# TextNow vs ON Dispatch

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ON Dispatch at 100% against TextNow's 38%. ON Dispatch also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17) and ads (none vs shown). TextNow's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and chart position (#9 vs unranked). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TextNow sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. ON Dispatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

TextNow ships an update every 6 days, ON Dispatch fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TextNow | ON Dispatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (927K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textnow-call-plus-text-unlimited/id314716233/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **927K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 38.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#9** | — |
| Size | 397 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TextNow, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/309561143) | [Ontario Northland Transportation Commission](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570784277) |

## What reviewers say

### TextNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textnow-call-plus-text-unlimited/id314716233)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #10 Top Free · Social Networking, #151 Top Free, #180 Top Grossing (US App Store)

This app provides free nationwide calling and texting on a 5G network with no monthly bills or contracts. It offers a free local phone number or allows you to keep your own, with flexible data plans and low-cost international calling options.

**Highlights:** Free unlimited talk and text nationwide, Get a free local phone number, Flexible data plans, Low-cost international calling, Second phone line functionality, Voicemail-to-text transcription

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AdFree Lite | $1.99 | per month |
| Lock Your Number for 1 Week | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Lock Number 1 Week | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Subscription + 14-day free trial | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Lock Your Number for 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Number 1 Year | $4.99 | per year |
| Lock Your Number for 1 Year | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Number 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Ad Free+ | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Ad Free+ & 14-day free trial | $9.99 | per month |
| Verification Codes Unlock | $0.29 | one-time |
| Verification Codes Unlock | $0.49 | one-time |
| 30m Verification Codes | $0.99 | one-time |
| $4.99 in International Calling Credit | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Free service
- 🔒 Ability to keep number
- 👍 Convenient for secondary number
- 👍 Works on multiple devices
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Unreliable call/text delivery
- 🐛 Slow and laggy performance
- 🔍 Lack of customer support
- 💸 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Random numbers calling/texting users
- Disappearing messages and call history
- Inability to receive verification codes
- Accounts being locked out for no reason

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to block entire area codes
- Notification for read messages
- Improved call quality
- Better integration with other apps


### ON Dispatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/on-dispatch/id1570784275)

Stay informed about Ontario Northland's latest news, updates, and career opportunities. Access current information, view videos of ongoing projects, and receive push notifications for important announcements.

**Highlights:** Company news and updates, Career opportunity alerts, Employee highlights, Latest project videos, Push notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TextNow free?

TextNow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ON Dispatch free?

ON Dispatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do TextNow or ON Dispatch have ads?

TextNow shows ads; ON Dispatch does not.

### Which is updated more often, TextNow or ON Dispatch?

TextNow ships an update every 6 days, and ON Dispatch fortnightly. Most recently, TextNow was updated on November 3, 2026 and ON Dispatch on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*