Bolt Messaging AlternativesInstant Messengers and other similar apps like Bolt Messaging
Bolt was an instant messaging app for iPhone that let users see what people were typing as they typed it. An innovative concept to be sure, but one that was short lived: The app has been seemingly discontinued, with its App Store entry no longer available and all signs of its development seemingly scrapped from the Internet.
Though Bolt's innovative concept of being able to see what people are typing as they type it has not been replicated in today's crowded messaging landscape, there are many instant messaging service alternatives with the next best thing: typing indicators that show when someone you're chatting with is responding or leaving a message.
Bolt Messaging alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers but may also be Group Chat Apps or Encrypted Chat Apps. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Bolt Messaging.- Free • Open Source
- Instant Messenger
- Encrypted Chat App
- Group Chat App
209 Signal alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- iPhone
- iPad
- Flathub
- Ubuntu
- Debian
Signal is a messaging app with an unexpected focus on privacy, combined with all the features expected from a modern IM app. Signal has received a lot of praise from all around the world for its security and privacy-respecting technologies.
- - Signal is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Bolt Messaging.
- - Signal is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Bolt Messaging.
Signal Features
- Freemium • Proprietary
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
- Encrypted Chat App
272 Telegram alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- HUAWEI AppGallery
- Windows Phone
- iPad
- Apple Watch
- Linux Mobile
- Android Wear
- PortableApps.com
- FreeBSD
Telegram is a messaging app created by former VK creators with a focus on speed and security. It’s superfast, simple and free. It is like SMS, but more powerful.
- - Telegram is the most popular Web-based & Android Tablet alternative to Bolt Messaging.
Telegram Features
- Freemium • Open Source
- Group Chat App
- Instant Messenger
- Encrypted Chat App
276 Element alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
- Matrix.org
- Flathub
- F-Droid
- Cloudron
Element is a secure collaboration and messaging app based on the Matrix protocol. It’s decentralised to deliver digital sovereignty, and based on an open standard for easy connections and interoperability. It is end-to-end encrypted by default.
- - Element is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Bolt Messaging.
Element Features
- Free • Open Source
- Instant Messenger
- Encrypted Chat App
- Group Chat App
193 Tox alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- F-Droid
With the rise of widespread government monitoring programs, Tox is an easy to use application that allows you to connect with friends and loved ones without anyone else listening in.
Tox Features
- Free • Proprietary
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
- Encrypted Chat App
251 WhatsApp alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Wear
WhatsApp is an iPhone and Android messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS.
WhatsApp Features
- Free Personal • Open Source
- Group Chat App
- Instant Messenger
- Encrypted Chat App
223 Zulip alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
Zulip is the only modern team chat app that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip topics create a separate space for each discussion, so different conversations will never get in each other's way.
Zulip Features
- Freemium • Proprietary
- Group Chat App
- Video Calling App
- Instant Messenger
173 Viber alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- HUAWEI AppGallery
- iPad
- Apple Watch
With Viber, everyone in the world can connect. Freely. More than 460 million Viber users text, make HD-quality phone and video calls, and send photo and video messages worldwide over WiFi or 3G - for free.
Viber Features
- Free • Open Source
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
- Encrypted Chat App
148 Conversations alternatives- Android
- Android Tablet
- F-Droid
Conversations is a privacy focused, open source XMPP Texting [Jabber] client for Android 4.0+ smart phones with wife-approved easy encryption [OTR, OMEMO, or GPG].
Conversations Features
Empathy is a messaging program which supports text, voice, video chat, and file transfers over many different protocols. You can tell it about your accounts on all those services and do all your chatting within one application.
Empathy Features
DiscontinuedEmpathy is currently unmaintained. Last version, 3.25, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website.
- Freemium • Proprietary
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
- Video Calling App
130 imo alternatives- Mac
- Windows
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- HUAWEI AppGallery
- iPad
Imo is a free, simple,secure and faster international video call & instant messaging app.
- Free • Proprietary
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
- Encrypted Chat App
208 Telegram X alternatives- Android
- Android Tablet
- Telegram
An alternative Telegram client based on TDLib, with higher speed, slicker animations and experimental features.
Telegram X Features
Open source Jabber (XMPP) client with multi-account support, clean and simple interface. Being both free (as in freedom!) and ad-free, Xabber is designed to be the best Jabber client for Android .
Xabber Features
DiscontinuedThe project seems no longer developed since 2019. Last version, 2.6.6, released in October 2019, can be still downloaded from F-Droid, it's no longer available on Google Play Store