While several other IM apps offer a lot more functionality, and WhatsApp is quite slow to integrate new features, WhatsApp has the biggest draw of an IM app: a large and active user base, making it near-omnipresent and consequently indispensable.Įven when taking out the user base, it's still not half bad - end-to-end encryption for messages and calls, stickers, stories, and more makes WhatsApp one of the best IM apps you can get.īest Messaging app for Apple Devices: iMessage Depending on where you live, you probably have an absolute majority of your friends and family using it as well. Given there are roughly 7.5 billion people on Earth, that means a third of the world uses WhatsApp. That's because of its absolutely massive user base - over 2.5 billion active worldwide users. But there's a compelling argument as to why most of us use it anyway - everyone else uses it, and we're kind of stuck with it. It might not be as feature-packed as other instant messaging apps or have the cleanest track record when it comes to privacy or communication around privacy.

From widely-used options to privacy-focused ones, there's something for everyone here.Īh, WhatsApp. Nonetheless, among apps, keyboards, and more, a decent messaging service should be in order as well. There are several options out there for instant messaging, but sometimes it's not even our decision, but rather, we have to use whatever our friends and family use. However, there's not a single, one-size-fits-all solution for messaging just yet. Now the rise of smartphones has changed the way instant messaging works again.

Most of us got our first spin with it during the height of MSN Messenger from its launch in 1999.

Instant messaging has revolutionized the way the world works. Best Messaging App for Businesses: Slack.

Best Messaging App for Groups and Communities: Discord.

Best Messaging App for Socials Integration: Facebook Messenger.

Best Messaging App for Features: Telegram.

Best Messaging app for Apple Devices: iMessage.

Best Android-focused Messaging app: Google Messages.

Best Overall Messaging app: WhatsApp Messenger.

Best messaging app for family