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iPlum is the best TextNow alternative if you’re looking for a cost-effective business line with call management, compliance, and allows you to keep work and personal communication separate.
TextNow works for casual use but lacks essential tools for busy professionals and businesses. For instance, it doesn’t offer call recording, business-hour settings, encrypted texting, or a phone tree. Besides, TextNow doesn’t even guarantee HIPAA compliance.
In this article, we’ll cover five alternatives to TextNow you can consider. While at, we’ll tell you why iPlum is the best TextNow competitor.
Let’s start by analyzing TextNow.
TextNow Reviews: What Are Users Saying?
TextNow appeals to users seeking free or low-cost communication options. However, some users say the service is unreliable and not ideal for business use.
Here are some TextNow user reviews.
Unreliable Call and Message Delivery
Users report that calls often don't ring, and messages may not be delivered, which can be problematic for consistent communication.
"I never get my voice through. My messages don't go through, so I have to send the same message multiple times every time."—user review, Reddit.
Difficulty Receiving Verification Codes
TextNow's VoIP numbers are often not accepted for two-factor authentication (2FA), limiting their use for services requiring verification.
"FYI, you can't get 2-factor authentication codes by text on services like this in most cases."—user review, Reddit
Inconsistent Service Quality
Some users experience dropped calls and poor audio quality, making the service unreliable.
"It's always wrought with issues though ...dropped calls and echoes, long pauses in conversation where it's dead air."—user review, Capterra.
Limited Functionality Without Wi-Fi
The free service heavily relies on Wi-Fi, and users may experience limited functionality without it.
“Calling within the app IS HORRIBLE, and I can’t use the phone unless it’s on Wi-Fi."—user review, G2.
Potential Privacy Concerns
Some users express concerns about privacy and data security with TextNow's services.
"TextNow spies on your conversations and phone calls, which is illegal!!"—user review, TrustPilot.
On the flip side,
Simple and Convenient for a Second Number
Users appreciate TextNow for its convenience in providing a secondary phone number.
"I've been using the service for quite some time now, and it's convenient if you need a second phone number."—user review, Trustpilot.
TextNow Features
TextNow features include:
- Calling and Texting – Allows you to make calls and send texts in the U.S. and Canada over Wi-Fi.
- Voicemail – Enables you to receive voice messages with a basic inbox.
- Caller ID – Lets you see the number of incoming calls.
- Mobile and Desktop Access – You can use TextNow on a phone, tablet, or web browser.
- Call History – Allows you to view past calls, missed calls, and texts.
Why Consider a TextNow Alternative?
Despite offering free calls, TextNow has some serious limitations, especially for professional or long-term use. Here are 10 reasons to look for an alternative.
- No Call Recording – You can’t record calls, a must-have for many business or legal needs.
- No Business Hours Feature – There’s no way to set work hours or automatically send calls to voicemail after-hours.
- No HIPAA Compliance – TextNow doesn’t meet privacy standards for healthcare or legal professionals.
- Missed Calls and Messages – Users report that calls often don’t ring or messages fail to deliver.
- Doesn’t Support 2FA Codes Reliably – Many services won’t send verification codes to TextNow numbers.
- Limited Mobile Data – You’ll need to buy data passes frequently unless you’re always on Wi-Fi.
- Ad-Supported Experience – The app can be distracting unless you pay for the ad-free version.
- No Secure Texting – Messages are not encrypted, which may raise privacy or compliance concerns.
- Not Built for Business Use – It’s mainly for personal or backup use, not managing clients or teams.
Best TextNow Alternatives
Having looked at TextNow and its limitations, let’s review the top TextNow alternatives. Before we take the plunge, here’s a table summarizing what each option offers.
1. iPlum (Best Value)
TextNow is appealing if you just want a free number and some basic calling.
That said, you’ll run into problems once you try using it for anything serious, like managing clients calls.
At the top of TextNow’s list of limitations is reliability.
The service’s users often complain about calls that don’t ring, messages that never deliver, and dropped conversations. That’s a deal-breaker for customer communications.
On the other hand, iPlum gives you dual calling modes. You can use either your mobile network or Wi-Fi, depending on what’s strongest. So you can be sure your calls will go through every time.
Now let’s talk about business features.
TextNow doesn’t let you set business hours. That means calls can come through at any hour, including weekends, holidays, or 10 pm on a Sunday.
iPlum solves this with smart scheduling. You can set work hours, auto-respond to missed calls, and send them to voicemail after hours. That way, your clients receive professional experience without you having to be on 24/7.
Moreover, TextNow isn’t HIPAA compliant. iPlum, in contrast, is a trusted name by healthcare professionals for its secure texting, encrypted calls, and full compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations.
On top of that, iPlum comes with call recording, voicemail transcriptions, and a phone tree. You can record calls (with consent), create an auto-attendant menu like “Press 1 for billing,” and read voicemail messages as text. You won’t get any of that on TextNow.
Even on a team level, iPlum pulls ahead. You can create team accounts, assign roles, monitor usage, and manage communication from a centralized dashboard. Conversely, TextNow allows one account per person without oversight or structure.
Indeed, TextNow works if you only need a free number. But it's not enough if you’re running a business, protecting client data, or working in a regulated industry.
Curious to see what else iPlum can do? Click the link below to learn about every iPlum feature.
iPlum Pricing
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iPlum pricing is structured in three tiers as follows:
Standard Plan – $8.99/user/month
Includes mobile app calling and texting in the U.S. and Canada, voicemail, auto-replies, business hours, and phone tree.
Professional – $14.99/user/month
This plan adds to the Standard plan with web-based calling and texting, secure encrypted texting, voicemail transcription, group and broadcast messaging, text archiving, and HIPAA compliance with a BAA for healthcare.
Premium – $19.99/user/month
Offers everything in the Professional plan, plus call recording and compliance features for finance, insurance, legal, sales, and support sectors.
How to Port Your TextNow Number to iPlum
Porting or transferring your TextNow number to iPlum is straightforward, as explained in the video below.
Want to port your TextNow number to iPlum? Click the link below to get started.
2. Phone.com
Phone.com is a decent TextNow alternative if you’re looking to get past the service’s limitations.
It offers features beyond TextNow's capabilities, such as call forwarding, voicemail, and menus. You also get a phone number, mobile app access, and SMS.
Compared to TextNow, Phone.com feels more like a “real” business phone system, more so when you consider that the latter lacks admin tools and can’t guarantee call reliability.
That said, Phone.com does have some trade-offs. Plans can get pricey as you add features, and the interface isn’t always the most intuitive for non-tech users.
Sure, Phone.com is better than TextNow in almost every way, but not as robust or cost-effective as iPlum. That’s especially true when it comes to secure texting, voicemail transcription, or managing work hours through a mobile-first setup.
So, if you need a phone system with just enough features, Phone.com is worth a look. However, for small businesses that want secure, streamlined communication without add-ons, iPlum still leads the pack.
Phone.com Pricing
Phone.com pricing is available in three tiers as follows:
- Basic — $18/mo/user
- Plus — $27/mo/user
- Pro — $40/mo/user
Note: Phone.com starts at $18/month per user, double that of iPlum’s $8.99/month per user Standard Plan. Even its $40/month Pro tier costs twice as much as iPlum’s $19.99/month per user Premium Plan.
3. Talkroute
Talkroute is a good alternative to TextNow if you're looking for a more structured phone system for small businesses. It offers core calling features like number porting, call forwarding, basic call menus, and voicemail. There's also SMS support and mobile apps.
Talkroute is more business-ready compared to TextNow.
However, it still has limits. Its setup focuses more on routing calls than helping you manage day-to-day communication from your phone. It doesn't offer encrypted texting, business texting templates, or auto replies based on business hours.
Furthermore, Talkroute still feels built around desk-based workflows. And while it's a better alternative to TextNow, it's still limited if your work involves sensitive information.
And that’s the difference iPlum brings. It offers secure messaging, voicemail transcription, call recording, and compliance tools without leaving a hole in your wallet.
So, if you're moving away from TextNow, Talkroute is a worthwhile option. But if you want a full-featured business line that works from anywhere, iPlum is the best TextNow alternative.
Talkroute Pricing
Talkroute pricing is available in four tiers as follows:
- Basic — $19/month
- Plus — $39/month
- Pro — $59/month
- Enterprise — Custom pricing
Note: Talkroute’s entry plan costs $19/month, over 2x the price of iPlum’s $8.99/month Standard Plan. At Primmum Plan, iPlum caps at $19.99/month, while Talkroute jumps to $59/month, a 195% difference for similar business calling features.
4. Textline
Textline is a reasonable TextNow alternative for small businesses that use text messaging extensively. It offers group messaging, two-way SMS, message templates, auto-replies, and a shared inbox.
Compared to TextNow, which doesn’t offer basics for business use, Textline brings more structure. It’s built for customer messaging and includes automation tools to help streamline replies and message routing. That alone makes it more dependable for client communication than TextNow.
Still, Textline has its limits. It’s a text-only solution. You won’t get calling, voicemail, or true compliance features like HIPAA support. Plus, the service doesn’t offer number extensions, secure voice options, or voicemail transcriptions here.
So, while Textline handles messaging well, it isn’t quite a complete business phone system.
iPlum, on the other hand, gives small businesses everything TextNow and Textline don’t, including secure calling and texting, voicemail tools, business-hour settings, and built-in compliance.
Textline Pricing
Textline pricing is available in four tiers as follows:
- Limited — $20/agent/month: Minimum 3 agents required.
- Standard — $30/agent/month: Minimum 3 agents.
- Pro — $50/agent/month: Minimum 5 agents.
- Enterprise — Custom pricing
Note: Textline pricing starts at $20/agent/month, with a 3-agent minimum, bringing the entry cost to $60/month, and that’s without messaging fees, which can push it to $60–$95/agent. In contrast, iPlum pricing starts at just $8.99/month with no minimum users, making it over 80% cheaper upfront.
5. Google Voice
Google Voice is an alternative to TextNow you can consider if you need a basic phone system that can reasonably handle business use. It offers call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and texting.
Unlike TextNow, Google Voice is built for everyday business use. You can block spam and manage calls with tools like auto attendants and ring groups. TextNow, by comparison, is limited to basic texting and calling, with no control or structure for business communication.
That said, Google Voice works best if you're already deep in the Google ecosystem.
Furthermore, it's not built for encrypted conversations or industries that need HIPAA support unless you get a Google Workspace subscription. Plus, you won't get call recording unless you're on the Premier plan. And even then, features like message templates or auto-replies based on business hours are missing.
iPlum, by comparison, offers secure texting, call recording, voicemail tools, and compliance support. Thus, for small business owners who want a phone system that's simple, secure, and flexible, iPlum is still the best alternative to TextNow.
Google Voice Pricing
Google Voice pricing is available in three tiers as follows:
- Starter — $10/user/month.
- Standard — $20/user/month.
- Premier — $30/user/month.
Note: To get call recording and HIPAA-related features, Google Voice requires the Premier plan at $30/user/month, plus a Google Workspace subscription that costs another $6.30 to $22/month per user. That brings the total to $36.30–$52/month, while iPlum offers secure calling, texting, and compliance tools for just $19.99/month.
Best Alternatives to TextNow: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which Is Better Than TextNow?
iPlum is better than TextNow if you need secure calling, encrypted texting, voicemail tools, and compliance features. It’s built for business use, unlike TextNow, which lacks structure, call reliability, and essential tools for professionals.
Is TextNow Not Free Anymore?
TextNow is still free for calling and texting over Wi-Fi, but mobile data costs extra. A Month Pass with 10GB of data is $39.99, and that doesn’t include business features like call recording or secure messaging.
Which Countries Can Use TextNow?
TextNow only works in the U.S. and Canada. While that works depending on your needs, iPlum supports roaming, works in over 200 countries, and offers service in 23 languages, making it a more flexible option for global users.
TextNow Alternatives: Why Choose iPlum Over Competitors
TextNow free call is a reason enough to use the platform. However, “free” also means sacrificing important business features.
If you want to switch from TextNow due to its limitations, iPlum is a good option.
It’s affordable, business-ready, and built with the features professionals and businesses need.
And unlike other TextNow alternatives, iPlum is minimalist but doesn’t trade that for functionality. Plus, you don't need add-ons to use it.
The service works right from your phone, making it ideal for freelancers, remote teams, and small business owners.
While platforms like Phone.com, Talkroute, Textline, and Google Voice offer improvements over TextNow, they don’t deliver the same value as iPlum.
Getting started with iPlum is easy.
Simply click the button below to sign-up!
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes and may not reflect the most current features or capabilities of the products or companies mentioned. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official sources of each company.
