Facebook Messenger icon
Facebook Messenger icon

Facebook Messenger

 230 likes

Provides comprehensive communication features including group video calls, voice calls, fast messaging, photo sharing, and location mapping. Access through mobile and web platforms with real-time notifications, ensuring seamless interactions using multimedia tools.

Facebook Messenger screenshot 1
Facebook Messenger screenshot 2
+3
Facebook Messenger screenshot 3

License model

  • FreeProprietary

Platforms

  • Windows
  • Online
  • Android
  • iPhone
  • Android Tablet
  • iPad
  • Android Wear
2.4 / 5 Avg rating (17)
230 likes
18comments

Features

Suggest and vote on features
  1.  VoiP Calls
  2.  Expiring Stories
  3.  Face Filter
  4.  Video Calling
  5.  Stickers
  6.  Messages
  7.  Text messaging
  8.  In-app Money Transfer
  9.  Private messaging

Facebook Messenger News & Activities

Highlights All activities

Recent News

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Recent activities

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Comments and Reviews

   
 Post comment/review
Comment summary: Users express mixed feelings about Facebook Messenger. Positive comments highlight its widespread use among friends and ease of communication. Negative feedback focuses on privacy concerns, such as contact list uploads, and the app's battery consumption. Several users are frustrated by the enforced use of the app for messaging, while others criticize the absence of a Linux client and wish for read receipts control.
TerrifiedTyphlosion
  
Top negative commentNov 8, 2018

I hope no one forgot how Facebook virtually enforced this application upon mobile Facebook users. No amount of complaining and backlash would make them change their minds. I remember when the application had 1 star on the App Store. That was 2? 3? years ago. I checked it just now, and it's at a whopping 4.5 stars. Have we become complacent? I don't know if Facebook ever reversed that decision to enforce using Messenger on mobile.

For what it's worth, Messenger does have pretty good performance when using the application. There might have been a few bugs here and there, but I don't recall anything that severely destroyed the usability of this application. (After reading some other reviews on the App Store, it appears I may have been lucky with my experience; others had lots of issues.)

Now, the battery usage...oh, boy, the battery usage. I never realized just how much battery it was using in the background until I uninstalled it recently. My phone went from going down to 50% in a day without any usage to 90% in a day without any usage. We can see how much Messenger is pinging the servers to check for new messages. It's a real battery drain.

And remember, it's Facebook we're talking about here. They want your data, and desperately so. It's how they make most of their money. I'm glad I never connected my phone number to Messenger; Facebook would have made off with all my contacts. Well, who knows. They might even have it now, without my consent. Can't prove or disprove it, since the app is proprietary.

It bothers me how many people use Messenger because "everyone else is using it", and that includes my own circle of friends. Virtually all of them have a Facebook account. Speaking to a few of them revealed that some simply didn't care about their privacy. I don't like to say this, but Messenger may well be a manifestation of the ignorance and uncaring attitude of people with regards to technology: "if it works, I am happy. No need to worry about what's going on below what I can see."

So, to summarize:

PROS:

  • Decent performance

CONS:

  • Huge battery drain
  • Privacy issues because Facebook
  • (as far as I know) enforced usage of the application if you want to chat with others on mobile
12
Duncan Briggs
CommentDec 28, 2023

"As of early as September 28, 2023, SMS messages will no longer be available when you update your Messenger app."

https://www.messenger.com/help/442105343709195

1
inson1
  
Negative comment
Pending approval • Edited Mar 2, 2024

close source and from facebook = cant be trusted

1
Michael679089
  
Negative commentJun 28, 2023

I like Facebook Messenger because most of my friends are there (which sucks, I'll rather use Telegram but Telegram can be distracting with so many communities to join and also pornography is prevalent in Telegram).

The thing I don't like about this is that there is no official Linux client unlike Telegram which has a Linux client.

0
joneslip2020
CommentMar 2, 2022

i can talk to peole

-1
Thomas Turbide
  
Negative commentMar 15, 2021

Just getting poorer and poorer in features ...

0
Oliver James
  
Negative commentSep 9, 2019

I do not like. There are much more convenient messengers

1 reply
tuva-hayabi

And which do you recommend?

Reply written Oct 22, 2020

If this reply contains spam or other abuse, notify admins about it.
3
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7 of 18 comments

What is Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger is a faster way to message. Reach friends right on their phones, get and send messages fast, message everyone at once and more.

Top Features: • Message friends, groups of friends or anyone in your mobile contacts • Map your location, find your friends and make plans on the go • Get mobile notifications so you never miss a message • Include photos so friends can see what you're doing

Official Links

Facebook Messenger information

  • Developed by

    Meta Platforms, Inc.
  • Licensing

    Proprietary and Free product.
  • Rating

    Average rating of 2.4 (17 ratings)
  • Alternatives

    203 alternatives listed
  • News

    25 news article related to Facebook Messenger
  • Supported Languages

    • English
    • Croatian
    • Czech
    • Danish
    • Dutch
    • Finnish
    • French
    • German
    • Greek
    • Hungarian
    • Indonesian
    • Italian
    • Japanese
    • Korean
    • Malay
    • Norwegian Bokmål
    • Polish
    • Portuguese
    • Russian
    • Chinese
    • Slovak
    • Spanish
    • Swedish
    • Thai
    • Turkish
    • Vietnamese

AlternativeTo Categories

Social & CommunicationsPhotos & Graphics

Apple AppStore

  •   Updated Jan 22, 2025
  •   4.58 avg rating
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Our users have written 18 comments and reviews about Facebook Messenger, and it has gotten 230 likes

Facebook Messenger was added to AlternativeTo by kirilladronov on Aug 10, 2011 and this page was last updated Nov 28, 2024.