PCLifestyleLinuxOSXWindows

What are the best messaging apps for desktop?

21
Options 
Considered
0
User 
Recs.
Last 
Updated

Element (formerly Riot) vs Signal vs Telegram

 vs Pidgin vs One Chat vs Discord vs Wire vs Mozilla Thunderbird vs Viber vs Line vs Gajim vs Discard.Email vs WhatsApp vs Franz vs Ferdi vs Dino IM vs Keybase vs Trillian vs Skype vs Microsoft Teams vs WickrMe vs GMessenger Free vs Google Image Charts (Deprecated) vs Tragofone

Specs

Platforms

MacOS, Windows, Linux, Android, Browser, iOS

Media

All File Types

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

New Vector Ltd

End-to-end encryption

Yes (optional)

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

Yes

Message history

Yes

License

Apache License 2.0

File Sharing

Yes

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X

Media

images / audio / video / files / contacts / GIFs / location

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

Open Whisper Systems

End-to-end encryption

Yes

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

Yes

Decentralized

No

Proprietary Dependencies

Yes

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Web, Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD, Windows phone, UWP

Media

images / video / audio / GIFs / stickers / PiP Video / Videomessages

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

Various companies affiliated with Telegram

End-to-end encryption

Secret chats

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

Through bots

Message history

Yes

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

Yes

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

Yes

Video recording

Yes

Groups

≤ 100,000

File Size

2048 MB

Locationsharing

Live

Multidevice

Cloud

Unit Testing

Yes

Open source

Most clients

In-app purchases

To pay 3rd parties

Message deletion

Mutual/timed

Usernames

yes

Audio/video streaming

Only from some clients

Cloud sync

Yes

Open source backend

no

Multiplatform

Yes

Proxy support

yes

Open clients API

yes

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Windows, Linux

Media

Video send/receive, Images

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

Optional

License

GPL

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

Yes

Video chat

Yes

Emoticons

Add-on

Spell checking

Yes

End to Encription

Add-on

Chat plugins

SMS, Facebook, Discord, Skype, Telegram, WhatsApp, Steam IM, Battel.net, GoogleHangouts, Twitter feeds, Amazon Chime, WeChat, QQ, Rocket.chat, Slack, Mattermost, Tox, OkCupid,

Notification intergation

Add-on

Off the Record Messaging

Add-on

Supported protocols

Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Lotus Sametime, Novell GroupWise, OSCAR, SIMPLE, SILC, XMPP, Jingle, Zephyr, Various extended protocols.

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Web, Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android

Media

-

Audio recording

No

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

Yes

Video recording

No

Groups

Yes

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

Yes

Search

Yes

Security Score

15/20

Private Channels

Yes

Open-Source

No

Server Stored Messages

Permanent

User Groups

Yes

Channel Settings

Yes

Jurisdiction

United States

Peer-to-Peer

No

Upload File Size

8 MB free, 50 or 100 MB paid

Animated Profile

Only with Discord Nitro

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Web iOS Android OSX Windows Linux

Media

images / video / audio / GIFs

Audio recording

No

Publisher

Wire Swiss GmbH

End-to-end encryption

Yes

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

No

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

No

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

No

Video recording

No

Groups

≤128

File Size

25M

Locationsharing

Yes (iOS, Android)

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

Yes

Search

-

Security Score

20/20

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

Data

Required Android Version

4.2 and up

In-App Purchases

None

Server stored messages

Transitory

Cloud Sync

No

Group calls

Yes

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Windows, macOS, Linux

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

Yes

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

Yes

Exchange Support

Yes

POP3

Yes

Multi-Account

Yes

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Android / iOS / WP / BB / Symbian / Windows / OSX / Linux

Media

images / video / audio / emoji / stickers

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

Viber Media S.a r.l.

End-to-end encryption

Yes

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

No

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

No

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

One-on-one

Video recording

Yes

Groups

≤200

File Size

37M

Locationsharing

Yes

Multidevice

Yes

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

No

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

Data

Required Android Version

2.3 and up

In-App Purchases

$0.99 - $35.17 per item

Server stored messages

Permanent

Cloud Sync

Yes

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

Hosted

Native videoconferencing

Yes

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Android, iOS, Web, Mac, Windows, Windows Phone

Media

images, video, audio, documents

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

WhatsApp Inc.

End-to-end encryption

Yes

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

Yes up to 8 people

Video recording

Yes

Groups

≤ 256

File Size

100 MB

Locationsharing

Yes

Multidevice

Message Mirroring

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

Data

Required Android Version

2.3.3 or above

In-App Purchases

No

Server stored messages

Transitory

Cloud Sync

Yes, Via Google

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

Auto-erase

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Linux

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

GNU/Linux

Media

Video send/receive, Images

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

iOS, Android, WP, OSX, Windows, Linux, Web. Blackberry. Chrome OS. BSD, iPadOs

Media

images / video /audio / emoji

Audio recording

yes

Publisher

Skype

End-to-end encryption

yes(optional)

VoIP

yes

Service integrations

SIP (paid)

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

No

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

yes

Video recording

Yes

Groups

yes

File Size

Varies with device

Locationsharing

Yes

Multidevice

Yes

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

Yes

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

Data

Required Android Version

6.0

In-App Purchases

None

Server stored messages

Limited (30 days)

Cloud Sync

Yes

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

Hosted

Native videoconferencing

Yes

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

Web, Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

Windows 10 November Update

Approximate size

12.7 MB

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

-

Audio recording

-

Publisher

-

End-to-end encryption

-

VoIP

-

Service integrations

-

Message history

-

License

-

File Sharing

-

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

-

Video recording

-

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

-

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

-

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

-

Supported platforms

-

Supported Calendars

-

Push Notifications

-

Compatible devices

-

Auto Provisioning

-

Private Chat

-

Live Chat

-

WebRTC

-

Platforms

-

Media

images / audio / video / files / GIFs / Location

Audio recording

Yes

Publisher

Tragofone

End-to-end encryption

Yes

VoIP

Yes

Service integrations

Yes

Message history

Yes

License

-

File Sharing

Yes

DIY integrations

-

Decentralized

-

Proprietary Dependencies

-

Videoconferencing

Yes

Video recording

Yes

Groups

-

File Size

-

Locationsharing

-

Multidevice

-

Unit Testing

-

Open source

-

In-app purchases

-

Message deletion

-

Usernames

-

Audio/video streaming

-

Cloud sync

-

Open source backend

-

Multiplatform

-

Proxy support

-

Open clients API

-

Opensource

-

Video chat

-

Emoticons

-

Spell checking

-

End to Encription

-

Chat plugins

-

Notification intergation

-

Off the Record Messaging

-

Supported protocols

-

Screensharing

Yes

Search

-

Security Score

-

Private Channels

-

Open-Source

-

Server Stored Messages

-

User Groups

-

Channel Settings

-

Jurisdiction

-

Peer-to-Peer

-

Upload File Size

-

Animated Profile

-

Messaging systems

Yes

Required Android Version

-

In-App Purchases

-

Server stored messages

-

Cloud Sync

-

Group calls

-

IMAP

-

Exchange Support

-

POP3

-

Multi-Account

-

Hosting options

-

Native videoconferencing

-

Message Deletion

-

OS

-

Approximate size

-

Price

One time purchase

Supported platforms

Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux

Supported Calendars

Yes

Push Notifications

Yes

Compatible devices

Mobile, Desktop and Tablet

Auto Provisioning

Yes

Private Chat

Yes

Live Chat

Yes

WebRTC

Yes

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Cross platform

Web browser Linux OS X Windows Android iOS
Comment

Pro
 Simple interface

Riot has a very simple interface, adding the ability for more unexperienced users to use it.
Comment

Pro
 File Sharing

Comment

Pro
 Libre/open source

Comment

Pro
 Supports text, voice, video

Comment

Pro
 Self-hosting and federated network

Comment

Pro
 Decentralized

An open network for secure, decentralized communication.
Comment

Pro
 Bridges to other networks

You're not confined within Riot's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.
Comment

Pro
 Large existing community

With public rooms for many people, and you can create your own and let people from the community join.
Comment

Pro
 VOIP and Videoconferencing

Comment

Pro
 Supports Encryption

Riot allows for fully encrypted text, voice, and video chatting.
Comment

Pro
 Markdown support

Code snippets in chats can be highlighted with Markdown.
Comment

Pro
 Search

Search messages in your current room, or all the rooms you're in. Not subject to a message history limit like Slack.
Comment

Pro
 Etherpad real-time document collaboration

An easy to activate integration that allows multiple authors to edit a document simultaneously.
Comment

Pro
 Supports encryption

Element allows for fully encrypted text, voice, and video chatting.
Comment

Con
 Buggy

Thousands of bug reports open on GitHub.
Comment

Pro
 Widgets support

Want to watch that flick at YouTube and discuss it at the same time? Have Grafana graphs stacked above your DevOps team chat? Collaboratively edit Google Docs and chat over without switching applications? This is possible with Element.
Comment

Con
 No video/voice clip

You cannot record & send a video and/or voice clip.
Comment

Pro
 Provides security and privacy

Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.
Comment

Pro
 Has desktop application

Signal Desktop is a Chrome extension that allows you to mirror messages from your phone, including replying.
Comment

Con
 Needs access to your phone number and contacts to work

Your phone directory is sent to Signal Servers in order to be compared with the existing users in their database and highlight those which are already on Signal.
Comment

Pro
 Free and open source

Signal is free and open source software, enabling anyone to verify its security by auditing the code. It's the only private messenger that uses open source, peer-reviewed cryptographic protocols to keep your messages safe.
Comment

Pro
 You can easily view all media exchanged

You can easily view all media shared in the chat without scrolling back to when it was shared.
Comment

Pro
 Supports encrypted group chats

Comment

Pro
 Message mirroring on Signal Desktop

Signal Desktop is a Chrome extension that allows you to mirror messages from your phone, including replying.
Comment

Con
 Single device

Signal can only be registered to one mobile device at a time. But you can link Signal to Signal Desktop.
Comment

Pro
 Works everywhere in every country

Unlike most messenger apps, Signal works reliably in all countries by securely circumventing internet censorship.
Comment

Pro
 SMS/MMS support

Signal can be your default SMS/MMS text messenger. Encryption is not possible when sending SMS to your contacts, however.
Comment

Pro
 Recommended by Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about their privacy.
Comment

Con
 Servers hosted in the US

A security risk due to National Security letters, which require giving up data to the US state, and making it illegal to disclose that.
Comment

Pro
 Note to Self feature

Allows you to "send: messages to yourself and sync to desktop so you can use Signal as a kind of encrypted PushBullet alternative.
Comment

Pro
 Supports sharing of various different media types

Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.
Comment

Con
 Requires that you make a recommendation

You have to make a recommendation for something in order to get rid of the freakin popup demanding a recommendation in the middle of the screen.
Comment

Con
 If SMS/MMS imported, other apps can't read SMS

For those using Join, Pushbullet, or similar apps to send and receive SMS/MMS from web or desktop, putting your SMS in Signal somehow breaks this functionally. The dev is aware but plans to remedy the situation have not been named a priority.
Comment

Pro
 Annonymous Sender (Encrypted)

The sender credentials can be encrypted with the rest of the message, leaving only the recipient address readable by the Signal server. Even if Signal wanted they couldn't see who is talking with who by this mean.
Comment

Con
 Unreliable notifications

Sometimes messages won't be received if the Signal app has been closed for a long time or hasn't been opened after booting the device.
Comment

Con
 Uses message mirroring

Your phone must be on and connected to the internet for Signal Desktop to work.
Comment

Pro
 Cross-platform

Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android iOS, Windows Phone, and Firefox OS even. Has a web app that changes it's appearance based on the device it's running on and if it's browser is full screen, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Media messaging

Videos, gifs, images, geolocation, and documents.
Comment

Pro
 Possible to send photos and videos without compression

File size 1.5 GB.
Comment

Pro
 Free of cost

The application is available free of cost.
Comment

Pro
 Free and convenient large file sharing

Copy/paste videos, gifs, images, geolocation, and documents, drag over files for practically any time up to 1.5GB in size. Images can be compressed, too.
Comment

Pro
 Saved messages

You can write messages to yourself. You can write some notes, add links, and see everything across all your devices.
Comment

Con
 "Secret Chat" feature is not available for desktop client

Secret chats with end to end encryption are only available on mobile apps.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful UI

Very customizable with a lot of clean looking options.
Comment

Pro
 Privacy focused 

In addition to the end-to-end encryption that provides privacy to communications, the app also includes self destructing timers for chats, and the ability to permanently delete messages, yours and theirs, from your device.
Comment

Pro
 Supergroups of up to 200,000 people

In Supergroups, anyone along with admins can delete their messages from all sides. A message can be pinned to the top. All of the user's messages can be deleted by an administrator, and they can be banned and reported as well. Supergroups can have a public link (outside of Asia, due to high spam volumes), which is also a username.
Comment

Pro
 Save time with inline bots and link previews

Unfortunately on the desktop, videos don't apply, but images are viewable without visiting popular websites like imgur and Instagram. You can play YouTube videos and others within the app, so you don't need the embed code or anything. With inline bots, such as @gif, @pic/bing, @vid/YouTube, etc, you can look things up without leaving the client or chat that you're in. Simply type the name and some keywords and wait for the results to load.
Comment

Pro
 Popular amongst Linux users

Comment

Pro
 Two-step verification

You can set up an additional password to your account, which can be reset by your email. You don't have to use an email if you do not want to. If you lose access to your email or forget your password, you will be able to reset it via text message if your account is over seven days old and will receive it within a week (in case you recover anything before then).
Comment

Pro
 Unlimited storage

Unlimited number of files can be stored forever on the cloud. You can upload files up to 1.5 GB each.
Comment

Pro
 Custom stickers

Comment

Pro
 Voice and video messages

You can post voice and video messages if you are too lazy to write text messages.
Comment

Pro
 Desktop client written in C++ (Qt)

Comment

Pro
 High quality calls

Comment

Pro
 No ads

Comment

Pro
 Open source client apps

Client apps are open source, making whole service more trustworthy.
Comment

Pro
 @mentions

You can ping people to get their attention by @mentioning them.
Comment

Pro
 2-step verification

You can set up an additional password to your account, which can be reset by your email. You don't have to use an email, if you do not want to. If you lose access to your email or forget your password, you will be able to reset if via text message if you're account is over seven days old and will receive it within a week (in case you recover anything before then).
Comment

Pro
 Forwarding messages

You are not limited to forward messages to only 5 people as one rival application imposes.
Comment

Con
 Not fully open source

Telegram has an open API and protocol free for everyone, but the backend software is not open source. Therefore 100% privacy can not be evaluated.
Comment

Pro
 Pinned messages

You can pin messages to the top of groups or supergroups, so members will see them when opening the group.
Comment

Pro
 Multiplatform native client apps

There are native desktop, mobile and web client apps, that are optimized for speed and are light on memory usage.
Comment

Pro
 Channels for one way broadcasting

Broadcasting channels suitable for announcing things.
Comment

Pro
 Secure

Telegram uses an open source MTProto encryption protocol that provides complete end-to-end encryption for secret chats. To show off their confidence in the protocol the company behind Telegram has organized $200,000 and $300,000 challenges to break the encryption. So far there have been no winners.
Comment

Con
 Can only be used with a phone number

It is not possible to activate and use Telegram by mail etc. You need a phone number.
Comment

Pro
 Self-destruct messages

Messages can be set on a timer. They will disappear after the timer expires.
Comment

Con
 No source code syntax highlighting

Telegram does not have source code syntax highlighting, making it difficult to share code snippets.
Comment

Pro
 Desktop app handles HIDPI

The desktop app has a built in setting to scale the UI of the app up to 200% which allows for those with 4k monitors/screens to use the app without scaling issues.
Comment

Con
 Only "Secret Chat" messages are encrypted end to end

The only way to get end-to-end encryption (client-client) using Telegram is to use the Secret Chat function, anything through the service is server-client encrypted. Also secret chat is only implemented in the mobile apps, meaning there is no way to encrypt messages end-to-end when using the desktop client or the web browser client.
Comment

Con
 Does not support text messaging

You can NOT make it your default text messaging App.
Comment

Pro
 Cloud chat keys are kept in different jurisdiction

Even though encryption used for cloud-based storage (e.g. Gmail, Facebook, iCloud) may not be as secure as end-to-end encryption or zero-knowledge storage, Telegram does the most that it can by holding keys to chats in different jurisdictions, requiring intergovernmental cooperation to obtain the keys. This is aside from whatever other security measures have been taken, of course.
Comment

Pro
 Group Voice Chat

This Discord-like feature adds to the interactivity of the application.
Comment

Pro
 Customer support is within the app

Although it's volunteer based, but still pretty top-notch if available, which it tends to be.
Comment

Pro
 Banned in China

Comment

Pro
 Popular in the USA

On SimilarWeb you can see that Telegram is on the top 15 among all communication apps.
Comment

Pro
 Desktop app handles HiDPI

The desktop app has a built in setting to scale the UI of the app up to 200% which allows for those with 4k monitors/screens to use the app without scaling issues.
Comment

Con
 Does not support video chat

In either environment, computer or smartphone you can't make a video call.
Comment

Con
 Does not support spherical 360° photos

Spherical 360° photos becoming more popular these days, but Telegram does not support such format.
Comment

Con
 Does not work for visually impaired

Doesn't work for visually impaired.
Comment

Pro
 it has interesting stickers and also you can create your own sticker too

Comment

Pro
 Cloud chat key are kept in different jurisdiction

Even though encryption used for cloud based storage (e.g. Gmail, Facebook, iCloud) may not be as secure as end-to-end encryption or zero-knowledge storage, Telegram does the most that it can by holding keys to chats in different jurisdictions, requiring intergovernmental cooperation to obtain the keys. This is aside from whatever security measure are taken place, of course.
Comment

Pro
 Supergroups of up to 200,000 people

In Supergroups, anyone along with admins can delete their messages from all sides. A message can be pinned to the top. All of the user's messages can be deleted by an administrator, and they can be banned and reported as well. Supergroups can have a public link (outside of Asia, due to high spam volumes), which is also a username.
Comment

Pro
 Pinned Messages

You can pin messages to the top of groups or supergroups so members will see them when opening the group.
Comment

Pro
 Free and convenient large file sharing

Copy/paste videos, gifs, images, geolocation, and documents, drag over files for practically any time up to 1.5GB in size. Images can be compressed, too. asdf f
Comment

Con
 No source code syntax highlighting

Telegram does not have source code syntax highlighting, making it difficult to share code snippets.
Comment

Pro
 Supergroups of up to 5000 people

In Supergroups, anyone along with admins can delete their messages from all sides. A message can be pinned to the top. All of the user's messages can be deleted by an administrator, and they can be banned and reported as well. Supergroups can have a public link (outside of Asia, due to high spam volumes), which is also a username.
Comment

Pro
 Free and open source

Pidgin and its code is completely free and open source. Pidgin has no ads and no features behind a paywall.
Comment

Pro
 Highly customisable with plugins

Pidgin not only has a large plugin library built-in, but also an array of third party plugins for a variety of functions.
Comment

Pro
 Support for a wide range of additional chat services

Pidgin not only supports IRC, it also supports plenty of other services such as AIM, Google Talk, MSN, ICQ and plenty of others. This way, you can have all of your conversations in the same app and won't have to deal with multiple chat windows being open.
Comment

Pro
 Cross platform

The Pidgin instant messaging client is cross platform, working on Linux, Windows and OSX.
Comment

Con
 No native VoIP support

While there are plugins there is no built in support for VoIP in Pidgin which is time consuming to implement instead of being baked in from the jump.
Comment

Pro
 Custom notifications

Notifications are customizable individually per the account.
Comment

Pro
 Multiple accounts

Unlimited multiple accounts of any service.
Comment

Pro
 Schedule messages

Comment

Pro
 Privacy

Possible to lock the app with a passcode or touch ID from a Macbook.
Comment

Pro
 Custom GIF

You can create custom GIFs.
Comment

Pro
 Also available for iPad

Comment

Pro
 Can be used in browser 

Users can invite others to join a Discord channel via a web link, which means no installation is required to use the software - which is one of the big typical barriers to entry for social software.
Comment

Pro
 Free for unlimited users

Unlimited amount of users.
Comment

Pro
 Cross-platform

Discord has native desktop apps for Windows, OSX and Linux, and mobile (Android, iOS) platforms and it's also accessible from the web.
Comment

Pro
 Low effort invite mechanics

Comment

Pro
 Open source bots and management tools

Discord has a wide variety of bots for things from airhorn noises to automated server management, to leveling systems for chat. The bot API is open and there are dedicated sites for finding bots.
Comment

Pro
 Supports video and text communication 

Behaves and looks like Slack for regular text channels, but with the ability to create voice channels as well
Comment

Pro
 Easy setup

You can quickly send invites to people and they can join in using the web client without having to create an account or install the app.
Comment

Pro
 Game integration 

Discord shows which game each user is currently playing, which among other things helps users to form PUGs with minimal hassle.
Comment

Con
 Based on Electron = eats a lot of ram

Comment

Pro
 Numerous controls for setting member roles.

Deny access, Deny write message, Allow read messages etc.
Comment

Pro
 Good 1-click invite system

Discord allows inviting people to a specific channel with a link. Links can be set to expire. Low effort/passive invite mechanics.
Comment

Pro
 Has low-latency VoIP support 

Comment

Pro
 Android app has push notifications

Comment

Pro
 Syntax highlighting and Markdown support

The support is limited but still exists. It's a killer feature for dev teams.
Comment

Pro
 Familiar for Slack users

For those that are used to the way Slack (a similar chat client) works, Discord will be familiar in its use, which lowers the learning curve quite a bit for those that have switched or tried Slack before.
Comment

Pro
 Numerous controls for setting member roles

Deny access, Deny write message, Allow read messages etc.
Comment

Pro
 DDoS mitigation

Discord prevents users from being DDoSed out of games.
Comment

Pro
 Targeting of roles

Targeting roles allows for quickly requesting someone from a group e.g. artist, moderator, etc.
Comment

Pro
 Ability to thread channels

Ability to create channel categories for channels to sit inside of.
Comment

Pro
 Ability to create bots

Discord provides an API for creating custom bots.
Comment

Pro
 Friendly payment policy

Free account have no tangible restrictions. Premium account is just a way to say "thank you" to developers. And it work for all servers of discord (not as in slack). And it can be purchased by one who wants. In contrast to Slask, where all active members of the server should be "premium".
Comment

Pro
 Language localization

Have localization for many language, including Russian.
Comment

Pro
 Dark theme out of the box

Comment

Pro
 User friendly 

Discord follows the same type of interface design popularised by Slack, which is extremely clean and attractive, and doesn't clutter the interface with unnecessary chrome and cruft.
Comment

Con
 Proprietary software

Discord is closed-source, meaning their code isn't available for inspection or reproduction
Comment

Con
 Not a generic "team chat" tool

All the UI and the features are aimed specifically at communicating with your gaming team/clan.
Comment

Con
 Some functions cut out and available only with "Nitro" subscription

Comment

Con
 Developer's previous company was sued for privacy violations, among other things

See: http://classactionlawsuitsinthenews.com/class-action-lawsuit-complaints/openfeint-green-international-privacy-class-action-lawsuit-complaint/ https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/closing-letters/openfeint-inc Discord's privacy policy also states that while they might not sell your data, a company they get sold to will quite possibly attain said data and thus may be in "more" shady hands.
Comment

Con
 No self-hosting avaliable

Discord is wholly hosted by Discord (the company), you cannot run private instances, and all servers are hosted on their infrastructure. For most people, this won't really impact their usage.
Comment

Pro
 Most features in the community

Comment

Con
 Centralized

Comment

Pro
 Swiss legislation

Registered in Switzerland.
Comment

Pro
 Intuitive user interface

Wire's user interface is quite intuitive to use, still it has everything required for a complete experience. Settings are very clean and allows you to turn on/off some features which might be disturbing for some, like link previews and emoji conversion.
Comment

Pro
 Clean, modern interface

Comment

Pro
 Libre/open source

Comment

Pro
 Privacy-respecting

Comment

Pro
 End-to-end encryption

Comment

Pro
 Most features in the community

Comment

Con
 Not a dedicated chat client

Thunderbird's primary focus is email, not chat.
Comment

Pro
 Supports several chat protocols

Google Talk, IRC, Odnoklassniki, and XMPP are supported. Matrix support is currently available in Daily builds.
Comment

Pro
 Clean interface 

The interface is simple, functional and intuitive.
Comment

Pro
 Desktop apps allow texting, calling and enables transferring calls between devices

Viber has native apps for both Windows and Mac that allow you to send and receive messages from your desktop. You can also use the desktop to make and receive calls. Synchronizes between all devices you are using Viber on. Allows transferring calls between devices.
Comment

Pro
 Public chats

It's possible to be a fly on the wall on other group or one-to-one chats that have been opened up to the public. These public chats are often promotional chats with celebrities.
Comment

Pro
 Supports voice calls

Viber has really well implemented voice tech. It has comparable quality to Skype and you can even tranfer calls from your phone to your desktop seamlessly.
Comment

Pro
 Insight and well documented encryption

Viber has made a documentation available, explaining in great details their encryption system and giving good insight on how it works.
Comment

Pro
 Same protocol as used in Signal

Viber's protocol uses the same concepts of the "double ratchet" protocol used in Open Whisper Systems Signal application.
Comment

Pro
 Completely free and ad-less

Viber uses data connection and the app is free. There are also no advertisements.
Comment

Pro
 Combines cellular and data messaging 

This has an advantage in that if you text someone who uses Viber it will be free, if not it will just revert to SMS. This means you can replace your standard messaging app with Viber as well.
Comment

Con
 No web client

You cannot login from the web to send and receive messages.
Comment

Con
 Constantly on

Need apps like Greenify to stop it from being constantly on and active, even if you don't use it.
Comment

Con
 Doesn't sync well

Syncs awfully between Phone and PC clients.
Comment

Con
 Mobile focused

You need the mobile to be connected for it to work on the PC.
Comment

Con
 Constant reminders of messages

If you don't check your messages (say your in a group chat and simply don't check all of them), it will flood your notifications.
Comment

Con
 The company evades U. S. tax

The company uses the common practice of tax haven addresses in order to avoid paying US taxes despite being registered in Delaware.
Comment

Pro
 Supports 200 person group chat

Viber allows creating groups of up to 200 people on the Android version of Viber. It also has a cool "smart notifications" feature to prevent being overwhelmed with notifications if a lot of people are active in a chat group.
Comment

Pro
 See who of your contacts is using Viber quickly 

Viber is tied to your phone number so it can quickly see who else in your contacts list is using the application.
Comment

Pro
 No need to create an account or add contacts

One of the best things about Viber is how it handles setup and sending messages. Viber uses your existing number as your ID, so you don't need to create a separate Viber account.
Comment

Pro
 Keys only on device

Starting with Viber 6.0 the encryption keys are stored only on the clients themselves, not even Viber itself has access to them.
Comment

Pro
 Android Wear support

Viber includes Android Wear support on Android 4.3 or higher and Viber 5.3 or higher.
Comment

Pro
 Variety of cute stickers

Comment

Pro
 Stable audio and video call

Comment

Pro
 Effortlessly builds your contacts by using your phone number as identification

WhatsApp will automatically find all of your contacts currently using Whatsapp and add them to your contacts. This makes it really easy to setup and given that it's the most popular messaging app it's likely that a lot of your contacts are already using it.
Comment

Con
 Limitation on shareable file sizes

WhatsApp now allows users to share files of any type, but there is still a size limit.
Comment

Con
 Proprietary

Not open source.
Comment

Con
 Shares meta data with Facebook

WhatsApp shares your messaging meta data with Facebook if you do not opt-out in the settings. If you use the same phone number for WhatsApp and Facebook, the profiles can easily be linked. See https://www.whatsapp.com/faq/en/general/26000016
Comment

Pro
 One-on-one texts can be encrypted

WhatsApp has implemented end to end encryption for messages sent on it's service. Even WhatsApp has no way to read a users messages.
Comment

Con
 Whatsapp publicly shares your phone number

All members of a group can see one's phone number. There is no way to disable this and this poses a privacy risk.
Comment

Con
 Tied to carrier phone number

WhatsApp cannot be used by people without a smart phone with an active cell plan. If your phone is lost or damaged, or if your phone number changes, you cannot get messages sent by friends without them updating your phone number. You cannot send message to them until you are able to get SMS messages at your phone number.
Comment

Pro
 Straightforward interface

The interface is very simple, fast and easy to use. You can start using it as soon as the app has been downloaded - it does not require setting anything up or registering. You can communicate with anyone in your contacts list that also uses WhatsApp. Includes useful features like seeing when a contact is currently available or typing.
Comment

Pro
 Widely used

WhatsApp reported 1.5 billion users in 2018. Your friends are most likely already using WhatsApp, so it's easy to get setup.
Comment

Con
  Whatsapp copies nearly all features from Telegram

Whatsapp, being the biggest messenger, is far behind in innovation and feels the need to copy nearly all features from Telegram. Therefore, Whatsapp's new features are usually available in Telegram at least six months in advance. The only exceptions from this are starres messages and photo albums.
Comment

Con
 Web interface uses message mirroring

To use your computer to send messages your phone must be on with a consistent data connection.
Comment

Pro
 Message mirroring on web app

WhatsApp can be used from the desktop via Chrome, Firefox and Opera browsers. Accessing it requires using the Android app to scan the QR code that's presented on web.whatsapp.com.
Comment

Pro
 Signal protocol

Whatsapp uses the state-of-the-art Signal protocol that ensure strong end-to-end encryption.
Comment

Con
 Single device

You cannot use the same WhatsApp account on multiple devices (e.g. a tablet, a PC and a cellphone). The account is tied to the device with the specific cellphone number. Chat history is deleted when you sign in to a new account, unless you have created a backup.
Comment

Con
 No cloud sync

Messages are not stored on WhatsApp server for privacy and security reasons.
Comment

Con
 Hard to migrate history cross platform

Migrating your chat history from Android to iOS or the other way around is not so simple. In some cases it requires a 3rd party app and in some the only way is to migrate specific chats one by one.
Comment

Con
 Is NOT a desktop application, but a browser one. Will Slant consider browser plugins and extensions like applications? That's a big error, IMHO.

Comment

Pro
 Free

Paid tiers are available.
Comment

Pro
 Cross platform

Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Comment

Con
 Electron

Enough said.
Comment

Pro
 Free

More free (in a way) than Franz.
Comment

Pro
 Cross platform

Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Comment

Con
 electron

said nuf
Comment

Pro
 Based on Franz

It is its younger bro.
Comment

Pro
 Multi protocol messenger client

All for one, and one for all.
Comment

Pro
 Very modern look and feel, just like one would expect nowadays

Comment

Con
 Backdoors for governments

Comment

Con
 Plagued by bugs on all platforms

Crashes and other bugs are prevalent on Android, Windows and other platforms.
Comment

Pro
 Send SMS and make regular calls

With Skype Credit bought or a subscription, you can send SMS and make direct calls.
Comment

Pro
 Available on Linux

A stripped down, minimalist version of Skype is available for Linux.
Comment

Pro
 Cross-platform

There's software for Windows, Mac & Linux and apps are available on iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone.
Comment

Pro
 Easily connect with others due to how popular the service is

There's a good chance that whoever you're trying to reach has Skype already set up and familiar with it, avoiding the hassle of installing and getting to know new software.
Comment

Pro
 Creating and editing group chats. The ability to share a link to a group chat.

Comment

Pro
 Favorite contacts. Synchronizing contacts with the app 'People'. Search for contacts by phone number.

Comment

Pro
 Send photos, images, emoticons, stickers, graffiti (Ink support).

Comment

Pro
 Saving images when viewing. Autosaving images when receiving messages (configurable function).

Comment

Pro
 Background notifications (even if the app is closed). Ability to respond immediately from the notification.

Comment

Con
 As a free app it has optional in-app purhcases.

You can just ignore them and continue the free usage of the app.
Comment

Con
 The app does not support the calls/videocalls

Comment

Pro
 Uses WebRTC Technology

WebRTC baked platform for HD call quality.
Comment
undefinedurl nextprice drop