Alternatives to Viber
A messaging and calling app with group chats, stickers and public communities, synced across devices. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Viber
A messaging and calling app with group chats, stickers and public communities, synced across devices.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Viber.
WhatsApp
An end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling app for phones, desktop computers and the web.
WhatsApp offers end-to-end encrypted messages and calls on phones, desktop and the web, and is very widely used, but is also proprietary.
Telegram Desktop
The official Telegram client for the desktop, with open source code and chats that are not end-to-end encrypted.
Telegram offers very large groups, channels and bots with cloud sync across devices, but ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted and a phone number is required.
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 under AGPL-3.0, run by a nonprofit and end-to-end encrypts every message and call, and it adds desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux.
LINE
A popular messaging app with free text messages, voice and video calls, and stickers.
LINE is another closed, centrally run messenger with free calls and stickers, mostly useful where contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand already use it.
WeChat
Tencent's messaging app with chats, voice and video calls, Moments and mobile payments.
WeChat adds a social feed and mobile payments alongside chat and calls, with desktop apps, and is mainly useful for contacts and businesses in China.
Zalo
A Vietnamese messaging and calling app for phones and desktop computers, used by tens of millions.
Zalo is a proprietary messaging and calling app for mobile and desktop that is widely used in Vietnam but little used elsewhere.
Messenger
Meta's messaging and video calling service for chatting with Facebook friends and family.
Messenger reaches Facebook friends and family and works in a browser, but it requires a Meta account and is run by an advertising company.
Threema
Swiss encrypted messenger that works without a phone number or email.
Threema needs no phone number or email, has open source apps from a Swiss company, and requires a one-time purchase for each platform.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Viber as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Snapchat
A messaging app built around photo and video Snaps, chat, Stories and camera Lenses.
Viber offers calls, group chats, stickers and communities with desktop sync, but its listed platform is Android and it stays proprietary and centrally run.
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.
Google Messages
Google's SMS and RCS texting app for phones, with a web client for texting from a computer.
Molly
A security-hardened fork of Signal for Android with an encrypted local database and Tor support.
Olvid
An end-to-end encrypted messenger that works without a phone number, email address or other personal data.
