Securus Technologies: Inmate Calls, Video & Messaging Explained

Securus Technologies is one of the two companies that dominate communication inside US jails and prisons. If your loved one's facility uses Securus, it likely touches almost every way you can reach them — phone calls, video visits, messages, and the money that pays for all of it. Here's what Securus actually is, what it offers, and how to use it without overpaying.

Who owns Securus

Securus is a subsidiary of Aventiv Technologies, the same parent company that owns JPay, the money-transfer and email service. That connection matters: at a Securus facility, you'll often manage calls through Securus and money or email through JPay, but the two systems are run by the same company and increasingly share one login.

What Securus provides

• Phone calls (AdvanceConnect). A prepaid account you open so you can receive calls from an incarcerated person. You add money in advance and per-minute charges are deducted as calls happen.
• Securus Video Connect. A fully web-based video visitation system. Friends, family, attorneys, and officials can schedule and join video sessions from a smartphone, tablet, or computer using the free Securus app.
• Securus eMessaging. Text-style messages, photos, eCards, and short "VideoGram" clips delivered to the person inside (subject to facility screening).
• Securus Debit & tablets. Funds you deposit to a personal "Debit" account let your loved one pay for tablet subscriptions, games, music, movies, phone time, and eMessaging stamps at facilities that offer tablets.

How to set up a Securus account

1. Create a free account at securustechnologies.com or in the Securus app.
2. Open a prepaid AdvanceConnect account to start receiving calls.
3. For video, register, verify your identity with a government-issued photo ID, and wait for facility approval (this can take around 24 hours). Then schedule a remote session.
4. Add funds with a debit or credit card to cover calls, video sessions, or eMessaging stamps.

What it costs

Calling rates fell sharply in 2026. Under the FCC's Martha Wright-Reed rules, new per-minute rate caps and a ban on facility "site commissions" took effect on April 6, 2026 — roughly $0.06–$0.09 per minute plus a small additive at most prisons and larger jails. (Securus had challenged the FCC's 2024 order in court but dropped the challenge in early 2026.) Video Connect is priced separately by each facility; a common structure is in the range of about $7 for 20 minutes to $14 for 40 minutes, but it varies widely. eMessaging is sold in stamp packs. Because every facility's pricing is different, check the rate for your specific location before you fund an account. Our guide on why inmate phone calls are so expensive explains the fee structure in detail.

What to watch out for

• Calls are monitored and recorded (except properly registered legal calls). Never discuss case details on a recorded line.
• Fund accounts directly through Securus rather than third parties to avoid stacked processing fees, and add a larger amount less often to minimize per-deposit charges.
• Watch for inactivity — unused prepaid balances can be subject to fees.

How this fits with everything else

Calls are only one piece. Many families combine a Securus calling account with JPay for money and email, plus mailed letters and care packages. We can also lower your calling costs directly — our discounted phone calls service gives you a flat $10 a month for 500 minutes instead of Securus's standard per-minute rate. To compare Securus with the other major communication companies, see our full inmate service provider directory.