What Pinger does

Pinger, Inc. is a privately-held mobile communications software company headquartered in San Jose, California, founded in 2005. It develops and operates a portfolio of cross-platform smartphone applications — TextFree, Sideline, and Index — that deliver SMS/MMS messaging, VoIP voice calling, and second-phone-number services on iOS and Android. The company has accumulated 125+ million registered users across its product portfolio over more than 15 years, with the original TextFree app having been downloaded 100+ million times by 2012 and currently ranked #4 in the Lifestyle App category, while Sideline ranks #1 Top-Grossing App in its category. Pinger holds patents covering Sideline's professional second-number features.

The company's revenue model is hybrid: TextFree is freemium, free to download and supported by advertising, with an optional TextFree Plus subscription for an ad-free experience and additional features; Sideline and Index are paid subscription services sold via monthly recurring plans through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Sideline targets professionals and individuals who want a second number with voicemail, voicemail-to-text, call routing, and multi-device notifications, while Index is positioned for small businesses and adds text-based workflow tools for appointment booking, invoicing, payments, and customer reviews. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via mobile app marketplaces, with marketing primarily through organic social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) and a company blog.

Pinger has raised approximately $18.5M across three disclosed rounds between 2005 and 2012, with investors including Kleiner Perkins, DAG Ventures, and Deutsche Telekom Strategic Investments. The company operates a wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary called Dinopilot that distributes the apps in limited markets outside the US, and the apps themselves are licensed only to US-based end users for use in the United States. Leadership includes co-founder and CEO Greg Woock, CRO Olivier Rozay, and VP of Marketing Scott Allen Graham. The company remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investment since 2012 and currently operates with 101-250 employees.

Name

Pinger

Legal name

Pinger, Inc.

Website

https://pinger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pinger is a San Jose-based mobile communications software company that operates TextFree, Sideline, and Index — freemium and subscription apps delivering SMS, VoIP calling, and second-phone-number services to consumers, professionals, and small businesses across more than 125 million registered users on iOS and Android.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. TextFree Advertising: TextFree Apps are supported by advertising revenue. Users can use the app for free with ads, or upgrade to TextFree Plus subscription for an ad-free experience.
2. TextFree Plus Subscription: Premium subscription offering advertising-free experience with additional features
3. Sideline Subscription: Subscription-based second phone number service for professional or personal use
4. Index Subscription: Subscription-based business communication platform for small businesses with tools for customer engagement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pinger builds proprietary cross-platform mobile communication apps for iOS and Android. TextFree provides users with a Pinger-supplied phone number for free SMS, MMS, and voice calling, supported by advertising with an optional TextFree Plus ad-free subscription. Sideline is a subscription-based second phone number service with voicemail, voicemail-to-text, call routing, and multi-device notifications for individuals and professionals. Index is a subscription-based business communication platform for small businesses offering a dedicated business number and tools for appointments, invoicing, payments, and reviews.

Product overview

Pinger offers a portfolio of communication apps consisting of TextFree (free texting and calling with a dedicated phone number), Sideline (subscription-based second phone number for individuals), and Index (subscription-based business communication platform for small businesses). TextFree Apps are advertising-supported free services, while Sideline and Index require paid subscriptions. All apps are available for iOS and Android devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TextFree: Free texting and calling app that provides users with a Pinger-supplied phone number. Supported by advertising revenue and free to use, with TextFree Plus subscription available for additional features and ad-free experience.
• TextFree Voice
• Sideline
• Index

Products and services

• TextFree Free texting app with free calling that provides users with a Pinger-supplied phone number for SMS, MMS, and inbound voice calls on iOS and Android; supported by advertising with an optional TextFree Plus ad-free subscription.
• Sideline Subscription-based second phone number app providing phone numbers, voicemail, voicemail-to-text, inbound call routing, multi-device call notification, text messaging, and telephone number management for individuals and professionals on iOS and Android.
• Index Subscription-based business communication platform for small businesses providing a dedicated business number with tools and templates for booking appointments, sending invoices, collecting payments, getting reviews, plus voicemail, voicemail-to-text, inbound call routing, multi-device call notification, text messaging, and telephone number management.
• TextFree Plus Premium subscription add-on for TextFree that removes advertising and unlocks additional features on iOS and Android; billed monthly through the App Store or Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 125+ million registered users
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Line2: Line2 provides a second business phone number with calling, texting, and team collaboration features, closely aligned with Pinger's Sideline and Index offerings for professionals and small businesses.
• 2ndLine: 2ndLine offers a second phone number for calls and texts, targeting similar prosumer and small-business use cases as Sideline. Overlapping pricing model and feature set make it a direct comparable.
• Talkatone: Talkatone offers free texting and calling over Wi-Fi with a U.S. phone number, competing head-to-head with Pinger's TextFree in the carrier-free consumer segment.
• TextNow: TextNow offers free texting and calling on a phone-number-based model nearly identical to Pinger's TextFree, supported by ads and a paid subscription tier. It is the closest direct competitor to Pinger's consumer free-calling offering.
• Google Voice: Google Voice provides free U.S. phone numbers, voicemail, calling, and SMS, directly competing with both TextFree and Sideline. Its free pricing and Google/Android ecosystem integration make it a structural competitive threat to Pinger.
• Hushed: Hushed is a subscription-based second phone number app with private and business lines, directly comparable to Pinger's Sideline. It targets similar professional and privacy-conscious use cases.
• Burner: Burner provides disposable and second phone numbers on a subscription model, with a feature set (voicemail, routing, auto-replies) that closely parallels Sideline's professional positioning.

Broad incumbents

• MagicJack: MagicJack offers low-cost VoIP phone service with a U.S. phone number, historically targeting consumer and small-business users. It competes with Pinger on affordable voice/phone-number services, though with a different distribution model.
• Skype: Skype is a broad incumbent in VoIP and messaging, offering calling, SMS, and second-number features. While not focused on the U.S. second-phone-number niche, it competes for the same communications wallet share.
• Vonage: Vonage provides business communications and cloud telephony serving SMBs and enterprises — overlapping with Pinger's Index product line and offering a broader portfolio in the same customer segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pinger
• Facebookfacebook.com/pinger
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinger
• Instagraminstagram.com/pinger

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pinger