Nextplus Free SMS Text + Calls APK

Pros

• Free messaging and calling around the world
• Works on both traditional cell networks and WiFi

Cons

• Message receipt quality can be very inconsistent

Nextplus promises a free alternative to a traditional phone plan through the use of WiFi technology. While the options available here are impressive, and Nextplus represents one of the best options as far as alternatives to the big cell phone providers go, there are still some gaps in the technology. Some users may find that it works as a reasonable substitute to their regular phone plan, but many will likely find a number of inconsistencies with the reliability of this app. That said, the features on offer here can still have their uses, and this free service can serve as a valuable backup plan for your existing phone contract.

What Nextplus promises is pretty impressive, and they mostly manage to deliver on their promise. Everyone who signs up for their service and downloads their app gets a free phone number tied to the United States or Canada. Users can text anyone within the United States or Canada free of charge, and they also get free unlimited texts to anyone else using a Nextplus number. These aren't bare bones text either. Nextplus texts support both SMS and MMS messages, so you can deliver complicated multimedia components in any of your messages. These include pictures and videos as well as emojis and animated GIFs. The way Nextplus handles phone calls is a little more complicated. Inbound calls are always free of charge, and users can get access to an unlimited number of outbound calls either completely free or at very low rates. Other phone companies charge a small fee for every call onto their network, but Nextplus subsidizes that through the inclusion of ads on their app. If you'd rather bypass these banners entirely, you can also opt to pay a small fee for outgoing calls. Nextplus can connect through your WiFi internet connection, and you can also send messages or make and receive calls using a 3G or 4G network.

While the service itself is promising, that wouldn't mean a whole lot without a quality app to back it up. The interface for Nextplus is mostly pretty strong. A rather minimalist interface allows you to check your messages, send new ones, and make calls, and the app makes use of push notifications so you don't have to continually keep checking the app to see when you've received a message. It's not an ideal alternative to traditional messaging, but it gets the job done. You can also check to see when messages have been received and check to see when members of your friends list are online.

If that sounds too good to be true, there are some snags in the system. The advertisements can be very intrusive, and a number of users report not receiving their messages or voicemails. That can make it hard to recommend as intended: a full scale alternative to a traditional phone plan. But as a burner number, it can work well in a pinch.

Pros

• Free messaging and calling around the world
• Works on both traditional cell networks and WiFi

Cons

• Message receipt quality can be very inconsistent