Top 4 WhatsApp Alternatives In 2021

With over two billion users across the globe, WhatsApp is arguably one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. It doesn’t matter whether you are a fan of the app or have only used it once or twice; you must already be familiar with its popularity and the convenience it provides.

WhatsApp is a Facebook-owned app and is run by some of the best minds in the world. The developers behind the app are consistently working to improve the user experience, and new updates are rolled out every few weeks. But despite having such a great reputation and association with giants like Facebook, WhatsApp is not the first choice for many mobile users. 

At the beginning of 2021, WhatsApp rolled out a major update and made some alterations in its terms and conditions. While most of the users didn’t think much about it, there were a lot of users who were angry at the app for changing its privacy policy. Even though WhatsApp clarified that they weren’t breaching any of their user’s privacy, many users got skeptical and left the app for good.

If you are also concerned about WhatsApp’s latest update and want to switch to an app that offers more privacy, then you have stumbled on the right blog. In this article, I have mentioned a few WhatsApp alternatives that you can switch to in 2021. Let’s take a look:

Telegram

One WhatsApp competitor whose name stood up above all during the recent controversy was Telegram. 

Launched in Russia in 2013, Telegram didn’t take much time to gain popularity nationwide and soon became a popular social media app. The app was developed by Pavel Durov, who worked on the apps for a year and later moved Telegram’s HQ to Berlin to grow the company.

The app has more than 200 million users across the globe and has many features that are similar to WhatsApp. It offers you the same blue ticks as WhatsApp and has a secret chat mode where you can talk to anyone without creating a record of your conversation.

The end-to-end encryption needs to be turned on manually in the app and is highly secure.

Telegram’s user base is growing at a rapid pace, and it won’t be long till it becomes a mainstream app.

Signal

The end-to-end encryption technology that Messenger and WhatsApp users enjoy was built by none other than the Signal foundation. If you are looking for an app that offers the best security and encryption, then Signal is the best option for you.

The app is highly popular for its privacy features and comes with an interface in which taking screenshot is practically impossible. You can also check this 

Also, unlike other messaging apps out there, Signal doesn’t create a user identity for you and lets you do your thing privately.

WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram are all three high-quality messenger apps. If you are not sure which to choose, you can also check this Signal vs Telegram vs WhatsApp comparison to learn about the pros and cons of all these apps.

Discord

Another great platform that allows you to text and meets new people from all across the world is Discord. Unlike the other two alternatives, Discord offers a lot more than just texting.

The best thing about Discord is that it allows you to join a number of the server depending on your interests and preference. If you like to discuss games, you can join Discord’s gaming server, and if you want to learn about a specific topic, you can find educational servers.

Discord also offers you screen sharing and live streaming which is something you won’t find on WhatsApp. Comparatively, Discord is a more advanced app and offers much more than just instant messaging and calls.

The app is available on IOS, Windows, Android, and Linux, and you can get it for free or subscribe to the premium version. 

Skype

Skype is one of the video calling apps out there and has a whopping four billion users across the globe. It might have started as a video calling app, but over the years, it has turned into a reliable messenger as well. 

The app is owned by Microsoft and supports Microsoft Office integration which is why a lot of businesses use Skype for instant messaging. 

Skype was created in 2000 in Estonia (the digital hub of Europe) and became popular worldwide in no time. The benefit of using Skype is that it offers high-quality video calling along with instant messaging and file sharing.