Alternatives to Google Messages
Google's SMS and RCS texting app for phones, with a web client for texting from a computer. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Google Messages
Google's SMS and RCS texting app for phones, with a web client for texting from a computer.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Google Messages as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Cheogram
An Android XMPP client that links chat with phone numbers, SMS and calls through pluggable routes.
Google Messages handles SMS and RCS texting with a web client, but it is closed source, run by Google, and does not support XMPP chat.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
WhatsApp
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling app for phones, desktop computers and the web.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Burner
An app that gives you extra, disposable phone numbers for calls and texts on your existing phone.
Hushed
A second phone number app for private calling and texting over Wi-Fi from temporary numbers.
Beeper
A unified chat app that brings WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord and other networks into one inbox.
