Texting is the preferred communication choice for many people today. Even when it comes to online dating and hookups, people are looking for text messaging or direct messaging options that are convenient and that don’t require chat rooms, forums, or other heavy apps and software applications. Fortunately, today’s app world is ripe with messaging platforms that can be used for texting, discreet sharing, and so much more. Plus, plenty of the best ones are free.

Every text app claims to have the best features and free services, but they aren’t all created equal. You have to find the ones without glitches, that aren’t too ad-heavy, and that will be accessible to people you want to contact. For example, you wouldn’t want to download an Android-only app if you’re planning to connect with iPhone users. Fortunately, the apps on this list are available on both mobile devices so you don’t have to choose.

Texting apps are often preferred to the phone’s native messaging service because they offer more features and functionality. The text service provided by your smartphone may be limited to sending a certain number of images or a certain length of videos. On the other hand, texting apps are available that will allow you to send pictures, videos, texting messages, and any other content that you want with no requirements or limitations on size or content, for the most part. There are even some apps that will erase your messages or videos once they’re viewed for extra discretion.

If you’re looking to get chatty and connect with others through various text messaging apps, and you don’t want to spend a small fortune (or anything at all), check out the 12 apps below and see what they can do for you. Some have a more tailored approach or target audience, but for the most part, they all have something to offer when you want a free text messaging solution that isn’t your SMS service.

Editor’s Review

If it’s free messaging you need, we’re here to help you find the best. We have collected the best free text messaging apps for iPhone and Android and reviewed them here. This way, you’ll be able to get all the free texting that you want for discreet messaging, kinky hookups, or anything else that you have in mind.

Find Out What’s Up with Whatsapp.com

Whatsapp.com is the home of one of the most popular free text messaging apps available. It can be used on iPhone and Android devices, as well as on desktop computers from the main website. In addition to messaging, users also have access to group chats, voice, and video calls, and even document sharing.

Skype.com Does Still Exist and Is Great for Free Messaging

Although many people have all but forgotten about Skype, it does still offer free messaging and video calling services to users around the world. This predecessor to Zoom and other modern-day virtual meeting clients is still a simple, humble tool that happens to also offer text and picture messaging in addition to its voice and video call services.

Free Messaging for All at Messenger.com

Conveniently disguised under its own brand, this is the famous Facebook Messages app that has always been around. It still offers one of the best ways to connect for chat, but since it’s connected to Facebook there is no discretion available. You can share images and videos, Facebook links, and even make voice or video calls, and don’t need to be friends with someone to communicate.

Textfree.us Offers Messaging and More

Textfree is a more popular texting website for free text and call online, but it has a few quirks that set it apart from some of the best apps. For starters, you have to set up a new phone number, which means your friends may not recognize it. However, unlimited storage is available, and that new phone number might be useful for those seeking discretion.

Stay in Touch with Telegram.org

Telegram sells itself as the fastest free text app available for messaging, offering cross-compatibility with all devices and platforms, including desktop. There are no file size limits, cloud storage is offered, and all chats are secured with multiple types of encryption. Perhaps the biggest selling point is that this is a free app without ads.

With Signal.org, You Can Chat with Anyone in Minutes

If you want the most discreet and secure chat app on the market, Signal is one of the most highly recommended. The military-grade encryption ensures that your messages and voice calls are always secure. You can send a text, media, create group messages, make voice calls, or just send regular messages. Dark mode and an image blur feature are the newest additions.

Get More Creative in Texting with Go-Text.me

This is another free texting app that gives you your own new number and can even offer multiple numbers if you want multiple options for contacting people. Users enjoy free unlimited messaging, calling, picture sharing, and more. The app works on all devices, making it ideal for international travel or even discreet chatting with secret friends and lovers.

Google Does Text with Voice.google.com

Google is into a little bit of everything, including texting thanks to Google Voice. This service allows you to set up a phone number to send and receive calls from all over the world, no matter where you are. You can enjoy unlimited calls and messages, including pictures and videos. Setup is easy and even easier if you already have a Google account--which most people do. Of course, if you want to be discreet you can create a new account, as well.

Find Your Conversation Vibe at Viber.com

Viber has over 1 million users around the world. It can automatically add your contacts, and you can even use color-coding to encrypt messages. Self-destructing chats are offered, and the messaging app now offers dark mode, a short story feature, and GIF creator to turn your videos into chats. You can also make voice and video calls, and of course share photos.

Free Texting in Minutes from Textnow.com

Textnow.com isn’t just a texting app and website-- it’s an entire service. Text Now sells its own phones that come pre-loaded with the app so that they can be used to communicate with people around the world. This app is free to send text message online and you’ll only pay if you purchase a dedicated device for the platform. User reviews are mixed but seem mostly positive.

Wickr.com Offers Robust Text Messaging Services

Wickr.com is probably one of the most popular best text messaging apps when it comes to secure messaging. It offers a variety of added security features like encrypted messaging, secure file transfer, and others. It also offers voice calling and the option of free and paid accounts are available depending on how you want to use the app.

Take Your Texts to MySMS.com

MySMS.com offers service to send free text messages online no registration that can be installed on Android and iOS or accessed from any desktop computer via the website. The app includes free texting and links to your existing phone number. You can customize messages and ensure that they arrive securely, thanks to added encryption and other security features.

The Verdict

All apps are not created equally, but for the most part, these texting apps work on the same basic premise. You can sign up, use their app for messaging, and forget about regular SMS service forever. However, some apps will have bugs and glitches to consider. Others may take up more space on your phone, or you might realize that they don’t have all of the features that you want.

Think about what you expect from these apps and how you intend to use them. That’s primarily what will influence your decision, ultimately. If you want an app that is cross-platform compatible, a lot of the ones on this list have something to offer. Perhaps you’re looking for a discreet messaging app for work or your discreet encounters. Are you willing to watch ads to get the service for free? These are all things that should be on your mind when you are checking out the available texting apps and websites above.

Most of these apps have unlimited file size sharing, which is one of the major reasons that people come to texting apps from their provider-offered texting service. Free online texting and texting apps allow people to connect in any way that they want and share a variety of documents, images, videos, and other files. Plus, they also offer a host of security features for those who want discretion.

Now that you’ve got a better idea of what’s out there and what you should be looking for, you can check out all of the messaging apps and sex text sites above to see if they have what you need. Whether you choose one of the options here or find another app that you like better, you’ll know that you’re getting exactly what you need.