Messenger for Desktop AlternativesInstant Messengers and other similar apps like Messenger for Desktop

Messenger for Desktop is described as 'Wrapper for the official client messenger.com. Therefore it works like a regular browser which can only navigate to the messenger.com web app. MFD doesn't touch your messages, account or personal data. All that is handled securely by Facebook' and is a instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Messenger for Desktop for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone apps. The best Messenger for Desktop alternative is Telegram, which is free. Other great apps like Messenger for Desktop are Element, Pidgin, Conversations and Adium.

Messenger for Desktop iconMessenger for Desktop
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Messenger for Desktop is a wrapper for the official client messenger.com. Therefore it works like a regular browser which...

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Messenger for Desktop alternatives page was last updated Jul 21, 2021
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  1. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2051 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 Messenger for Desktop

     

    • Telegram is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Messenger for Desktop.

    • Telegram is the most popular free alternative to Messenger for Desktop.

    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryMessenger for Desktop is Free and Proprietary
    • Telegram is Lightweight and Privacy focusedMessenger for Desktop is not according to our users
  2. Element icon

    Element

     719 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.

    303 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • 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 Messenger for Desktop

     

    • Element is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Messenger for Desktop.

    • Element is the most popular Open Source alternative to Messenger for Desktop.

    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceMessenger for Desktop is Free and Proprietary
    • Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedMessenger for Desktop is not according to our users
  4. 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. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    4.  Multiple Account support
    5.  IRC
    6.  Portable
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  VoiP Calls
    10.  Multiple languages
    11.  Multiple chat protocols
    12.  Messages

    Pidgin VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  5. Conversations icon

    Conversations

     99 likes
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    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].

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    Conversations screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Intuitive Interface

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Encrypted Chat
    4. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    5.  Image Sharing
    6.  OMEMO
    7.  OpenPGP
    8.  Encrypted Connection
    9.  GPG Encryption
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Self Destructing Messages
    12.  Dark Mode

    Conversations VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  6. Adium icon

    Adium

     337 likes
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    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...

    69 Adium alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Adium screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The last update is from March 2021.

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    2.  Support for Multiple protocols
    3.  Multiple languages
    4.  Tabbed interface
    5.  Messages
    6.  OTR

    Adium VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  7. Trillian icon

    Trillian

     280 likes
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    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.

    153 Trillian alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Blackberry
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Trillian screenshot 1

    Trillian Features

    1.  Support for Multiple protocols
    2. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    3.  Messages
    4.  IMAP Support
    5.  POP3 Support

    Trillian VS Messenger for Desktop

     

    • Trillian is the most popular SaaS alternative to Messenger for Desktop.

    • Trillian is Freemium and ProprietaryMessenger for Desktop is Free and Proprietary
  9. Messenger icon

    Messenger

     231 likes
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    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.

    203 Messenger alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Android Auto
    • Android Wear
    Messenger screenshot 1
    Messenger screenshot 2
    Messenger screenshot 3

    Messenger Features

    1.  VoiP Calls
    2.  Face Filter
    3.  Expiring Stories
    4.  Stickers
    5.  Messages
    6.  Text messaging
    7.  In-app Money Transfer
    8.  Private messaging

    Messenger VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  10. Franz icon

    Franz

     119 likes
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    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 and many more. You can download Franz for Mac, Windows & Linux.

    74 Franz alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • AT flagAustria
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Franz screenshot 1

    Top Franz Features

    1.  Support for Multiple protocols
    2. WhatsApp icon  Whatsapp integration
    3.  Unified messaging
    4.  Multiple Account support
    5.  Web application wrapper
    6.  Lightweight wrapper
    7.  Multi-messenger
    8.  Slack client
    9. Gmail icon  Gmail integration
    10.  iPhone/iPod sync
    11. Slack icon  Slack integration

    Franz VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  11. Psi XMPP Client icon

    Psi XMPP Client

     92 likes
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    Psi is an XMPP client designed for experienced users. It is highly portable and runs on GNU/Linux, MS Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD and Haiku.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    Psi XMPP Client screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  VoiP Calls
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Multiple Account support
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Decentralized
    8. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    9.  Support for Multiple protocols
    10.  OTR

    Psi XMPP Client VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  12. Telegram X icon

    Telegram X

     36 likes
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    An alternative Telegram client based on TDLib, with higher speed, slicker animations and experimental features.

    219 Telegram X alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Telegram
    Telegram X screenshot 1
    Telegram X screenshot 2
    Telegram X screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Cloud Sync
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Stickers
    4.  Channels
    5.  Integrated File Sharing
    6.  Bots
    7.  End-to-End Encryption
    8.  Self Destructing Messages
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  VoiP Calls
    11.  Cloud based
    12.  Chat Bot

    Telegram X VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  13. Empathy icon

    Empathy

     157 likes
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    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.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Empathy screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Empathy is currently unmaintained. Last version, 3.25, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website.

    Empathy Features

    1.  Unified messaging
    2.  Support for Multiple protocols
    3. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    4.  SIP
    5.  Integrated File Sharing
    6.  Voice Chat

    Empathy VS Messenger for Desktop

     
  14. Gajim icon

    Gajim

     68 likes
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    The goal of Gajim is to provide a full featured and easy to use XMPP client. Gajim works nicely with GNOME, but does not require it to run. It is released under the GNU General Public License.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    • Flathub
    Gajim roster

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  OMEMO
    2. XMPP icon  Supports XMPP
    3.  Decentralized
    4.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    5.  PGP Encryption
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  End-to-End Encryption
    8.  Audio Calling
    9.  OTR
    10.  Tabbed interface
    11.  Multiple languages

    Gajim VS Messenger for Desktop

     
12 of 86 Messenger for Desktop alternatives