Daily eSIM | TextNow: A Free US Number and Free eSIM — but Verification Codes Need a Paid Unlock
Daily eSIM | TextNow: A Free US Number and Free eSIM — but Verification Codes Need a Paid Unlock 「Daily eSIM」introduces one pay as you go / prepaid / free-trial eSIM every day. Today's pick, No. 033, is a little different: it is not a global travel data card, but TextNow, a long-running free US phone service. The app gives you a free US or Canadian number with unlimited calls and texts between the US and Canada; add its free eSIM and you get on T-Mobile's 5G network in the United States, still at $0 a month. But the most important conclusion first: the free tier is not reliable for SMS verification codes. To receive codes you must first activate a SIM card or buy a paid subscription — and even then, not every platform accepts the number. One-line verdict TextNow is a free, ad-supported US phone service that works as a second US number in your phone: download the app, pick an area code and start calling and texting over Wi-Fi or mobile data. Layer on TextNow Wireless (on t...