Best Chatting Apps for Android and iOS: WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger and more

by James · March 4, 2023

There is no shortage of chat apps for Android and iOS. We’ve all moved from texting to chat apps like WhatsApp and Messenger.

These chat apps include not only text messages, but also voice chat, voice calls, and video calls. Many also come with group audio and video calls. The features of various chat apps are endless.

But the features only mean something if you have someone on the other end to chat with. The best chat apps are the ones your friends and family use, and the ones you can easily convince them to use.

So which chat app is the best? We rank the best chat apps on this list based on various factors. From WhatsApp and Telegram to Discord and Slack, we explore the best chat and texting apps, and this list will help you figure out which one is best for you.

The best chat apps for Android and iOS

WhatsApp is the most popular chat app in the world with over 2 billion users worldwide. It is the default chat app in India as it is used by almost everyone in the country.

It supports text chat, voice chat, video calls and voice calls. It also supports group audio calls and group video calls. Then there are WhatsApp groups that make it easy to stay in touch with your friends. Also, WhatsApp story feature is one of the most used features by all WhatsApp users.

The best thing about WhatsApp is that everyone uses it and you don’t have to ask the other end if they use it; moreover, it is completely free to use.

Download WhatsApp: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

End-to-end encrypted chat.
Backups
Available on PC
UPI Payments (India only)

Disadvantages

There is no editing function for sent messages.

Telegraph

Telegram is like WhatsApp on steroids. It does everything WhatsApp does and more. It has a much smaller user base than WhatsApp, but it has an extensive list of features that no other chat app can match. Most of the upcoming features of WhatsApp are tested on Telegram.

Telegram’s openness and the wide variety of public group communities active in the app make it special. It also has bot integrations that make it special and provide a unique experience. It supports all kinds of chats such as text chat, voice chat, video and audio calls, and group video and audio calls.

Like WhatsApp, Telegram is free to use. But there is a Telegram Premium subscription to expand the list of features and customize the app.

Download Telegram: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

End-to-end encrypted chat.
Cloud based
Schedule messages
Bot integration

Disadvantages

Chats are not encrypted by default

Sign

Signal is a privacy-centric SMS messaging app where everything within the app is end-to-end encrypted, from chats, calls and video calls. It has a minimal feature list and focuses on privacy. It supports all types of chats such as text messages, voice chats, voice calls and video calls.

Download signal: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

End-to-end encrypted chat, video and audio calls.
Disappearing messages.
Minimal data logs
It does not log the IP address

Disadvantages

Messenger

Facebook Messenger is one of the most popular cross-platform messaging apps. Facebook has been around since its inception. Over the years, it has undergone various changes, both in terms of design and service. In terms of user base, it is the second most used app on this list. It has all the features like text chat, voice chat, voice call and video call. All chats are also end-to-end encrypted.

Download Messenger: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Lots of features
Watch together feature

Disadvantages

You get a lot of spam from Facebook group messages.
Take up a lot of space.
Not exactly the best solution for privacy.
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Snapchat

Snapchat differentiates itself from other chat apps by focusing on sharing photos and videos. Texting takes a back seat; when you open Snapchat, you are greeted by a camera interface. It also supports texting, voice chat, video calling and audio calling.

Snapchat pioneered the Stories feature seen on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Bitmoji also appeared, which was later copied by Apple and Oppo.

Download Snapchat: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Special experience
Social characteristics
Disappearing messages

Disadvantages

Loose

There’s a lot to love about Slack. He made people forget about internal emails in favor of texting colleagues. Best choice for businesses or teams.

Slack has a lot of features that are designed with the remote work environment in mind. For example, when Slack detects that you want to send a message to someone in a different time zone, it displays the user’s local time in their profile. It supports text messaging and voice messages. It also supports video and audio calling, and includes a screen-sharing feature essential for remote teams. It is free for the basic level, but has various premium levels for advanced users.

Download Slack: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

It is widely used by most companies.
Free for basic use.

Disadvantages

Video chat and screen sharing still have issues.

Feud

Discord started out as a voice chat app exclusively for gamers. Later in 2020, it evolved into a full chat with the new tagline: “Your place to chat and hang out”.

It contains various smaller communities called Discord servers that you can join and chat with your friends. The focus is on voice calls; once connected, you can talk whenever you feel like it or be a listener. It also supports video calling. Discord is free to use, but it also offers a premium version called Discord Nitro that provides more functionality.

Download Discord: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

The audio server feature is great
Support bots

Disadvantages

Google Chat

If you remember using Hangouts back in the day, it still works but has been rebranded as Google Chat.

It’s still pretty much the same as the old Hangouts, but it’s gotten some visual changes to make it more modern. It has now evolved into a workplace chat and is part of Google Workspace and can be directly integrated with other Workspace apps such as Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc. If you’re looking for an alternative to Slack, this could be it.

Download Google Chat: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Simple interface
Google workspace interface

Disadvantages

iMessage

If you are an iPhone user, one of the best chat apps available is the default iMessage app.

You can send texts, photos, videos, documents, stickers and more to others using iPhone. You can still text non-iPhone users, but you can’t send them multimedia.

Professionals

It just works out of the box

Disadvantages

Available for Apple users only

Google Messages

If you’re an Android user instead, you can use your phone’s default Google Messages service to text your friends.

Works like iMessage with RCS integration. It supports sending texts, images, videos, emoticons, stickers and more. You can text your friends on iPhone, but you can’t send them multimedia messages.

Download the Google Messages app: The Play Store

Professionals

It just works out of the box

Disadvantages

Only available for Android users
Spam messages are a problem

Viber

Yes, Viber is still there. Viber was once popular in India, but now has few users here. But there are users who keep the service alive. It supports texting, voice chat, voice calls and video calls. It supports communities and channels to connect with others with similar interests. It also supports Skype-like calls to landlines with a service called Viber out. In addition to Viber out, the service is completely free.

Download Viber: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Cheap calls to landline and mobile numbers.
Characteristics

Disadvantages

Not as popular as it used to be

Skype

Like Viber, Skype was once popular but had a larger user base than Viber. By now it has faded to the back of the pack. But Skype is still available, and Microsoft has recently made some updates to the platform.

Skype supports texting, voice chat, voice calls, and video calls. It also supports VoIP calls to anyone in the world for a fee. Apart from VoIP calls, using Skype is completely free.

Download Skype: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Great for video and conference calls.
Call any phone number

Disadvantages

Not as popular as it used to be

Line

Line is also an app like Viber and Skype that was once popular in India, which has fallen behind the rest, but is still operating, although it currently has far fewer users.

It supports texting, voice chat, voice and video calls. It also has avatars, a much less intuitive copy of Bitmoji. It has a clean user interface that has remained unchanged for years; If you’ve used Line before, you’ll feel right at home.

Download line: Play Store | Application store

Professionals

Simple interface
Social characteristics

Disadvantages

Not as popular as it used to be

My stick

If you are looking for a WhatsApp alternative, you can try Botimo. It tries to emulate WhatsApp with its user interface, but it also has some additional social features. It is popular in the UAE and you can connect with your friends abroad as many other apps have video calling disabled.

Botim supports texts, images, videos, video calls, voice calls and groups.

Download my bot: Play Store | Application store