This article was updated and checked for accuracy in April 2024. It was originally published in 2018.
Searching for free texting apps online is a real pain. There are free apps that work with your existing SMS service and messaging apps that send messages but not actual SMS. This is the problem we hope to solve with this article. Every app on this list can send free text messages to people in one way or another. The list is not long as this is a niche option. Most cell phone packages now allow unlimited texting, and many people have switched to messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram. With all that in mind, here are the best free messaging apps for Android.
How do free messaging apps work?
Free messaging apps send messages the way any other service does. You send a text and the other person receives it. However, these services work separately from your phone and often have a data component. This means you can send texts from a website or mobile app, which still appear as normal texts on the recipient’s phone.
None of these services are completely free. Most free messaging apps use two different business models. The first is the monthly distribution of free texts; you have to buy more when your allotment runs out. Another allows users to view or view ads to earn credits, and those credits allow you to send SMS. These applications are still services and need to generate revenue, so it is not surprising to see such systems.
Google Voice is a great free messaging app and without a doubt one of the most popular. It allows you to send free SMS messages and free phone calls in the US or Canada. Those outside of those areas have spotty coverage at best. Either way, you get some extra perks, like a decent Google Chrome extension for desktop use, a great Material Design app, and some nice voicemail options for calls. SMS and MMS support is good, but nothing too different from what we’ve seen on this list. It’s a solid option and you should probably try it first. Please note that you need a Google account for this app.
Text for free
Price: Free / $9.99 per month
Text Free is one of the most popular free texting apps on Android. It also works on iOS which is very popular. The app does what it says. Sign up for an account, request a phone number, and start messaging people. This one also offers free calls. However, you are limited to 60 free minutes per month. You can watch video ads or buy more minutes if needed. It has three subscription plans: monthly for $9.99, semi-annual for $39.99, and yearly for $69.99. The service returns inactive numbers after a while so you can reserve yours for a monthly fee. Anyway, this app works. The application can also boast of international support.
TextMe Up
Price: Free / $2.99 per month
TextMeUp is not much different from TextFree. The app gives you a phone number. You send and receive SMS messages. The app has fewer ads per page, but the ads are in more places. It’s just a matter of preference. This one also supports phone calls with a credit system. You get a few to start with. There are various subscription plans that remove ads and include free phone calls. This app offers free text messages for the United States and Canada only. The UI is material design, and it’s beautiful too.
TextNow
Price: Free/In-App Purchases ($0.99 – $99.99 per item)
TextNow is another popular option for free calls and free text messages on your cell phone. It has the cleanest user interface of all the apps on the list. It sent texts and made phone calls without any issues during our testing. As it turns out, TextNow also operates as an MVNO. It has different subscription plans starting at $0.99 for WiFi calls, text messages, international calls and texts, and data plans. This is an excellent experience. However, free texts are limited to the United States and Canada.
TextPlus
Price: Free/In-App Purchases ($0.99 – $44.99 per item)
TextPlus is our last pick and is another good option. Offers free text messages to the US and Canada. It also offers free phone calls. However, it works on a credit system. You earn credits by viewing ads. Add data-free texts and calls for $9.99 per month (GSM phones only). There is also an option to remove ads for $0.99 per month, which is the cheapest on this list. Finally, you can buy just call credits if you want. Free messaging worked well in our testing, and the user interface is clean. It’s another good option if the previous three didn’t work for you.
Bonus: Pulse SMS and others
Price: Free/In-App Purchases ($0.99 – $99.99 per item)
Many people are looking for free messaging apps to be able to send messages on unconnected devices like tablets. Pulse SMS, Android Messages, AirDroid, Pushbullet, etc. are great options. These apps do not offer free text messages. However, they allow you to use your existing text plan on any other device you own. Our favorite is Pulse SMS. It’s clean and one of the few with one upfront price instead of a subscription.
You get the app, install it on all your devices (including your computer) and send and receive real messages from your regular phone number. Microsoft has an app on the rise that does a better job of this as well. These apps don’t send SMS for free (you still need a carrier plan), but they allow you to send SMS on all your devices.
If we’ve missed any great free messaging apps, tell us about them in the comments below!