Whatsapp, currently the leading instant messaging app globally, which is popular in nearly all the countries around the globe, has recently caught everybody’s attention. It merged with social media giant Facebook in 2014. Facebook is considering mixing up all three social media/communication platforms under them. This includes Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. The privacy policy and data of the millions of users of these messaging apps would lie in the hands of Facebook.
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The Concern:
This whatsapp news announcement has created a lot of concern among technical experts, lawyers, and the common citizen. By promising end-to end whatsapp encryption from their end, Whatsapp announces in a legal disclaimer that it receives and shares information with its parent company, Facebook. The breach of user data and sale of that information to third party sources caused a lot of furor in the past. If anyone selects the ‘Agree’ option on Whatsapp’s new privacy policy, there is a chance that the client would disclose all data, including chats, video files, and images to Facebook.
What’s the Alternative to Whatsapp?
At this point, people are trying to switch from Whatsapp to other Whatsapp alternative apps. Many users do not want to disclose their sensitive information like name, address, and contact number with other companies. It is necessary to migrate to other platforms that offer them complete privacy and personalized features. In this article, we talk about such five alternatives to Whatsapp which you can use in 2021:
Top 5 Apps Similar to Whatsapp:
Signal:
signal vs whatsapp – Signal has emerged as the closest competitor to Whatsapp. It is brand new, free to use, and has already garnered a base of 10-15 million customers worldwide. It has some amazing features like an instant messaging app and can be scanned to use on the computer as well. The private and group messages in Signal are also end-to-end encrypted, and hackers cannot get hold of the messages. The encryption is also open-sourced, so it offers a seamless, bug-free experience to its users.
However, the app requires permission to use your phone’s contact details and consent to read SMS to operate. Like Whatsapp, you can choose to delete your messages for a particular time. You can share multimedia files here like Whatsapp, but sadly, it does not contain any animated emojis.
Pros:
- Available on all platforms, including Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
- It offers full privacy through end-to-end and open-sourced encryption
- You can choose to make your messages disappear or delete them for a particular time
Cons:
- Animated emojis are not available in this app.
Telegram:
Telegram is a very popular instant messaging app that has got users’ attention searching for Whatsapp alternative apps. It has a user base of nearly 200 million across the world and has a cloud-based storage system on its servers. You can see whether someone reads your message through the ‘double tick’ feature similar to Whatsapp. Telegram not only offers end-to-end encryption for messages but voice calls and video calls as well. You need to give permission to the app to encrypt the messages. The message-deleting feature, similar to Whatsapp and Signal, can also be found here. Telegram is also known for multimedia file sharing, including large video and audio files like HD movies and songs.
Pros:
- It is very much user friendly and easy to use
- The software used by Telegram is open source
- You can share unlimited multimedia files without any size limit
- It has its own cloud-based storage system so you cannot lose any files
Cons:
- Encryption of messages and calls is not automatic.
- It has its own standard of encryption
Wire:
Wire is a popular messaging app in Europe. If you are looking for end-to-end encryption apps like Whatsapp, then Wire should be one of your primary choices. You can choose a free personal account or paid business account with additional features, whichever suits your usage. It has caught the attention of users for its clear voice and video call features.
Along with the multimedia file sharing option, Wire has a feature called audio filtering, which enables you to clear out your background noises. With a single account, you can log in to a maximum of eight synced devices. Wire also offers a text formatting feature to its users, which can be used while sending a message. You can also set a timer for deleting messages.
Pros:
- Timing of Messages Available
- You can use it simultaneously on eight devices
- Text formatting and audio filtering options available
Cons:
- It regularly reminds users to use the paid version.
Threema:
Threema is an ideal app for those who love absolute privacy. The messages you send in this app are automatically deleted after reading, and it has a unique eight-digit ID instead of a phone number to log in. You can add contacts by scanning QR codes as well. Threema offers end-to-end encryption for all kinds of messages and calls that you make on the app, and you can also give feedback to messages.
Pros:
- Has text formatting features
- You can add passwords to protect chats
- You can use Threema ID instead of a phone number to open account
Cons:
- It is a paid app
Riot.IM:
This is a new WhatsApp alternative app which consists of chatrooms and works on open-sourced software. You can visit private chat rooms with a link. The UX and UI of this app is very comfortable and can be used in computers as well. You can use this app in seven languages.
Pros:
- Unique User ID instead of phone numbers
- Open-source software
- Available in multiple languages
Cons:
- You have to manually turn on the encryption feature.
Conclusion:
So, these are some of the popular instant messaging apps that you can use as an alternative to WhatsApp. Most of these apps discussed here are free of cost, so you do not have to think much about additional costs. If you think that the new Whatsapp policy is a breach of your privacy, then you can switch on to any of these apps.
