5 best mobile messaging apps of 2024

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. Apart from social media, gaming, and content consumption, connectivity remains a key factor in owning a phone. This is because smartphones help you stay connected with your family, friends, and loved ones as well as collaborating with colleagues. Additionally, they have also become a great way for businesses to connect with their customers. 

ALSO READ: RCS vs SMS messages: What is the difference?

Irrespective of where you are in the world, mobile messaging apps are often convenient and a superior alternative to emails and calls. They have become essential communication tools. With modern smartphones, age-old text messaging has been replaced by messaging apps that rely on the internet instead of phone reception. Also, these apps offer many features and the ability to share files, unlike SMS.

5 best mobile messaging apps of 2024

With a plethora of messaging apps available, it is hard to choose the right one. Also, the one you like should also be used by the person you want to message. This is where regular apps like iMessage, Google Messages, and SMS come in handy despite their limitations. Beyond those, there are too many ways to communicate in 2024. The good news is you need not be on every messaging app. We have curated a list of five that you can consider being on.

1. WhatsApp

2. Telegram

3. Messenger

4. Signal

5. Viber

1. WhatsApp

WhatsApp has been the most popular instant messaging platform ever since it was launched in 2009. It is free to use and available on Android, iOS, web, and Windows. Conversations on the messaging app are fully encrypted. The app supports text chats, large groups, video and audio calls, sharing media files and large documents. 

ALSO READ: 10 best WhatsApp features that made messaging easier

The messaging service gets frequent updates with new features such as multi-device compatibility, communities, and more. WhatsApp pretty much ticks every box, be it for regular or business users.

2. Telegram

Security is where Telegram one-ups WhatsApp. Hence, if you’re paranoid about shared data getting leaked, this is a messaging platform you should consider. It boasts robust security with features like secret chat and a self-destruct timer for texts. Telegram too lets you share media files. Users can even create groups with 200,000 participants or channels with unlimited subscribers to broadcast one-way messages to a large audience.

3. Messenger

Messenger is a platform from Meta (formerly Facebook). Notably, you do not need to have a Facebook account and it can be accessed by signing up with a mobile number. Users can talk to anyone using the service since it’s integrated with Meta. This means reaching out to an old friend, accessing a business page, and more. Messenger offers all the basic features like texting, voice messages, and photo and video sharing. 

There’s a drawback to using Messenger. Meta does not offer end-to-end encryption for chats. Users can still opt for Secret Conversation but it’s cumbersome to enable for every person you chat with.

4. Signal

Signal has a very minimalistic UI. The messaging app is focused on privacy and security. Alongside chatting, there is voice and video calling too. The conversations are secured by end-to-end encryption. Additionally, there are disappearing messages that let you set expiry dates after which they become unrecoverable.

5. Viber

Viber is a good all-around free messaging app. It is known for high-quality audio and video calls. It offers the same core functionalities as other messaging apps like group chats with 250 participants, stickers, and location sharing. You can also join large public group chats with strangers. It also offers a $5.99 per month Viber Out plan that lets users call any mobile or landline in the world. 

The choice of messaging app that one requires entirely depends on their preferences and whether their peers and family members use the same platform. The core features across all apps remain the same, and they keep getting updates with new features from time to time.