10 Popular and Free Instant Messaging Apps Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Email, Messaging, & Video Calls > Texting & Messaging 68 68 people found this article helpful
10 Popular and Free Instant Messaging Apps
Use these apps if you're tired of paying for text message fees
By Elise Moreau Elise Moreau Freelance Contributor University of Ontario George Brown College Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 11, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Texting & Messaging Email Texting & Messaging Video Calls We share more about our lives through photos, videos, GIFs, emojis, and more. Traditional text messaging seems to be on its way out as mobile options attract more users. Here are some of the most popular mobile instant message apps people are turning to as a replacement or as an additional service to SMS texting. 01 of 10 Facebook Messenger
Hoch Zwei / Getty Images What We Like Ease of use. Large gallery of images. Video chat available. What We Don't Like Requires storage space. Can drain device battery. A lot of people have a Facebook account, making it the standard platform for getting in touch with people. And to make things even more convenient, you don't necessarily need to have a Facebook account to use the Messenger app. You can easily start chatting with a friend or a group of friends using multimedia-rich content or instantly call them up on mobile from within the conversation. Other advanced features such as sending and receiving payments are also available. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindows PhoneDesktop web Visit Messenger 02 of 10 WhatsApp
Iain Masterton / Getty Images What We Like Send broadcast messages. Make audio and video calls. What We Don't Like No stickers or filters. Limits on file size. WhatsApp is another popular instant messaging service that allows users to chat back and forth with individuals and in groups. Acquired by Facebook for $19 million in February 2014, it lets anyone send unlimited text, photo, audio, and video messages to their friends freely and securely. Free video calls can also be made for face-to-face conversations. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindows PhoneNokiaMacWindows PC Visit Whatsapp 03 of 10 WeChat
What We Like Full-featured. Multiple communication options. What We Don't Like Outdated interface. Lack of privacy settings. WeChat promises free, crystal clear voice and video calls along with individual and group instant messaging. It also offers multimedia messaging, group chat and calls, sticker galleries, your own moments' photostream and so much more. The app's unique and convenient walkie-talkie mode lets you talk to up to 500 other friends with integrated real-time location sharing and up to nine people in video group calls. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindows PhoneWindows PCMacDesktop web Visit WeChat 04 of 10 Telegram
Carl Court / Getty Images What We Like Send and receive multiple media types. Encrypted calling. What We Don't Like Limited ability to pin chats. Fewer users than other instant messaging apps. Telegram is becoming a popular choice for those who want to connect from some of the most remote locations and ensure their data and privacy is kept super secure. You can chat with up to a thousand members in a group, send documents, store your media in the cloud, and so much more. According to its website, Telegram messages are encrypted and also self-destruct (similar to Snapchat) according to a timer you set up. It's known as an ideal alternative if speed and simplicity are what you're looking for. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindows PhoneWindows PCMacLinuxDesktop web Visit Telegram 05 of 10 LINE
Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images What We Like Nice variety of stickers. Voice calling availability. Follow popular accounts. What We Don't Like Slightly sloppy appearance. No video calling. Must download audio messages. LINE was once considered WhatsApp's biggest competitor, offering all the various features needed for instant messaging. You can send unlimited text, images, video, and audio messages—with options for making voice and video calls as well. It also has its very own built-in social networking feature that allows its users to post their day-to-day activities on their timeline and comment on friends' activities. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindows PhoneWindows PCMacGoogle Chrome Visit LINE 06 of 10 Viber
NurPhoto / Getty Images What We Like Nice selection of emoticons. Integrates contact list. What We Don't Like No call blocking option. No tablet support. Viber is another popular messaging app that rivals many of the other ones listed above, letting you send free unlimited text and photo messages to your friends all around the world. HD video calls can be made for free as well, and groups can have up to 250 participants. You can add fun stickers to your messages, hide chats you don't want to be visible, and even use the "damage control" feature to instantly delete messages you regret sending. Compatibility: iOSAndroidWindowsMacLinux Visit Viber 07 of 10 Google Hangouts
What We Like Intuitive and easy to use. Allows for collaboration. What We Don't Like Reportedly being phased out in 2020. Sharing screen impedes communication. Google may be known for its search engine and Gmail service, but it's got one of the simplest and most robust instant messaging apps too. With Google Hangouts, you can chat instantly either from your desktop or via your mobile device to send multimedia-rich messages. You can also hold video calls with individuals or groups of up to 100 people. Compatibility: iOSAndroidGoogle ChromeDesktop web Visit Google Hangouts 08 of 10 Kik
What We Like Multiple device types supported. User-friendly interface. What We Don't Like Strangers can contact you. Not designed for minors to use. Kik is another very popular free instant messaging app that lets you chat with others in a fun and easy way. Before Instagram had a private messaging feature of its own, most of its users actually included their Kik usernames in their bios as a way to get in touch. It's still a popular app today that offers convenient, multimedia-rich messaging for one-on-one and group conversations. You can even see when another user is typing back to you in real-time. Compatibility: iOSAndroid Visit Kik 09 of 10 Snapchat
Twinsterphoto / Shutterstock.com What We Like Ease of use. Only stores pictures temporarily. What We Don't Like Inability to reshare. Time limits on video length. Snapchat is a free app that lets you chat back and forth with individual friends and groups using disappearing photo or video messages. They can include optional text-based captions, filters, face lenses, geotags, emojis and more. After the recipient has opened the message and viewed it, it's automatically deleted. As a nice alternative to sending photo and video messages, you can start a text or video chat with any friend directly through the app for real-time communication. Compatibility: iOSAndroid Visit Snapchat 10 of 10 Instagram Direct
picjumbo What We Like Group messaging ability. Send videos and photos. What We Don't Like Better for visual interaction than conversations. No sense of urgency to respond. Most people use Instagram to share photos and videos while on the go, but Instagram Direct makes it easy and convenient to privately message individual followers or groups. Facebook Messenger has been integrated into Instagram Direct, so you can also direct message Facebook contacts from Instagram. Instagram Direct lets you send text messages or optional photo/video messages taken directly through the app that automatically disappear after they're viewed (similar to Snapchat). You can also view who has opened, liked, or commented on your Instagram Direct message in real-time. Compatibility: iOSAndroid Visit Instagram Direct Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Best Free Internet Phone Calls Apps (October 2022) Hottest Social App Trends for Teens Can You Get FaceTime for Windows and PCs? The 5 Best Message Apps for Android 10 Best Mobile Messaging Apps of 2022 How to Set up and Use the Google Duo Chat App What Is Google Chat? Can You Download FaceTime For Android? How to Message on Tinder How to Message Someone on TikTok How to Use Skype in Your Browser How to Start a Chat Session in Gmail The 8 Best Facebook Alternatives in 2022 The 8 Best Free Skype Alternatives of 2022 The 10 Best Ways to Watch Movies With Friends Online How to Tell When Someone Reads Your Text Message Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies