More than 18 billion messages fly across the internet every single day. That number has only gone up since the pandemic reshaped how we talk to each other, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Whether you rely on WhatsApp for family group chats, iMessage for its blue bubbles, or Microsoft Teams because your boss makes you, there is no shortage of messaging apps competing for your attention. The tricky part is figuring out which ones are actually worth installing. Some excel at privacy, others at collaboration, and a few try to do everything at once with mixed results.
This list covers the 10 best messaging apps for Android, iPhone, and desktop in 2025, with honest takes on what each one does well and where it falls short.
Summary: Best Messaging Apps
1. WhatsApp
WhatsApp’s 2 billion users make it the default whether you like it or not. If someone asks for your number internationally, they almost certainly mean your WhatsApp. The app covers all the basics you would expect: text, voice messages, audio and video calls (including group calls), file sharing, and status updates that disappear after 24 hours.
End-to-end encryption is on by default for every conversation, which is a big deal considering how many competing apps still treat encryption as an optional toggle. WhatsApp Web and the desktop apps for Windows and macOS mean you are not stuck typing on your phone screen during long conversations. The “Delete for Everyone” feature has saved more than a few people from embarrassing typos.
Because of its broad support, availability, and the sheer momentum of its user base, WhatsApp earns the top spot.
You can download WhatsApp on almost all platforms, including Android, iPhone, macOS, and Windows.
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Windows | macOS
2. Facebook Messenger
Meta’s Messenger has come a long way from the days when Facebook forced you to download a separate app just to reply to messages. These days, Messenger works as a standalone platform with audio calls, video calls, group meetings, and screen sharing baked in. You can even run a presentation to your group using screen share, which makes it surprisingly useful for quick work calls when you do not want to fire up a full conferencing tool.
Features:
- Group chat and Messenger Rooms
- Voice and video calls with screen sharing
- File sharing across platforms
- Messenger for Business with chatbot support
- Delete for Everyone
The biggest downside? You need a Facebook account. For people who have left the platform, that is a dealbreaker.
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Windows | macOS
3. Telegram
Telegram carved out its niche by doing a few things no other messaging app bothered with. Group chats scale up to 200,000 members, which is absurd but genuinely useful for large communities, influencer channels, and public announcements. File sharing has no size limit, which is why so many creators and tech communities have moved their distribution to Telegram channels.
The “Secret Chats” feature provides end-to-end encryption with self-destructing messages, though it is worth knowing that regular Telegram chats use server-side encryption rather than end-to-end. That distinction matters if privacy is your top priority.
Because of its privacy features, it’s featured in this list of best privacy-focused messaging apps.
Features:
- End-to-end encryption in Secret Chats
- Groups up to 200,000 members
- Unlimited file sharing (no size cap)
- Self-destruct timer for messages
- Bots and channel broadcasting
- Cross-platform with fast syncing
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Desktop
4. Signal
If you care about privacy more than anything else, Signal is the app you want. The famous American whistleblower Edward Snowden has used it daily since 2015 and endorsed it publicly multiple times. Elon Musk recommended it too, which caused the app’s servers to crash from a flood of new signups.
Signal encrypts everything end-to-end by default: texts, calls, group chats, media. The entire codebase is open-source, so security researchers can audit it freely. A contact identity verification system helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, and “Disappearing Messages” let you set a self-destruct timer on conversations. The interface is clean and minimal, which some people love and others find boring compared to flashier apps like Telegram.
The catch is that Signal’s user base is small compared to WhatsApp or Messenger, so convincing your contacts to switch takes effort.
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Windows | macOS
5. Viber
Viber is huge in Eastern Europe but barely registers in the US. If you have contacts in countries like Greece, Ukraine, or the Philippines, chances are they are already on Viber.
Feature-wise, it covers the essentials: end-to-end encrypted chats, HD voice and video calls, group chats up to 250 members, and media file sharing. Like Telegram, it has a “Secret Chats” option with self-destruct timers for messages that get wiped from both devices after a set period. Nothing groundbreaking compared to the top three on this list, but it is reliable and does everything it advertises without unnecessary clutter.
Features:
- End-to-end encryption
- HD voice and video calls
- Secret Chats with self-destruct timer
- Group chats (up to 250 members)
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Others
6. Discord
Discord’s server model is confusing at first but unbeatable for communities. Unlike traditional messaging apps where you just have contacts and group chats, Discord lets you spin up entire servers with organized text channels, voice channels, roles, and permissions. It started as a gaming platform, but study groups, crypto communities, open-source projects, and even book clubs have adopted it.
Third-party integrations with Spotify, Twitch, and YouTube let members share what they are listening to or streaming in real time. The monetization model relies on Nitro subscriptions and Server Boosting, where members can pay for perks like higher file upload limits and custom emojis for their server.
If you just need to text a friend, Discord is overkill. But for running a community with hundreds or thousands of members, nothing else comes close.
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Windows
7. WeChat
Calling WeChat a “messaging app” undersells it completely. In China, WeChat is closer to an operating system for daily life. You use it to text friends, pay for groceries, hail a taxi, book doctor appointments, and browse a social media feed called “Moments.” It has mini-programs (basically apps inside the app) that handle everything from food delivery to government services.
Also read: Best WeChat alternatives for Android and iOS
The built-in payment system, WeChat Pay, processes billions of transactions and is accepted at nearly every vendor in China. Outside of China and its diaspora communities, WeChat has limited relevance. But if you do business with Chinese companies or have family there, you will need it.
Features:
- Text, voice, and video messaging
- WeChat Pay (mobile payments and transfers)
- Moments social feed
- Mini-programs for services, games, and utilities
- Official accounts for businesses and media
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Desktop
8. Microsoft Teams
After Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025 and pushed all its users over to Teams, this app became the de facto Microsoft communication tool for both work and personal use. Teams is overkill for casual chatting but unbeatable if your workplace already runs on Microsoft 365. The deep integration with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote means you can collaborate on documents without ever leaving the chat window.
For personal use, Teams offers together mode for video calls, custom backgrounds, message reactions, and meeting scheduling. The free tier supports group video calls with up to 100 participants for 60 minutes, which is decent if you do not need the enterprise features. Screen sharing works well during calls, earning it a spot among the best remote work apps.
The real-time translation feature powered by Microsoft AI is legitimately impressive for international teams. But if you are just looking to message a friend about dinner plans, Teams feels like driving a semi truck to the corner store.
Download: Google Play Store | App Store | Desktop
9. iMessage
iMessage is the pride of every iPhone user. They hate green bubbles.
If you own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you are already on iMessage whether you set it up deliberately or not. It syncs through iCloud and handles text, photos, videos, and audio messages between Apple devices with end-to-end encryption. Message reactions arrived here before WhatsApp copied the idea, and the Animoji and Memoji features let you send animated versions of your face, which is either delightful or annoying depending on who you ask.
The balloons, confetti, and laser effects for messages are a fun touch that no other messaging app has replicated well. Apple Pay integration lets you send money within a conversation. The obvious limitation is that iMessage only works within the Apple ecosystem, though iOS 18’s RCS support has improved the experience when texting Android users.
Features:
- End-to-end encryption across Apple devices
- Animoji, Memoji, and message effects
- Apple Pay integration
- Group messaging with tapback reactions
- iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- RCS support for cross-platform texting (iOS 18+)
Download: App Store
10. Android Messages
Google has been trying to build an iMessage competitor for years, cycling through Hangouts, Allo, and multiple rebrands before landing on Android Messages with RCS support.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the protocol that finally brings Android’s default texting app into the modern era. It enables high-resolution image and video sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, group chats, and location sharing, all features that iMessage users have had for over a decade. Google Assistant integration lets you reply to messages, set reminders, and handle tasks without leaving the app. The Material Design interface keeps things clean and visually consistent with the rest of Android.
Features:
- RCS messaging with rich media support
- Google Assistant integration
- SMS and MMS fallback
- Web interface at messages.google.com
- Material Design interface
It is the default on most Android phones, so you probably already have it installed.
Download: Google Play Store | Web
There is no single “best” messaging app for everyone, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something. WhatsApp wins on sheer reach, Signal wins on privacy, Discord wins on community tools, and Teams wins on workplace integration (mostly because IT departments force it on you). Pick the one your contacts actually use, and keep a backup option for the holdouts who refuse to switch. That has always been the real strategy.
Editor’s Picks:
What is the most secure messaging app?
Signal, hands down. It encrypts everything end-to-end by default, the code is fully open-source, and it collects almost no user data. Edward Snowden has publicly endorsed it as his daily driver since 2015.
Which messaging app has the most users worldwide?
WhatsApp leads with over 2 billion active users and dominates in most countries outside the US and China. WeChat owns China with 1.3 billion users, while iMessage is the top pick among American iPhone owners. The global picture really depends on which region you are looking at.
What happened to Skype?
Microsoft pulled the plug on Skype on May 5, 2025, migrating everyone to Microsoft Teams. Teams kept the core Skype features like video calls, messaging, and screen sharing, but wrapped them in a much heavier app built around Microsoft 365 integration. Long-time Skype fans were not thrilled, but the transition was inevitable given that Microsoft had been pushing Teams internally for years.
Can Android and iPhone users message each other with RCS?
Yes, since iOS 18. Apple finally added RCS support, which means Android-to-iPhone texts now get typing indicators, read receipts, and high-res media instead of those blurry compressed MMS images. End-to-end encryption between the two platforms is still a work in progress, though.
Are messaging apps free to use?
The core experience is free on every app listed here. You pay nothing for texting, voice calls, and video calls on WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Messenger, or Discord. Premium tiers like Discord Nitro and Microsoft Teams paid plans exist for power users who want perks like bigger file uploads or longer group calls.
I will also add uMessenger from Utopia p2p to this list. It provides secure and untraceable communication between members of the Utopia community.