InmateDB Review: An Honest Look From Its Own Team

InmateDB is a paid service that lets you text a federal inmate from your normal phone, and this review is written by the team behind it, so weigh that as you read. It works only in federal Bureau of Prisons facilities that use CorrLinks, about 93% of them, and it does not work in state prisons or county jails. If your loved one is in a state or county facility, stop here and check what that facility actually uses, because the facility decides which system an inmate can use, not you and not us.

What InmateDB actually does

Federal inmates send electronic messages from TRULINCS terminals inside the facility. CorrLinks is the outside side of that email system. InmateDB sits on top of that and turns it into something that looks like texting on your end.

Here is the real flow. You find the inmate on InmateDB by name or BOP register number and start the free trial or a plan. The inmate 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. You reply from your normal texting app, like any other text. No app required on your side, though you can also use the InmateDB website, the InmateDB app, or Telegram if you prefer.

That last part is the whole point. You are not learning a new inbox. You are texting.

Where it works and where it does not

InmateDB works with federal BOP facilities that use CorrLinks, roughly 93% of federal facilities. It does not work in state prisons or county jails. That is not a limitation we can engineer around. State and county systems run on different vendors and different rules, and the facility decides which system an inmate can use.

If you are not sure which side your loved one is on, check the BOP inmate locator on bop.gov. Federal inmates have a register number like 12345-678. If you find them there, InmateDB is worth a look. If you do not, you are in a different system and need to ask the facility what messaging they allow.

For a broader view of how these services differ by facility type, our guide on honest inmate texting service reviews walks through what families report across providers. Prices and features vary by facility, so check with the facility or the provider directly before you pay anyone.

Plans and what you pay

New accounts get a 3-day free trial, which is enough time to confirm the inmate can add the contact and get a message out. After that:

• Texting, $9.99/month. Messages are sent from a shared number, so people can reply once the inmate has texted them first.
• Texting + AI, $14.99/month. Adds AI chat with ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok, plus news, sports, weather and trivia apps.
• Full Access, $19.99/month. Adds a personal phone number anyone can text first, email, and 15+ more apps.

The shared-number detail matters more than people expect. On the $9.99 plan, the inmate has to text you first before you can reply. If you want to be the one who starts the conversation, that is what the $19.99 plan is for. We are not going to pretend the cheapest plan does everything.

Photos and letters are separate. You can upload up to 10 photos per order, and standard or glossy prints are printed and mailed to the facility. Letters can be typed or uploaded online, printed and mailed, at $1.49 for the first page and $0.30 for each page after.

The first-time snags, and how to fix them

Most problems in the first week are not billing problems. They are these:

1. The inmate has not added the InmateDB contact in TRULINCS yet. Nothing moves until that happens. If you have sent messages and gotten silence, this is the first thing to check.
2. The phone number went in the body instead of the subject line. The subject line is where the number goes. The message goes in the body. Getting this backwards is the most common first mistake.
3. You expected a reply in minutes. How quickly an inmate sees a reply depends on when they can get to a TRULINCS terminal. It is not instant, and it is not on your schedule.
4. You assumed privacy. Facility staff can monitor messages. Write accordingly.

If you are still mapping out the basics, our step-by-step guide on how to text loved ones in prison covers the real steps and the real limits before you commit to anything.

Who this is for, honestly

InmateDB fits families with someone in a federal facility who already use CorrLinks and want the reply side to feel like texting instead of a separate inbox they have to remember to check. It fits people who want photos and letters handled in the same place. It fits anyone who wants to be reachable from a normal phone number.

It does not fit state or county families, full stop. It does not fit anyone expecting instant back-and-forth, because the terminal schedule is the terminal schedule. And if you only send the occasional letter, the print-and-mail pricing may be all you need without a monthly plan.

One more thing worth saying plainly: we make this. If you want to compare it against other options, do that. Prices and features vary by facility, and the facility decides what is allowed, so verify before you pay anyone.

Quick answers

Do I need to install an app?

No. You reply from your normal texting app. The InmateDB website, the InmateDB app and Telegram are there if you prefer them, but none are required.

Why has my inmate not replied yet?

Either they have not added the InmateDB contact in TRULINCS, or they have not been to a terminal. Replies depend on when they can get to one, not on when you send.

Can I text first on the cheapest plan?

No. The $9.99 plan sends from a shared number, so the inmate has to text you first before you can reply. The $19.99 Full Access plan gives you a personal number anyone can text first.

If your loved one is in a federal facility, the fastest way to know whether this works for you is to look them up and start the trial. Find your loved one on InmateDB.