--- title: "Cheapest Way to Text an Inmate: Plans vs Per Message" slug: "cheapest-way-to-text-inmate-plans-vs-per-message" description: "The cheapest way to text an inmate usually comes down to monthly plans versus per-message fees, and it depends on the facility type." canonical: "https://bestinmatetextingapp.com/cheapest-way-to-text-inmate-plans-vs-per-message/" markdown_url: "https://bestinmatetextingapp.com/cheapest-way-to-text-inmate-plans-vs-per-message.md" type: "blog" category: "Post" published_at: "2026-11-07T17:20:26+00:00" updated_at: "2026-11-07T17:20:26+00:00" robots: "index,follow" --- # Cheapest Way to Text an Inmate: Plans vs Per Message The cheapest way to text an inmate is usually a flat monthly plan if you write more than a few times a week, and per-message pricing if you only send occasionally. But the facility decides which system your loved one can use, so the real answer starts with one question: what does their facility allow? Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities and state prisons run on different systems, and the pricing structure follows the system, not your budget. Here is how the two billing models actually play out, by facility type, so you can pick before you pay. ## Why the facility decides your options first You do not choose the messaging provider. The prison or jail contracts with one, and your loved one can only use what is installed there. A state prison on a per-message system will not let you buy a monthly plan from a different company, and a county jail's tablet vendor sets its own rates. That means the cheapest option is the cheapest option *within* what the facility offers. Before comparing plans, confirm two things: the facility type (federal, state, or county) and the messaging system in use. If your loved one is in federal prison, they send electronic messages from TRULINCS terminals, and CorrLinks is the outside side of that email system. If they are in a state prison or county jail, ask the facility which vendor handles messaging. ## Per-message pricing: cheap only if you write rarely Most state and county systems charge per message or per message block, and prices vary by facility. We are not going to quote a number, because the same company charges different rates in different contracts. Check the provider's rate page for that specific facility, or ask staff during a visit. Per-message works in your favor when: - You send a few messages a week, not a few a day. - You mostly receive and reply briefly rather than writing long updates. - Your loved one has limited terminal or tablet time and would not read a long thread anyway. Where it bites is the reply habit. A short back-and-forth of five messages each way can cost more than a flat plan, and the cost is invisible until the balance drains. If you find yourself topping up weekly, you are already paying plan prices without the plan. ## Monthly plans: better value once you write regularly Flat plans make sense when messaging is your main way of staying in touch. You pay once, you stop doing math per message, and you write the way you would text anyone else. For federal facilities that use CorrLinks, InmateDB offers plans at three levels: Texting at $9.99/month, Texting + AI at $14.99/month, and Full Access at $19.99/month. Best Inmate Texting App is made by the team behind InmateDB, so weigh that as you read. The differences matter for cost: - **$9.99 Texting:** messages come from a shared number, so your loved one can reply once they have texted you first. - **$14.99 Texting + AI:** adds AI chat and news, sports, weather and trivia apps. - **$19.99 Full Access:** adds a personal phone number anyone can text first, plus email and more apps. New accounts get a 3-day free trial, which is enough to see whether the reply flow works before you commit. If you are weighing plan structures more broadly, our guide to [inmate messaging plans](https://bestinmatetextingapp.com/inmate-messaging-plans-what-families-need-to-know/) walks through what each type actually includes. ## Federal facilities: how the setup works and where it stalls InmateDB works with federal facilities that use CorrLinks, about 93% of them. It does not work in state prisons or county jails, so if your loved one is not in federal custody, stop here and check the facility's own system instead. The setup is short. You find the inmate on InmateDB by name or BOP register number (the format is 12345-678, and you can confirm it with the BOP inmate locator on bop.gov) and start the trial or a plan. Your loved one adds one InmateDB contact in TRULINCS. After that, they text by putting a phone number in the subject line and the message in the body. The first-time snag is almost always the subject line. A message with the number in the wrong field, or no number at all, does not route. The second snag is expecting an instant reply. How quickly your loved one sees your message depends on when they can get to a TRULINCS terminal, and facility staff can monitor messages. Plan your expectations around their schedule, not yours. You do not need an app to reply. You can use your normal texting app, the InmateDB website, the InmateDB app, or Telegram. If you are on Android and want to know which setups work where, see [Android inmate texting by facility type](https://bestinmatetextingapp.com/android-inmate-texting-by-facility/). ## Doing the math for your own situation Count your realistic volume, not your ideal volume. Look at how often you texted your loved one before incarceration, or how often you have written since. Then compare: 1. Estimate messages per month, counting both directions. 2. Multiply by the per-message rate the facility's provider charges. 3. Compare that total to the flat plan price available to you. If per-message comes out lower and stays lower, keep it. If the numbers are close, the flat plan usually wins on predictability, because per-message costs creep up in weeks when something is happening. If you are deciding between providers at the same facility, our guide on [switching inmate texting apps](https://bestinmatetextingapp.com/can-you-switch-inmate-texting-apps/) explains why the facility, not you, controls that choice. One more cost to keep separate: letters and photos. InmateDB letters are $1.49 for the first page and $0.30 for each page after, and photos are printed and mailed, up to 10 per order. Those are not messaging costs and should not be folded into your monthly comparison. ## Quick answers ### Is a monthly plan always cheaper than paying per message? No. If you send a handful of messages a month, per-message pricing is usually less. A monthly plan becomes cheaper once your volume is steady, and it protects you from surprise top-ups in busy weeks. ### Can I use a monthly plan in a state prison or county jail? Only if that facility's contracted system offers one. InmateDB works with federal facilities that use CorrLinks and does not work in state prisons or county jails. For those, ask the facility which vendor handles messaging and check that vendor's rates for the specific location. ### What if I pay for a plan and my loved one cannot get to a terminal? Your messages wait for them. How soon they see a reply depends on when they can reach a TRULINCS terminal, and staff can monitor messages. Use the 3-day free trial first to confirm the routine works before you pay for a month. If your loved one is in federal custody, the fastest way to settle the cost question is to look them up and start the trial. [Find your loved one on InmateDB](https://inmatedb.com/search) by name or BOP register number, then compare the $9.99 plan against what you would spend per message.