Slowly but surely, the world is moving away from SMS and MMS as the default way to text message people. It started years ago with apps like AOL Instant Messenger and has evolved into a plethora of options that all work really well. Which messenger apps are the best? In this list, we’ll explore the best messenger apps for Android.
- Here are even more SMS replacement apps for Android!
- Still want to text? Here are the best SMS apps!
BBM (BlackBerry Messenger)
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
BlackBerry Messenger was all but dead a couple of years ago until the company revived it on Android. It has since gained a small, but loyal following and the application itself isn’t half bad. It features an always-on premise that keeps the app loaded into memory at all times. You can also use BlackBerry Voice for calling and the file sharing has been expanded to files, documents, and voice notes on top of the usual photos and images. It’s one of the better, more solid messenger apps and it’s worth a shot.
Get it now on Google Play!
Facebook Messenger
[Price: Free]
Facebook Messenger, despite its flaws, is one of the most popular messaging apps ever. What makes this one so hard to walk away from is that a billion people use Facebook and all Facebook users inherently have Facebook Messenger. That means most people you know can already use this app with no setup required. Aside from the total convenience, you have the ability to place free voice calls, use stickers and emojis, and Facebook is slowly integrating more features over time. It’s a solid app, even if it does lack customization or any real settings.
Get it now on Google Play!
Google Hangouts
[Price: Free]
The good thing about Google Hangouts is that most people who use Android, Gmail, or Google+ already have Google Hangouts. That gives it a fairly substantial user base which makes convincing your friends to use it easier than most other platforms. Hangouts itself is a fairly stable and decent service that includes messaging, free voice calling, free video chatting, and even the ability to put your SMS conversations there (for the time being). There are also emojis, stickers, and you can share things like gifs and even your location.
Get it now on Google Play!
Kik
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Kik Messenger is one of the more popular messaging apps that lets you use a username instead of your real name. That makes it a popular option for those who like to socialize without giving up their identity and especially good for gamers (many Clash of Clans players use Kik to communicate outside of the game). It includes stickers and emojis along with group chats and you can share images, videos, gifs, and even play games. It’s all wrapped up in some very good looking Material Design and it’s even somewhat customizable.
Get it now on Google Play!
LINE
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
LINE is one of the most popular messaging services in the world with over 100 million downloads. It’s also a pretty decent messaging app. Recent updates have brought it in line with Material Design guidelines which means it also looks pretty good. In terms of pure features, LINE remains simple. There are emojis and stickers with users being able to augment that by sharing photos and videos. There is also a social media aspect where you can keep a Timeline so people know what you’re doing if you want them to know.
Get it now on Google Play!
See also: 15 best Android apps of 2016102
Signal Private Messenger
[Price: Free]
Of course, we didn’t forget about those who may want something a little more secure, private, and keeps its users away from the prying eyes of various governments. Signal Private Messenger gained fame in 2015 when Edward Snowden, noted whistleblower, endorsed the app as one he actually used. It uses Material Design which gives it an attractive, modern design. You can also have group messages, free voice calls, and you can share images. It’s also entirely open source and free to use.
Get it now on Google Play!
Skype
[Price: Free]
Skype is Microsoft’s service and it’s known around the world as one of the best messenger apps ever. Even though it’s known for its video and voice chatting capabilities, Skype can also be used as a messaging service and it’s actually quite robust. You can send various files, including documents and videos if you so choose. There is also individual conversations, group conversations, animated emojis, and you can even port in contacts from Facebook if you need to. It’s a solid service with cross-platform support and it’s completely free to use (with other Skype users).
Get it now on Google Play!
Viber
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Viber has quietly become one of the premiere messenger apps in the world and it currently boasts more than 660 million active users. As a messaging service, it’s rather run of the mill, with the standard group chats, emojis, and stickers. You can also make free calls to other Viber users free of charge. The service also features games, the ability to delete messages after they’ve been sent, and there is even Android Wear and cross-platform support for PC users.
Get it now on Google Play!
WeChat
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
WeChat is another service that has quietly gained a lot of steam with over 100 million installs to date. WeChat allows for your standard messaging and group messaging along with photo sharing, stickers, and emojis like everyone else. It also offers voice calls and video calls at no extra cost to other WeChat users. There are also games you can play and you can meet new people using the Friend Radar feature. It’s also certified by TRUSTe which gives it a pretty good boasting for privacy.
Get it now on Google Play!
WhatsApp
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Last and certainly not least is the Facebook-owned WhatsApp. The iconic and intensely popular messaging app is one of the few apps in history that can boast more than one billion downloads and is among the most popular services of all time. Using this service, you can chat as well as group chat with pretty much anyone. It features Material Design which is always a good decision. WhatsApp developers have been slowly adding in all kinds of features over the last couple of years and it’s momentum only seems to be growing.
Get it now on Google Play!
Related best app lists:
If we missed any great messenger apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.
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