Popular messaging application, Whatsapp has received a lot of public backlash after it updated its privacy policy to allow information sharing with Facebook. The fact that the app would be forcing its users to share information with Facebook by agreeing to the terms and conditions hasn’t gone down well with the public. This has led to a lot of rumors and speculations as to what this might mean for the users. As such, many users across the world are looking for alternative options to move away from Whatsapp.
Here are our top five Messaging apps that would be a good alternative if you are looking to make a switch from Whatsapp.
Signal
The little known messaging app has gotten a lot of attention after receiving an endorsement from billionaire investor Elon Musk on Twitter. The free messaging app seems to be the most obvious option if you are looking for a more private and security conscious messaging app. Signal supports all the features you would get in whatsapp including text messaging, voice calls, video call and group calls. In addition to that, it even has a self-destruct feature that allows users to set their sent messages to self-destruct. It also has a good open source end to end security encryption protocol.
Telegram
If you are looking for a platform that is linked to your phone and more like Whatsapp, then Telegram is the place to be. Telegram offers a bunch of options including sharing of files, setting messages to self-destruct and chat groups that can accommodate upto 200,000 users. To top it off, you can also sync your messages across different devices at no cost at all. The only downside is that it’s end to end security encryption isn’t set to default and so it raises a number of security concerns.
iMessage
This is specifically for iPhone and Mac users. It’s a readily available and yet simple option that comes with your apple device. The best thing about apple products is that they have a proven track record of assuring user security to the level best! Even from the government!
Google Messages
In a move that has been seen by many industry analysts as a move to rival Apples iMessage, Google Messages is available for all Android users on Google Play. Speculations even have it that in the near future, all Android phones will come with pre-installed Google Messages. Google Messages has almost all the features of Whatsapp which include text and file sharing except for voice and video calling which is handled by Google duo. The app also automatically activates end-to-end security encryption while using the service.
READ ALSO:HOW TO SWITCH FROM WHATSAPP TO SIGNAL
Threema
Threema is an app with complete privacy even providing the user with an option to use the app in total anonymity. It’s not compulsory to connect the app to your phone number or email, and these options are only optional. It has features similar to Whatsapp which include sending text, voice, picture and videos. You can also create group chats, send files and setup polls to collect user feedback from your contacts. The app has a built-in secure browser ensuring that you are protected throughout. Messages are also end-to-end encrypted.
