Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Free alternative (with ads) for text-message junkies.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Textfree Unlimited
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Parents say this app is highly appreciated for allowing children to text and communicate freely, but concerns arise regarding its safety, particularly for users under 16 years old, as it can expose them to inappropriate messages from strangers. While many reviews praise its functionality and ease of use, others express frustration with customer support and the potential for misuse among teenagers.
- user-friendly
- safety concerns
- customer support issues
- age recommendations
- cyberbullying risk
- positive user experiences
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 11 kid reviews
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Is It Any Good?
Today's phones are often used more for texting than calling -- and the costs of those SMS messages can add up quickly. TEXTFREE UNLIMITED lets people text as much as they want without causing a spike in their phone bill. The reliability of the app is pretty solid. We didn't encounter any "dark" periods when testing, regardless of time. Receivers always got their messages promptly and their replies were just as speedy. The volume of ads is annoying, though -- and tacking on a recurring annual fee to a free app feels a bit iffy. (The app used to carry a one-time charge of $5.99 for no ads.) Parents will still need to monitor who their kids are texting and what's being said, but for the budget conscious, this is a good alternative.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire
- Pricing structure : Free to try ($2.99 to remove ads and $1.99-$18.99 for minutes)
- Release date : August 9, 2010
- Genre : Social Networking
- Publisher : Pinger, Inc.
- Version : 3.5.1
- Minimum software requirements : OS 3.2 or later, Android 2.1 and up
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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