Let’s explore the top messaging apps to find one that suits your specific needs – from streamlining internal communication and boosting employee productivity to keeping in touch with loved ones regardless of location.
Whether for personal or professional use, messaging apps have become essential to our daily lives. From staying in touch with friends and family to communicating with employees and clients, messaging apps make it easy to stay connected from anywhere.
Separating professional and personal communication, however, is essential to reduce distractions, accidental private messages in work chats, and vice versa, as well as other issues.
With so many options available in the app stores, deciding which one suits your specific needs can be tricky. To help you in your search, we’ve lined up the 10 top messaging apps along with their unique features, benefits, and uses.
Let’s get started!
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one messaging app
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Good for communicating with customers
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Good for sharing and editing photos
What to Look For in a Messaging App
When looking for a good messaging app, keep an eye out for the following aspects and features:
- Ease of use: It’s easy to set up and offers an intuitive user experience.
- Customizability: It’s customizable to suit your team structures.
- Privacy and security: It prioritizes user security and privacy, with end-to-end encryption and other controls to protect user data.
- Multimedia sharing: You can share multimedia content such as photos, videos, files, and voice notes.
- Group messaging: You can create groups and channels to communicate with multiple people simultaneously.
- Voice and video calling: It can include voice and video call features allowing live conversations.
- Price: It is cost-friendly and suits your budget.
- Support: It comes with good customer support to help you with any issues.
The 10 Best Messaging Apps of 2023
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one messaging app
At the top of our list is Connecteam’s all-in-one employee communication app. This app gives you all the tools you need to safely and efficiently communicate with your staff from anywhere, making it an ideal fit for companies managing frontline and field teams.
Let’s break down the main messaging features to better understand how the app can optimize communication with your non-desk teams.
Work-dedicated messaging
Connecteam’s chat lets you instantly communicate with your employees in secure 1:1, group, and company-wide chats and see who read your messages. Beyond text, you can share voice messages, images, videos, files, locations, and more. This allows your entire team to stay connected wherever they are working from.
In addition, as the platform is purely dedicated to work-related conversations, employees can remain productive and focused on the job without being distracted by personal messages. Separating work and private conversations further prevents mistakenly sending private messages in work chats and vice versa.
Secure messaging
As an admin, you can monitor and remove inappropriate messages from group chats and set what employees can download, share, and forward. In addition, you can adjust your settings to define who can start a conversation with whom.
Connecteam allows you to keep your messaging safely within the app by preventing your team from exporting or downloading conversations. Moreover, employees lose access to the app when they leave the company, so all data remains secure.
Smart groups
You can easily message all the right people. Rather than manually selecting users or creating groups, you can have the system do this based on your users’ profile attributes. This can, for instance, be their job title, department, or branch. This way, you can reach all relevant people in just a click.
Updates
Share company news, announcements, and shout-outs with your team through your social feed and allow users to comment and react like on social media. This is a great way to keep your employees in the loop and engaged.
As an admin, you have a clear overview of who viewed and read your updates. You can easily ensure you get your message across with notifications, pop-up updates, and reading confirmations.
Employee directory
With this digital phonebook, you and your staff can quickly look up and contact coworkers and external work contacts directly from the app without saving the contact on your mobile phones. You can search contacts by name, job title, department, location, or custom field and add notes with additional details, such as preferred call hours.
You can control which contact information your employees can see and keep contact information safe within the company with access only to current employees.
And so much more…
In addition to powerful communication features, Connecteam offers exceptional customer support, an intuitive user experience, excellent staff management tools, and high customizability, which allows you to adjust the platform to suit your exact business needs.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
Pros
Intuitive and easy to use
All-in-one solution
Great customer support
Budget-friendly
Cons
Integrations in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Whatsapp — Good for communicating with customers
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that aims to provide a fast, simple, and reliable way for people to stay in touch anytime and anywhere.
With it, you can send private and group messages to users, including text messages, voice messages, images, and files. It also lets you make voice and video calls and adjust your notification settings.
Note that WhatsApp is not ideal for internal communication due to the lack of differentiation between personal and professional messaging and limited admin controls. WhatsApp does provide a business app and platform through which business representatives can communicate with customers.
Learn more about WhatsappKey Features
- Read statuses
- Group conversations
- Notification settings
- Voice and video calls
Pros
- Free version
- Familiar format
Cons
- You need to sign up with a phone number and contacts list
- WhatsApp shares user data, including IP addresses, with Meta
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Telegram — Good for sharing and editing photos
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Telegram is a live message app that aims to facilitate pure instant messaging that is simple, fast, secure, and synced across all your devices.
It offers a strong social component, allowing you to create and participate in channels and groups. Besides text messages, you can send photos, voice messages, videos, stickers, and emojis.
You can send text messages as Secret Chats, which can’t be forwarded to others. These messages have a self-destruct timer, so they’re erased after a set time.
While businesses can use the app, it offers very limited capabilities for managers to oversee and manage internal communication.
Learn more about TelegramKey Features
- Secret Messages
- Find People Nearby
- Sticker and emoji library
- Third-party payments
Pros
- Good search capabilities
- Groups for up to 200,000 users at a time
Cons
- Limited features
- Only Secret Chats are encrypted end-to-end
Pricing
Starts at $4.99/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Viber — Good for joining public interest groups
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Viber is a calling and messaging app that aims to connect people no matter who they are or where they’re from.
Viber’s features include one-on-one chats, group messaging, voice calls, and video calls. You can also join public groups with people who share your passions and engage in discussions.
Viber offers a business plan that allows you to communicate with new and existing customers using multiple message types. It, however, does not provide a specific plan for internal communication.
Learn more about ViberKey Features
- Private and group chats
- Video calls
- Public groups
- Message editing
Pros
- Engaging user interface
- Easy to use
Cons
- Limited customization options
- Lacks spam filtering capabilities
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Messenger
Messenger — Good for interacting with customers on social media
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Messenger’s messaging app, formerly known as Facebook Messenger, aims to make it easy and fun to stay close to your favorite people.
The app powers conversations on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It allows users to send text and voice messages, share files, video chat, and even watch movies together.
Companies can use Messenger on their business Facebook page to answer customer questions and set up automatic greetings or auto-replies to frequently asked questions.
Learn more about MessengerKey Features
- Message effects
- Voice calls
- Live video chat
- Money transfer
Pros
- Easy to use
- Familiar user interface
Cons
- Facebook has faced investigations over its security
- Users are exposed to distractions
Pricing
Free Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Signal — Good for communicating securely
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Signal is a private messenger app that aims to develop open-source privacy technology that protects privacy rights, promotes free expression, and enables secure global communication.
Signal’s independent nonprofit allows you to send and receive texts, audio, files, photos, and videos. You can also create group chats and pin your most-used chats to the top of your screen. All messages are end-to-end encrypted messaging by default, so no one except you and the recipient can see them.
Learn more about SignalKey Features
- Message lifespan
- Photo markup
- Sticker packs
- Digital currency payments
Pros
- Automatically blur faces in photos to protect privacy
- No ads or trackers
Cons
- Limited group chat history viewing options
- Occasional problems with sending and receiving messages
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Slack — Good for large in-office teams
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Slack’s messaging app aims to make your working life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.
With it, you can chat, send audio and video clips, or engage in live conversations. At the heart of the product are channels that allow you to communicate with specific user groups, making connecting across departments, offices, and even other companies easier.
Users can adjust their status to show when they’re away, unavailable, in a meeting, or traveling and turn off notifications between certain hours.
Learn more about SlackKey Features
- Private chats and channels
- Message editing
- Huddle
- Integration options
Pros
- User-friendly
- Ability to edit messages after sending
Cons
- Notifications can become overwhelming
- One of the more expensive paid options
Pricing
Starts at $7.25/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Discord — Good for creating virtual hangouts
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Discord is a voice, video, and text messaging app that aims to help friends and communities come together to hang out and explore their interests.
You can chat via text, audio, or video with individuals in private as well as on topic-based channels. You can also create a community with moderation tools and custom member access. While it’s best known for its use among gamers, you can also use it to watch training videos together, have online parties, listen to meeting recordings, etc.
Discord has a number of integration options, including Trello, Google, Slack, and Twitter.
Learn more about DiscordKey Features
- Invite-only groups
- Public servers
- Real-time video and audio chat
- Integration options
Pros
- Engaging user experience
- Customizable
Cons
- Lacks business use features
- Lacks spam filtering capabilities
Pricing
Starts at $9.99/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Kik
Kik — Good for basic text messaging
Available on
- iOS
- Android
Kik is a simple messaging app that focuses on being the best place to have a meaningful conversation with someone new.
The sms app lets you chat one-on-one, in groups with up to ten participants, or with a bot. You can use the bot to take quizzes, get the latest news, ask for advice, or bring it into a group chat to play games. While you can send text messages and images, Kik doesn’t support video or audio messages or calls.
Unlike with other apps, you don’t have to provide a phone number, enter personal information, or import existing contacts to get started.
Learn more about KikKey Features
- Read receipts
- Custom chat codes
- Chat bot
- Quizzes
Pros
- Easy to use
- Clean user interface
Cons
- Limited features
- Lacks business use features
Pricing
Free Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Threema — Good for top-down communication
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Threema is an instant messaging app for both individual and company use. Its business product aims to provide organizations of all types and sizes with a secure and privacy-compliant messaging solution.
The app allows you to reach individual employees, departments, or the entire company. You can also message external partners and customers. As an admin, you can customize the app according to your company’s requirements and control how your employees can use it on their phones.
Learn more about ThreemaKey Features
- Company messenger
- Top-down communication
- User management
- Integration options
Pros
- Easy to learn
- User-friendly
Cons
- Unintuitive implementation processes
- Not commonly used
Pricing
Starts at $14.99/year Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Messaging Apps
| Topic |
Start for free
|
|
|
|
Messenger |
|
|
|
Kik |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
|
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $4.99/month
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Free
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $7.25/user/month
|
Starts at $9.99/user/month
|
Free
|
Starts at $14.99/year
|
| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
What Is a Message App?
A messaging app is a digital tool that lets users communicate with one another by sending text or voice messages, images, videos, and other multimedia content. These apps typically require an internet connection to function correctly and allow you to communicate instantly with individuals or groups.
Messaging apps have become increasingly popular due to the growing need for people to stay connected personally and professionally and the widespread adoption of smartphones.
Nonetheless, concerns have been raised about certain apps’ data privacy and security. It’s, therefore, important to be mindful of these concerns when choosing a messaging app.
How Do Messaging Apps Work?
Messaging apps facilitate communication between users using a combination of processes. User messages are typically encrypted and sent to the app’s server, which then forwards them to the recipient. Some apps also offer end-to-end encryption, which ensures messages are only readable by the sender and recipient and not by any third parties, including the app developer or service provider.
Messaging apps often offer additional features to basic text messaging, such as voice and video calls and file sharing. You can also create groups or channels to share messages with multiple users simultaneously.
What Are the Benefits of Messaging Apps?
The main benefits of using a messaging app include that it helps:
- Communicate instantly by allowing users to communicate with each other in real-time regardless of their location or time zone, enabling quick and efficient communication.
- Reduce costs by using internet-based technologies to communicate messages, which can be significantly cheaper than regular phone or text messaging services.
- Boost efficiency and engagement by allowing you to share rich messages that include a wide range of multimedia content, such as photos, videos, and voice messages.
- Target messaging by allowing you to create groups or channels to communicate with multiple people at once and facilitate collaboration.
- Enhance security and privacy by using end-to-end encryption to ensure messages are only readable by the sender and intended recipient.
How Much Do Messaging Apps Cost?
There are free messaging apps as well as paid communication software for businesses. Free apps are usually geared more toward social use. A paid business messaging app will generally have more features and better security for your messages.
The pricing of business text messaging apps vastly differs per provider and often depends on the number of users and the feature package. It usually ranges from $6.67 to $15 per user per month. Particularly those that charge per user can get expensive if you work with a large team.
Note that high pricing does not necessarily equal a better user experience. Our number one pick, Connecteam, offers premium plans at a flat monthly rate of $29 for the first 30 employees.
FAQs
What features should I look for when choosing the best messaging app for my business?
When choosing the best messaging app for your business, the most critical features and capabilities should be secure messaging, real-time oversight, and file sharing.
What is the most popular messaging app for friends and family?
The best messaging app for reaching friends and family via text and call is really based on personal preference, but most would probably say WhatsApp. Do not that the app is less appropriate for internal communication.
The Bottom Line On Messaging App
All in all, there is a wide variety of live messaging apps on the market today, each with its own features and uses, such as improving communication with employees and clients, enhancing collaboration and productivity, and maintaining relationships with loved ones.
Bear in mind that it is best to separate personal and professional communication to minimize distraction from personal messages on the job, the risk of mistakenly sending private messages in work chats, and vice versa, and other concerns.