Looking for a good WhatsApp alternative?
One system
Facebook is planning to merge the underlying systems of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram. The three apps will continue to exist in their own right, but it will become easier to send messages from one app to users of the other. Are there alternatives which let you share messages outside the Facebook system?
Note. You will have to bear in mind that if you switch to an alternative app, your contacts will also need to install it if you want to keep communicating with them. So you may not be able to get around WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger if some of your contacts continue using them. Of course, there’s nothing keeping you from using multiple apps alongside each other, e.g. WhatsApp plus an alternative.
Signal
The free Signal app ( http://www.signal.org/download ) is available for iOS and Android, as well as for Windows, Mac and Linux. Signal focuses mainly on security and privacy: it’s fully encrypted and you can set a timer for each message after which it will be deleted automatically. Secure group chatting is possible, and you can use the app to make secure phone calls or video chats. Signal not only lets you send photos but also documents, contacts and any other file types.
Viber
A better-known app is Viber ( http://www.viber.com ), which is free for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. This app claims to be very safe and lets you organise personal chats, group calls, phone calls and video chats. An interesting feature is the “secret chats”, in which you can set a timer for the automatic destruction of each message in a conversation: once read, your message will be automatically deleted from the recipient’s phone. The app offers lots of stickers and gifs for enhancing your messages. Furthermore, there are various extensions, including for YouTube videos and Spotify tracks, which you can easily share with others.
Tip 1. You can even encrypt conversations via a PIN code for extra security.
Tip 2. You can make cheap calls to international phone numbers via Viber Out , per minute or with a subscription of €8.99 or £8.30 per month, including mobile numbers.
Telegram Messenger
Telegram Messenger ( http://www.telegram.org ) is also secure and encrypted. There’s a version for iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS and Linux. Telegram doesn’t limit the number of users per group chat, so in theory you can add up to 200,000 users to one single chat session. Usefully, there’s a web version which allows you to view your conversations in a browser on Telegram Web ( https://web.telegram.org ). Furthermore, Telegram supports all kinds of attachments (even zip files). The app offers stickers and even has a photo and video editor on board, while recorded voice messages are supported as well.
Tip. If you are using Windows 10, try the free Windows app Telegram Desktop ( https://www.microsoft.com/p/telegram-desktop/9nztwsqntd0s ).
Create your profile to unlock this advice and many more.