Messaging apps are judged by what the vendor can see, what a lost phone costs and what a group may hold, not by stickers.
This guide ranks twelve apps on setup effort, what extras cost, how history leaves, whether you can join without a phone number or platform login, and who each one suits.
Vendors can pay for visibility on this page. It never changes what an entry
says about a product, including the criticism, and we earn nothing when you click through to a
vendor. How that works.
In short
What messaging apps software does
A messaging app carries text, voice, images and files between people online, usually with calls and group chats, and differs from SMS by using its own accounts and servers.
In this order: setup effort, what it really costs, how your data comes back out, whether
you can leave, and who each messaging apps tool is built for. One rule sits on top of those tests:
Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category, wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. Why those five, and why there is no
score out of ten, is on the how we work page.
Free to use; carrier data fees may apply; WhatsApp Business offered
Yes
People whose contacts all use WhatsApp and who want free calls and large groups.
Buyers who object to metadata collection or to Meta group processing.
Country is where the vendor is headquartered or contracts from, which is a
different question from where your data is hosted. Where the two tell different stories, the
entry says so.
Non-profit messenger with no ads, funded by donations and grants
Ranked #1 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierOpen sourcePublished pricingNorth America
Signal says it cannot read messages or calls, queues encrypted messages for offline devices, and keeps history on the user's own devices. Contact discovery, when enabled, sends hashed contact data to its server.
Funding comes from grants and donations, which is the whole business model: nothing is sold. The trade-off is that nobody can be asked to sign a service level, because the pages checked show no commercial tier.
What stands out
Non-profit
Open source (AGPL)
Phone number needed
Where it costs you
Registration requires a phone number, so the account stays tied to a SIM and a carrier.
The pages checked list no business plan, admin console or contract, so an organisation has nobody to buy support from.
Right for
People who want an ad-free messenger with published code and no commercial owner.
Wrong for
Organisations needing admin controls, support contracts or accounts without phone numbers.
United StatesFree to use; funded by donations and grants
Swiss messenger bought once, usable without phone number or email
Ranked #2 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Published pricingEurope
Threema AG states that its headquarters and servers are in Switzerland. Work Core costs 3 and Work Professional 5 euros per user per month on annual payment, Broadcast is included in Professional, and OnPrem is priced on contact.
Only Professional offers a trial. The Android code is published under AGPL, but running the app against Threema's servers requires a purchased licence. Threema Safe backs up ID, contacts and groups, though not chats.
What stands out
One-time purchase
Swiss company
Work edition
Where it costs you
The licence does not transfer between app stores, so changing from Android to iOS means buying it again.
One ID cannot be used on several phones yet; only desktop and web clients link to the phone.
Right for
Households and small organisations that prefer paying once over being the product.
Wrong for
Buyers who need free sign-up for every contact or several phones per ID.
SwitzerlandOne-time app purchase and Work plans per user per month, annual billing, published
Account IDs without phone numbers, routed through an onion network
Ranked #3 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
Account IDs are restored from a recovery password, and no phone number or email is asked. Messages travel over onion requests, so the service says it does not know who messages whom or when.
Closed groups are end-to-end encrypted, while self-hosted communities encrypt only in transit to the community server. The Android repository carries GPLv3, with copyright held by the Session Technology Foundation from 2024.
What stands out
No phone number
Onion routing
Swiss foundation
Where it costs you
Groups are limited to 100 people and calls are a one-to-one beta that shares IP addresses with the call partner.
Restore recovers 14 days of messages, and contacts are lost if no device was online for 30 days.
Right for
People who must register without any phone number or email, and accept some limits.
Wrong for
Teams needing large groups, admin tools, conference calls or a service contract.
SwitzerlandFree to use; a paid Session Pro tier is mentioned
Swiss-built work messenger with a five-person plan and federation
Ranked #4 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
Wire has four commercial tiers: Free, SMB, Enterprise and Partners. The SMB tier adds video conferences for up to 150 participants, SSO and SCIM, admin controls and guest roles.
Enterprise adds federation with Wire Cloud, data sovereignty options and multi-tenancy, and the FAQ mentions an on-premises edition. The imprint gives Zug, Switzerland, while the about page describes a Berlin headquarters, so the two are worth reconciling in a contract.
What stands out
Free for five
Federation
Open client code
Where it costs you
The free plan is for teams of up to five people and cannot start conference calls above two participants.
The SMB tier stops at 100 people; larger organisations must negotiate a custom Enterprise plan.
Right for
Organisations whose first requirement is encrypted conversations with controlled federation
Wrong for
Large communities wanting big public channels and a wide app directory
SwitzerlandFree plan for five people; SMB per person per month, published; Enterprise custom
Matrix client where you run a server or buy a supported deployment
Ranked #5 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Open sourceSelf-hostablePricing on requestEurope
Element sells three tiers on its pricing page: Community, Enterprise and Sovereign. Community is free of charge and AGPL, and includes Element Call. Enterprise adds Synapse Pro, scaling and oversight, priced per seat per month through an expert.
Sovereign adds air-gapped installation. The Matrix standard itself is governed by an independent foundation, which supports leaving, but running Synapse is real operations work.
What stands out
Matrix protocol
Self-hosted
Open source client
Where it costs you
The pricing page offers self-hosted editions only, so you must run or contract the server.
The Community edition is described as for non-professional deployments and evaluations.
Right for
Organisations wanting federated, self-hosted chat that follows an open standard
Wrong for
Teams wanting a hosted workspace running in ten minutes
United KingdomCommunity edition at no charge; Enterprise per seat, Sovereign per deployment, no amounts listed
Cloud-based messenger where only secret chats are end-to-end encrypted
Ranked #6 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingMiddle East
Groups can have up to 200,000 members and channels unlimited subscribers. Cloud chats let you read history on any device because Telegram stores them, with keys spread over data centres in several jurisdictions.
EEA and UK sign-ups are stored in the Netherlands. Premium is an optional subscription that raises file limits in groups, and Telegram says private messaging stays free of ads. The privacy policy names Telegram Messenger Inc. as controller.
What stands out
Cloud chats
Huge groups
Secret chats
Where it costs you
Regular chats are encrypted between device and server only, so end-to-end protection needs a secret chat on a single device.
Registration needs a mobile number, and landlines are not supported.
Right for
Public channels and very large communities where reach matters more than encryption.
Wrong for
Private business chats that must be end-to-end encrypted by default.
United Arab EmiratesFree to use; optional Premium subscription; sponsored messages in some channels
Free messenger and calling app with ads, owned by Rakuten
Ranked #7 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
The terms name Viber Media S.a r.l., 2 rue du Fosse, Luxembourg, as provider and Rakuten Group as owner. They set a minimum age of 13 and allow Business Accounts for adults only.
Chats sync across phone, tablet and desktop, and messages can be edited or deleted after being seen. The security page says end-to-end keys exist only on user devices and offers trusted contacts for key verification.
What stands out
Rakuten-owned
Ad supported
Paid landline calls
Where it costs you
The service shows ads near, between and over content unless you pay for Viber Plus.
Unused Viber Credit is frozen after six months, and Viber Out excludes premium and special numbers.
Right for
Households and communities in Viber-heavy regions that want group calls and public communities.
Wrong for
Buyers who need an ad-free business tool without a paid add-on.
LuxembourgFree to use with ads; Viber Plus removes ads; Viber Out per minute
Japanese messenger with Letter Sealing encryption for groups up to 50
Ranked #8 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingAsia-Pacific
LY Corporation publishes a yearly encryption report listing what Letter Sealing covers: text, location, media and one-to-one calls, in chats of up to 50.
Several features send data to LINE servers, including website previews, spam reports and sticker keyword handling. The company's registered office is Kioi Tower in Tokyo. The LINE page itself promises free voice calls and free messages but does not list group limits.
What stands out
Letter Sealing
LY Corporation
Group limit 50
Where it costs you
Letter Sealing covers only groups of up to 50 members, and group calls use transport encryption alone.
Images and videos saved to the user album fall outside Letter Sealing, and third-party cloud backups are not end-to-end encrypted.
Right for
Users in markets where contacts already use LINE and group sizes stay small.
Wrong for
Large groups, group calls or backups that must stay end-to-end encrypted.
Tencent messenger whose contracting entity depends on your phone number
Ranked #9 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Pricing on requestAsia-Pacific
Accounts with non-+86 numbers fall under WeChat International Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, or Tencent International Services Europe BV in Amsterdam for UK, EEA and Swiss codes. Singapore law and arbitration apply by default, with court access for EU consumers.
Chat data is not kept permanently on servers, but messages saved to Favorites, abuse reports and group notices are exceptions. Some services are paid and renew automatically.
What stands out
Tencent-linked
Region-based terms
Chat deleted after delivery
Where it costs you
The pages checked do not say whether chats are end-to-end encrypted, only that encryption is applied.
The terms let WeChat block or remove content for any reason without notice.
Right for
People who need to reach contacts already on WeChat from outside mainland China.
Wrong for
Buyers who need confirmed end-to-end encryption or a single contracting entity.
SingaporeSome products carry fees; core messaging price not stated on the pages checked
Built-in Apple messaging that falls back to RCS and SMS
Ranked #10 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Apple states it cannot decrypt iMessage conversations. Photos and videos may be uploaded to Apple to improve performance and are deleted if not delivered within 30 days.
Reachability data such as phone numbers and emails is kept up to 30 days. Backups to iCloud are encrypted when Messages in iCloud or iCloud Backup is on. Apple Distribution International in Ireland controls EEA personal data.
What stands out
iMessage
RCS fallback
Apple devices
Where it costs you
SMS and MMS are not encrypted, and RCS encryption needs iOS 26.5 plus support on both carriers.
iMessage works between Apple devices, so a contact on Android is reached by RCS or SMS instead.
Right for
Households where everyone owns an iPhone, iPad or Mac and wants no extra app.
Wrong for
Mixed phone groups needing one encrypted channel on every platform.
United StatesNo separate price stated; SMS and MMS need a carrier text plan
Meta messenger rolling out end-to-end encryption for personal chats
Ranked #11 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingNorth America
The terms bind every user, including in the EU, to Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and set a minimum age of 13. Use is free with ads, or through a subscription without ads in which Meta says your data is not used for advertising.
Disappearing messages are available only in encrypted conversations. Meta says it does not sell personal data to advertisers.
What stands out
Meta
Encryption rollout
Recovery PIN
Where it costs you
Meta calls default end-to-end encryption a rollout over months, so some chats may not be covered yet.
Restoring encrypted history on a new device needs a PIN or similar recovery method, and a reported message is visible to Meta.
Right for
People whose friends and family already live on Facebook and want a free app.
Wrong for
Buyers needing guaranteed end-to-end protection for every chat from day one.
United StatesFree to use with ads; ad-free subscription offered
Meta-owned messenger with encrypted calls and optional encrypted backups
Ranked #12 of 12 in Best Messaging Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingNorth America
Messages to a business may be seen by several people there, and businesses may use third-party providers, which can include Meta. Group calls take up to 32 people with no time limit.
A 2022 post announced groups of up to 512 and files up to 2GB. The minimum age is 13 in the European Region. The separate WhatsApp Business app is aimed at companies reaching customers.
What stands out
Meta-owned
Encrypted calls
Business app
Where it costs you
Backups to WhatsApp storage or a third-party cloud are encrypted end to end only if you turn that option on.
Metadata such as time, duration and device data is collected, and Meta companies in several countries receive categories of it.
Right for
People whose contacts all use WhatsApp and who want free calls and large groups.
Wrong for
Buyers who object to metadata collection or to Meta group processing.
United StatesFree to use; carrier data fees may apply; WhatsApp Business offered
A messaging app carries text, voice, images and files between people online, usually with calls and group chats, and differs from SMS by using its own accounts and servers. The differences that matter are rarely in the feature list, so this is
the order we would work through them.
01
Decide whether you need a published price
9 of the 12 tools here publish what they cost; the other 3 quote per organisation. The ones you can compare without a sales call: Signal, Threema, Session, Wire, Telegram, Viber, LINE, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp.
02
Decide how much the jurisdiction matters
These 12 vendors are established in 7 countries across 4 regions (Europe 5, North America 4, Asia-Pacific 2, Middle East 1). That decides whose disclosure law applies to what the vendor holds, wherever the servers are.
03
Consider whether you want the source
2 of these are open source: Signal, Element. Hosting one yourself trades a subscription for maintenance.
What a messaging app costs once you add the people you need
Price in this category is a model, not an amount. Signal runs on donations and grants, Threema takes one purchase for the consumer app, and Wire gives five people a free plan before SMB charges per person monthly. Element's Community edition costs nothing, but the supported Enterprise edition is priced per seat and each setup brings one production and one test server.
Viber and WeChat sell extras: Viber Out bills per minute and Viber Plus removes ads, while some WeChat services renew automatically. Most free apps are paid for with data or attention, so ask what the vendor collects, not only what it charges, and count the second phone, a switch of platform and the business tier your group may later need.
Does the licence move to a new phone or app store?
Which paid extras (calls to landlines, ad removal) does your use need?
Who pays for the server if the app is self-hosted?
Which messaging apps encrypt every chat by default
Encryption defaults differ more than marketing suggests. Signal says it cannot read messages or calls, and Viber says end-to-end encryption is default for one-to-one and group chats. WhatsApp states that calls are always end-to-end encrypted. Telegram encrypts only secret chats end to end, which stay on one device, while ordinary cloud chats are encrypted between device and server.
Messenger describes default encryption of personal chats as a rollout, and LINE protects groups up to 50 members with Letter Sealing. WeChat names encryption without saying it is end to end. Apple's iMessage is encrypted, but SMS in the same app is not. Test the exact chat type your people use, with the phones they actually own, before you promise confidentiality to anyone.
Is end-to-end encryption on for group chats and calls too?
What happens to backups: encrypted by default or by choice?
Does a bot or business account in the chat change the protection?
Phone number, username or neither: how accounts work
The account model decides who can find you and what a lost phone costs. Signal and Telegram ask for a phone number, and Telegram says it is the only way to identify a user. Threema offers an eight-digit ID that works without number or email, and Session uses an Account ID restored from a recovery password.
WeChat accounts depend on the number prefix and the contracting entity that follows from it, and Messenger needs a Meta login. Apple Messages needs Apple hardware. A number-free account is harder to trace but easier to lose, so check how a replacement phone restores contacts, groups and history before rollout, and who can reset it.
Is a mobile number required to register?
How are contacts and groups restored on a new device?
Which hardware or platform login does the app assume?
Group size, history and leaving the app
Group limits differ by an order of magnitude. Session stops at 100 people in a group, LINE protects up to 50, Threema group calls take up to 16 on Private, WhatsApp announced 512 in 2022 and group calls of 32, and Telegram groups reach 200,000. Leaving is harder than joining.
Threema Safe backs up ID, contacts and groups but not chats, Session restores only the last 14 days, and an encrypted Messenger history needs a recovery PIN. Nothing in this category is an archive, so decide who keeps the record. Export and retention rules matter more when a group is a business channel, because a chat that cannot leave the app cannot be searched later either.
What is the largest group or call your people need?
How much history survives a phone change?
Where does the record live if the app is dropped?
What goes wrong most often when buying messaging apps software
Treating a free app as costless, when the price is paid in metadata, advertising or a phone number tied to the account.
Assuming that encryption applies to every chat type, when cloud chats, communities, group calls or SMS fallback often sit outside it.
Choosing by contact reach alone, so that Threema, Session or Signal are dismissed before testing whether the people you need would install them.
Ignoring restore and exit, because a lost phone, a platform switch or a 30-day gap can end history, contacts or a purchased licence.
07
Frequently asked questions
8 answers
What is the best messaging apps in 2026?
Signal leads our ranking of 12. Signal is operated by Signal Messenger LLC under a 501c3 non-profit, shows no ads and sells no data, so there is no price to negotiate and no plan to outgrow.
The Android code is published under AGPL. Registration needs a phone number, and the pages checked list no business plan or contract, so an organisation cannot buy support or admin controls.
Which messaging apps tools publish their pricing?
9 of the 12, with the pricing model each one publishes:
Signal: Free to use; funded by donations and grants.
Threema: One-time app purchase and Work plans per user per month, annual billing, published.
Session: Free to use; a paid Session Pro tier is mentioned.
Wire: Free plan for five people; SMB per person per month, published; Enterprise custom.
Telegram: Free to use; optional Premium subscription; sponsored messages in some channels.
Viber: Free to use with ads; Viber Plus removes ads; Viber Out per minute.
LINE: Free to use for messages and voice calls.
Facebook Messenger: Free to use with ads; ad-free subscription offered.
WhatsApp: Free to use; carrier data fees may apply; WhatsApp Business offered.
The other 3 quote per organisation.
Is there a free messaging apps tool?
Signal, Session, Wire, Telegram, Viber, LINE, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp offer a free tier or a free self-hosted edition.
Where are these messaging apps vendors established?
In 7 countries across 4 regions: Europe 5, North America 4, Asia-Pacific 2, Middle East 1.
Signal: United States.
Threema: Switzerland.
Session: Switzerland.
Wire: Switzerland.
Element: United Kingdom.
Telegram: United Arab Emirates.
Viber: Luxembourg.
LINE: Japan.
WeChat: Singapore.
Apple Messages: United States.
Facebook Messenger: United States.
WhatsApp: United States.
Which messaging apps tools are open source?
Signal, Element.
Which messaging apps tools can you host yourself?
Element. The other 11 are hosted by the vendor only.
What should you use instead of Signal?
Threema and Session are the next two on this page. Threema is for Households and small organisations that prefer paying once over being the product.; Session is for People who must register without any phone number or email, and accept some limits..
Who should not buy Signal?
Organisations needing admin controls, support contracts or accounts without phone numbers.. Registration requires a phone number, so the account stays tied to a SIM and a carrier..
If your messaging apps product belongs among these 12, tell us what it does and who it is for. Inclusion is an editorial call; what a listing is and is not is set out under software advice.
