TextNow has launched a new promotion. Buy a phone and your phone plan will be free for the remainder of 2018. Subscribers can choose any plan they'd like. Phones start at just $44.99. Plans start at $9.99/month for unlimited talk and text.
What Phone Plans Are Available?
TextNow sells 4 cellular phone plans. They are as follows:
- $9.99/month - unlimited talk and text, no data
- $19.99/month - unlimited talk, text and data with the first 2GB at 4G LTE data speeds. Each additional line $19.99/month.
- $29.99/month - unlimited talk, text and data with the first 5GB at 4G LTE data speeds. Each additional line $22.99/month
- $39.99/month - unlimited talk, text and data with the first 23GB at 4G LTE data speeds. Each additional line $29.99/month
The prices shown include all taxes and fees.
TextNow operates on both the Sprint and T-Mobile networks as well as over WiFi. Subscribers only get service on one cellular network. Which network you get to use may depend on what phone you purchase, your location, or what phone you bring to the network. Those who get service on the Sprint network will have access to mobile hotspot. Customers on the T-Mobile network do not get mobile hotspot.
Available Phones
TextNOW is currently selling the following devices.
New
- HTC Bolt - $119.99
Used
- Apple iPhone 6 16GB used - $139.99
Refurbished
- LG Tribute HD - $59.99
- Motorola Moto E4 - $59.99
- LG Tribute 5 - $44.99
- LG Tribute Dynasty - $57.99
- Samsung Galaxy J3 Emerge - $79.99
- Samsung Galaxy S6 - $179.99
- Samsung Galaxy S7 - $219.99
- Samsung Galaxy S8 - $419.99
- Samsung Galaxy S9 - $449.99
- Samsung Galaxy S9 - $549.99
UPDATE 10/17/18
(TextNow has reached out to notify BestMVNO that despite what their website says, their phones are no longer sold with a custom ROM installed. BestMVNO is awaiting further commentary from TextNow in regards to if their phones are sold locked or not. The policy is likely different than what's currently shown on their website.
Update 2: TextNow has replied that all phones are sold unlocked and can be taken elsewhere if need be. The article has been updated to reflect this new information.)
All TextNow phones are sold unlocked. However they come pre-installed with a custom ROM. A custom ROM is a modified operating system, slightly different than what the phone would otherwise come with. The custom ROM installed by TextNOW makes the phone incompatible with other carrier networks and MVNOs. However, if you are interested in a TextNOW phone and think you may one day want to use it with another carrier, you could flash another ROM onto the phone to make it compatible with another provider.
The reason why TextNow installs a custom ROM is because All TextNow phones are sold unlocked. TextNow mobile phone service uses a combination of WiFi, cellular voice and data networks for service. In fact it is a WiFi first based provider. That means whenever WiFi is available it will be used to place calls and send text messages. Cellular voice and data networks are only used when WiFi is unavailable. TextNow phones with the TextNow custom ROM installed can automatically switch between the different networks to provide you with the best possible coverage and service available. TextNow calls this feature Elastic Calling. Those who bring their own phone to TextNow may not get to take advantage of Elastic Calling. In fact if you bring your own phone to TextNow you won't have access to a cellular voice network. All calls will be routed over a data network using VoIP. Those who bring their own phone to the TextNow Sprint network will still have access to Elastic Calling.
Editor's Take
If you are ok purchasing a phone that can't easily one day be brought to another provider with the switch of a SIM card, then TextNow Wireless should provide great value to you. TextNow phone plans are some of the cheapest around that don't require purchasing several months of service in advance. They're even better when you can get them free for a couple of months.