Free Texting On Your iPhone

Texting has been around for awhile but I have not been a big fan until my (not so recent now) last hospital stay.  Vanderbilt had email in the rooms on the television system via wireless keyboards but it was extremely slow and frustrating to use it to send a message.  Thankfully I had my new iPhone, that was only a few weeks old at the time, to keep me connected to my friends and family.

Unfortunately, I do not have an unlimited texting plan and don't plan to buy one.  Currently I have 200 texts a month for $5 - which is not bad for someone who doesn't text a lot but it doesn't hold water for those who have entire conversations through texting!

There are several free iPhone texting apps available in the app store.  I have been recently using the Textfree Unlimited app.  My biggest concern in using an app instead of iPhone's built in texting was whether or not my friends would know the text was from me.  I sent a test text to my husband's phone to check it out and it appeared as from me.  Textfree gives you your own local phone number to send these texts.

Of course since the app is free, there is going to be some adds showing while you are using it (see example screen shot).  I have not found the ads to be annoying at all.  You have the option to purchase a one year free ad version for $5.99 - still an excellent price for free texting.

If you are not using the app, you will still get notifications of incoming texts.  You also have the option to receive email notifications of new texts.

The word is you'll be able to make and receive phone calls with Text Free also.  Right now if someone tries to call your Text Free number you will get a "missed call" notification in Textfree with their caller ID number!

Any questions?