Best Inmate Messaging Services in 2026: JPay, CorrLinks, ConnectNetwork Compared

JPay is the most widely used inmate messaging platform in the United States, serving over 35 states and more than 1,000 correctional facilities. If your loved one is in a state prison, JPay is the most likely provider you will encounter.

Messaging on JPay uses a stamp system. Each stamp costs roughly $0.33 to $0.47 and covers one message up to a standard length. Stamps are purchased in bundles. The JPay app is available for iOS and Android and is one of the better-designed apps in this category.

JPay also offers video visitation, money transfer, and in some facilities, tablet-based digital content and music. JPay does not serve federal Bureau of Prisons facilities.

CorrLinks is the exclusive messaging platform for all federal Bureau of Prisons facilities. If your loved one is in a federal prison, CorrLinks is your only option - no other platform is approved.

The system works differently from other platforms. The inmate must send you an invitation first. You cannot initiate contact until you receive and accept that invitation. There is no mobile app. CorrLinks runs through a website that works on mobile browsers but was built for desktop.

Messaging costs are charged per message to both the sender and receiver. Despite its limitations, CorrLinks is reliable and widely used across all 122 federal facilities.

ConnectNetwork, operated by GTL (Global Tel Link), serves over 1,800 facilities across all 50 states, making it one of the broadest networks available. It is especially common in county jails and federal detention centers.

The platform offers messaging, video visitation, phone account management, and money transfers all in one place. Creating an account is free. ConnectNetwork has a mobile app with mixed but improving reviews.

If your loved one is in a county detention center or a facility that is not served by JPay or CorrLinks, ConnectNetwork is the most likely alternative you will need to use.

GettingOut is commonly used at county jails and focuses primarily on video visitation and messaging. The mobile app is well-reviewed and handles most features smoothly, making it one of the easier platforms to use for families.

If your loved one is in a county jail and the facility uses GettingOut, video visits through the app are often more affordable than in-person visits and can be scheduled from home.

TextBehind is different from all other platforms on this list. Instead of electronic delivery, TextBehind prints your message and delivers it as physical mail to the inmate. This makes it useful at facilities that do not offer any electronic messaging system.

You type your message online, pay roughly $0.49 per page, and TextBehind handles printing and delivery. Because it delivers as physical mail, it works at nearly any facility that accepts mail - giving it the broadest potential reach of any platform on this list.