TextNow Classic review
TextNow lets you text message and make phone calls at no cost using a wireless connection. It also provides the benefit of being able to call and text your contacts using the app's communication platform if you're in an area with a Wi-Fi connection but no cell signal.
Pros
Free service: As long as you're willing to tolerate a few ads at the bottom of the screen, TextNow is totally free. Although you can pay to have the ads removed, they're not intrusive enough to really warrant the additional cost.
Customization: Because you can set a wallpaper for your conversations using photos in your image library as well as customize your sound notification options for messaging sessions, you can make each text conversation a slightly different experience.
Cons
In-text notification: When you text someone who isn't using the app, they receive along with the text message the notification "Sent free from TextNow.com."
Random phone number: This app doesn't text or make calls from your regular phone number, which means that if your contact information doesn't show up when you text your friends who use the app, you will have to identify yourself. Moreover, although the app is supposed to assign you a random phone number from any area code you choose, during our testing it assigned a phone number from outside the area code requested.
Bottom Line
If you're looking for an app through which you can communicate with your contacts for free, TextNow certainly hits the mark. The fun customization options and easy-to-ignore advertising make it a great way to lower your monthly phone bill without lowering your calling or texting time.
