Sending texts to your cell phone no longer requires a carrier plan. With these ten free SMS sites, you can send unlimited texts to any mobile device without relying on your network provider.
TextEm lets you send free text messages, but you first need to create an account. Although some people may prefer to send a message anonymously, having an account brings some notable benefits.
For example, you can curate a list of frequently used contacts and—depending on the recipient’s carrier—get replies back into your TextEm inbox. If the carrier does not support responses to TextEm, you can set up email replies instead.
More than 100 carriers from the US and Canada are supported. If you need to send a message to a number outside North America, it is not the service for you.
TextEm does not support bulk messaging; you cannot send the same message to several numbers at the same time. Don’t worry; some of the other services we’ll discuss below offer that feature.
SendSMSnow is another free SMS service that requires you to create an account before you can send messages.
Once you do make an account, you can generate a phonebook of contacts, add profile pictures, and receive replies to your messages in your personal inbox.
SendSMSnow also supports group messaging, though it is not free. For every message you send, you will be charged one cent for every user in the group. For example, a single SMS sent to a 20-person group would cost $0.20.
In theory, the service works with cell phone numbers worldwide. Unfortunately, we have no way to verify the claims, but you can reasonably expect most North American and European carriers to be supported.
Do note that the number of characters in messages is capped at 130, which is the lowest among the services on this list. So, feel free to check out other options if you type lengthy messages.
OpenTextingOnline is a texting website that lets you send free SMS messages online without creating an account.
It works with carriers in about 50 countries. Most of North America and the European Union are covered, but so are some less-common locations like India, Nepal, Panama, and New Zealand. Just be aware that not all the carriers in all the countries are supported. For more exotic locations, you might find only one or two that work.
You can use OpenTextingOnline to attach pictures, videos, and audio content to your SMS. It’s a feature that is quite rare among free SMS services.
Because you have the convenience of not having to make an account, you cannot receive replies to your messages. The maximum number of characters per message is 140, which is slightly higher than SendSMSnow.
Another way to send free text messages online with no registration is to head to Send Anonymous SMS.
As the name suggests, the service requires no personal details for you to send a free text message. So, if you want to prank your friend, fire off a quick message, or just use a service to contact people anonymously, this service might be the answer.
Unlike the other free SMS sites we’ve mentioned, you can theoretically spoof a phone number that’ll show on the other person’s screen when they receive the message. It is unclear how that would work, but it’s worth a shot if you’re trying to pull off a prank. Just make sure you stay on the right side of the law.
Send Anonymous SMS has a maximum of 145 characters and supports more than 80 different countries around the world.
Another service we like is TextEmNow. The main reason it’s worth recommending is its higher character count. Unlike most free SMS sites, which have a limit of around 150 characters, TextEmNow lets you write messages that are up to 300 characters long.
The site’s developers also claim they do not log IP addresses. We can’t say whether this is true, but all the other texting sites we have discussed explicitly say they do log IPs (for spam/abuse monitoring), so TextEmNow’s approach is a refreshing change.
Technically, you can use TextEmNow to text any mobile number in the world, but as we’ve seen elsewhere, location-specific restrictions may apply.
Globfone lets you send free local, national, and international SMS text messages directly from your computer.
Doing so is a simple five-step process; you do not need to create an account. Add the person’s name, select the country code, enter the number, type your message, and hit the send button.
Sadly, you cannot use Globfone to receive replies or to attach other forms of content like pictures and videos.
TextNow is another popular phone service in the U.S. and Canada. It provides a free basic plan with unlimited calling and texting; however, it includes ads and requires a stable internet connection.
High data usage might affect call and text quality. To overcome these limitations, you can opt for affordable add-on services that offer additional features without ads. Moreover, you can purchase premium numbers for personal or business use, which are easier to remember than random ones.
To sign up for TextNow, you have two options: download the mobile app or purchase a SIM card. With the latter option, you get a dedicated phone number. If you choose the app, register with your email or social media account. Unlike other services, TextNow does not require a SIM card, so those without one can use it.
AFreeSMS is a free international SMS service. It claims to be one of the fastest free SMS services in the world, but as before, we have no way to verify those claims.
The drop-down list offers a complete list of global countries, but it is unclear whether the service has agreements with network providers in all locales.
Each message is limited to 160 characters, which is nowhere near TxtEmNow but still better than many other options on this list. Also, be aware that the site has a lot of ads, which can be disruptive to the experience.
Fast2SMS is an Indian service provider that offers bulk SMS solutions for just ₹0.11 per SMS. With over 2 million registered users and a solid service record since 2011, Fast2SMS is a trusted choice for businesses and individuals alike.
Their direct connections with all operators ensure 100% SMS delivery within seconds. You can also schedule messages for future dates and times. Upon signing up, you’ll receive a free ₹50 credit to try out the service. Once you’ve used the credit, each SMS costs just ₹5.00.
Fast2SMS also provides an OTP SMS API for secure transactions, though it is limited to India and does not support international messaging. So, if you’re looking for a reliable SMS solution for personal or business use within India, Fast2SMS would be a great fit.
The final entry on our list is TextFree by Pinger. The moment you sign up on the website, you’ll be prompted to choose from one of the random US-based TextFree numbers for sending SMS. You can refresh the page if you’d like a different area code or number.
You can import your contacts from Google Contacts or manually type in someone’s number and send free SMS text messages. And, of course, this includes MMS, so feel free to attach any image you like. You can turn on desktop notifications to ensure you’re notified when the recipient responds to your messages.
TextFree also has iOS and Android apps, so if your carrier charges too much for messaging, you can always rely on the app to send SMS for free. However, unlike some other options on this list, you can only send picture/video messages (MMS) to contacts residing in the United States. As for text messages, you’re limited to North American and South American countries, with Singapore being the sole exception.
Check out our article on the best apps to make free phone calls if you want more information. Some apps even have unlimited SMS capabilities if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network.
