Updated October 2026

AvoCall vs TextNow

Choose TextNow if you want the most generous free plan, with unlimited US and Canada calls and texts paid for by ads, or a low-cost prepaid SIM or eSIM with data. Choose AvoCall if you want a second number app whose paid plan, AvoCall+, is built around the number itself, keeps your number while you subscribe, and needs no ID or face check to sign up.

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AvoCall vs TextNow at a glance

TextNow is a free, ad-supported calling and texting app with a US or Canadian number, and also a prepaid wireless service on its own SIM or eSIM.

AvoCall vs TextNow, feature by feature, as of October 2026
AvoCallTextNow
Free planOffered in the Android app to eligible new accountsYes. $0 a month with ads: unlimited calls and texts across the US and Canada, for personal, non-commercial use
Paid plansAvoCall+: no in-app ads, unlimited US and Canada calls and texts (fair use policy applies), wallet-funded international calling, voicemail transcripts. See current pricePlus: $4.99 a week or $18.99 a month. Unlimited: $8.99 a week or $35.99 a month. Both remove ads and add mobile data on a TextNow SIM or eSIM
Phone numbersLocal US or Canada numbers. Pick an available number by area code or cityUS or Canadian numbers. Enter an area code and pick from a short list
How you get the numberAn app on the iPhone or Android phone you already have. No second SIM or deviceApp on your phone, tablet, computer or web browser over Wi-Fi or data. Optional TextNow SIM ($3.99) or free eSIM
Calls over Wi-Fi or dataYes, every call runs over Wi-Fi or mobile dataYes. With a TextNow SIM it also works on TextNow's cellular network
Texts and picture messagesTexts and picture messagesTexts, picture and video messages, and group messages
Voicemail transcriptionIncluded with AvoCall+. The free plan has audio voicemailIncluded on Plus and Unlimited; Free users can earn it through Rewards
International callsCalls to supported international destinations use wallet credit at the rate shown before you callPay-as-you-go credits that don't expire. TextNow lists calls to Mexico as free
Verification codesCompatibility varies by sender and is never guaranteedNeed a TextNow SIM, Lock In Number or Ad-Free+. Canadian codes are largely unsupported
Keeping your numberKept while you subscribe to AvoCall+. Free numbers can be released after a period of inactivityA new number expires within 24 hours if never used; after that, inactive free numbers can be recycled with no fixed day count. Lock In Number keeps it
Bring your current numberNot currently offered. You pick a new numberPort in only with a TextNow SIM. Port out from account settings
Sign-upVerify with your mobile number. No government ID checkFor people living in the US or Canada. TextNow may ask for ID and face verification
AppsiPhone and AndroidiPhone, Android, web browser, Windows and Mac

TextNow details as of October 2026, taken from TextNow's own pricing and help pages (listed under Sources below). Plans and prices change, so check with TextNow before you pay.

Where TextNow is better

  • A much bigger free plan: unlimited calls and texts across the US and Canada, paid for by ads.
  • Calling and texting from a web browser and from Windows and Mac apps, not just phones.
  • An optional TextNow SIM or eSIM gives you its own nationwide talk and text service, with paid data plans.
  • Weekly billing and day passes if you only need service for a short time.

Where AvoCall is better

  • Keeping your number is part of AvoCall+. On TextNow it takes the Lock In Number add-on or a paid plan, and free numbers can be recycled when inactive.
  • AvoCall+ is a plan for the second number itself. TextNow's paid tiers are wireless plans that bundle mobile data for a TextNow SIM or eSIM.
  • Search for a number by city as well as by area code, and browse live availability on avocall.net before you install.
  • No government ID or face check at sign-up. TextNow may ask for both.

Who should pick which

TextNow

Pick TextNow if you want the most generous free calling and texting and don't mind ads, you want to call from a computer, or you'd like a low-cost prepaid SIM or eSIM with data.

AvoCall

Pick AvoCall if you want one app on your current phone that gives you a second US or Canada number, with a paid plan focused on that number rather than on mobile data, and your number kept while you subscribe.

AvoCall vs TextNow: FAQ

Is TextNow really free?
Yes. As of October 2026 TextNow's Free plan costs $0 a month and is paid for by ads, with unlimited calls and texts across the US and Canada for personal, non-commercial use. Paid plans start at $4.99 a week for Plus.
Will TextNow take my number back?
It can. TextNow says a new number expires within 24 hours if you never call or text from it, and after that inactive numbers can be recycled, with a warning first and no fixed day count. Lock In Number or a paid plan keeps it. AvoCall+ keeps your number while you subscribe.
Do I need a TextNow SIM card?
No. The TextNow app works over Wi-Fi or data on your current phone; the SIM or eSIM is optional and adds TextNow's own cellular service. AvoCall is app-only and never needs a SIM.
Do I need a second SIM card or phone for AvoCall?
No. AvoCall is an app on the iPhone or Android phone you already have. Calls and texts run over Wi-Fi or mobile data, so there is no second SIM and no second device.
Can I get verification codes on an AvoCall number?
Verification-text compatibility varies by sender. Some services send codes to app-based numbers and some do not, so AvoCall never guarantees that a specific code will arrive.

Get a second number on the phone you already have

Pick a US or Canada number by area code or city, then call and text over Wi-Fi or mobile data. Start free, or choose AvoCall+.

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Sources

TextNow facts were checked on TextNow's official pages in October 2026. AvoCall facts come from avocall.net.