Customer Reviews (100)

Bud Milkshake • 2025-03-25T06:01:07.131Z

This app is horrible. Its wonderful in concept, but unfortunately it ends there. The quality of voice calls are horrendous like talking in a long tunnel and calls drop often. There are also dozens of missed calls and texts I only found out about because people sending me/calling tried other means to reach me. How many thousands of $ in missed business there would be if my customers had not sought other means of communication? I shutter to think. Their lock in number n codes svc also not working!

Another Brother • 2025-03-25T05:41:16.316Z

👍

S R • 2025-03-25T05:36:43.314Z

All the texting apps in Canada SUCK! ESPECIALLY THIS ONE.

Summary of Key Insights

TextNow is a free calling and texting app with a large user base, offering a valuable service, especially for users who need a secondary number or cannot afford traditional phone service. The app is generally well-received, with a high percentage of 5-star reviews. However, significant issues exist regarding call quality, message delivery reliability, account disabling, and intrusive ads that negatively impact the user experience. The app's value proposition of free service is attractive, but users are sensitive to disruptions caused by these issues.

Key Strengths:

  • Free calling and texting functionality.
  • Availability of a secondary phone number.
  • Affordability and flexible data plans.
  • Backup phone service.

Key Weaknesses:

  • Call quality and reliability issues (dropped calls, poor audio).
  • Message delivery problems (delayed or missed texts).
  • Account disabling with unclear reasons and poor support.
  • Intrusive advertising.
  • Bugs introduced by recent updates.

Overall Sentiment: Mixed. While many users appreciate the free service and functionality, negative reviews highlight significant issues that need addressing.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: Based on the score distribution, the approximate average rating is between 4 and 4.5 stars.
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 61%
    • 4-star: 11%
    • 3-star: 5%
    • 2-star: 6%
    • 1-star: 17%

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews.
  • Time Frame of Reviews: Not explicitly specified, but assumed to be recent based on the content of the reviews (mentions of recent updates).
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review and categorization of user feedback, focusing on sentiment analysis (positive, negative, neutral), keyword extraction (identifying recurring themes and issues), and frequency analysis (determining the prevalence of specific problems).

Key User Pain Points

  • Call Quality and Reliability: Many users report poor call quality, dropped calls, and difficulty hearing. This significantly hinders the app's core functionality.
  • Message Delivery Issues: Delayed or missed text messages are a recurring problem, causing inconvenience and potential communication breakdowns.
  • Account Disabling: Users are frustrated by accounts being disabled for unclear reasons, often related to "unusual activity," and lack of adequate support for resolving these issues.
  • Intrusive Advertising: While users understand the need for ads to support the free service, many find them too frequent and disruptive.
  • Bugs from Updates: Recent updates appear to have introduced new bugs, such as keyboard issues, notification problems, and blank conversation windows, negatively impacting usability.
  • Billing Issues: Some users report incorrect or recurring billing even after canceling subscriptions.
  • SIM Card Issues: Users report problems with SIM cards not being delivered or not working as expected.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Improved Reliability: Users primarily want the app to be more reliable regarding call quality and message delivery.
  • Better Customer Support: Users want a more responsive and helpful customer support system, especially when dealing with account disabling issues.
  • Less Intrusive Ads: Users are looking for less disruptive advertising experiences.
  • Verification Code Functionality without Payment: Users want to be able to receive verification codes from apps without having to pay a fee.
  • Offline Functionality: Users want to be able to use the app without an internet connection.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Free Service: The primary appeal is the free calling and texting, which is especially valuable for users on a budget.
  • Backup Phone Number: Many users appreciate having a secondary phone number for business or personal use.
  • Ease of Use: Some users find the app easy to use and straightforward.
  • Helpful in Emergencies: The app can be a lifesaver when users cannot afford regular phone service.
  • Old School Ring Tones: Some users appreciate the retro ringtone options.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Improve Call Quality and Reliability: Investigate and address the root causes of call quality issues and dropped calls.
  • Fix Message Delivery Problems: Resolve the issues causing delayed or missed text messages.
  • Address Account Disabling Issues: Implement a clearer account disabling policy with better communication and a more effective appeals process.
  • Reduce Intrusiveness of Ads: Explore alternative advertising strategies that are less disruptive to the user experience.

Medium Priority:

  • Fix Bugs Introduced by Recent Updates: Thoroughly test updates before release to prevent new bugs from impacting usability.
  • Improve Customer Support: Enhance customer support responsiveness and effectiveness, particularly for account-related issues.
  • Resolve Billing Issues: Implement a more reliable billing system and provide clear instructions for canceling subscriptions.
  • SIM Card Issues: Improve the SIM card delivery and activation process.

Low Priority:

  • Verification Code Functionality without Payment: Consider offering a limited free tier for verification codes.
  • Offline Functionality: Explore the feasibility of offering some offline features.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Reliable VoIP Service with Transparent Pricing: A VoIP service that prioritizes call quality and message delivery reliability, with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
  • Ad-Free Communication App with Privacy Focus: A communication app that offers a premium ad-free experience with a strong emphasis on user privacy.
  • AI-Powered Customer Support for VoIP Services: An AI-powered customer support solution specifically designed for VoIP services, capable of resolving common issues and providing personalized assistance.
  • VoIP Number Management Platform: A platform that allows users to easily manage multiple VoIP numbers from different providers in one place.

Trends and Observations

  • Impact of Updates: Recent updates appear to have negatively impacted the app's stability and usability.
  • Sensitivity to Ads: Users are generally accepting of ads but are highly sensitive to disruptions caused by overly intrusive advertising.
  • Recurring Technical Issues: Call quality and message delivery problems are persistent issues that have been reported over time.

Conclusion

TextNow provides a valuable service by offering free calling and texting, but significant issues related to call quality, message delivery, account disabling, and intrusive ads are detracting from the user experience. Addressing these issues should be a top priority to improve user satisfaction and maintain a competitive edge. By focusing on reliability, transparency, and user-centric design, TextNow can solidify its position as a leading provider of free communication services.

Overall Recommendation: Prioritize fixing the core reliability issues and improving customer support. Re-evaluate the ad strategy to minimize disruption.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enflick.android.TextNow