It sounds too good to be true: a cellular phone plan that comes with a free phone number, free texting, and even free data to access essential apps.
I’ve been testing the plan, which is called Free Essential Data, and it works, but there are some things to know.
It’s from a company called TextNow. They’ve been around for a long time, mostly serving up free virtual phone numbers for calling and texting.
It was founded in 2010 by Derek Ting and his college roommate. The company already serves nearly 2 million daily users with its free calling and texting services.
Listen to my full interview with TextNow’s Derek Ting on the Rich On Tech Radio Show at 1 hour 29 minutes in!
Now, they’re taking it a step further by offering free essential data.
“We’re like the only phone company that’s trying to find ways to charge people less, not find ways to charge people more,” said Derek Ting, co-founder and CEO of TextNow.
The concept is simple but powerful. Users can access email, maps, and ride-sharing apps on the go, all for free. “The idea is that we want to give people maximum flexibility and more ways for them to save money from their phone bill,” Ting said.
How does it work? To start, you pay a one-time fee of $5 to get a TextNow SIM card. Once you put it into your phone, it activates 5G cellular service. The big thing to know is that phone calls and texts are handled through the TextNow app – not the native dialer or iMessage – and they work with or without Wi-Fi.
But the real game-changer is the ability to use apps like Gmail, Google Maps, and Uber for free over TextNow’s cellular signal. If you need actual cellular data, there are options: $1 for unlimited data for an hour, $5 for the day, or $40 for the month.
But many TextNow users just rely on free Wi-Fi at home, work, and through hotspots.
“If you are in a tight financial situation, you still have phone service that’s reliable and you can access all the essential things you need to get access to,” explained Ting.
The service is supported by advertising within the app, which means you’ll see ads on the screen when someone calls you and while you’re texting.
There are also paid upgrades, including the ability to pay to lock in your phone number, get 2-factor authentication codes, or get rid of ads completely.
At its core, TextNow delivers on its promise of free calls, free texts, and free essential data, as long as you’re okay with tapping into Wi-Fi for everything else.
“We cracked the code to be able to offer it indefinitely. So that’s very exciting,” Ting said. “We’re not going anywhere and we’re going to keep offering more things for free.”
To maintain your free phone number, TextNow advises users to use the service at least once a month.