The Best Hangouts AlternativesTop Instant Messengers & Video Calling Apps like Hangouts

Hangouts is described as '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!' and is a leading instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Hangouts for a variety of platforms, including Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and iPad apps. The best Hangouts alternative is Signal, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Hangouts are Telegram, Element, Discord and Pidgin.

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Hangouts is a messaging app that lets you send and receive messages, photos and more, and even start free video and voice...

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Hangouts alternatives page was last updated Sep 6, 2022
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  1. Signal icon

    Signal

     1275 likes
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    An open-source messaging app emphasizing privacy with encrypted communication. Share texts, calls, photos, and videos without ads or trackers, available across major platforms. Developed by Signal Technology Foundation and praised globally for security measures.

    219 Signal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Ubuntu
    • Debian
    Signal screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Encrypted Chat
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Video Calling
    5.  Self Destructing Messages
    6.  Private messaging
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Encrypted Connection
    9.  Mobile friendly
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Desktop Application
    12.  Secure Chat

    Signal VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Signal as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Most Recent Comment
    Goldmaster
    Positive •Jun 30, 2022
    1

    Far better, with a much simpler interface and usage. With a focus on speed, privacy and security. This should be on everyone's phone.

    Guest
    Positive •May 5, 2017
    8

    Easy security for beginners, multi-platform, current development, doesn't restrict communications to insecure recipients, obvious visual indicators that you are communicating secure or non-secure.

    Guest
    Negative •Mar 29, 2019
    3

    No web interface

    (Otherwise, the service is great.)

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    3 of 4 comments
    Hangouts Icon
    Signal icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Signal is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Signal is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Hangouts.

    • Signal is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Hangouts.

    • Signal is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Signal is Privacy focused and Security-focusedHangouts is not according to our users
  2. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2049 likes
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    Maximize your messaging experience with efficient communication, speedy delivery, and optional end-to-end encrypted Secret Chats. Engage in unlimited channels and groups up to 200,000 members. Enhance chat management and media sharing with Telegram Premium and its exclusive benefits. All core features remain free.

    295 Telegram alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Auto
    • Linux Mobile
    • Android Wear
    • PortableApps.com
    • FreeBSD
    • Apple Car Play
    Telegram Desktop

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  Stickers
    3.  Chat Bot
    4.  Large File Transfer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Video Calling
    8.  Multi Device Support
    9.  Channels
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Bots
    12.  Secret chats

    Telegram VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Telegram as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Aug 10, 2017
    15

    Smooth, clear, and encrypted messaging and voice calling.

    Guest
    Positive •Apr 12, 2020
    1

    Support audio and video conversation, fast and secure.

    phill richards
    Positive •May 15, 2020
    1

    Supports large audio files, does not compress photos when sending

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    3 of 4 comments
    Hangouts Icon
    Telegram icon

    • Most users think Telegram is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Telegram is the most popular Web-based & Android Tablet alternative to Hangouts.

    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Telegram is Lightweight and Privacy focusedHangouts is not according to our users
  4. Element icon

    Element

     718 likes
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    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    301 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Federated
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Encrypted Chat
    6.  Video Calling
    7.  Matrix Protocol
    8.  Voice Chat
    9.  Direct Messaging
    10.  Federation
    11.  Cross-Platform
    12.  Dark Mode

    Element VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Element as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Guest
    Positive •Dec 24, 2020
    2

    its deep architecture makes it better than Hangouts and the other security-focused alternatives too.

    Guest
    Positive •Jan 20, 2018
    2

    Supports all Hangouts features, as well as encrypted conversations. Respects your privacy, and you don't need an email address to sign up.

    Hangouts Icon
    Element icon

    • Most users think Element is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Element is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Hangouts.

    • Element is Freemium and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedHangouts is not according to our users
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  6. Discord icon

    Discord

     1077 likes
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    An integrated platform for text and voice communications. Offers tailored channels for different topics, customizable moderation tools, low latency for fluency, and managed user roles for optimal community facilitation.

    187 Discord alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Discord screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Gaming-focused

    Features

    1.  Screen Sharing
    2.  VoiP Calls
    3.  Video Calling
    4.  Multi Channel
    5.  Text chat
    6.  Bots
    7.  Voice Chat
    8.  Multiple Servers
    9.  Push to talk
    10.  Text to Speech
    11.  Two-factor Authentication
    12.  Dark Mode

    Discord VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Discord as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Nov 15, 2017
    3

    Discord is aimed at gaming. Gamers prefer this over alternatives like Hangouts and Skype.

    Most Recent Comment
    Alan Laiken
    Positive •Apr 10, 2019
    1

    A lot more feature-packed and fun to use, though I may be biased as a gamer.

    Guest
    Negative •Jan 17, 2019
    -7

    Doesn`t Have Video Chat Otherwise Great

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    3 of 5 comments
    Hangouts Icon
    Discord icon

    • Most users think Discord is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Discord is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
  7. Pidgin icon

    Pidgin

     1522 likes
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    Pidgin is a chat program which lets you log into accounts on multiple chat networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on XMPP and sitting in an IRC channel at the same time.

    122 Pidgin alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    Pidgin screenshot 1

    Top Pidgin Features

    1.  Support for Multiple protocols
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Supports XMPP
    4.  Multiple Account support
    5.  IRC
    6.  Portable
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  VoiP Calls
    10.  Multiple languages
    11.  Xmpp
    12.  Multiple chat protocols

    Pidgin VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Pidgin as an Alternative to Hangouts
    5247009
    Positive •May 7, 2017
    3

    Extremely integrated with countless other chat services, but no web service. You can add functionality through plugins, unlike all other alternatives.

    Gabriel Kaeppel
    Positive •Feb 11, 2019
    -1

    A bit basic but super easy to use.

    Hangouts Icon
    Pidgin icon

    • Most users think Pidgin is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Pidgin is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
  8. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     356 likes
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    Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.

    161 Matrix alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight
    4.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Federation
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Distributed
    6.  Spaces
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  VoiP Calls
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Support for @mentions
    12.  Support for MarkDown

    Matrix VS Hangouts

     
  10. Tox icon

    Tox

     551 likes
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    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.

    213 Tox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • F-Droid
    The Universal Tox Client. A Tox client that runs on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, FreeBSD & the web. Written in JS using React & React Native / electron.

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Peer-To-Peer
    4.  End-to-End Encryption
    5.  Multiplatform
    6.  No registration required
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  AES-256 Encryption
    9.  Screen Sharing
    10.  P2P Network
    11.  Secure Chat
    12.  Anonymous Secure Filesharing

    Tox VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Tox as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Guest
    Positive •Apr 19, 2017
    5
    • Encrypted text, voice and video chat
    • File and Desktop sharing
    • Emoji and markdown (basic support on qTox) support
    • Group chat
    • Open source (Protocol: https://github.com/irungentoo/toxcore)
    • Multiple cross-platform clients (mainly qTox, uTox)
    • No true offline messaging (decentralized by design)
    • Still in development (but fully usable; contribute bug reports by trying out)
    Hangouts Icon
    Tox icon

    • Most users think Tox is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Tox is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Tox is Decentralized, Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
  11. Slack icon

    Slack

     853 likes
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    Offers unified communication for teams with advanced real-time messaging, contextual features, versatile chat tools, and organized conversations in dedicated channels with integrated file sharing on Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile platforms for enhanced productivity.

    219 Slack alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Electron
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Slack screenshot 1

    Top Slack Features

    1.  Team Collaboration
    2.  Multi Channel
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    4.  Support for @mentions
    5.  Channels
    6.  Threaded Conversations
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  HIPAA Compliant
    9.  Reactions
    10.  Real time collaboration
    11. IFTTT icon  IFTTT Integration
    12.  VoiP Calls

    Slack VS Hangouts

     
    Comments about Slack as an Alternative to Hangouts
    Most Recent Comment
    Michael Chung
    Positive •Apr 29, 2019
    0

    Everything Hangouts has + integrations, seems to be their main competitive advantage.

    Stephen Barrow
    Positive •Nov 5, 2018
    -1

    Slack works great as a chat tool but it's much more than that, it's like a centralized notification hub for all other tools.

    Allison Corrigan
    Positive •Nov 8, 2018
    -2

    Surprised not to see it at the top of the list - best alternative to Hangouts! Fun to use, simple, and integrates with just about any tool.

    Hangouts Icon
    Slack icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Slack is a great Hangouts alternative.

    • Slack is the most popular SaaS alternative to Hangouts.

    • Slack is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
8 of 242 Hangouts alternatives