Best texting apps in 2025

You have plenty of choices when it comes to texting and messaging apps — so many that it can be hard to choose. That’s why we came up with options tailored to what’s important to you.  

Our pick for best overall texting app is WhatsApp, but we also have choices for those concerned about data privacy, group chatting — or just having a free app that provides extras like a local phone number and some mobile data, like TextNow does. 

Summary: Best Texting Apps

Methodology: How we picked the best texting apps  

We took into consideration these factors, each with its own weight, to come up with the best messaging apps: 

Ease of communication: Can you message anyone, or only people using the same app? If you’re limited to users of the same app, is its user base big enough that you’ll be able to reach everyone you want to?  

Cross-platform use: Can you send messages on different devices? For example, can you access your messages on a laptop as well as your phone; does the app work for both iPhone and Android users?  

Privacy and security features: How is your personal information kept secure? For example, can you text under a username instead of showing your phone number?  

Ease of registration: Do you need to have a phone number to sign up, or can you access the platform in other ways?  

Cost: Many texting apps are free, although a few have paid levels if you want premium features. 

Beginner's guide to texting apps 

What is a texting app or messaging app? 

Texting apps and messaging apps let you send and receive messages, in one-to-one conversations or in group chats. They vary a bit in how they work, but either type of app will serve for quick communication, so we use the terms interchangeably here. 

How does a texting app or messaging app work? 

• Texting apps rely on a cellular connection to send SMS messages, and even non-smartphones can handle SMS. You can also use a texting app to send more-complex MMS messages with media like photos, etc., but you’ll need mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection.  
• Messaging apps use an internet connection, which might be Wi-Fi, a hotspot, or your phone’s data plan. They are more feature-rich, with support for sending multimedia (photos, videos, emoji, GIFs) and may have plusses like encryption and being able to sign up without a phone number.  

What are the trade-offs between simplicity vs. feature-rich texting apps? 

If feature-rich messaging apps like WhatsApp, RCS, iMessage, etc. offer more functionality, why use simpler texting apps? Here’s a look at the tradeoffs:  

You really don’t have to pick between them — you can use your phone to send SMS and MMS messages to anyone else with a phone number (and use RCS platforms like iMessage and Google Messages to send feature-rich texts to users on the same device type). At the same time, you can layer on a messaging app to use as well, whether that’s TextNow, WhatsApp, Signal, or another choice.  

Can I use the app internationally? Does it work across different mobile networks? 

If you’re using a texting app that depends on your cell phone plan, read the carrier’s website and the plan’s terms and conditions to know what you get. Virtually all cell phone plans include free unlimited texting within the U.S., but you’ll have to check whether your plan includes texting to other countries from home — or when visiting other countries.  

For example, with TextNow you get free unlimited talk & text to Canada & Mexico from the U.S. Some cell phone plans offer a wider range, such as Visible+ Pro, which lets you text for free to 200+ international destinations. Keep in mind that using your phone plan outside of your network’s area, or roaming, can cost extra if it’s not included in your plan. If you want to text (and call and use data) while traveling abroad, you may need to pay for an international add-on or buy an international SIM card.  

Several messaging apps, however, offer wide international communication — as long as whoever you want to message is on the same app. For example, with WhatsApp you can call or text any other WhatsApp user anywhere in the world. Keep in mind, these apps need an internet connection, so you need to be on Wi-Fi. Otherwise, you’ll be using your mobile data and perhaps incurring data roaming fees.  

How easy is it to switch from one app to another? 

Very easy! Most of these apps are free to use, and you can easily switch to another when you want to.

Keep in mind that most phones come with a default messaging app, such as iMessage or Google Messages. But you can download and use a different messaging app on your smartphone if you’d rather — or use several apps, switching between them depending on who you’re messaging or what functionality you need for a particular conversation.  

How to pick out the best texting app for you

Take these things into consideration when choosing the best messaging app for your needs:   

Do you want an end-to-end app or an SMS app? 

End-to-end texting apps 

On an end-to-end app, everyone in the conversation has to be using the same app because communication happens within that system. Examples are messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram — you can only message a contact that also uses that app.  

• Good for: Those who already have a primary phone number, or people wanting an app that supports premium chat features. 

SMS apps 

These let you message any other mobile phone number. Apps like TextNow, TextFree, or Google Voice give you a phone number that you can use to text other numbers. These are usually VoIP (voice over internet protocol) numbers that can send texts and calls over an internet connection instead of a cellular network.  

• Good for: Those who don’t already have a primary phone number or who want a second phone number (for privacy, to support a business, etc.).   

Do you need a phone number to sign up?  

Many apps require a phone number to register, but some allow other sign-up methods. If you don’t have a number, or don’t want to use it for privacy reasons, look for an app that offers registration with an email or other alternative identifying information. (Or, you could consider getting a second phone number from TextNow to use for sign-up, protecting the privacy of your primary number.)   

Are you concerned about security or privacy?  

If private texting is important to you, look for an app that specifically offers end-to-end encryption, which protects your messages during transmission and prevents third parties from gaining access to them. (Note that your messages are typically still subject to legal subpoenas or warrants.) Both iMessage and Google Messages have end-to-end encryption when messaging someone else on the same platform — but not yet when an iPhone is messaging an Android or vice versa. If you want end-to-end encryption for all messages, look into a private texting app like Signal, Telegram, etc.  

Do you need cross-platform support?  

Many messaging apps can be used on multiple devices — phone, tablet, computer — to keep you in contact no matter the device you’re on.   

Are you looking for specific chat features?  

If you’re looking for all the fun messaging stuff — reactions, threads, file sharing, voice notes, and more – you'll want an app that supports RCS messaging features.   

Do you need an app for business/professional use vs. personal or social use?

There are quite a few text messaging apps specifically designed for mass business messaging, such as marketing texts, customer alerts, etc. Popular choices include SimpleTexting, Twilio, and TextMagic.  

If you don’t need a paid business texting platform yet, you might start with Telegram, which allows groups up to 200,000 on its free plan. 

Otherwise, for purely personal use, pick one of the choices here.

Frequently asked questions about texting apps