Alternatives to Zalo
A Vietnamese messaging and calling app for phones and desktop computers, used by tens of millions. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Zalo
A Vietnamese messaging and calling app for phones and desktop computers, used by tens of millions.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Zalo.
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 and a web client, and is widely used internationally, though it is still proprietary and tied to a phone number.
Viber
A messaging and calling app with group chats, stickers and public communities, synced across devices.
Viber provides calls, group chats and desktop sync with communities and stickers, as a proprietary service whose listed platform is Android.
LINE
A popular messaging app with free text messages, voice and video calls, and stickers.
LINE offers free messaging and calls widely used in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, with its listed platforms limited to Android and iOS.
Telegram Desktop
The official Telegram client for the desktop, with open source code and chats that are not end-to-end encrypted.
Telegram Desktop brings open source clients and cloud sync across devices, but ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted and a phone number is required.
WeChat
Tencent's messaging app with chats, voice and video calls, Moments and mobile payments.
WeChat combines chat, calls, a social feed and payments with a large user base in China, and is similarly closed source on mobile and desktop.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal is a free open source messenger with end-to-end encryption on every message and call, run by a nonprofit, though fewer Vietnamese contacts may use it.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
