You can text an inmate online for free, but only for a limited time. InmateDB offers a 5-day free trial for every new inmate, so your first messages cost nothing. After that, it’s $19.99 per month. Here’s what that actually looks like in practice, and what you should know before you hit send.
What “texting an inmate online” really means
When you send a message through InmateDB, it doesn’t zap straight to a phone inside the facility. It goes through their system, gets reviewed, and then lands in the inmate’s account. They can read it on a tablet or kiosk, depending on what their facility uses.
The inmate can also text you back—and not just within the app. Inmates on InmateDB can text real phone numbers in the U.S. and Canada. So your loved one could send a text to your actual cell phone, and you reply like any other text. That’s the closest thing to a normal conversation you’ll get.
Why the free trial matters more than you think
The free trial isn’t just a marketing hook. It’s your chance to test the whole pipeline before you pay. You’ll see how long delivery takes, whether the inmate actually gets the message, and whether they can figure out how to reply. If the inmate never touches the system, you haven’t lost anything.
Here’s a common first-time mistake: you sign up, send a message, and expect a reply in five minutes. That’s not how it works. Staff review can take hours, sometimes longer. The inmate has to log in, find your message, and send one back. If they’re not tech-savvy, they might not even know the messages exist yet. Give it a day before you worry.
What the first message should say
Keep it simple. Tell them you’re using InmateDB, that you’re on the free trial, and that they can text your regular phone number. Tell them to look for the messages app on the tablet. Ask them to send a quick “got it” so you know it worked.
Don’t pour your heart out in message one. Save that for after you confirm the system works. A short, clear message is easier to approve and less likely to get lost in translation.
What usually goes wrong the first time
Most problems aren’t technical. They’re human. The inmate doesn’t check the tablet. They get the notification but don’t understand how to reply. Or they reply to your phone number but the message comes from a random number, and you almost ignore it because you don’t recognize the sender.
That last one catches a lot of people. When an inmate texts your actual phone, the sender ID might not say “InmateDB.” It might just be a number. Tell your loved one to identify themselves in the first text, like “Hey, it’s me, from InmateDB.” And save that number in your phone so future texts don’t get lost in spam.
What it costs after the trial—and whether it’s worth it
$19.99 a month per inmate. That includes messages, photos, letters, and the inmate’s ability to text real phone numbers. It also includes extras like AI chat, email, news, lessons, trivia, and a private journal, but you’ll probably care most about the texting.
Compare that to per-message fees from other services, where a single message can cost a dollar or more. If you send more than twenty messages a month, InmateDB is likely cheaper. If you only send a few, the math changes. But the flat rate makes budgeting easy, and the free trial lets you decide without risk.
How to sign up and start the free trial
Go to InmateDB and create an account. You’ll need the inmate’s legal name and their facility. The system checks that the facility is supported—most are in the U.S. and Canada, but not all. If it’s not, the site will tell you right away.
Once you add the inmate, the 5-day trial starts immediately. You don’t need a credit card to start, but you will need one when the trial ends if you want to keep the service. Set a reminder to cancel before day five if you’re not sure—there’s no automatic trickery, but it’s easy to forget.
What I’d actually do first
If you’re reading this because you’re desperate to hear from someone, start the trial today. Send one short message. Then wait. If you don’t hear back within 48 hours, send another asking them to check their messages. Some facilities are slower than others, and some inmates just need a nudge.
Texting an inmate online for free is real, but it’s not instant. The trial gives you room to figure out the rhythm without paying. Use it to test, then decide if the monthly fee is worth it. For most families who want regular contact, it is.
If you’re ready to try, go to InmateDB and set up your free trial. Your first message could be in their inbox within the hour.
