📱 10 Best Free Calling & Texting Apps for Data‑Only & Wi‑Fi‑Only Phones (2026 Guide)

Free Calling and Texting Apps For Data and WiFi Only

If you’re running your phone on Wi‑Fi only, a data‑only SIM, or a $0/month plan like TextNow Free Flex, you don’t have to give up calling and texting. In fact, there are plenty of apps that give you a full phone experience — completely free.

This guide breaks down the best free calling and texting apps that work anywhere you have Wi‑Fi or data. Whether you’re using a budget phone like the TCL K32 5G or just trying to save money, these apps keep you connected without paying a carrier.

⭐ 1. TextNow — The Best All‑Around Free Phone App

TextNow is the king of free calling and texting.

• Free phone number

• Unlimited calls & texts over Wi‑Fi

• Works perfectly on data‑only plans

• Free Flex mode lets you stay connected even with zero paid data

• Great for everyday use, backup phones, or budget setups

If you want a true “free phone plan,” this is the one.

⭐ 2. Google Voice — The Best Free Backup Number

Google Voice gives you a clean, reliable second number.

• Free US phone number

• Free Wi‑Fi calling & texting

• Excellent voicemail and spam filtering

• Works on any Wi‑Fi‑only device

Perfect for business, side hustles, or separating personal and public life.

⭐ 3. WhatsApp — Best for International Calling

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used communication apps in the world.

• Free messaging

• Free voice & video calls

• Works on Wi‑Fi or data

• No phone plan required after setup

If you talk to people outside the US, this is essential.

⭐ 4. Facebook Messenger — Free Calling Without a Phone Number

Messenger works anywhere you have Wi‑Fi.

• Free calls & texts

• No phone number needed

• Great for family and friends already on Facebook

Messenger Lite (if available) is even better for low‑data devices.

⭐ 5. Telegram — Fast, Lightweight, and Cloud‑Based

Telegram is built for speed and flexibility.

• Free voice & video calls

• Free messaging

• Works great on weak Wi‑Fi

• Cloud‑based, so it syncs across devices

A strong pick for groups, creators, and communities.

⭐ 6. Signal — Best for Privacy

If privacy matters, Signal is the go‑to.

• Free encrypted calls

• Free encrypted texts

• Works on Wi‑Fi or data

• Lightweight and reliable

Great for secure communication.

⭐ 7. Viber — Another Strong International Option

Viber is popular in many countries outside the US.

• Free calls & texts

• Works on Wi‑Fi

• Good for international communication

A solid alternative to WhatsApp.

⭐ 8. Discord — Best for Group Voice Chats

Discord isn’t just for gamers anymore.

• Free voice calls

• Free video calls

• Free messaging

• Works on Wi‑Fi only

Great for communities, friend groups, and creators.

⭐ 9/10. Google Meet / Zoom — Bonus for Video Calling

Not texting apps, but essential for communication.

• Free video calls

• Works on Wi‑Fi

• Perfect for school, work, and meetings

Secondary / Backup Apps (When TextNow Fails or You Need Extras)

• Talkatone

• TextPlus

• TextFree

• TalkU

🔥 Best Free Setup for a $0/Month Phone

If you want the strongest, most reliable combination:

Primary Line:

TextNow — free number + free calling + free texting

Backup Line:

Google Voice — voicemail + second number

Messaging Apps:

WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram

Privacy Line:

Signal

This setup gives you a full smartphone experience with no carrier bill.

🧩 Final Thoughts

Running your phone on Wi‑Fi or a data‑only plan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice communication. With the right apps, you can call, text, video chat, and stay connected — all for free.

HERE IS VIDEO FOOTAGE BELOW:

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Cash App Works Seamlessly on TextNow’s Free Flex Data Plan

Image of CashApp and TextNow app Created by ChatGPT

And Even More Features Are Coming

If you’re using the TextNow Free Flex Data Plan, you’re already ahead of the game. Cash App runs flawlessly over the free data — no paid plan required — and starting in 2026, Cash App is set to become even more powerful.

That’s because Afterpay is being integrated directly into Cash App, bringing Buy Now, Pay Later to millions of users in one place.

This makes right now the perfect time to switch to TextNow Wireless and get set up before the new features roll out.

🔥 Everything Cash App Can Do on Free Flex (Right Now)

💵 Money Management

Send & receive cash instantly

Add cash to your balance

Withdraw to your bank, PayPal, or Venmo

Move money into Savings

Transfer funds anywhere you need them

📈 Investing

Buy & sell stocks

Buy Bitcoin

🏦 Borrowing

Access Cash App Borrow (for eligible users)

🧾 Taxes & Refunds

File your taxes through Cash App Taxes

Get your tax refund deposited directly into Cash App

🛍️ Coming 2026: Afterpay Built Directly Into Cash App

This is the big one.

Starting in 2026, Afterpay will be fully integrated into Cash App, meaning:

Buy Now, Pay Later will be available inside the Cash App interface

No separate Afterpay app needed

Your payments, installments, and shopping tools will all live in one place

For anyone using TextNow’s Free Flex Data Plan, this means you’ll be able to use Afterpay over free data too — making it one of the most affordable ways to access BNPL services.

🎥 Video Included in This Post

I’ve added a full walkthrough video in this blog post showing Cash App running on TextNow’s Free Flex Data Plan, plus what to expect when Afterpay integration arrives.

🔓 No Paid Plan Needed — Ever

TextNow’s Free Flex Data Plan lets essential apps like Cash App run over free cellular data. Combine that with Cash App’s growing feature set — including Afterpay coming soon — and you’ve got one of the strongest budget-friendly setups available today.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW:

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Tech Hack: Unlocked Mobile Hotsopt Works on TextNow Free Flex Plan

AI Generated Image of TextNow and Free Essental Data Plan Apps

Check out Full Video Down Below:

AI Generated Image of TextNow and mobile hotspot

https://www.textnow.com/blog https://tuphonez4free.blogspot.com/

More Apps That Work On TextNow Free Talk and Text and Data Plan

TextNow Official Free Essential Data Image

More apps have been discovered to work on the TextNow Free Essential Data service. These other apps can actually work on any cellphone plan. The point and purpose is that this list of apps truly wont need internet access after you download and install them and set them up to work you. So below is the list of other apps you might want to check out and see for yourself! These are all free and available on the Apple app store and Google Play Store. Give them a try today! 

List of apps that work offline:

Khan Academy

Udemy

TED

Vimeo

Bookshelf

Wikipedia

Kindle

Google PlayBooks

Libby

SmartNews

Notion

Notion Calendar app

Flascards

Slide app for reddit 

Trebel Music app

Dropbox

Readera app

Here We Go 

Color Note

To Do 

Todoist

Feedly

FeedMe

RssReader

TickTick

Anydo

Evernote

Radio FM

Pocket Casts

Google rewards 

Tasks

Solo

Time Squared

PayPal 

Venmo

Mileiq

Gridwise

Everlance

Naver Mail

Daum Mail

UPS

USPS

Cash App

Capital One

Wells Fargo

CLICK ON YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW:

Best apps work on text free unlimited talk and text and data 

Google One Membership Service and App Works On TextNow For Free

Google One Official Image

Good news! This is an awesome hidden gem to anyone that uses TextNow Free Data plan and for those that are a Google One member! You can use your Google One Membership with TextNow Free Plan! Your app and services will work normally as usual. In the video I show you all that my Google One app and Membership is working fine using the TextNow Free Essential Data Plan! Google One also offers free upgrades to use their latest features for limit time only! Check this out.  Descriptions about Google One Membership and TextNow will be shown below as well.  Thanks for stopping by! 

What is a Google One Membership?

A Google One membership offers several key benefits:

Expanded Cloud Storage: It gives you more storage space for Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos, allowing you to store more files, emails, and high-quality photos and videos.

 
Family Sharing: You can share your membership with up to five family members, so they can also benefit from the increased storage and other perks.  

Expert Support: Members get access to dedicated Google experts who can help troubleshoot issues and answer questions about Google products and services.  

Additional Benefits: Depending on the plan, Google One members may also receive other benefits, such as discounts on Google products, Google Play credits, special hotel rates, and more.

Overall, a Google One membership is a valuable investment for anyone who relies heavily on Google's services and needs extra cloud storage or wants to share storage with family members.

Official TextNow Image of Free Essential Data

What is TextNow's Free Essential Data Plan?

TextNow's free plan offers unlimited calling and texting within the US, but with some limitations:

Requires a Wi-Fi connection: To use TextNow's free calling and texting, you need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. This means you can't use it on the go unless you purchase a separate data plan.

Free data with limitations: If you purchase a TextNow SIM card (one-time cost), you get their "Free Essential Data" plan included. This provides:

Unlimited calling and texting (same as the free plan, but without needing Wi-Fi)
1GB of data per month for basic usage like email, maps, and ride-sharing apps.

After using 350MB, data speeds will be slower for the rest of the month.
Here's a summary of TextNow's free plan:

Unlimited calling and texting within the US (with Wi-Fi or Free Essential Data plan)
Free Essential Data provides 1GB of data (with limitations)

To learn more about TextNow's free plan and Free Essential Data, you can visit their website: TextNow free plan

TextNow offers a variety of perks, making it a popular choice for those seeking a budget-friendly phone service.