Free, ad-supported calling and texting app
The best TextNow alternative for account verification is a real mobile number, such as a PhoneBorn plan, because many sign-up flows refuse VoIP numbers and PhoneBorn numbers are not VoIP. TextNow remains a good choice if you want free, everyday calling and texting in the US or Canada and can accept ads.
Updated By PhoneBorn TeamEditorial policy
Overview
TextNow is a free calling and texting app that gives you a US or Canadian number. It is supported by advertising, and according to its website there are paid options for things like removing ads or keeping a number more securely. For people who want a free second line to text friends or make local calls, it is a genuinely useful product.
The friction usually shows up in one place: verification. TextNow numbers are typically VoIP numbers, and many apps check a number's line type before sending a code. Messaging apps, banks and some sign-up flows may refuse VoIP ranges or deliver codes unreliably to them. The number can also be reclaimed if it stays inactive for a while, which is risky for any account that relies on it for recovery.
PhoneBorn is a paid, different kind of tool. You get a real mobile number — not VoIP — in one of 200 countries, with unlimited incoming SMS and calls, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 minutes a month, and it stays yours as long as you renew. There are no ads, and sign-up needs only an email.
This comparison reflects TextNow's public information as of 2026 — check their current terms. TextNow is a trademark of its owner; PhoneBorn is not affiliated.
Which to choose
Feature by feature
| Feature | TextNow | PhoneBorn |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier; paid options vary — check their site | From $1.80/mo (12-month plan) |
| Number type (typical) | VoIP | Real mobile numbers |
| Countries | US and Canada | 200 countries, one flat price |
| Keep the number | Can be reclaimed if inactive | Yes — same number on every renewal |
| Ads | Ad-supported free tier | No ads |
| Outgoing SMS and calls | Yes, within the app | 500 SMS and 1,000 minutes per month |
| How you use it | Native mobile and web apps | Browser dashboard and REST API (no native phone app) |
| Payments | Free, or paid upgrades | Crypto only |
| Identity at sign-up | Account sign-up | Email and password only |
Based on public information as of 2026; features and prices change, so check TextNow's current terms. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners; PhoneBorn is not affiliated with them. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] — see our editorial policy.
When you type a number into a sign-up form, many platforms run a carrier lookup to see whether it is a mobile, landline or VoIP line. Some refuse VoIP outright; others accept it but send codes less reliably. That is not a flaw in TextNow — it is how those platforms manage abuse, and each one sets its own rules.
If you have seen errors like "this number cannot be used", our guides on why apps reject phone numbers and non-VoIP numbers explain what is happening and what legitimately helps.
You do not have to choose one. Plenty of people keep a free app for casual calls and use a paid real mobile number only for the accounts that must not break. For example, a freelancer might keep TextNow for quick local calls and put their messaging and email recovery on a second phone number they renew. PhoneBorn's trade-offs are worth knowing: crypto-only payments, monthly caps on outgoing SMS and minutes, no bulk messaging and no native phone-app dialer.
Switching
List the apps and accounts that send codes to your TextNow number, especially messaging, email and payments.
Sign up with an email, choose a country and a plan — From $1.80/month on the 12-month plan.
Update the phone number in each account's settings and confirm it with the code that arrives in your PhoneBorn inbox.
Check that security codes now arrive on the new number and store any backup codes the app offers.
Keep TextNow for casual calling if you like it, or let it go once nothing important points to it.
Pricing
Phone-number plans
From$1.80/mo
on the 12-month plan
Choose 1, 3, 6 or 12 months at checkout — all term prices are shown there. Same price in all 200 countries.
See plans & buyIf your number has not sent or received a single SMS or call, you can get a full refund within 7 days of purchase — no questions asked.
Open the number in your dashboard and press “Request refund”. Eligible refunds are returned to your wallet instantly. Applies to phone-number plans; OTP orders are refunded automatically if no code arrives.
FAQ
Keep reading
Email-only sign-up, crypto payments, SMS and calls included — and a 7-day money-back guarantee if the number goes unused.