Comparison

Text Free vs GettingOut

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Text Free

Get a free, personalized local phone number for unlimited calling and texting. Share photos, videos, GIFs, and more. Customize tones and wallpapers for a unique experience. Upgrade for ad-free use and verification codes.

Highlights
  • Free local phone number
  • Unlimited calling and texting
  • Send photos, videos, and GIFs
  • Group messaging
  • Custom ring and text tones
  • Auto-Reply feature
  • Available on multiple devices
Features
Read full description

TextFree is the first—and still the best—free phone number app. Join the hundreds of millions of people who use TextFree for free, unlimited calling and texting. TextFree is easy to use and boasts a list of features you won’t get from other apps. Choose a local phone number with unlimited calling and texting. Send photos, videos, GIFs, audio messages, emojis, and PDFs. Custom ring and text tones make it easy to identify when your TextFree number is ringing, and custom wallpapers let you personalize your experience. Need more features? Upgrade to TextFree Plus to remove ads and get unlimited access to verification codes for online accounts. You’ll also lock in your number so it won’t change or expire while you’re subscribed—unless you choose to change it yourself. TEXTFREE FEATURES - Select a free phone number with an area code of your choice - Choose from a bank of custom number combinations - Unlimited calls & texts let you communicate for free over WiFi - Share photos, videos, and GIF messages - Send and receive audio messages, emojis, and PDFs - Use group texting to stay in touch with friends and family - Automatically respond to calls and texts with Auto-Reply - Assign custom ring and text tones to your TextFree number - Personalize your experience with custom wallpapers - No phone? No problem—get TextFree on your iPod, iPad, or computer. - Access 24/7 Customer Support TEXTFREE PLUS FEATURES - All standard TextFree features, plus… - Unlock verification shortcodes to validate online accounts and apps - Enjoy an ad-free experience - Reserve your phone number to prevent it from expiring - Change your phone number as often as needed - Silence spam & send it to voicemail FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is TextFree really free? Yes—your number, texting, and calling are all free. TextFree is ad-supported, which is how we're able to offer it at no cost, but if you'd rather go ad-free (and get more features), TextFree Plus has you covered. Does TextFree give you a real phone number? A TextFree number is a dialable U.S. or Canadian phone number with its own area code. It runs over Wi-Fi or data rather than a traditional carrier plan, but works just like one for texting and calling. Does TextFree work without a phone plan? Yes. TextFree runs on Wi-Fi or mobile data—no carrier required. As long as you have an internet connection, you're good to go. Is TextFree private and secure? TextFree doesn't sell or share your information with third parties or use your messages to train AI models. Our servers are encrypted to keep your data secure. For full details, see our privacy policy. Who is TextFree for? TextFree is for anyone who needs a phone number without the cost or commitment of a carrier plan—plus anyone who wants a second number for side hustles, online marketplaces, or anywhere they'd rather not share their real digits. Do I need to provide a government-issued ID to create a TextFree account? No. You do not need to submit a government-issued ID to sign up for TextFree. To create an account, you'll need to verify your email address or sign in using a supported Google or Apple account. Download TextFree today and try it! LEGAL © 2026 Pinger, Inc. All rights reserved. The TextFree name, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Pinger, Inc. or related entities. Terms of Service: https://www.pinger.com/privacy-policy/terms-and-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://www.pinger.com/privacy-policy/ Subscriptions are automatically billed monthly or annually to your iTunes Account and auto-renew unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Payments are charged to your iTunes account upon confirmation of purchase. You can turn off auto-renew or manage subscriptions in your iTunes & App Store account settings. Cancellations take effect at the end of the active subscription period. Any unused portion of a free trial period (where available) is forfeited when purchasing a subscription.

About

GettingOut

Stay connected with incarcerated loved ones through easy communication. Send messages, photos, and videos, and manage contacts directly from your mobile device. This app facilitates reliable connections, helping to maintain relationships.

Highlights
  • Send and receive messages
  • Send photos and videos
  • Make deposits
  • Manage contacts
  • Stay connected on the go
Features
Read full description

GTL’s GettingOut mobile app is rooted in the power of relationships. It provides simple and reliable communication between inmates and their family and friends -- allowing them to stay connected, even on the go! With our free mobile app, you can easily make deposits, send and receive messages with our new and improved messaging feature, send photos and videos (select facilities), manage contacts and more. Download the GettingOut app today!

Screenshots

Text Free4 screens
GettingOut4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Text Free at 4.7 against GettingOut's 1.9. Text Free also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (610K vs 2.2K). GettingOut's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Text Free sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. GettingOut asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Text Free holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Text Free has 610K ratings behind it against 2.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of Text Free's written reviews are positive against 5% of GettingOut's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Text Free ships an update every 10 days, GettingOut every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Text Free versus GettingOut: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterText FreeGettingOut
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (610K ratings) — better1.9 (2.2K ratings)
Positive reviews28.1% of reviews — better5.0% of reviews
Number of ratings610K — better2.2K
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#11 — better#40
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size223 MB33 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperPinger, Inc.Telmate, LLC

Customer experience

Text Free

All ratings609,865 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews1,330 reviews
Positive28.1%
Neutral8.0%
Negative63.8%

GettingOut

All ratings2,199 ratings
Positive18.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative76.0%
Written reviews959 reviews
Positive5.0%
Neutral4.9%
Negative90.1%

User reviews

Text Free

From 610K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 👍 Convenient to use
  • 💡 Helpful for international calls/texts
  • 👍 Reliable service

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy, freezes, and crashes
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 💸 Paid subscription required for full functionality
  • 📢 Excessive, intrusive ads
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with number sharing

GettingOut

From 2.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🙌 Ability to communicate with loved ones
  • 🙂 Convenient messaging feature
  • 👀 Video call option

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
  • 💰 Expensive messaging and call costs
  • 🤯 Unreliable and inconsistent performance
  • 🔍 Difficulty depositing funds and managing accounts
  • 🤖 Poor customer service and lack of support

Bugs and requests

Text Free

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Outgoing texts not working
  • Number changing/expiring unexpectedly
  • Inability to disable notifications
  • Verification codes not working

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Group messaging capability
  • Improved call quality and reliability
  • Better account management and number retention

GettingOut

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Messages disappearing or not sending properly
  • Inability to log in or access accounts
  • Incorrect time stamps and sync issues
  • Repeated prompts for app updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Notification system for new messages
  • Ability to save message drafts
  • Improved photo and video sharing capabilities
  • Easier account management and fund transfers

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Text Free

Subscriptions8
  • Remove Ads$2.991 Month
  • Voicemail to Text$2.991 Month
  • Text Free Plan Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • Text Free Plus Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Text Free Plus$9.991 Month
  • Text Free Plan$9.991 Month
  • Text Free Plus Half Yearly$39.996 Months
  • Text Free Plus Yearly$69.991 Year
One-time3
  • 100 minutes$1.99
  • 400 minutes$9.99
  • 1000 minutes$18.99
None

GettingOut

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Text Free free?
Text Free is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GettingOut free?
GettingOut is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Text Free or GettingOut?
Text Free is rated higher. Text Free averages 4.7 out of 5 from 610K ratings, while GettingOut averages 1.9 from 2.2K ratings.
Do Text Free or GettingOut have ads?
Both Text Free and GettingOut show ads.
Which is updated more often, Text Free or GettingOut?
Text Free ships an update every 10 days, and GettingOut every 2 months. Most recently, Text Free was updated on October 22, 2026 and GettingOut on October 20, 2026.
Which is more popular, Text Free or GettingOut?
Text Free currently peaks at #11 in the App Store charts, and GettingOut at #40. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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