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

The best free alternative to Hangouts is Signal, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Hangouts and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Hangouts are Telegram, Element, Discord and Matrix.

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Alternatives list

  1. Signal icon

    Signal

     1378 likes

    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.

    221 Signal alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Ubuntu
    • Debian
    Signal screenshot 1
     
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    4
    Signal vs Hangouts Comments
    Goldmaster
    Positive
    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
    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    John Fastman
    Positive
    0

    Unlike Google products, Signal offers end-to-end encryption, meaning that your messages cannot be intercepted or read by anyone except the intended recipient, if they have Signal too. Google's emails and messages are intercepted by mass surveillance and used to profile users as part of Google's business model. Signal is also open source, which means you can inspect the code yourself.

    3 of 4 comments
    • Signal is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Signal is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
  2. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2085 likes

    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.

    293 Telegram alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    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
     
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    4
    Telegram vs Hangouts Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    15

    Smooth, clear, and encrypted messaging and voice calling.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Support audio and video conversation, fast and secure.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    phill richards
    Positive
    1

    Supports large audio files, does not compress photos when sending

    3 of 4 comments
    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Telegram is LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
  4. Element icon

    Element

     791 likes

    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.

    313 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Snapcraft
    Video calls for desktop and mobile
     
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    2
    Element vs Hangouts Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    2

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    2

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Element is Privacy focused and LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
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    Google Chat icon
    Google Chat

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  6. Discord icon

    Discord

     1114 likes

    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.

    189 Discord alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Desktop UI
     
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    5
    Discord vs Hangouts Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    3

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Alan Laiken
    Positive
    1

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

    Guest
    Negative
    -7

    Doesn`t Have Video Chat Otherwise Great

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 5 comments
    • Discord is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
  7. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     393 likes

    Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.

    172 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

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

    Pidgin

     1530 likes

    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.

    120 Pidgin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    Pidgin screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Pidgin vs Hangouts Comments
    5247009
    Positive
    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
    -1

    A bit basic but super easy to use.

    • Pidgin is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
  10. Tox icon

    Tox

     561 likes

    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.

    215 Tox alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    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.
     
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    1
    Tox vs Hangouts Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    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)
    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Tox is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Tox is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
  11. WhatsApp icon

    WhatsApp

     852 likes

    Exchange messages without SMS fees using this app for iPhone, Android and desktop, featuring group chats, multimedia sharing, and video calls. The app requires an internet connection and the latest version for optimal functionality.

    254 WhatsApp alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Auto
    • Android Wear
    • Apple Car Play
    • Android Tablet
    WhatsApp screenshot 1
     
  12. Jitsi Meet icon

    Jitsi Meet

     289 likes

    Go ahead, video chat with the whole team. In fact, invite everyone you know. Jitsi Meet is a fully encrypted, 100% open source video conferencing solution that you can use all day, every day, for free.

    153 Jitsi Meet alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Apple Watch
    • F-Droid
    Jitsi Meet screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Jitsi Meet vs Hangouts Comments
    John Fastman
    Positive
    2

    Fully functioning, free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted, browser-based (install nothing) Skype- or Google Hangouts alternative. Stable video and sound, screen share, password protection for rooms and a few other handy features. Highly recommended. No more reason to accept Skype and Google's surveillance of your conversations.

    gitbreaker222
    Positive
    2

    Open source, works without account, easy access, good design, stable connection

    • Jitsi Meet is Free and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Jitsi Meet is Security-focused, Privacy focused and LightweightHangouts is not according to our users
  13. Slack icon

    Slack

     863 likes

    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.

    233 Slack alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Electron
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Slack screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Slack vs Hangouts Comments
    Michael Chung
    Positive
    0

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

    Stephen Barrow
    Positive
    -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
    -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.

    • Slack is Freemium and ProprietaryHangouts is Free and Proprietary
  14. Wire icon

    Wire

     319 likes

    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.

    284 Wire alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Wire screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Wire vs Hangouts Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    Privacy focused alternative with end-to-end encryption.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    My replacement for Hangouts needed to have integrated video/voice/text chat but also keep the text chat server side so any device could jump back into the conversation. Wire has all of these and is also available on any platform AND is open source!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    End to end encryption, high audio quality, clear financial model (based on pay pro version) and Swiss based

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceHangouts is Free and Proprietary
    • Wire is Security-focused and Privacy focusedHangouts is not according to our users
  15. SimpleX Chat icon

    SimpleX Chat

     94 likes

    Open-source messaging platform enabling private, identifier-free chats, encrypted group discussions, file and media sharing, plus audio and video calls. Employs double-ratchet protocol, stores user data on-device, protects metadata, and lets users self-host relay servers.

    70 SimpleX Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    • Android Tablet
    SimpleX Chat screenshot 1
     
12 of 189 Hangouts alternatives