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If someone you love just got booked into a jail or prison that uses Securus, the calls aren’t the hard part. The setup is. There are accounts, PINs, prepaid balances, a mobile app, a debit account that isn’t even yours, and a website that seems to live at three different addresses. Most people start at the Securus login page and then wonder why nothing makes sense yet.
I’m not a Securus customer, and I’d rather say that upfront. What I did do is spend a few long evenings going through Securus help pages, county jail guides, and a frankly depressing pile of app reviews. This guide is what I pulled out of all that. Plus my honest take on where the system confuses people and where it’s simply expensive.
What Is Securus Technologies?
Securus Technologies is a private company that runs phone calls, video visits, and messaging for jails and prisons across the US. It says it works with more than 1,800 corrections agencies. If your loved one’s facility uses Securus, you don’t get to pick another provider. That’s the deal, like it or not.
The Securus company name gets confusing fast because there’s a parent brand sitting on top of it. Aventiv Technologies owns Securus, and you’ll see both names on contracts and help pages. Securus also bought JPay back in 2015. That’s why JPay Securus account linking keeps coming up once you get into messaging.
There’s a much bigger business behind all this, to be fair. On the Securus corrections side, the company sells monitoring tools, investigative software, and tablets to the agencies themselves. Families only ever see a thin slice of it. And honestly, I think that’s worth keeping in mind. You’re the one paying, but you’re not the client the contract was written for.
The official Securus Technologies website is securustechnologies.com. Your actual account lives on Securus Online, which county guides list at securustech.online.
How Does Securus Inmate Calling Work?
Your loved one dials out from a facility phone or tablet, and someone on the outside pays for the minutes. Usually that’s you. Securus Technologies inmate calling runs on a few payment options, and the facility decides which ones you get.
- AdvanceConnect prepaid. You load money first, and calls draw from that balance. Several approved phone numbers can share one balance, which helps if the whole family takes calls.
- Securus Debit. The money goes into an account your loved one owns. They spend it on Securus services, not snacks.
- Direct Bill. You get a monthly bill instead of prepaying. Not every site offers it.
Assume every call through the Securus inmate phone system is recorded and monitored. That’s not paranoia, that’s the product. In a nutshell, that’s the Securus phone service: monitoring first, conversation second.
Your loved one might dial from a Securus tech jail phone on the wall or from a tablet. Depends on the site. Calls also have time limits set by the facility, so a conversation can cut off mid-sentence. Securus jail phone calls work the same way as prison ones here, mostly.
Price is where my mild skepticism turns into the real thing. Securus prison calls cost different amounts depending on the state, the facility, and the contract. There’s no single rate card. Securus tech inmate calling from a county jail can cost a lot more than a similar call from a state prison. The rules around caps keep moving too. The FCC voted 2-1 in late 2025 to loosen the rate caps it set a year earlier, so I wouldn’t expect prices to fall on their own anytime soon.
How to Set Up a Securus Account
You create one Securus account, then attach services to it. You can do it in the Securus Mobile app or on Securus Online in a browser. Same login either way.
- Create your login. You’ll set an email, a password, a four-digit PIN, and security questions. Write the PIN down somewhere. Seriously, you’ll need it for phone support later.
- Confirm your email. Securus sends a confirmation link. Check spam if it doesn’t show up.
- Find your loved one. Search by name or ID, then pick the state and facility. Spelling matters here more than you’d think.
- Pick how you’ll pay. Sign up for AdvanceConnect, fund Securus Debit, or both.
Once that’s done, your Securus online account becomes the hub for everything. Calls, video, messages, and deposits. From what I can see, one Securus account can also cover more than one incarcerated person. That surprised me a little.
A quick word on naming, because it’s a mess. The help pages call it your Securus phone account when they’re talking about calls. Some facility pages say Securus tech account instead. A few call it a Securus inmate phone account. It’s all the same login, as far as I can tell. Securus just never settled on one name.
Keep in mind there’s a separate side of Securus for inmates. That’s the tablet and wall phone system inside the facility. You can’t see it or manage it from your end.
Securus Login Problems and How to Fix Them
The Securus login for families runs through Securus Online, and the app uses the same details. When it breaks, it’s usually one of three things.
- Forgotten password. Use the reset link on the sign-in page and answer your security questions. A Securus login password reset beats calling support by a mile.
- Locked account. Too many wrong tries can lock you out. Wait a bit, then reset instead of guessing again.
- Wrong site. Lookalike pages exist. Before you type anything into a Securus sign-in page, check the address carefully.
That last one is the one I’d stress. I run a site that covers cybersecurity, so maybe I’m biased. But a stressed family typing a card number into whatever page shows up first is exactly the kind of target scammers love. Bookmark the real Securus online login page once and use the bookmark every time. That goes double for any Securus technologies sign-in link that arrives by text or email.
Also, plenty of people expect a Securus inmate login, some portal where the incarcerated person signs in from outside. That doesn’t exist for you. Your loved one signs in on the facility tablet or kiosk with their own ID and PIN. Anything claiming otherwise is worth skipping.
What Does Securus Friends and Family Cover?
Securus friends and family services cover everything the outside person can do: calls, video visits, e-messaging, photo sharing, and deposits. What you actually get depends on the facility, though. Securus says feature availability varies by site, and that line shows up everywhere for a reason.
In my reading, the core trio shows up at most places. Prepaid calling, video visits, and some form of messaging. The extras, like Text Connect for short messages, are much patchier.
The Securus family and friends’ side is also where the costs stack up. Each service has its own price, and some have their own fees on top. Sure, that’s normal for paid services. But it adds up quickly when one family is paying for calls, video, and stamps at the same time.
Some county pages call it Securus Tech family and friends services. Same thing, different label. Facility handouts often use the longer Securus technologies friends and family name, too.
One small tip. If your Securus friends and family login works on the website but the app misbehaves, it’s usually the app. Delete it, reinstall, and sign in again before you call anyone.
How Do You Talk to a Real Person at Securus?
Call Securus at 1-800-844-6591 and have your account number and PIN ready. That’s the main Securus telephone line for families and the one county jail pages list for account and funding help. Expect a phone menu first and some patience after that.
Getting a Securus customer service live person isn’t always quick. The menu wants to solve things on its own, so listen for options about speaking to an agent. If you want the Securus phone number to talk to a person, it’s the same 1-800 line. There isn’t a secret second one, as far as I could find.
I’ll be honest here. Securus Technologies customer service has a rough reputation. The company’s BBB profile lists 527 complaints over the last three years. That doesn’t mean every call goes badly. It does mean you should write down dates, names, and amounts every single time.
Is Securus Worth the Hassle?
Here’s the thing: you don’t really get a choice. The facility picks the provider, and Securus is what you get. So “worth it” isn’t quite the right question. The better question is how to keep it cheap and painless.
My picks, for what they’re worth:
- Start with AdvanceConnect. It caps your spending at whatever you load. That’s the best budget control on offer.
- Use the app for messages and the website for money. The app is fine for quick stuff. For deposits, I’d rather see everything on a bigger screen.
- Check the facility’s own page first. Rates, rules, and visiting options vary a lot from site to site.
Video is where costs get eye-watering. In one lawsuit over Michigan jails, a 20-minute video call cost $12.99 at a single county. That’s from a court complaint, not a rate card, sure. Still, it tells you what’s possible when families have no other option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in most places. Calls, video visits, and messages usually cost money. A few states and cities have made calls free, so check your facility.
As far as I can tell, yes. You can search for and add more than one contact. One AdvanceConnect balance can also cover several approved phone numbers.
It’s often the spelling, the ID, or a recent transfer. Try their facility ID number instead. If that fails, check that the facility actually uses Securus.
There’s no single price. It depends on the state, the facility, and the type of call. In Washington, a 15-minute in-state call averaged about $3.34, and that’s before deposit fees.
Yes, in most cases. Add your mobile number as an authorized number on your AdvanceConnect account. The facility still decides who your loved one can call.
Assume yes. Securus records and monitors calls for the facility. Calls with a lawyer are meant to be private, so ask the facility how to register an attorney’s number.
I couldn’t confirm round-the-clock live agents. The phone menu and the online help center work anytime, though. For billing problems, I’d call early in the day.
Aventiv is the parent company of Securus. You’ll see its name on contracts, press releases, and some help pages. You don’t need a separate Aventiv account for anything.
What’s Next for Securus Families
Securus isn’t going anywhere. The Federal Bureau of Prisons picked it in July 2026 for communications and digital infrastructure nationwide, so even more families will be dealing with these same accounts. Meanwhile, the FCC is still collecting data for permanent rate caps.
So prices may shift again. Maybe down, maybe not. I wouldn’t bet on either, honestly. What I would do is set up your account properly now, keep records, and treat every deposit like money you might need to chase later.
