What’s app is the most common messenger app worldwide in 2023 and it’s been in the number one position for many years. Despite that, there are a lot of users who consider other apps for messaging instead of What’s App and you’ll be surprised to know that a huge amount of Android users use other messaging apps besides What’s App as a secondary option or as their primary option and do not consider using What’s App at all. Moreover, for Apple iPhone users, iMessage is their default choice. Therefore there is not much to talk about iPhone or iOS users. Here we are exclusively focusing on Android users.
There are a few reasons why a user may not consider using What’s App. One reason is that it is a very popular messaging app and the user just wants more space for him/herself. We know that many acquaintances or colleagues may send spam messages or just stuff that is not relevant to the user and consumes a lot of time or attention. So, the user considers to get rid of the app altogether.
Another very important reason is the privacy concern. Even though, What’s App offers end-to-end encryption, it is an app owned by the Meta Corporation which is the owner of other popular apps or websites such as Facebook, Instagram and Facebook Messenger. It is no secret that Meta sold the data of the users to third parties and they also use the data of the users for their own analytical purpose and so on. People in the past also explained their concern about being canceled or restricted from platforms such as Facebook and Instagram because they have a specific identity or belong to a specific group and opinions that may not fit with the opinions or the political views of Meta. A lot of users do not feel safe using their platforms as they do not want to be “watched”, “spied” or “analyzed” when they are using their platforms for their private purposes or leisure. They also feel that Corporations like Meta may become too authoritarian if users become too dependent on them. These are real-time concerns and there is a big awareness of it, especially among a lot of users in the European continent. Thus the popularity of alternative apps increased. Here in this article, we will give you our five top favorite What’s App alternative in 2023.
1. Telegram
Wouldn’t you guess that Telegram would be our top choice, simply because it’s such a cool and clean app? They are very open about the privacy of the users and they make it absolutely clear that they will never compromise the data of their users nor do they have any need or wish to analyze the data of the users. Many top figures in the global scene use and recommend this app as their top What’s App alternative. Not only that it is SSL protected but also it has a very neat and clean interface and some fine advanced privacy features.
You can for example set your profile in a way that only people in your contact list can find you. You can also hide when was the last time you were online. Generally, Telegram also has a more formal and less superficial vibe. People seem to have an understanding of decency, formality and private space.
However, Telegram was launched by some Russian brothers who also founded the popular Russian social Media VKontakte. VKontakte is like the Facebook of Russia and is a very influential platform worldwide. So, some people raised concerns that the Telegram owners may sell or expose the data of their users to the Russian government. But they strongly refused such an idea and so far they remain trustworthy among the vast majority of their users in that matter.
2. Discord
You got to give it to Discord. Yes, it is the most popular messenger app among gamers. Not only that, but a lot of other kinds of groups also like Discord because of its server feature. You can create a server and a specific topic for discussion in that server with a group of people with the same interests. This can be great for all kinds of groups or for students such as language learners to discuss specific topics of their interest.
Discord is also popular as a desktop app. If you want to keep chatting outside of your mobile phone, Discord is the perfect choice. It is also considered safe and private which is again a very important factor when you are having a chat with someone close to you. It is not acceptable in any civil society at any degree at all that the chat between two private persons is compromised.
3. Skype
Skype is owned by Microsoft Corporation. Now, you may say it’s not the safest and most private option out there and you may be right. But it’s definitely safer, more stable and more neutral than What’s App of Meta. Another advantage of Skype is that you can easily use it on both your computer and your phone or just choose one of them, whatever suits you best, or even switch when needed. For example, you may generally use it on your computer but while traveling, you can’t use your computer and there is an emergency. You can quickly install it on your phone, log into your account and you’ll have access to your Skype contacts right away.
Skype is also a pretty old software and is normally trustworthy. Its quality is stable, the interface looks neat and you can add balance to call on any phone directly.
4. Signal
Signal is the main competitor of Telegram. Technically Signal is more secure than Telegram as it protects all chats using SSL encryption, while Telegram only protects chats with a so-called “secret chat” option. We have to get into a complex technical area to explain to you all the differences which is beyond the scope of this article. In simple words, we can say that Signal is definitely more secure when it comes to technical terms but Telegram has more common users and more general influence therefore, it’s more convenient as a What’s App alternative for day-to-day communication or messaging. But if you want the best privacy and some very specific kind of chat or communication with a specific group of people or friends and you can all agree on using Signal, you can try this.
5. Viber
Viber has been a popular chat app for a very long time. It is commonly considered safe and there are plenty of Viber users as well. There are special features in this app such as communities, secret chat, external calls and games which make it unique in a sense and stand out. We would say, it is also more universal and user-friendly than What’s App. So, if you have people in your circle using this app, it is surely worth trying.
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