Slant community chat on Discourse| 28 Recommended Products | Recommendations | Platforms | Publisher | File Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 WhatsApp· · · | 27 | 5 | Android, iOS, Web, Mac, Windows, Windows Phone | WhatsApp Inc. | 100 MB |
| #2 Telegram· · · | 14 | 2 | Web iOS Android OSX Windows Linux | Telegram Messenger LLP | 10Mb |
| #3 iMessage· · · | 9 | 1 | – | – | – |
| #4 Hangouts· · · | 13 | 1 | Web / iOS / Android / OSX / Chrome | Google Inc | Varies with device |
| #5 Messenger· · · | 12 | 1 | Android / iOS / WP | Varies with device | |
| #6 Snapchat· · · | 7 | 0 | Android / iOS | Snapchat Inc | 17M |
Pro Straightforward interface
The interface is very simple, fast and easy to use. WhatsApp does a great job of focusing on the basics behind messaging. The app is simple to use, fast & very polished. You can start using it as soon as the app has been downloaded - it does not require setting anything up or registering. You...
Pro Hugely popular
WhatsApp reported 800 million users in April, 2015. Your friends are most likely already using WhatsApp, so it's easy to get setup.
Con Not a multi device app
No support for the iPad, the app has support for possibly all Android tablets but only the iPhone on the iOS platform can install WhatsApp.
Pro Beautiful UI
Very customizable with a lot of clean looking options.
Con Only "Secret Chat" messages are encrypted end to end
The only way to get end to end encryption using Telegram is to use the Secret Chat function, anything through the service is not encrypted.
Con MTProto encryption protocol may not be secure
Reasons are outlined here
Pro Friends don't need to "sign up"
You can just message them using their existing phone number or Apple ID and they will get your message.
Con Not cross-platform
iMessage is not available on anything but Apple devices.
Pro Group video support
If you have signed in your Google account, Hangouts allows making video calls with up to 10 people or one-on-one if you haven't. There are business, education and government solutions that increase the participant count to for video calls to 15 and offers support. Additionally, you can switch...
Pro No need to create a separate account if you use any other Google service
Hangouts uses Google account credentials. If you use any other Google service, then you already have an account set up.
Con Lack of end to end encryption
Communications are encrypted between client and Google servers but not from sending client to receiving client. This means that there is still a possibility for someone other than the receiver to read your message if they have access to internal Google servers. But it allows also lightweight chat...
Pro Uses Facebook friends to create a contacts list
Allows communicating with anyone who's a friend on Facebook.
Pro Great UI
User interface of the application is clean, intuitive and easy to overview.
Con Lack of privacy
Messenger is owned by Facebook. Based on their privacy policy, this means that any information you provide (including messages sent) are used by Facebook to profile you and sell access to your data to advertisers.
Con Lack of end-to-end encryption
Secret (end-to-end encrypted) chats are only supported in one-to-one messages, and are not enabled by default, and the encryption has not been verified independently.
Pro Allows sharing photos, videos and texts that self-destruct
All Snapchat communications disappear after they've been viewed. It creates more interesting conversation when you don't have to worry about consequences as much. Additionally you can doodle on photos.
Pro Includes news
Snapchat includes a Discover page (accessed by two swipes from the right side) where curated list of news and entertainment outlets can put up news from their sites.
Con Security concerns
In 2013, Snapchat was hacked. As a result phone numbers and usernames of 4.6 million users were published online. That happened after concerns were raised by a security firm weeks before that Snapchat dismissed. Other security concerns were pointed out to Snapchat throughout 2014 including ways th...
Con Non-intuitive UI
The UI space is well used but you'll likely miss a few messages until you understand of the UI works; it's not like the average mobile apps.
Pro Video calls
One-to-one Skype-to-Skype video calls can be made over Wi-Fi or cellular networks. You can also join ongoing group video calls with audio only, but cannot initiate group video from your iOS device.
Pro Combines cellular and data messaging
You can buy Skype Credit or sign up for a subscription to make calls and send SMS at a reduced price.
Know any negative aspects of this option?
Pro Desktop apps allow texting, calling and enable transfering calls
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.
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.
Con Has multiple a security vulnerabilities
EFF gave Viber's security 1 out of 7 points in November, 2014. It deducted points because the provider is capable of reading encrypted messages, there's no way to verify contacts identities, past communications are not secure if encryption keys are stolen, the code is not open to independe...
Pro No access to contacts required
Access to contacts is an optional feature
Con Not free
Unlike many other options Threema is not free.
Pro Mass message multiple people at once
Ability to send a single message to multiple people without exposing their contact information to each other. Reach sends individual messages to the group rather than starts a group chat.
Pro Personalized and Individual conversations in "Group Mode"
When sending a message to a group of people, Reach starts a private conversation in your Messages, Mail or WhatsApp apps respectively for each recipient
Con Need to press "Send" button per each recipient
When sending a message to a group, the user must press "Send" button for each recipient. The only work around is to use Google Voice integration for fully automatic mass texting
Con Privacy control is lacking
If you read the terms and conditions carefully, they mention that they collect as much information as they can and sell it to advertisers.
Pro Can be used as a Walkie Talkie
WeChat has push-to-talk functionality that can be used both one-on-one and in groups.
Pro Friends can be added by scanning a QR code
WeChat generates a QR code for each user that other can be scanned to add them as a friend.
Con Notifications get muted after inactivity
New message notifications stop getting pushed if the application isn't opened for some extended period of time (seems to be around a week or so)
Con Conversations and chat groups aren't ported to new devices
Messages are stored on each device, so shifting to a new device means losing all the previous conversations, as well as an inability to post in previous chat groups until someone else posts there and you're alerted of a new message.
Pro Enormous, constantly updated stamp collection
Since many brands use stamps for promotional purposes, everything from movies to food brands to Taylor Swift have released stamp collections.
Pro Photo filter and editing capabilities
Users have in-app editing tools, as well as Line's separate camera application, which has additional tools.
Con Account is locked to the Phone Number & Device
The entire account is locked to the phone number, which cannot be changed. If the application is installed on a new device with the same phone number, the previous account data will be wiped.
Con Users have been concentrated in Japan
Of the 360+ million registered users, the top country is Japan (50 million). Thailand and Indonesia are 2nd and 3rd with 33 and 30 million, respectively, with very small market penetration in the US (10 million, 11th place).
Pro Can communicate outside of Vine
You can send messages to people outside of Vine.
Pro Video tools
Vine can capture a video for you and has a grid to help line up shots.
Pro Protected by Swiss privacy laws
Same privacy laws that keep banks private.
Pro Persists history
Your chat history is persisted by default (you can send incognito end-to-end encrypted self-destructing messages instead if you so desire).
Pro Allows self-destructing messages
You can send messages that will be removed from both parties after a defined period of time.
Pro Offers 3 types of encryption
The app claims to be the only communication app that encrypts data in transit, on disk and on screen. Encryption in transit is used to make sure no-one can listen in on your conversations even if the traffic is going through their servers, encryption on disk is used to make sure that even if someo...
Pro Can send self-destructing messages
Messages can be set to self-destruct after a set time.
Pro Regular calls
You can buy Nimbuzz Credit and make calls at a reduced price.
Pro Chat rooms
Nimbuzz has public chat rooms that can be created or accessed by anyone.
Know any negative aspects of this option?
Pro Video & photo messages
Photos have to be cropped to be square.
Pro Filters
That can be applied to photos and videos.
Con Walled garden
Can't communicate with people outside of Instagram.
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