Best Free Texting Apps for Android and iOS

Are you someone who loves sending text messages to friends but don’t have an unlimited texting plan? Use the next best thing by depending on free texting apps. Regardless of whether you have an iPhone or a smartphone running the Android operating system, it’s easy to stay in the loop with those you love with the following programs.

1. eBuddy

The best free texting apps let you get your point across with emoticons, pictures and video. eBuddy supports adding that kind of media to your messages, making it easier to avoid some of the pitfalls of text messaging, such as lacking clarity or appearing emotionless to the recipient.

(Available for iOS and Android)

2. Mood Messenger

Using free texting apps often means you have to deal with pesky ads. However, people love this well-reviewed option because it’s totally free, not to mention ad-free. It offers more than 4,000 emojis plus has a convenient indicator that shows when your recipient starts typing a response.

You can also customize the notifications, such as by making your phone’s display light up or specifying that the device vibrates when you get a new message.

(Available for Android)

3. Viber

Viber lets you avoid message-related regrets by taking back content you didn’t mean to send. It also allows instantly recording voice and video messages, thereby adding context to the letters people see on-screen. Even better, multi-platform support syncs mobile messages when people use the desktop app.

(Available for iOS and Android)

4. SimplyText

If you aren’t happy with the text messaging app that came on your phone, try SimplyText instead. It lets you snooze messages and respond to them later and has a Smart Texter feature that enables you to compose messages faster to the three contacts you talk to the most. A quick reply window lets you send messages, then seamlessly return to whatever you were doing on your phone before receiving the content.

(Available for Android)

5. Confide

This app is the perfect tool for you if privacy is a priority. It offers end-to-end encryption, plus a function that makes messages disappear as soon as the recipient reads them, making them as secure as spoken voice. Confide also prevents people from capturing screenshots, meaning you can rest assured users won’t save conversation content that way.

(Available for iOS and Android)

6. Textie

Textie lets you send and receive text messages for free to anyone with an email address or a U.S phone number. It also has a feature that allows sending photos, which is helpful if you’re on vacation and want to fill friends in on what you’ve been doing the past few days.

Note: Although the app’s website features an Android link, Textie isn’t currently showing up in the Play Store. If you have an Android phone and want to use this app, check back soon.

(Available for iOS)

7. My SMS

This app saves all your messages to the cloud and encrypts them, so you don’t have to worry about losing content or the possibility of others seeing the messages. My SMS offers multi-device syncing, enabling you to send a message on your computer, then make another reply to the same thread on your smartphone.

(Available for Android)

8. WhatsApp

Unlike some texting apps that restrict you to only contacting people with numbers in the United States, WhatsApp has global support. Also, end-to-end encryption is the default messaging setting, so you don’t need to change settings if your preference is to have maximum security for messages sent. Moreover, it’s possible to have group chats with up to 256 people at once with this app.

(Available for iOS and Android)

9. Google Allo

Typing texts on a smartphone can be awkward, but Google Allo learns as you use it and eventually displays a Smart Reply feature that suggests possible responses based on your personality and the context of the conversation.

The interface also has a slider bar that changes the size of the text. It lets you add emphasis to the things you say and makes the letters stand out more than usual.

This app has compatibility with the Google Assistant too. Just add “@google” to a conversation to activate it.

(Available for iOS and Android)

10. textPlus

textPlus offers a feature that many other text apps don’t: a phone number to use with the service. If someone you’ve just met wants to contact you and you’re not comfortable giving the phone number associated with your smartphone provider, the textPlus number is a wise alternative.

Depend on textPlus to text anyone living in the United States or Canada for free. The app also allows connecting to Wi-Fi networks, preventing you from using your phone’s data and potentially incurring charges.

(Available for iOS and Android)

Text Without Going Over Budget

If your phone service doesn’t allow complimentary texts, it’s far too easy to rack up charges without even realizing it. Fortunately, these apps let you keep texting friends and family members without fees.

When you’re downloading them, pay attention. Some offer fee-based services, especially if they provide international calling as well as texts. However, if you stick to texting, there’s no charge, so feel free to communicate without being mindful of your budget.