SMS Receive Free – Receive SMS – A review

Many people want to receive SMS messages without having to pay for it. Luckily, with SMS Receive Free, people can get messages from all around the world using their phone number within the US or Canada. Is the product useful? We’ll see, but awful logo really.

Free Virtual Phone Numbers with SMS Receive Free

Virtual phone numbers provided as part of the SMS Receive Free App can be used to verify and register on numerous websites without charging you a single penny. Using the app, you’ll be able to verify your accounts on third party services such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and more. However, do note that SMSReceiveFree isn’t guaranteed to work on any of those and may stop at any time. In fact, many of those services don’t like you using a “throw away” number for verification and as such try to block the use of such free SMS services.

Disposable Numbers

The phone numbers that you use are disposable and all the messages that you receive will be automatically discarded after 24 hours. All virtual phone numbers are refreshed each month and then replaced by new ones. So if you’re looking for a longer term service for messaging back and forth (such as texting with friends), this app is NOT for you.

The numbers can receive messages globally even if the two parties are in different countries. The best part is that the service is guaranteed to stay free and available to all its users. If you need service in one of the countries that aren’t listed, you should still keep a close eye on the app as it will constantly be adding new locations and numbers.

Free is Good, but NOT always Great

One of the main selling points of this app is the fact that you can receive SMS online for free. The developers of the app have given their word that the service will stay online without charging its users to receive SMS messages. That’s the good news.

You can also send as many messages as you want to activate accounts that would otherwise need your personal information during the verification process, and there aren’t currently any limits on how many or even how often an SMS can be sent to the virtual number.

With all that said, the service is very one-dimensional and useful only for that one purpose. It is simple, lacking features, and not very robust.

Private and Moderately Secure

More and more companies have been starting to add phone number verifications to their sign up or activation process for online accounts. You might not be so keen on revealing your personal number but luckily with the help of SMS Receive Free you’ll be able to get past all these barriers without giving away your personal information.

The developers of the app understand that your contact information is private which is why they keep your data secure and hidden while you verify your accounts. All message-related data is deleted after one day and secure connections are used to keep your personal information private.

While data is deleted, that doesn’t mean that other log information such as the IP you used when accessing their site is kept private. This data may be used for advertising or revealed to a third party if required by law.

Further, there site lacks any information regarding any type of end to end encryption, which makes sense given the intended purpose of the app itself.

Messaging Features

Incoming messages can be viewed almost instantly, with generally no more than a few seconds of delay. However, during times of high use this may increase.

All you need to do is refresh the page to view new messages. While simple, needing to “refresh” the page each time may be a bit tedious or annoying for some.

All the virtual numbers that you see are temporary and are cycled every month. The messages that you receive are permanently deleted no longer than one day after you receive them.

Getting Started with the SMSRecieveFree App

Given the simplicity of the app, getting started is pretty straightforward.

Step 1: Go to SMSRecieveFree.com and enter a valid email address (possibly another privacy concern), and click on the “Sign Up” button:

Once you click “Sign up” you will be greeted with a “Thank you” message that prompts you to use the link sent to you email to access your free phone number.

Step 2: Log into the email used and find the “account” link sent by SMSRecieveFree.

Step 3: Click on that link to get started. This will route you to your account page similar to that below. This page will walk you through getting started

Step 4: Follow the directions, selecting a country of origin (you can choose either USA or Canada as those are the only two available options right now). Next, select a number.

After that you’re ready to start using the number to receive free SMS messages to validate accounts. Simple right.

Frequently Asked Questions about the SMSRecieveFree App

Why do I need to supply an email address?

The developers of the service have begun to request an email address during the signup process following some reports of abuse. While it may be a minor inconvenience, restricting public access allows the service to help people without falling victim to scams and the like. Besides, your email is merely used for account validation, you won’t be signed up to any mailing lists.

Why is it free?

The service doesn’t charge it users and instead utilizes ad revenue to keep itself operating while remaining free. Users are encouraged to keep all ad blockers disabled while using the service as ad revenue is the sole source of revenue for its developers and without it, the service wouldn’t last very long.

How long will my messages be saved for?

Messages are kept for the first 24 hours after you first receive them. After that period ends, your messages will be permanently deleted and the data will be wiped from the cache of the hosted data.

How often are phone numbers rotated?

The phone numbers are completely disposable and as such are discarded at the end of every month with new ones being purchased to take their place.

How many messages can I send to the numbers?

While the developers haven’t set a limit to how often you can use their service, you should refrain from spamming numbers especially through automated means as this could handicap the service and make it harder for other people to use.

Can I get an old number back?

All numbers are temporary and will be replaced regularly. Due to this, all old numbers cannot be reclaimed even if their previous user requests it.

What does the number in parenthesis beside the phone number mean?

The value is the total number of messages that have been processed with that specific virtual number thus far. Not all of the messages are displayed seeing as some may be older than 24 hours and have already been removed from the history of your virtual number.

Verdict / Final Thoughts

PROS:

• Simple interface
• Fast signup
• Good for intended use

CONS:

• The US and CA only
• May not work with all services
• Privacy Concerns
• Not good for back and forth communication/texts

In the end, the SMSRecieveFree app gets the job done if all you need is to verify accounts in the US or CA. However, it doesn’t have nor seems to be interested in any other features or updating their simple yet boring interface.