Illinois families stay connected through 9 YardLink facilities — from IDOC state prisons downstate to Cook County (Chicago) and county jails across Chicagoland, the Quad Cities, and central Illinois. Skip the per-message JPay and Securus charges; YardLink sends every letter and photo free, regardless of which IL facility your loved one is housed in.
Browse tools and guides in our family resources hub, or read the free messaging guide.
| Feature | YardLink | JPay | Securus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-message fee | $0.00 | $0.25–$0.50+ | $0.25–$1.00+ |
| Account creation | ✓ Free | ✗ Paid stamps | ✗ Paid credits |
| Photo sharing | ✓ Included | ✗ Extra fee | ✗ Extra fee |
| Profile pages | ✓ Full profiles | ✗ None | ✗ None |
| Community features | ✓ Included | ✗ None | ✗ None |
| Hidden fees | ✓ None ever | ✗ Multiple | ✗ Multiple |
| JPay cost comparison | See full JPay vs. GTL vs. YardLink comparison for FCI Pekin → | ||