What is a free text app that works better than GoogleVoice?

I stopped getting hobby phones a few years ago. Instead I created an email address and downloaded GoogleVoice.

Lately it has been on the blink. Today it failed to deliver several of my messages and failed to receive several from a smoking hot provider. Needless to say because of that we had horrible communication and the apointment did not happen.

DO you use a text app separate from your smart phone? Is it reliable?

textnow has been very reliable for me. gives u a unique number. you can make phone calls from it if u pay a fee, but texting is free

Google wants you to swithc from googlevoice to their hangouts app.

I use talkatone on iPhone with no issues for free ... only drawback is that you can't send or receive pictures.

Nextplus works like everything else mentioned. You can watch videos for credits for calling. Most videos are just for games and are only like 10 seconds long.

You can send pics with it but they end up as a weblink to the recipient. If you want to send pics imgur might be a better pic host.

If you want to go back to a hobby phone then you can buy a used smartphone off craigslist or a local facebook phone selling group, or heck even something like this. It wont be an S6 or iPhone 6, but it'll still do everything you'd need for the hobby. Then just get a prepaid/pay as you go plan.

Use your browser to go to google voice. There is less delay and all the messages are shown. Plus if you have an SO you don't have a strange app on your phone.