Going by the numbers (over a thousand million customers), WeChat is via a long way the maximum loved messaging app in China. Even though the messaging app isn’t similarly popular elsewhere inside the world, it does have a substantial presence in several countries. Owned through Tencent – considered one of Asia’s largest companies by way of market cap – WeChat gives a solid chat experience. What’s more, it also offers cool mini-video games, a way to explore interesting articles, and a fast cell payment method. But similar to other chinese apps, it scores low on the security and privacy fronts. In a latest report via CitizenLabs, it became located that WeChat does content material surveillance even on non-chinese users. This is a huge concern, and if it makes you uncomforatbel, here are Top 10 WeChat alternatives you can use in 2020 to replace it.
locating an excellent replacement for an app like WeChat that cater to various tastes is a bit problematic. So, we’ve lined up a variety of messaging apps that may make an awesome fit with Tencent’s offering and even score higher on a multiple fronts. furthermore, the apps that specific departments like a collection video call, comfy messaging, or tracking news have also made their manner into our lineup. So, irrespective of which your priority lies, deciding on an app which could meet your desires shouldn’t be a massive deal. With that stated, it’s time to explore the top apps like WeChat for iPhone and Android!
Best WeChat Alternatives for Android and iPhone (2020)
1. WhatsApp
Well, WhatsApp is the best instant messaging app available for both Android and iOS users. In fact, WhatsApp has a more active user base than WeChat, and it’s available in more than 180 countries. The instant messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls. Apart from that, there’s GIF support, sticker, support, etc.
2. Telegram
Though Telegram (400 million active users) is nowhere near as popular as WhatsApp or as versatile as WeChat, it’s probably one of the most secure messaging apps. Not for nothing, many compare this messaging app with Apple’s famed Messages app due largely to its ability to offer high-end safeguards to the personal messages. For additional security, the app encrypts all of your data including chats and media with the combination of 256-bit symmetric AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA encryption, and Diffie–Hellman secure key exchange.
Aside from offering the top-notch shield to your data, the app also provides a more intuitive messaging experience than WeChat. The clutter-free UI helps it run faster, unlike WeChat that’s often complained of being sluggish. Another feature that makes it stand out is the ability to let you create a group chat with up to 200, 000 members. Comparatively, WeChat lets users create a group chat with just 500 members. That’s not all, Telegram has many tricks up its sleeves. You should read the linked article to learn them all.
3. Messenger
If you have a Facebook account, then you need to install the Messenger app right now. It’s a free all-in-one communication app owned by Facebook. With Messenger, you can exchange text messages, make video & voice calls, group video calls, etc. Apart from that, Messenger also lets you record and send voice and video messages.
4. Skype
Well, Skype is initially meant for voice and video calling, but later it got the text messaging features. What makes Skype different from WeChat is that it gives you an option to opt for a real phone number. After getting a real phone number, you can call any landline or mobile number by paying a minimal fee.
5. Signal
If the recent report on WeChat has opened your eyes, and you don’t trust big companies with your private messages anymore, you should install Signal. Used by journalists around the world, Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging platform. The service is so secure that even, Signal – the company, can’t read your messages. The app uses its open-source Signal Protocol to secure your messages. Needless to say, your private messages are in good hands.
Talking about the features, you get a beautiful UI along with all the chat features that you can expect from a good messaging app. You can send text messages, attach photos and files, create groups, and make video and voice calls. There are no ads and the service doesn’t track your usage. The company is run by a non-profit organization and is free to use forever. If you want a secure messaging platform, it doesn’t get better than this one. It’s the best secure WeChat alternative yoou can use.
6. Viber
Well, when it comes to the features, Viber shares lots of similarities with WhatsApp. The reason why we have listed Viber in this list is that it offers much superior voice call quality than WeChat. Just like WhatsApp, Viber relies on your phone number to create an account. Once created, you can exchange text messages or make voice calls to everyone using Viber from your contacts.
7. Snapchat
Snapchat has long been a fantastic social networking app. And if you want to spice up social networking with plenty of fun-elements, this one could be the right way to go. Yeah, you got that right! Snapchat scores way more than WeChat in terms of making interaction fun-loving. The app comes with a smart camera to let you quickly capture cool snaps and share them with your friends. And with tons of beautifully designed filters at the disposal, you can give the desired look to your snaps based on specific themes.
That’s not all, Snapchat is home to a lot of eye-catching lenses and fun effects. Times when you want your snaps to easily steal attention, those lenses and effects can come into play. Just like WeChat, Snapchat also lets you catch up with breaking news, original shows, and community stories. As compared to WeChat, I have found Snapchat’s collection of news and stories both better organized and more reliable. Not to mention, I love snap map that makes it easier to see where friends are hanging out and view their location. And the ability to play games with buddies has also caught my attention in equal measure. Well, these are just the tip of the iceberg as Snapchat has got a lot of tricks under the hood!
8. LINE
It is one of the top-rated messaging app available for Android users. Compared to WeChat, Line offers more latest features. On Line, you can either exchange text messages or can make voice & video calls. Apart from that, it supports group video calling with up to 20 people at the same time.
9. KiK
When it comes to providing a fun-loving messaging experience, KiK is as good as any messaging apps out there. In fact, there are quite a few areas where it can even put some of its more famed rivals to shame. For starters, the app doesn’t require you to go through a long sign up process to get started. As it has the support for multimedia like WeChat, you get the luxury to chat with the desired medium.
Just like most of its counterparts, KiK also lets you create a chat group to stay in touch with your buddies. But unlike most of its rivals, it allows you to chat one-on-one in groups, which is perfect for the times where you don’t want to vex everyone in the group with the irrelevant messages. Additionally, Kik has a large collection of memes that can let you express your feelings in a hilarious way. If memes are what you are looking for in a WeChat rival, KiK could turn out to be a far better choice. That’s not all, it’s also got some fascinating games to refresh your mind whenever boredom seems to burden you.
10. IMO free video calls and chat
If you have been searching for a free and lightweight WeChat alternative for video calling & text messaging, then IMO might be the best pick for you. The messaging app is known for its high-quality video and voice calling features. Additionally, it also lets you send free and unlimited messages over 2G, 3G, LTE, or WiFi.
Bonus: Twitter
Hold on for a moment before you start wondering why I have included Twitter in this roundup! As WeChat is not just a simple messaging app but also a platform where users can catch up with a variety of articles, it’s worth suggesting a platform that also does a similar thing. And for this purpose, Twitter is by far the best bet. So, just in case you are hunting for a WeChat substitute that can let you explore a range of topics and also keep you in sync with what’s happening around the world, you should try out the micro-blogging app.
Apart from keeping you in the loop with all the latest happenings, Twitter can also let you communicate through text messages and images thanks to its Direct Messaging feature. It’s messaging tool may be pretty simple but it’s far more secure and neat than that of WeChat. In short, you should look at Twitter as a better WeChat alternative for tracking down news and sharing your thoughts with friends and followers.
Choose The Top WeChat Alternatives for iPhone and Android
So, these are the highly-rated apps that can rival WeChat. Both in terms of a wide variety of features and popularity, quite a few apps can leave Tencent’s offering behind. By the way, which one of the above apps is going to be your replacement? We would be pretty happy to know your pick in the comments below. Also, spill some beans about the apps that deserve a mention in this lineup.