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There are several messaging app options available for Android, iOS, and PC, but not all of them are used by friends and family.
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We've listed a few options, ranging from the most popular app to one that can be used at work or in class.
WhatsApp Messenger
It may not be as good as other messaging apps in terms of features. But it’s that classic case: everyone uses it. With more than 2.5 billion active users worldwide, chances are most of your friends and family use it, too.
It has a large and active user base, making it almost ubiquitous and indispensable. Features such as end-to-end encryption, stickers, status updates, and much more make WhatsApp one of the best messaging apps you can use.
Telegram
Telegram gained a reputation for protecting privacy, and it’s still great in that regard. It has begun to focus more on building an entire social media experience around its messaging concept.
Telegram has huge groups with thousands of members, channels, communities, and, until recently, offered an audio/video chat experience similar to Clubhouse. It adds new features practically every two weeks, and users just can’t get enough of it.
Signal
Signal focuses on protecting your privacy. WhatsApp uses the same end-to-end encryption protocol. It is supported by the Signal Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and making sure your messages and personal information are protected from prying eyes is a major part of its marketing.
It's one of the best instant messaging apps if you care about security as much as you care about your privacy.
Facebook Messenger
Messenger started out as Facebook's messaging feature in 2011 and, from there, began to evolve into a standalone app. It can also function independently without requiring a Facebook account.
It can also integrate Instagram Direct messages into the same app and handle incoming text messages.
Discord
It was initially launched to allow players to coordinate with each other via voice channels, with minimal impact on performance during online gameplay. Soon, it began to evolve from being solely for gaming into a more versatile communication service where people can hang out, chat, and have fun together.
If you have a group of friends, you can start your own service as a meeting place for everyone, or you can expand it as much as you want and have servers with thousands of people, bots, multiple channels, and much more.
Slack
Slack is often compared to Discord because it offers similar functionality that allows users to create separate channels for different purposes.
It integrates with other services to maximize your workflow and supports bots to automate parts of your workflow. Or, simply put, it handles the tasks no one wants to do: it supports pinning messages, managing and tracking documents, and even allows you to share specific channels across multiple workspaces.
Google Chat
Google has a poor track record with messaging services, but Google Chat isn't all that bad when you take a closer look. It is one of two apps that will replace (or has already replaced) Google Hangouts, another Google messaging service that will be discontinued soon; the other is Google Meet.
You're probably already familiar with Google Meet as an alternative to Zoom, but Google Chat was created to handle the messaging aspect. If Slack isn't your team's preferred choice for work and school, Google Chat might be a good option!
Google Messages
It is an Android alternative to Apple's iMessage. With the RCS feature—a standard designed to replace SMS and work on all smartphones, including iOS devices—.
Although SMS services aren't very common for communication in Brazil, Google Messages offers all the features you'd expect from a standard messaging app, including voice messages, multimedia, and much more. If you're looking for a way to communicate with your Android-using friends, I recommend it.