WhatsApp Alternatives

WhatsApp is described as 'Free messaging without SMS fees, web sync, and multimedia sharing, supporting group and video chats, available on iPhone, Android, and desktop' and is a leading instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 100 alternatives to WhatsApp for a variety of platforms, including Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Web-based apps. The best WhatsApp alternative is Signal, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like WhatsApp are Telegram, Element, Wire and Tox.

filter to find the best alternatives

WhatsApp alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Encrypted Chat Apps you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Apple Watch, EU, Open Source, Windows Phone, Self-Hosted, Blackberry and Android. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to WhatsApp.

More about WhatsApp

WhatsApp alternatives page was last updated Nov 4, 2025

Rakuten Viber
335 likes
Offers secure messaging with end-to-end encryption, unlimited free calls, group chats for up to 250 members, rich media sharing, emoji reactions, AR lenses, self-destruct messages, affordable international calls, community channels, and robust privacy across devices.
162 Rakuten Viber alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
Japan
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
HUAWEI AppGallery
iPad
Android Wear
Samsung Galaxy Store
+4
Is Rakuten Viber a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
2comments
46users say it's a good alternative
Comments about Rakuten Viber as an Alternative to WhatsApp

s b
Negative commentSep 8, 2025
0
Servers with all the users' data are in Russia.
UnleavenedEagle
Positive commentJun 8, 2020
-1
Best commercial solution!

Active userbase

End to end encryption

No conference calling

Requires phone number

Most users think Rakuten Viber is a great WhatsApp alternative.
Rakuten Viber is Freemium and ProprietaryWhatsApp is Free and Proprietary
Rakuten Viber is Privacy focusedWhatsApp is not according to our users
Session
120 likes
Decentralized messenger featuring end-to-end encryption for individual and group chats, no registration needed, no tracking or metadata logs, IP address protection, secure attachment sharing, multi-device sync, dark mode, open-source code, and ad-free use.
73 Session alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
Switzerland
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
HUAWEI AppGallery
iPad
Snapcraft
Flathub
F-Droid
+2
Is Session a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
4comments
36users say it's a good alternative
Comments about Session as an Alternative to WhatsApp

Guest
Positive commentJun 29, 2021
0
No login data required - it auto-generates seed phrase and that's it; developed by non-profit; developers don't run the infrastructure; everythnig is open-source
Review by a new / low-activity user.
Guest
Positive commentMar 13, 2021
0
no phone number, open source, encrypted
Review by a new / low-activity user.
Brad Maron
Positive commentFeb 12, 2020
1
Similar feature set but with the best privacy measures on the market
3 of 4 comments
Almost everyone thinks Session is a great WhatsApp alternative.
Session is Free and Open SourceWhatsApp is Free and Proprietary
Session is Privacy focusedWhatsApp is not according to our users
Zulip
266 likes
Zulip is the only modern team chat app that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip topics create a separate space for each discussion, so different conversations will never get in each other's way.
222 Zulip alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
+4
Is Zulip a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
1comment
Comments about Zulip as an Alternative to WhatsApp

hrishikeshpatil
Positive commentJan 5, 2018
0
Messages seperated by streams and topics
Zulip is Free Personal and Open SourceWhatsApp is Free and Proprietary
Zulip is Privacy focusedWhatsApp is not according to our users
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Element X
41 likes
It is the brand new, and fastest ever, Matrix client. It is for personal and community use, and will support enterprise functionality later this year.
106 Element X alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
+1
Is Element X a good alternative to WhatsApp?
Delta Chat
62 likes
Provides a chat experience over email, with all messages and contacts stored on user devices, open source code, group media support, and compatibility with any provider. No central servers, no tracking, works without SIM, and can be used by anyone just via email.
79 Delta Chat alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Snapcraft
Flathub
F-Droid
+1
Is Delta Chat a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
8users say it's a good alternative
FluffyChat
37 likes
FluffyChat is an open, nonprofit and cute matrix messenger app for Ubuntu Touch, Android and iOS.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
Switzerland
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Snapcraft
Flathub
Ubuntu Touch
F-Droid
Matrix.org
Is FluffyChat a good alternative to WhatsApp?
Linphone
143 likes
Linphone is one of the most famous open source softphones in the world. It is fully SIP-based, for all calling, presence and IM features.
81 Linphone alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
France
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
+7
Is Linphone a good alternative to WhatsApp?
Keybase
142 likes
Keybase is a new and free security app for mobile phones and computers. For the geeks among us: it's open source and powered by public-key cryptography.
76 Keybase alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (BSD-3-Clause)
Application type
Encrypted Chat App
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
iPad
Ruby
JavaScript
Tor
Go (Programming Language)
Java
+2
Is Keybase a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
6users say it's a good alternative
Messenger
231 likes
Provides comprehensive communication features including group video calls, voice calls, fast messaging, photo sharing, and location mapping. Access through mobile and web platforms with real-time notifications, ensuring seamless interactions using multimedia tools.
196 Messenger alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Proprietary
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
United States
Platforms
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Android Auto
Android Wear
+3
Is Messenger a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
2comments
25users say it's a good alternative
Comments about Messenger as an Alternative to WhatsApp

Gruak
Negative commentJul 14, 2020
2
It's owned by facebook too
Guest
Negative commentSep 16, 2020
3
Encryption is not enabled by default. Everything is kept on Facebook's servers forever unless AES is used. The app is also very bloated so it's a horrible experience on older devices.
Review by a new / low-activity user.
Some users think Messenger is a great WhatsApp alternative, some don't.
Messenger is Free and ProprietaryWhatsApp is also Free and Proprietary
ArcaneChat
15 likes
ArcaneChat is a Delta Chat client and was created with a focus on usability, good user experience, and saving data plan. Also the app usually experiments with new features that eventually might get added to the official Delta Chat client.
18 ArcaneChat alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Android
F-Droid
+2
Is ArcaneChat a good alternative to WhatsApp?
Telegram X
38 likes
An alternative Telegram client based on TDLib, with higher speed, slicker animations and experimental features.
203 Telegram X alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Proprietary
Application type
Instant Messenger
Origin
United States
Platforms
Android
Android Tablet
Telegram
+3
Is Telegram X a good alternative to WhatsApp?
LINE
107 likes
LINE is transforming the way people communicate, closing the distance between family, friends, and loved ones for free.
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application type
Video Calling App
Origin
Japan
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
iPad
Apple Watch
Google Chrome
+2
Is LINE a good alternative to WhatsApp?

|
1comment
15users say it's a good alternative
Comments about LINE as an Alternative to WhatsApp

woma12321
Positive commentJan 16, 2020
-1
great stickers! QR code available.
Most users think LINE is a great WhatsApp alternative.
LINE is Freemium and ProprietaryWhatsApp is Free and Proprietary

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WhatsApp Alternatives

Alternatives list

Rakuten Viber

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Comments about Rakuten Viber as an Alternative to WhatsApp

Session

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Comments about Session as an Alternative to WhatsApp

Zulip

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Comments about Zulip as an Alternative to WhatsApp

Element X

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Delta Chat

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FluffyChat

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Linphone

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Keybase

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Messenger

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ArcaneChat

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Telegram X

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LINE

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Comments about LINE as an Alternative to WhatsApp