Compare
TINE vs TextNow
TextNow gives people in the US and Canada a free number, paid for by ads, but you can't sign up from outside North America and free numbers are taken back if you stop using them. TINE costs from $5 a month, works from any country, and your number stays yours while your plan is active.
Competitor details checked October 2026. Sources are listed below the table.
The short answer
Choose TINE if
- You live outside the US and Canada, where TextNow won't let you register
- You want a number that stays yours without calling or texting every day or paying a weekly add-on
- You want to receive verification codes without buying an add-on (some services refuse all virtual numbers, on either app)
- You want a UK number, no ads, shared team numbers or a developer API
Choose TextNow if
- You live in the US or Canada and want a free number, and ads don't bother you
- You make lots of calls and texts within the US and Canada
- You want phone and desktop apps today
- You need to call 911 from your second number
Side by side
| TINE | TextNow | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.00/month (UK numbers $8.00), with calling and texting credit included | Free with ads. Ad-Free+ $6.99/week; Lock In Number $1.99/week (TextNow, April 2026). Prices vary by app store |
| Usage costs | Pay as you go: texts $0.03, calls $0.03/min out and $0.02/min in on US and Canadian numbers | Free calls and texts to the US and Canada. International calls, and some remote areas such as Alaska and Yukon, use prepaid credit |
| Who can sign up | Anyone, from any country, with an email and phone number. No ID documents | Only people in North America. You can't register from outside North America or log in through a VPN |
| Numbers | US, UK and Canada | US and Canada |
| Keeping your number | Yours for as long as your plan is active | Free numbers can be reclaimed if inactive. Call or text daily, or pay for Lock In Number or Ad-Free+. A new number expires if it isn't used within 24 hours |
| Verification codes | Receives codes from most apps on every plan. Some services refuse all virtual numbers | Most codes need a TextNow SIM or a Lock In Number or Ad-Free+ subscription. Canadian codes are largely unsupported |
| Ads | None | The free version is supported by ads |
| Who you can reach | US and Canadian numbers reach the US and Canada; UK numbers reach the UK | US and Canada, plus international calling with prepaid credit |
| Where it works | Any web browser, on desktop or mobile. iPhone and Android apps are coming. | iPhone and Android apps, Windows and Mac desktop apps, and a web browser |
| Emergency calls | Not supported | 911 in the US and Canada |
TextNow details checked October 2026 from: Is TextNow available in my country?, TextNow number recycling, Does TextNow support verification codes?, TextNow add-on prices, TextNow supported platforms, TextNow service outside the US, TextNow 911 calling. Prices and features change, so check TextNow's site before you decide.
TINE vs TextNow, answered
Can't find what you need? Email support@tinetech.org and a person will reply.
Can I use TextNow outside the US and Canada?
No. TextNow says it's only available to download and use in North America, and that you can't register from outside North America, through the app or the website. It also doesn't work through a VPN. TINE lets you sign up from any country and pick a US, UK or Canadian number.
Why did TextNow take my number back?
TextNow reclaims free numbers that aren't being used. It says there's no fixed time limit, that calling or texting at least once a day keeps a number active, and that it can't restore a number once it's recycled. Paying for Lock In Number or Ad-Free+ keeps it. On TINE, your number stays yours for as long as your plan is active, however often you use it.
Can I get verification codes on TextNow?
TextNow says you can receive most verification codes only with a TextNow SIM or a Lock In Number or Ad-Free+ subscription, and that Canadian verification codes are largely unsupported. TINE numbers receive codes from most apps on every plan. Both are virtual (VoIP) numbers, so services that refuse VoIP numbers, such as WhatsApp, won't accept either.
Is TINE cheaper than TextNow?
Not if you use TextNow's free version. If you want to keep your number without daily use and receive verification codes, TextNow's Lock In Number costs $1.99 a week and Ad-Free+ costs $6.99 a week. TINE costs $5.00 a month, or $49.99 a year, plus pay-as-you-go calls and texts. If you call and text a lot within the US and Canada, TextNow's free calling can still work out cheaper.
Can I move my TextNow number to TINE?
Moving (porting) an existing number into TINE isn't available in the app. You pick a new TINE number, and you can keep using your TextNow number while you tell people about the change.
Guides
All guidesHow to Get a US Phone Number in Canada (2026 Guide)
Get a real US number in Canada that calls and texts both US and Canadian numbers. From US$5/month, in your browser. No US address or ID needed.
Read guideNot Getting Verification Codes on a Virtual Number? 9 Fixes
Verification code not arriving on your virtual number? 9 real causes and fixes, and how to tell when a service just won't accept virtual numbers.
Read guideHow to Get a US Phone Number Online From Any Country
How to get a real US phone number online when you live outside the US: what works, what each option costs, and what to check before you rely on it for codes.
Read guide
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