Being able to chat with people over the internet for free is something that makes our lives easier in a multitude of ways. Having an app and a device connected to the internet is enough to connect with anyone, no matter where they are. Thanks to technology, communicating with your loved ones and friends is a quick and easy process. And in the ever-growing gig economy, some even allow you to get paid you to chat with others.
Compared to email communication, chat apps speed up communications while at the same time providing a great deal of privacy and protection. They have become a blessing to our interconnected world. However, thousands of these apps are available online, and knowing which works best for us can be difficult.
Review of the Best Free Chat Apps
Here is our list of the top 10 best free chat apps. Our selection, while subjective, will help you pick one that best suits your needs.
Undoubtedly, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app thanks to its robust search tool, ability to monitor data consumption statistics, powerful security features with end-to-end encryption, and comprehensive sharing features. In addition, you can use WhatsApp to call your friends and relatives free of cost. You can also set customized backgrounds for your unique conversations and groups. Used by billions worldwide, this app also helps businesses provide customer support, e-commerce, and several other services via WhatsApp Business.
- Telegram
Telegram’s advantage comes from the fact that it offers a secure, free online connection devoid of surveillance from government agencies. Telegram supports a high-grade encryption technology to keep all of your conversations private. It also comes bundled with a powerful video and photo editing tool, support for groups of up to 200,000 members, bot integration, emojis, and the ability to schedule messages for the future. It’s also extremely lightweight and has a portable Windows app.
- Discord
Discord is hands down one of the best chat apps for large social media communities centered around a specific theme, be it video games, art, or science. With Discord, you can create highly customizable online servers using bots that play a specific role. It integrates with other external platforms like Reddit, Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Crunchyroll, Spotify, TikTok, GitHub, and YouTube. It’s the go-to option for gamers.
Discord also has a paid Nitro feature that adds even more features to its already robust package. Broke at the moment to pay for this subscription? Why not try Pawns.app? You can share your internet and quickly fill out online surveys here to earn spare cash to pay for any subscription service you need.
- Line
Residents of Japan and nearby Asian countries can attest to Line’s enduring popularity. In addition to allowing users to make free calls, Line also effortlessly connects users with healthcare professionals and features robust tools to handle digital payments. Excellent live streaming support and the ability to easily share creative video content are other features that make Line stand out.
WeChat is the choice for users living in China and other neighboring nations. Besides free chatting, this app allows companies to launch paid blogs to provide consumers with different types of content. Adding other people nearby is a breeze with WeChat, and its share features are second to none. It includes support for mini apps for services to pre-register medical procedures, renew visas, or use credit cards.
- Signal
Security and privacy are Signal’s trademark qualities. It has a very powerful incognito feature that allows you to carry out private conversations without having third-party apps access your texts. With it, you can also easily add text and highlight specific parts of an image. You can make messages disappear automatically after a set amount of time to guarantee even more privacy. You can also add extra screen-lock security to your chats. Simply put, Signal is the best for privacy protection.
- Slack
Slack is an extensively used free chat app due to its productivity-focused features. It’s an excellent option for individuals and companies looking for a way to connect securely with one another. It supports voice and video calls of excellent quality and allows the creation of organized workspaces for more work-oriented tasks. You need to subscribe to a paid plan if you want the group communication features, but everything else is free.
- Viber
Viber is a direct competitor to WhatsApp and features many of its exact features, including end-to-end encryption, private group chats, voice and video calls, and other integrations. However, there are some key differences. Viber has a Viber Out feature that allows for VoIP communications with mobile and landlines worldwide. You can also play games with the Viber app.
- Messenger
This app benefits from having a massive user base and is also the default communication app for Facebook and Instagram. Even though it has standalone versions for Android, iOS, and Windows, it doesn’t support Linux or macOS users. On the plus side, an increasing number of businesses and people use this app to connect with customers and friends.
- Google Chat (Hangouts)
This cloud-based communication platform allows for a private, one-on-one chat with groups of up to 150 members. Like many other entries on this list, it allows for image sharing, videos, emojis, and stickers. You can synchronize it with your Google account to benefit from extra features.
Conclusion
Being able to chat with others around the world freely opens a massive opportunity for communication and understanding. With these apps, you can chat with others for free with absolute freedom, regardless of where they are.
Which app works best for you will depend on your needs. For example, Viber, Signal, and Telegram are excellent for secure chatting and high privacy. Slack works stupendously for business teams. Google Chat (Hangouts) is fantastic for team collaboration. Line has a lot of users in Japan, while WeChat is exceedingly popular in China. WhatsApp has enduring popularity worldwide and has the biggest user base. Be sure to choose one that works best for you.
FAQ
How can I chat for free online?
Depending on your region, you can use any of the apps listed here to chat freely with others online. Some may be more popular in some countries or with certain types of people, but you’re bound to find someone to message for free with these. Remember that it’s vital for others also to have the app installed for seamless communication.
Which is the best app for chatting?
The list above includes a selection of the most frequently used free chat apps worldwide. Which one is the best for you will depend on your location, the people you want to chat with, and the features you value the most. They’re all great options for real-time chats, minus the worry of fees.
