Who you text — and who can text you — is finally up to you. “Text-less” is a texting control app for select basic phones that lets you manage messaging with precision. You can allow texting only with approved contacts (whitelisting), decide who can send you multimedia messages (pictures, audio, group messages), or even set the phone to receive texts without being able to send. This is especially useful for receiving verification codes or urgent updates — and is also perfect for parents who want to be able to text their children without giving them open access to texting.

The app also has the option for automatic replies — so if someone sends a message, the phone can respond with: “This phone doesn’t receive texts. Please call instead,” or “This phone does not receive MMS messages.”

These features are available only on certain basic phones, and the settings are protected by a secure password to prevent tampering. Text-less is ideal for anyone who needs limited texting access — but wants to keep it fully on their terms.