WhatsApp Alternatives

    The most popular alternative is Telegram, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to WhatsApp so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting WhatsApp alternatives are Signal (Free, Open Source), Element (Freemium, Open Source), Wire (Free Personal, Open Source) and Tox (Free, Open Source).

    The list of alternatives was last updated Jan 8, 2021
    Alternatives to WhatsAppWhatsApp info, screenshots & reviews
    • 243 alternatives

    • Telegram

      Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s superfast, simple, and free. It is like SMS, but more powerful.
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • Windows Phone
      • iPad
      • Apple Watch
      • Android Wear
      • PortableApps.com
      • FreeBSD
      Gu
      Telegram can be used on a desktop PC without the need of a mobile smartphone. Especially useful for older people, who don't use smartphones.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 43 users agree and 10 don't

      cardearty872975
      Telegram has many features that WhatsApp doesn't. The big limitation on WhatsApp is that you can not use it on PC unless it is also open in your mobile phone! Another point is the range of amazing and funny stickers that Telegram has!
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 18 users agree and 3 don't

      mr
      You can have a username that you can change any time, so you don't have to share your phone number with strangers in groups
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 17 users agree and 4 don't

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      3 of 27

    • 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...
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Google Chrome
      • Ubuntu Touch
      ko
      Open Source, secure, almost the same usability than WhatsApp. Business model is known. Respects privacy.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 26 users agree and 1 doesn't

      NickFreeman789116
      The encryption is by default and open source
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 22 users agree and 1 doesn't

      ja
      Secure. Open source. Not owned by Facebook
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 28 users agree and 9 don't

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      3 of 35

    • Element

      A free instant messaging and collaboration software based on the Matrix protocol.
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Freemium • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Self-Hosted
      • Matrix.org
      • Cloudron
      Gu
      Element is end-to-end encrypted (including groups unlike Telegram) and does not require a phone number (which is personally identifiable information. Signal requires it). Element is very simple to use for the average person yet very useful for the advanced one (a personal server can be deployed). It is also libre/free (as in freedom) and fully open-source, based on a libre/free protocol (matrix.org).
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      Positive comment • 11 days ago • 4 users agree

      Gu
      It is open source, encrypted (end to end), the server is also open source, which means that you or your university could run the server for you. This last point makes it very solid in the long run (like email survived because the protocol was federated).
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 14 users agree and 4 don't

      Us
      Decentral (federation), sure. Open source - client, protocol and server
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 8 users agree and 1 doesn't

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      3 of 7

    • 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...
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free Personal • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Self-Hosted
      • Software as a Service (SaaS)
      Gu
      More a competition for skype then whatsapp. however there's nothing you can do on whatsapp that you cannot do on wire. its trustworthy, has phone calls, can be used on PC/Mac as well.. registration with phonenumber is optional, which is nice.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 17 users agree and 4 don't

      Gu
      Basically Signal on steroids. Also, open source and doesn't ask for your phone number, allows creation of throwaway accounts as well as basic group conversation functionality. Perfect.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 7 users agree

      Gu
      Elegant UI, encrypted communication, on all relevant operating systems, has great VoIP and video call quality and so on.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 4 users agree

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      3 of 7

    • Tox

      Send messages, files, create groups and make Tox to Tox audio and video calls. Securely.
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Android
      • Android Tablet
      • BSD
      Gu
      Focused on security messages are encrypted and it is Open Source. Like whatsapp, you can send files, groups chats and video messaging. Skype is more popular with normies, but Tox has all the bells and whistles that whatsapp did.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 8 users agree and 4 don't

      M6
      Secure and high quality peer-to-peer communication, audio and video group calls, and unlimited file transfers. The only disadvantage compared to alternatives is that you can only successfully communicate if both peers are online, but that is part of the nature of the protocol and thus safety is prioritized.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 7 users agree and 5 don't

    • Skype

      An instant messaging app that provides online text message and video chat services.
      Some users think this is a great alternative to WhatsApp, some doesn't.
      • Freemium
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Blackberry
      • Chrome OS
      • Windows S
      • Android Tablet
      • BSD
      • Windows Phone
      • iPad
      • Android Wear
      • PortableApps.com

    • Jitsi

      Jitsi (previously SIP Communicator) is an audio/video and chat communicator with full encryption that supports protocols such as SIP, XMPP/Jabber, ICQ/AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo!
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • BSD
      • iPad
      Gu
      great and easy to use! no account needed.
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      Positive comment • 7 months ago • 2 users agree

    • 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!
      Most users think this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free
      • Windows
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Chrome OS
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Google Chrome
      • Android Wear
      Gu
      Chat is stored in server. Also can be installed on multiple devices.
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 1 users agree and 2 don't

    • Matrix.org

      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...
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      No screenshots yet
      • Free • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Self-Hosted
      • WebRTC
      • Python
      • JavaScript
      • Go (Programming Language)
      • Cloudron
      • Java
      • Perl
      Gu
      You can choose, which client you like the most and use it
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      Positive comment • more than a year ago • 3 users agree and 4 don't

    • Jitsi Meet

      Secure, fully featured, and completely free video conferencing.
      Almost everyone thinks this is a great alternative to WhatsApp.
      • Free • Open Source
      • Online
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      • Self-Hosted
      • Apple Watch