2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST FREE MESSAGING APPS
2017 Guide & Ranking: How to Save Your Data with the Top Messaging Apps
Did you know that there is a way to avoid costly text messaging overage charges? With the cost of cell phones and data plans increasing, the last thing you want to worry about is paying even more on your monthly bill by going over you text message limit.
Thankfully, with text messaging apps, there is a way to avoid that. These free messaging apps act as a third party operating on your phone to send messages back and forth.
This is great for teens whose parents don’t want to pay for a costly data plan, for those trying to hide who they’re communicating with and even for those trying to communicate over borders without international fees.
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Free Text Messaging Apps
With the top messaging apps, you can communicate with you friends and loved ones without incurring any more costs. The real trick is trying to find the best text messaging apps. There are so many different options out there for text messaging apps that it takes careful consideration to choose the right one.
With so many different options for text messaging apps, it can become overwhelming as you try to find the right option. You want to make sure that you make the right choice, but with so many options you can easily become frustrated.
When you are looking into popular messaging apps, you likely have questions, including:
- Can you get free popular messaging apps?
- What should you look for in best text messaging apps?
- Are there secure messaging apps?
- What are the most popular messaging apps?
Throughout this 2017 guide, we will answer the questions you have surrounding text messaging apps. We will explain what the benefit of having popular messaging apps is and what to look for in the best group messaging app. Finally, we will provide a detailed review of the six best text messaging apps.
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AdvisoryHQ’s List of Top 6 Best Free Messaging Apps
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the most popular messaging apps below to go directly to the detailed review section for that most secure messaging app):
Top 6 Best Text Messaging Apps | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Text Messaging Apps | Cost | Operating System Compatibility |
| Facebook Messenger | Free | Android & iOS |
| Google Allo | Free | Android & iOS |
| Snapchat | Free | Android & iOS |
| Viber | Free w/ paid options | Android & iOS |
Free | Android & iOS | |
Free | Android & iOS |
Table: Top 6 Best Free Messaging Apps | Above list is sorted alphabetically
Detailed Overview: The Benefit of Using the Best Free Messaging App
You might be wondering what the fuss is all about when it comes to messaging apps. Why are they becoming so popular and do they have any real benefits?
You might not think so, but the truth is that the most popular messaging apps actually have several different benefits that you wouldn’t even think of.
First of all, the obvious benefit of having the best free messaging app is just that – it’s free. This means that if you have a text message limit on your cell phone, you can utilize a free messaging app to stay in contact with your friends and family without racking up extra and unnecessary charges.
Image source: Pixabay
The most secure messaging app will also enable you to keep people from seeing what you are talking about. On top of that, most monthly cell phone bills detail every text message sent and received by both the phone number and time.
If you are trying to hide communication with someone for whatever reason from someone whose cell phone plan you share, secure messaging apps will help you do just that.
For those seeking privacy, getting the best text messaging app might seem like a no brainer. There are some messaging apps, like Snapchat, that actually self-destruct messages after they have been viewed. It seems a bit sketchy, but if you are trying to maintain a certain level of privacy, the best free messaging apps can help.
Finally, for those seeking group messages amongst people with different types of cellphones, this can be quite a struggle. With the best group messaging app, it won’t matter what type of cell phone any of the users in the group have. Things will flow much more seamlessly.
Detailed Overview: What to Look for in the Best Messaging App
Now that you know the benefits of the best messaging apps, you might actually start considering whether you want to use one. If you do, it is important that you find the top messaging apps. This is often easier said than done because there are so many different options out there.
The last thing you want to do is confuse yourself even more with several different conversations going in a few different text messaging apps. It is important to pick one app and stick with it, but how do you know which one if the right app for you?
When you are looking to find the best messaging app, it is important to consider the following:
Price
If you are looking at messaging apps, there are many free messaging apps available there. You should always look for free alternatives and be searching for the best free messaging app.
Group Messaging Capabilities
When you are looking for a secure messaging app you will want to consider whether group messaging capabilities are important to you or not. If you are planning to just do one on one conversations, that you needn’t worry yourself with finding the best group messaging app. However, if you want to converse with several friends at once, not all apps offer group messaging.
Multimedia Options
The top messaging apps to most will often offer multimedia options and not limit you to simple text messages. This means allowing you to send images, sounds, videos and even GIFs and drawings. These things can certainly increase the entertainment of conversations.
Operating System Compatibilities
Before you can even download any top messaging apps you will need to make sure that you find one that is compatible with your operating system. Some secure messaging apps are only compatible with Apple phones or Android phones so make sure whatever app you choose will work with your phone.
Popularity
This one might confuse you a bit, but you could find the absolute best messaging app in the world, but if no one uses it, it will be quite pointless. Often time the best text messaging apps are synonymous with the most popular messaging apps. When people flock to messaging apps, they often draw their friends into it as well.
These are all important things to consider when you are trying to find the top messaging apps. Above all you need to ensure that the app you want to download is compatible with your phone. Then look at other features, such as price, multimedia options and even popularity.
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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Free Messaging Apps
Below, please find the detailed review of each most secure messaging app on our list of most popular messaging apps. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these popular messaging apps to score so high in our selection ranking.
Facebook Messenger Review
Facebook Messenger is probably one of the free messaging apps that you’ve already heard about and maybe have even used. What started out as a messaging program used simply within the Facebook site, has been adapted to work independently on smartphones and other mobile devices.
The nice thing about Facebook Messenger is that is one of the best group messaging apps and it also automatically populates your contact list with your Facebook friends. That’s something that you might not get with other secure messaging apps.
Another thing that users like about Facebook is that it Is familiar to them, since they’re used to using it. As an added bonus, you can also attach files, like pictures, GIFs and Facebook has stickers built in as well.
Bottom Line
Facebook Messenger is one of the top messaging apps for all generations simply because of the popularity of Facebook. Though many were annoyed by Facebook’s forced Messenger integration, now it has become a popular app.
Google Allo Review
Google Allo is one of the newest messaging apps to become available. Similar to Google Hangouts, Google Allo is another one of the free messaging apps offered by the web behemoth.
The real difference with Google Allo is that it is now available for iOS users. That means those with iPhones and iPads can actually use the app for messaging now. It also allows iOS users to utilize Google Assistant, which makes this one of the better text messaging apps out there.
If you are looking for an app that allows you to share photos, stickers and even emoji’s. Still, the feature that most users rave about is the use of Assistant, which features just like Cortana or Siri would for an iPhone or Android phone.
Bottom Line
If you are a Google loyalist and are familiar with their platforms, then Google Allo might just be one of the best secure messaging apps for you to download.
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Snapchat Review
Snapchat has recently become of the most popular messaging apps, especially among the younger generations. The app started out as simply a photo messaging app that allowed those receiving messages to view them for a certain amount of seconds before the photo self-destructed.
Since then, Snapchat has adapted to become one of the most utilized messaging apps. While it still utilizes video and photo sharing features, this is one of the top messaging apps for those trying to conceal who they are talking to. This is because the messages erase themselves and there is no way to retrieve them.
What’s most popular with Snapchat, is the engaging filters that you are able to put on your photos as you send them. While you can use it as a straight chat app, it can be difficult to keep track of what is happening in a conversation because the messages disappear after being read.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a secure messaging app that will keep your messages hidden, Snapchat might be a good app to download. However as just a straight messaging app it can become a bit difficult to track conversations.
Viber Review
For those looking to avoid overage charges for texts on their cell phone, Viber is another one of the most popular text messaging apps out there.
The great thing about Viber, is that like Facebook Messenger, it automatically populates your contacts so you don’t need to go through the hassle of trying to add you friends and family members.
If you are looking for free messaging apps, Viber is a good option. It allows you to send simple text messages, but you can also send emojis, stickers and photos. As an added bonus, unlike other secure messaging apps, you can also make live video and voice calls.
Though the messaging is free, if you are interested in paying for international and domestic calls, you will need to pay for Viber.
Bottom Line
When it comes to the most popular top messaging apps, Viber is certainly up there. It’s great for texting and multimedia features, but if you are interested in making live calls you will need to pay a low rate.
WeChat Review
If you want to download one of the most popular text messaging apps in Asia, WeChat is the app for you. With over 700 million users, you will be in good company – depending on your location.
Like most normal free messaging apps, you will get text messaging and photo sharing. However, WeChat goes above and beyond also offering voice and video calls. This is a great feature and even better is that you can use WeChat with your wearable smart devices.
Where WeChat really differs from other top messaging apps, is with advanced features. Through “People Nearby,” “Shake,” and “Friend Radar” you can find friends and people nearby for a more interactive experience.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a messaging app that goes above and beyond other apps, WeChat might be the best text messaging app for you.
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Whatsapp Review
Whatsapp is another one of the popular messaging apps that users of all ages are downloading and using. This is a great app for those looking to avoid international fees while communicating across borders, since all it uses is Wi-Fi or internet data.
This app is extremely easy to set up and use, and it’s one of the free messaging apps available. You can text message and share things like contacts, photos and even larger documents.
While setting up this app, you will need to grant it access to your contacts, so that your contact list automatically populates itself in the app. This is a useful feature that saves you importing time.
If you want the most secure messaging app, Whatsapp is hard to beat. They offer end-to-end encryption that adds an extra layer of security and privacy that some other apps do not provide.
Bottom Line
Hands down, Whatsapp is one of the best and most popular messaging apps out there.
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Conclusion – Top 6 Best Top Messaging Apps
There are many benefits to text messaging apps that you might not have even realized. They are a secure option that provides you the ability to avoid overage charges and even international fees. The catch is finding the right one.
Source: Pixabay
When you are trying to choose the best text messaging app to use, the decision-making process can seem cloudy. There are so many different options to consider, which can be both good and bad. When you are going through the search process, be sure to ask yourself:
- Do you need group messaging capabilities?
- What free messaging apps are compatible with your cell phone operating system?
- Do you want top messaging apps that allow you to send multimedia?
- How interested are you in having a secure messaging app?
These are all important things to consider as you move through the search process. You want to make sure that you make the right choice from the start to ensure that you can utilize just one messaging app instead having many conversations going in several different ones.
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