A free iPhone/iPad/Android appcalled TextPlus lets you send an unlimited number of texts to Canadian andU.S.-based phones for free – and non-TextPlus users can respond with a shortcode.
If youprefer texting to calls or chat, you might want to check out a free mobile appfrom Gogii (pronounced go-jee) called TextPlus. The app, available for theiPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android, provides free unlimited texting to Canadianand U.S.-based cell phones.
TextPluslets you send texts to individuals, groups (from 2 to 20 contacts at a time)and communities. The communities, which are basically groups that you create,name and save for repeated use, can be public or private.
There is nolimit on the number of texts you send, but text length is restricted to 140characters.
You need tosign up for a free TextPlus account to use the app, but you don’t need aTextPlus account or the TextPlus app to receive and respond to messages. Usingthe short code 60611, non-TextPlus users can send texts back from anywhere in Canada and the U.S.
While usingthe short code isn’t free, non-TextPlus users are only charged their normaltexting rates, which might avoid additional charges associated with cross-borderor long distance texting.
Textingbetween TextPlus app users is free and unlimited worldwide.
TextPluslaunched in the U.S. lastJune and become available in Canadathis past February. Gogii estimates the app has been downloaded over 5.5million times worldwide and sends over 16 million messages per day.
Two otherapps are also available from Gogii that work with TextPlus accounts – anad-free version of TextPlus for $2.99 and the free GroupText app, which looksand acts very to similar to TextPlus.