It gives US and Canadian users a free phone number over Wi-Fi or data, and it sells low-cost mobile plans on top. The reasons people look elsewhere have not changed much: heavy ads on the free tier, numbers that get reclaimed after a period of inactivity, limited international reach, and a consumer focus that does not suit business use. We checked every app below on 21 August 2026 against its App Store listing and vendor site. Two entries from the old version of this list are gone: Pinger’s 2ndLine has been folded into its other apps, and Skype, including Skype Number, was shut down by Microsoft in May 2025.
For WordPress-based businesses and freelancers, a dedicated business line separate from personal use makes client communication easier to manage alongside website operations and development projects. Several of the apps below are built for exactly that.
TextNow alternatives at a glance
| App | Free tier | Paid from | Best for | Checked Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Voice | Yes (personal, US only) | $10/user/month (Workspace) | Reliable free number, no ads | App updated Aug 2026 |
| TextFree (Pinger) | Yes, ad-supported | Paid ad-free plans | Casual free texting | App updated Aug 2026 |
| Talkatone | Yes, ad-supported | Paid ad-free and credits | Free US number from abroad | App updated Aug 2026 |
| Burner | Trial only | $3.99/month billed annually, $7.99 monthly | Disposable private numbers | App updated Aug 2026 |
| Sideline (Pinger) | Trial only | Paid subscription | Business second line with team features | App updated Aug 2026 |
| Hushed | Trial only | $4.99 to $8.99/month | Privacy, US/Canada/UK numbers | App updated Aug 2026 |
| Dingtone | Yes, credit-based | Credit packs | Cheap international calls, 200+ countries | Site live, iOS listing stale |
| TextMe | Yes, ad-supported | Paid ad-free and credits | Free US/Canada texting with video calls | App updated Jul 2026 |
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | Trial only | $15/user/month billed annually | Teams, shared numbers, CRM-style inbox | App updated Aug 2026 |
| YouMail | Yes (voicemail and spam blocking) | Paid second-number plans | Voicemail and robocall control | App updated Aug 2026 |
Prices are the vendor’s published US rates on the day we checked and change often. Where a vendor does not publish a flat price, we say “paid plans” rather than guess.
1. Google Voice
Google Voice is the closest thing to a free TextNow replacement without the ads. Personal accounts in the US get a free number with calling, SMS, voicemail transcription, call forwarding to your real number, and spam filtering, and it works in the browser as well as on iOS and Android. The number does not expire as long as you use it occasionally.
The business version is sold as an add-on to Google Workspace. Google’s pricing page lists Starter at $10 per user per month for up to 10 users, Standard at $20, and Premier at $30 with unlimited international calling to selected countries. The catch for a TextNow user: personal Google Voice is US only, so Canadian users need a different option.
2. TextFree by Pinger
TextFree is the most direct TextNow competitor. Pinger gives you a free US number with texting, calling over Wi-Fi, group texts, and voicemail, paid for by ads. A subscription removes the ads and locks the number so it cannot be reclaimed. The app is updated regularly and has one of the largest user bases in this category.
If you are leaving TextNow because of ads, you will find TextFree’s free tier similar. If you are leaving because of number reliability, the paid tier solves that for a few dollars a month.
3. Talkatone
Talkatone gives you a free US number for texting and calling over Wi-Fi or mobile data, with credits for international calls. Its main strength is that it works well from outside the US, which makes it popular with travellers and expats who need a US number for banks and verification codes. Expect ads on the free tier and a paid plan to remove them and keep your number.
4. Burner
Burner is the privacy pick. You create numbers that can be temporary or permanent, route calls and texts through them, and delete them when you are done. Auto-deleting messages and per-number settings make it the go-to for classified listings, dating, short projects, and anything where you do not want to hand out your real number.
There is no free tier beyond a trial. Burner’s pricing page lists the Standard plan at $7.99 a month or $3.99 a month billed annually ($47.99 a year), and Premium at $12.99 a month or $5.83 a month billed annually.
5. Sideline by Pinger
Sideline replaces 2ndLine on this list. It is Pinger’s business-focused second number: a dedicated line on your existing phone with voicemail, auto-replies, texting from a computer, and team options that let several people share one number. It uses your carrier minutes for calls, which means call quality matches your normal phone rather than depending on Wi-Fi.
It is paid only, with a free trial. Sideline suits freelancers and small businesses that want a professional number without a second device and without the consumer-app feel of TextNow.
6. Hushed
Hushed offers private numbers in the US, Canada, and the UK, with hundreds of area codes, plus encrypted Hushed-to-Hushed messaging, auto-replies, and call routing. It is one of the few apps on this list that gives Canadian users a local number on a paid plan without a carrier contract.
According to Hushed’s pricing page, unlimited local talk and text plans start at $4.99 a month on promotion and $6.99 a month at the standard rate, with international plans from $8.99 a month and prepaid credit options from $7.99. Numbers can also be bought for short fixed periods if you only need one for a week.
7. Dingtone
Dingtone is the international option. It issues numbers for the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries, and lets you call and text more than 200 countries at low per-minute rates using a credit system. You can earn credits by watching ads and completing offers or buy credit packs outright.
One caveat: the iOS App Store listing we checked had not been updated since late 2021, although the website and Android app are active and the company reports over 100 million users. Test it on your device before you move a business number to it.
8. TextMe
TextMe provides unlimited free texting to US and Canadian numbers, free calls between TextMe users, low-cost international calling, and video calling, which most free-number apps do not include. It is ad-supported on the free tier, with paid options to remove ads and buy credits. It is a good fit if you want one app for texting and occasional video calls with family abroad.
9. Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Quo replaces Skype Number, which no longer exists: Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025 and pointed users at Teams. Quo is a business phone system rather than a consumer app. Each user gets a US or Canadian number, and the app adds shared inboxes, call recording, auto-attendants, contact notes, and integrations with tools like HubSpot and Slack.
Quo’s pricing page lists the Starter plan at $15 per user per month billed annually, with Business and higher tiers adding call handling and automation. It is overkill for a personal second number, and exactly right for a small team that has outgrown a consumer app.
10. YouMail
YouMail started as a visual voicemail and robocall blocker and grew into a second-line service. The free tier handles voicemail transcription, spam call blocking, and custom greetings on your existing number. Paid plans add a second number, auto-attendant style greetings, and business features such as conference calling. If your main complaint about your current setup is spam calls and missed voicemails rather than texting, YouMail solves a different problem than TextNow does, and solves it well.
How to move your number away from TextNow
A few practical points before you switch:
- Porting out: TextNow numbers can be ported to another carrier or VoIP provider, but the account must be in good standing and you will need the account number and PIN from the TextNow app. Start the port from the new provider, not from TextNow.
- Verification codes: Many banks and services reject VoIP numbers for SMS verification. Google Voice, Sideline, and Quo have the best track record here; free ad-supported numbers are the most likely to be blocked.
- Inactivity rules: Free numbers on TextNow, TextFree, and Talkatone are reclaimed after a period without use. If a number matters, pay to lock it.
- Emergency calling: Wi-Fi calling apps handle 911 differently from carriers. Check each app’s policy before you rely on it as a primary line.
Choosing the Right TextNow Alternative
The best choice depends on what you need the number for.
- For Google ecosystem users: Google Voice, free and ad-free in the US.
- For privacy and anonymity: Burner and Hushed, with disposable numbers and encrypted messaging.
- For international communication: Dingtone for cheap calls to 200+ countries; Hushed for UK numbers.
- For business separation: Sideline for one person, Quo for a team.
- For free basic service: TextFree, Talkatone, and TextMe, all ad-supported like TextNow.
- For voicemail and spam control: YouMail.
For WordPress professionals managing client relationships, a dedicated business number through Sideline, Quo, or Google Voice creates a clear boundary between work and personal calls. Pair it with your WordPress contact forms and support desk so client requests land in one place. If you need the phone system wired into a custom WordPress workflow, our custom plugin development team has done similar integrations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free TextNow alternative?
Google Voice, if you are in the US. It is free, has no ads, and keeps your number as long as you use it. In Canada, TextFree, TextMe, and Talkatone are the closest free options.
Is there a TextNow alternative without ads?
Google Voice is ad-free for personal use. Every other free-number app on this list removes ads only on a paid plan. Burner, Hushed, Sideline, and Quo are paid from the start and have no ads.
Which TextNow alternative works in Canada?
TextFree, TextMe, and Talkatone offer free Canadian numbers. Hushed, Sideline, and Quo offer paid Canadian numbers. Personal Google Voice is US only.
Does Skype Number still exist?
No. Microsoft shut down Skype in May 2025. Existing users were moved to Microsoft Teams, which does not sell consumer phone numbers. Quo or Google Voice are the practical replacements.
Can I use these apps for two-factor verification codes?
Sometimes. Many services block VoIP numbers. Google Voice and paid business lines like Sideline and Quo are accepted more often than free ad-supported numbers, but no app on this list is guaranteed to work with every bank.
Which should you pick
If you want a free number and you are in the US, stop reading and set up Google Voice. If you are in Canada and want free, TextFree is the safe bet. If the number is for work, pay for Sideline or Quo and never worry about ads or reclaimed numbers again. And if the number is meant to disappear, Burner does that better than anything else.
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Top 10 Google Voice Alternatives and Competitors
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