Facebook Messenger Alternatives and Similar Software

Facebook Messenger is a fast and ubiquitous way to message. With the ability to message cross-platform to anyone using Messenger on the web, iOS, Android, Windows, and any other support operating system, it is understandably a popular way to message everyone at once.

That said, there are alternatives to Messenger that are also popular and provide additional security in the form of end-to-end encryption. This is especially helpful and important to securing the contents of your messages to friends, family, and other contacts, ensuring peace of mind for everyone involved.

At the end of the day, though, Facebook is one of the biggest forces on the Internet. It can seem daunting or pointless to try and find ways against using services from a company that seems to be everywhere you look, but AlternativeTo has you covered with a hand-made curated list of apps and services you can use to live without Facebook or any of its services, including Messenger.

The list of alternatives was last updated: 8/30/2019 12:34:00 PM

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Alternatives to Facebook Messenger for all platforms with any license

Telegram

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. You can send messages, photos and videos to people who are in your phone contacts (and have Telegram). You can also create groups for up to 20000 people or channels for unlimited subscribers. Your chats are not encrypted by default, which enables other people to see what you are writing.
- backed by a non profit (compared to fb's reliance on ad dollars) brandonc • Oct 2017 • 2 agrees and 3 disagrees
Free Mac Windows Linux Web Windows Mobile ... Android iPhone Blackberry Android Tablet BSD Windows Phone iPad Apple Watch Android Wear PortableApps.com Haiku FreeBSD
Stickers Lightweight Chat Bot Cloud sync ... Encrypted chat Apps with End-to-End Encryption Integrated File Sharing Channels Group chat Public groups chat Secret chats Security focused Voice Call Ad-free Data-encryption Multi Device Support Persistent History Portable Privacy focused Large File Transfer Anonymous groups Anonymous Secure Filesharing Built-in Photo editor Chat Sync Contacts Custom Backgrounds Encrypted calls Encrypted VoIP calls File transfer Free Speech GPS Location Tracking IFTTT integration In-Game Overlay Integrated File Sharing Messages in cloud Multiple languages Multiple Account support Works Offline Based on phone number Photo Sharing Private Chat Progressive Web App Push to talk Search by tags Self destructing messages Share Videos Switching between platform Sync across Devices Support for Themes Two factor authentication Video calling Voice messages Add a feature

1289 Like
Signal

TextSecure and RedPhone have been merged to create Signal! Using Signal, you can communicate instantly while avoiding SMS fees, create groups so that you can chat in real time with all your friends at once, and share media or attachments all with complete privacy. The server never has access to any of your communication and never stores any of your data. * Say Anything - Send high-quality group, text, picture, and video messages, all without SMS and MMS fees.
- It's the most secure messaging app out there. Unlike messenger it doesn't rely on personal tracking and ad funding, but is backed by a non-profit. Guest • Feb 2018 • 6 agrees and 0 disagrees
- It's the only one which is completely secure. Guest • Feb 2018 • 2 agrees and 1 disagrees
Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Android iPhone ... Android Tablet iPad Chrome Ubuntu Touch
Apps with End-to-End Encryption Encrypted chat Security focused Open Source apps ... Video calling Encrypted calls Encrypted Connection Privacy-friendly Self destructing messages Video calling Voice Call Chat Client side encryption Color coding Electron based Encrypted VoIP calls Forward Secrecy Group chat Group Messaging Integrated File Sharing Mobile friendly Night mode/Dark Theme Works Offline Protected by Password Based on phone number Privacy focused Private messaging File Sending Voice messages Add a feature

486 Like
Skype

Skype is the most popular free voice-over IP and instant messaging service globally. It allows users to text, video and voice call over the internet. Users can also call landlines and mobiles at competitive rates using Skype credit, premium accounts and subscriptions. Features: · Find all of your friends and family in an instant - search for friends, groups, conversations or new contacts on Skype.

Freemium Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone Blackberry Chrome OS Windows S Android Tablet BSD Windows Phone iPad Apple Watch Android Wear PortableApps.com
Share your screen Video calling Video calling Chat ... Exchange Integration Group Messaging IFTTT integration Microsoft Office integration Video calling Voice Call Add a feature

2464 Like
WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

Free Mac Windows Web Android iPhone ... Windows Phone Android Wear
Apps with End-to-End Encryption Chat Encrypted chat Group chat ... Integrated File Sharing Java IDE Mobile friendly Based on phone number Video calling Voice messages Add a feature

700 Like
Tox

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 is built with the idea that you can keep up with friends and family without having your privacy violated. While other big-name services require you to pay to unlock features, Tox is free in both price, and in liberty. That is, you’re free to do whatever you wish with Tox.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Android iPhone ... Android Tablet BSD
Decentralized Encrypted chat Peer-To-Peer Privacy focused ... Built-in player Apps with End-to-End Encryption Share your screen Security focused Video calling Ad-free Anonymity Anonymous Secure Filesharing Client side encryption Decentralisation Group chat Peer-To-Peer Point-to-point encryption Video calling Voice Call Add a feature

412 Like
Riot.im

Riot (formerly Vector) is an opensource interoperable app running on Web, iOS and Android. It is built around chat rooms, both public and private and provides messaging, filesharing, voice and video conferencing (beta on Android and web), integrations to tools like GitHub, Jira, Jenkins and much more soon. Vector is built on the Matrix.org open standard which provides bridges to other systems such as Slack, IRC and a lot more soon.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone Android Tablet iPad Self-Hosted Chrome Safari F-Droid Firefox
Decentralized Apps with End-to-End Encryption Voice Call Federated ... Group chat Matrix.org protocol Video calling Clean design Community based Custom widgets Direct Messaging DRM Free Encrypted chat GitHub integration Group collaboration Integrated File Sharing MarkDown support Mobile friendly File Sending Server Moderation Server side history Slack integration Team Collaboration Video calling Web Integaration Add a feature

242 Like
Hangouts

Hangouts is a messaging app that lets you send and receive messages, photos and more, and even start free video and voice calls – one to one or with a group! "Hangouts" are places used to facilitate group video chat (with a maximum of 10 people participating in a single Hangout at any point in time). Within the 10 person limit participants may use voice only phones to dial in to the hangout instead of the desktop or mobile video chat feature.

Free Windows Web Android iPhone Chrome OS ... Android Tablet iPad Chrome Android Wear
Video calling Gmail integration Group chat Multi Device Support ... Share your screen Supports archiving conversations Voice Call Voice messages WebRTC Add a feature

983 Like
Wire

Wire is the most secure collaboration platform featuring messenger, voice, video, conference calls, file-sharing, and external collaboration –all protected by the most secure end-to-end-encryption.
- It supports multiple apps, and has rich chat features and group chats Guest • Mar 2018 • 0 agrees and 3 disagrees
Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone Android Tablet iPad Software as a Service (SaaS)
Apps with End-to-End Encryption Security focused Encrypted chat Video calling ... Voice Call Encrypted calls Group chat Open Source apps Share your screen Anonymity Encryption Integrated File Sharing Multiple Account support Photo Sharing Privacy focused Privacy Protected Private Chat Secure File Sharing File Sending Video calling Voice messages WebRTC Add a feature

221 Like
Jitsi

Jitsi (previously SIP Communicator) is an audio/video and chat communicator with full end-to-end encryption that supports protocols such as SIP, XMPP/Jabber, ICQ/AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo!, GTalk/Hangouts extensions, as well as OTR, ZRTP, etc. It can handle every firewall, and has many other useful features. Jitsi is completely open source / free software, and is freely available under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone BSD iPad
Chat Apps with End-to-End Encryption Group chat iPhone/iPod sync ... Support for Multiple protocols Multiple Account support OTR Plugins Video calling WebRTC Add a feature

299 Like
Rambox

Free, open source and cross platform messaging and emailing app that combines common web applications into one.
- Rambox doesn't provide any chat services itself, it only wraps other services (including Facebook Messenger) in a nice UI. Guest • Mar 2018 • 3 agrees and 0 disagrees
Freemium $ $ $ Open Source Mac Windows Linux
Support for Multiple protocols Web application wrapper Built-in themes Configurable ... JavaScript Rendering Multi Channel Multiple Account support Portable Publish on LinkedIn Skype integration Slack integration Add a feature

96 Like
Viber

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 Out can be used to make calls to non-Viber landlines and mobile numbers at low rates. Viber is available for many smartphones and platforms. On Viber, your phone number is your ID. The app syncs with your mobile contact list, automatically detecting which of your contacts have Viber.

Freemium Mac Windows Linux Android iPhone ... Windows S Android Tablet Windows Phone iPad Blackberry 10 Apple Watch
Call Transfer Group chat Hidden chat Multiple languages ... Push to talk Secret chats Video calling Voice Call Add a feature

313 Like
Franz

Franz is a free messaging app / former Emperor of Austria and combines chat & messaging services into one application. Franz currently supports Slack, WhatsApp, WeChat, HipChat, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Google Hangouts, GroupMe, Skype and many more. You can download Franz for Mac, Windows & Linux. An account is required to use the application.
- Franz is a wrapper around multiple chat apps, including Facecbook Messenger. It doesn't provide a chat service itself. Guest • Mar 2018 • 2 agrees and 0 disagrees
Freemium $ $ $ Open Source Mac Windows Linux
Support for Multiple protocols Unified messaging Gitter integration Gmail integration ... iPhone/iPod sync Lightweight wrapper Multiple Account support Slack client Slack integration Web application wrapper Whatsapp integration Add a feature

101 Like
Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet lets you stay in touch with all your teams, be they family, friends, or colleagues. Instant video conferences, efficiently adapting to your scale.

Free Open Source Web Android iPhone Android Tablet iPad
Browser based No registration required WebRTC Audio Calling ... Collaborative writing Conference Bridging Encrypted chat Apps with End-to-End Encryption Group chat Live Broadcasting Live editing Peer-To-Peer Share your screen Video calling Add a feature

50 Like
Conversations

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]. [Note] **You can download the compiled apk for free from F-Droid**: https://f-droid.org/repository/browse%20/?fdid=eu.siacs.conversations or - you can buy Conversations in the Google Play Store - if you are a software developer, you can check out the sources from GitHub and use https://alternativeto .
- Has End-to-End encryption by default. Is decentral/federated so not to block or shutdown. Guest • Apr 2018 • 1 agrees and 0 disagrees
Free Open Source Android Android Tablet
Decentralized Apps with End-to-End Encryption Encrypted chat Picture sharing ... Encrypted Connection Chat Bot Gpg encryption Group chat Group Messaging OTR Self destructing messages Chat Federated Intuitive Interface OMEMO Open Source apps Public groups chat Add a feature

67 Like
Zulip

Zulip is a group chat app. Its most distinctive characteristic is that messages are threaded by topic, helping you have long-running, organized conversations. Zulip's threading makes it easy for people not always on chat (like managers, remote team members, contractors, part-time workers, etc) to weigh in on questions and decisions, and for people in different timezones to effectively communicate.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone Android Tablet BSD Self-Hosted
Threaded Conversations Group collaboration Chat Bot Community based ... GitHub integration Group chat Integrated File Sharing Live topics MarkDown support Team Collaboration Add a feature

139 Like
Trillian

Trillian is an instant messaging app that works on phones, tablets, and desktops while keeping your chats neatly synchronized between all of them! We think conversation should be easily shared between all of your devices, not trapped as text messages on your phone. Here's how we do it: • INSTANT MESSAGING: Your unique Trillian username can be used to send unlimited messages free of charge. Trillian uses your existing data plan and/or WiFi.

Freemium Mac Windows Linux Web Android ... iPhone Blackberry iPad
Chat Facebook integration Support for Multiple protocols POP3 Support ... Team Collaboration Add a feature

272 Like
LINE

LINE is a Japanese proprietary application for instant messaging on smartphones and PCs. Line users exchange text messages, graphics, video and audio media, make free VoIP calls, and hold free audio or video conferences.

Freemium Mac Windows Web Android iPhone ... Blackberry Android Tablet Windows Phone iPad Apple Watch
Stickers Group chat IFTTT integration Public groups chat ... Video calling Voice Call Add a feature

98 Like
Adium

Adium is a free and open source instant messaging application for Mac OS X, written using Mac OS Xs Cocoa API, released under the GNU GPL and developed by the Adium team. Based on the libpurple protocol library, Adium can connect you to any number of messaging accounts on any combination of supported messaging services and then chat with other people using those services.

Free Open Source Mac
Chat Customizable Multiple languages Support for Multiple protocols ... OTR Supports XMPP Tabbed interface Support for Themes Add a feature

332 Like
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Miranda IM

Miranda IM is the smaller, faster, easier instant messenger with support for multiple protocols. Designed from the ground-up to be resource efficient while still providing a rich feature set, Miranda includes support for AIM, Jabber, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo, Gadu-Gadu and more. Additionally, with the choice of hundreds of plugins, icons, sounds and other content.

Free Open Source Windows PortableApps.com
Chat Support for Multiple protocols Portable Add a feature

226 Like
WeChat

WeChat is a complete mobile communication and private social networking app. Free, cross-platform, and full-featured, WeChat is the best way to keep in touch with everyone you care about. Features WECHAT OUT CALLS: Make calls to landlines and mobile around the globe at low rates (in certain regions only). • MULTIMEDIA MESSAGING: Send video, image, text, and voice messages. • GROUP CHAT & CALLS: Create group chats with up to 500 people and group video calls up to 9 people.

Freemium Mac Windows Android iPhone Blackberry ... Windows S Android Tablet Windows Phone iPad Apple Watch
Chat Sync Contacts Gaming Group chat ... In-app Money Transfer Multiple languages Based on phone number Photo Sharing Stickers Talk radio Video calling Voice messages Add a feature

77 Like
ICQ

ICQ is one of the oldest instant messengers. First developed by the Israeli company Mirabilis, sold to AOL, sold again and currenly owned by the Russian "mail.ru" group (known for one of the largest social networks). ICQ has been redesigned and is totally different from the "old ICQ". It's available for almost every platform: Web, Desktop, Mobile and even via WAP.

Free Mac Windows Linux Web Windows Mobile ... Android iPhone Java Mobile S60 Blackberry Android Tablet Windows Phone iPad Kindle Fire
Chat Web-Based Add a feature

66 Like
Imo

Message and video chat with your friends and family for free. Features - Make high-quality video and voice calls on Android and iPhone - Send unlimited messages and make free video and voice calls over your 2G, 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi connection - Group video calls with friends, family, roommates and others - Share photos and videos - Express yourself with hundreds of free stickers! - Encrypted chats and calls - Avoid SMS and phone call charges

Free Windows Android iPhone Android Tablet iPad
Push to talk Video calling Voice Call Voice messages Add a feature

209 Like
Empathy

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 uses Telepathy for protocol support and has a user interface based on Gossip. Empathy is the default chat client in current versions of GNOME, making it easier for other GNOME applications to integrate collaboration functionality using Telepathy.
- Discontinued Empathy is currently unmaintained. Last version, 3.25, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website.
Free Open Source Linux BSD
Chat Integrated File Sharing Support for Multiple protocols Video calling Add a feature

153 Like
FaceTime

FaceTime is a video calling software feature developed by Apple for the iOS and Mac OS. FaceTime makes it possible to talk, smile, wave, and laugh with anyone on an iDevice or Mac over Wi-Fi. So you can catch up, hang out, joke around, and stay in touch with just a click. Sure, it’s great to hear a voice. But it’s even better to see the face that goes with it.

Free Mac iPhone iPad
Video calling Integrated into iOS Video calling Add a feature

72 Like
Digsby

Digsby is a multiprotocol IM client that lets you chat with all your friends on AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Google Talk, and Jabber with one simple to manage buddy list. Its also a social networking tool that alerts you of events like new messages and gives you a live Newsfeed of what your friends are up to on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more.
- Discontinued The application is not developed actively anymore. The source code has been made open for the community to take over but that didn't make any impact: https://github.com/ifwe/digsby | https://web.archive.org/web/20121205002331/http://blog.digsby.com/archives/1969/
Free Open Source Windows
Chat Support for Multiple protocols Add a feature

220 Like