TextBehind vs InmateSales
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TextBehind
Easily connect with incarcerated individuals through text messages, photos, and custom greeting cards. Receive unlimited electronic replies directly to your phone and email, eliminating the need for traditional mail services.
- Text messages with photos
- Custom greeting cards
- Electronic money orders
- Unlimited inmate reply letters
- Secure communication service
- Convenient and affordable
Read full descriptionHide full description
TextBehind® connects you with every inmate across America using text messages with photos, custom greeting cards and electronic money orders. Unlimited inmate reply letters will be electronically delivered right to your smart phone and email address wherever you are in the world. This reply service is absolutely FREE and UNLIMITED. TextBehind® is a secure nationwide communication service for families, friends and TextPals (pen pals) to consistently stay in touch with their incarcerated loved ones conveniently and affordably. - No more buying envelopes, stamps, paper, print photos or visit the post office and photo print shops. - No visits to money order shops or to hand-write letters by hand.
InmateSales
Manage your account for inmate services, including making deposits for products and scheduling video sessions. Send emails to individuals at supported facilities. Not all services are available at every location.
- Manage InmateSales account
- Make deposits for products
- Schedule video sessions
- Send emails to inmates
- Check facility service availability
Read full descriptionHide full description
The InmateSales mobile app allows you to manage your InmateSales account and make deposits for products at certain facilities. You can also schedule video sessions and send emails to these individuals where they are allowed at a facility. Not all facilities support all products and services that we offer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: TextBehind at 89% against InmateSales's 16%. TextBehind also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). InmateSales's advantage is chart position (#109 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TextBehind holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 467 and 185 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of TextBehind's written reviews are positive against 16% of InmateSales's.
TextBehind ships an update monthly, InmateSales every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TextBehind | InmateSales |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (467 ratings) — better | 2.4 (185 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 89.2% of reviews — better | 15.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 467 — better | 185 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #109 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 108 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TextBehind, Inc | Combined Public Communications |
Customer experience
TextBehind
InmateSales
User reviews
TextBehind
From 467 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and reliable delivery
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 Wide range of communication options (letters, photos, cards)
- 🔒 Responsive and helpful customer service
- 🚀 Timely processing of messages
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional issues with message/photo delivery
- 💰 Concerns about pricing and value
- 🔍 Lack of transparency around processes
InmateSales
From 185 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to set up
- 👍 Grateful for connection
- 👍 Responsive and helpful
- 👍 Fast and convenient deposits
- 👍 User-friendly interface
Room to improve
- 💸 High fees
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Calls dropping
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Account creation problems
Bugs and requests
TextBehind
Reported bugs
2 issues- Login/account issues
- Problems with facility information and updates
Requested features
3 requests- More up-to-date greeting card options
- Ability to create custom greeting cards
- Faster processing and delivery times
InmateSales
Reported bugs
24 issues- App crashes frequently
- Login issues
- Account creation fails
- Calls drop mid-conversation
- App logs out unexpectedly
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- Emails and pictures not being sent/received
- Video calls fail to connect
- Verification links expire
- App freezes on logo screen
- Calls not ringing through
- Mutes inmate during calls
- Cannot hear inmate
- App kicks users out
- Password reset links not sent
- Error message: failed to reach contact
- Visits not logged correctly
- Chirp screen goes black
- Calls come through as normal phone calls
- Text messages not delivered
- App deletes unsaved emails
- Cannot zoom in on text
- Reloading app does not fix issues
- Verification emails not working
- App crashing after loading money
Requested features
18 requests- Add option to save email drafts
- Fix glitch with normal phone calls
- Make video visits longer
- Show phone airtime and Chirp text balance on app
- Allow larger increments for video visits and tablet time
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Make app 100% reliable
- Add more ways to create an account
- Add account reset button
- Provide FAQ page with clear pricing
- Allow users to see phone balance on app
- Fix issue with inmate not being able to use specific funds
- Allow users to check account balances
- Add ability to connect with inmate for texts
- Allow uploading pictures for emails
- Fix issue with emails/pictures not being received
- Add dark mode option
- Improve text message delivery
- Allow users to email customer service
In-app purchases
TextBehind
No in-app purchases
InmateSales
No in-app purchases
