Alternatives to Messenger
Meta's messaging and video calling service for chatting with Facebook friends and family. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Messenger
Meta's messaging and video calling service for chatting with Facebook friends and family.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Messenger.
WhatsApp
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling app for phones, desktop computers and the web.
WhatsApp adds end-to-end encrypted messages and calls with phone, desktop and web apps, but ties the account to a phone number instead of a Meta account.
Caprine
Unofficial desktop app for Facebook Messenger.
Caprine is an unofficial open-source desktop wrapper for Messenger with dark theme and privacy options, so it keeps the same service but can break with Facebook changes.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal is open source and nonprofit-run with end-to-end encryption on every message and call and no ads, but requires a phone number to register.
Telegram Desktop
The official Telegram client for the desktop, with open source code and chats that are not end-to-end encrypted.
Telegram offers open-source clients on desktop, mobile and web with cloud sync and large groups, though ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted.
Viber
A messaging and calling app with group chats, stickers and public communities, synced across devices.
Viber is a proprietary messaging and calling app with group chats and cross-device sync, reaching contacts who already use Viber rather than Facebook.
LINE
A popular messaging app with free text messages, voice and video calls, and stickers.
LINE is a closed-source messenger with free calls and stickers on Android and iOS, mostly useful for contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand.
Snapchat
A messaging app built around photo and video Snaps, chat, Stories and camera Lenses.
Snapchat centres messaging on photo and video Snaps with camera Lenses and video calls, and is also proprietary and ad-supported.
WeChat
Tencent's messaging app with chats, voice and video calls, Moments and mobile payments.
WeChat is Tencent's closed-source messenger with calls, Moments and payments, mostly useful for contacts and businesses in China.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Beeper
A unified chat app that brings WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord and other networks into one inbox.
Ferdium
Combines your messaging and web services into one window with workspaces, as a community fork of Franz with the restrictions removed.
Rambox
Desktop workspace that combines messaging and email web apps in one window.
Discord
A voice, video and text chat app for communities and friends, organised into servers and channels.
