In order not to lose sight of friends and loved ones, to meet like-minded people or to develop and advertise your business, instant messengers will come in handy. Therefore, the editors of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" prepared an overview of the most popular of them.
Content
What is a messenger and what is it for?
It is a program for sending messages between users in real time.
Most people use instant messengers in order to communicate with friends, meet interesting people around the world. Typically, such programs provide the ability to:
- exchange of text, voice, video messages;
- sending emoticons, stickers, gifs;
- sending documents;
- creating chats, video chats;
- sending money;
- geotag transmission.
What messengers give to business:
- mobility;
- visibility of the services provided - you can provide the client with a photo, video of your products in good quality;
- unlimited geography;
- fixation of negotiations;
- high speed of information processing;
- great opportunities for commercial mailings;
- instant response to an interesting offer;
- chat bots.
Criterias of choice
So, what should you look for when choosing a chat app? The best instant messengers have the following set of characteristics:
- wide functionality;
- convenient, understandable menu;
- attractive appearance;
- stable work;
- data security;
- low power consumption and resource intensity;
- large audience.
Selection errors
- Installing an unpopular application. Popularity is a relative concept. For example, in one company, everyone will actively communicate via Viber, while in another, all news and gossip is transmitted through WhatsApp conversations. Geography also leaves its mark. It is more convenient to watch incidents of Voronezh or Minsk in Vkontakte communities, and Facebook will better tell you about foreign cities.
- Using a program that does not provide secure data transfer. We all worry about the fact that our correspondence will be read by someone. Even if they do not contain secret, compromising facts. It's just unpleasant and offensive. And business correspondence in an insufficiently secure messenger can lead not only to reputation losses, but also to monetary collapse.
How do I install the messenger?
Android
Enter the name of the messenger in Google Play, then select the desired application from the list. Pay attention to the developer of the application, the Play Store does not always successfully catch scammers. Read user reviews of the program before installing it on your phone. If you like everything, click on "Install". Android 6.0 and later usually prompts you to accept permissions before installing the application.
Start the messenger. If you already have an account, enter your username and password, if not, go through registration. This usually requires a mail or phone number and a couple of minutes of free time.
iOS
Open the official App Store. In the search field, write the name of the messenger you are interested in. Find the one you're looking for from the list of apps that appears. Click opposite the "Download" icon, then "Install".Depending on the device, you may need to enter an Apple ID.
Turn off notifications
If you are distracted by constant notifications from conversations, chats, communities, and you prefer to read everything in one sitting, the following instructions are for you.
Android
To turn off pop-up notifications, open the menu, go to Settings, search for Applications or Application Manager. Select the annoying messenger from the list, click on it to open the settings. Expand the item "Notifications", in the item "Allow notifications" move the slider to the left.
iOS
- Open Settings, tap Touch ID (Face ID) & Passcode and enter your passcode.
- In the menu that opens, pay attention to the "Access with screen lock" section. Move the slider next to Today. This will disable widgets on the lock screen. If you want to remove notifications on the lock screen, move the slider next to Control Center.
How do I uninstall the messenger?
If you no longer need the application, use the following algorithms.
Android
- Menu, then "Settings", then "Applications" or "Application Manager".
- Select the unnecessary messenger, click on "Memory", if the function is missing, skip the action.
- Click the Clear Data button. The cache will be cleared along with the data.
- Go back.
- Select the "Delete" button.
The messenger has been removed.
If your goal is to temporarily "freeze" the application, then select the "Disable" button. The application will not consume battery power, take away RAM, but you can always return to it. In this case, you will need to re-enter your account or create a new one.
iOS
Press and hold the app icon until it shakes.
In the upper left corner of the messenger logo, click the cross.
Select "Remove". On the iPhone 8 or earlier, press Home, on the iPhone X, press Done.
Rating of the best messengers for smartphones for 2020
We offer you a list with descriptions of the best messaging applications included in the tops of the Google Play Store and Apple Store.
In contact with
Application for communication in one of the most popular social networks in Russia, as well as in the countries of the Russian-speaking world.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 171 Mb.
Advantages:
- convenient, concise menu;
- dark theme;
- you can send voice, video messages;
- exchange of files of any type;
- within 24 hours, you can edit or delete a message not only in your conversation, but also in your interlocutor;
- two-factor identification;
- it is possible to create conversations - group chats up to 500 people;
- unobtrusive monetization - in addition to paid sets of stickers and gifts, there are many free beautiful analogs;
- the opportunity to watch interesting online broadcasts;
- many groups and communities of interest;
- you can go live and share stories with friends and subscribers;
- flexible privacy settings - you can customize who and how much sees your page, posts, photos, videos, comments, or even close your profile;
- vk pay payment platform, with which you can pay for services or buy a product you like;
- good technical support.
Disadvantages:
- paid music;
- a large amount of spam;
- pirated content cannot be exchanged; for example, an illegal copy of a book will be automatically removed from the conversation before reaching the recipient;
- security problems - user documents, including scanned copies of passports, can be easily found through a search;
- slow fix of found bugs in the application;
- there is no "invisible" mode.
Whatsapp
Free instant messaging system that uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data. In addition to text, the application allows you to exchange any files - audio, video, pictures.
End-to-end encryption is a method of transferring messages from one user to another, in which the data is visible only to them. No one else, even employees of messengers, can read the correspondence.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 20 Mb.
Advantages:
- completely free - for sending messages and files, making voice and video calls, the application uses an Internet connection;
- secure - end-to-end encryption is used to send data;
- copying contacts from the phone book;
- there are group chats;
- does not "eat" the battery;
- Without advertising;
- thoughtful menu;
- the ability to create a backup copy;
- sending a geotag;
- flexible profile customization (avatar, status, background, notification sounds);
- offline messages - WhatsApp saves messages until you are back in touch;
- sending messages to multiple contacts;
- you can delete messages both for yourself and the interlocutor, but only for an hour;
- always online - with this application you are constantly connected, no need to worry about whether you are online or not.
Disadvantages:
- compresses data during transmission;
- does not always work correctly in the background - messages can arrive silently or 30-40 minutes after being sent.
Messenger
Application for communication in one of the most popular social networks in the West - Facebook.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 36 Mb.
Advantages:
- convenient menu;
- exchange of text, voice, video messages;
- you can share any files - photos, videos, music;
- dark theme;
- secret chat;
- voice chat, video chat;
- SMS reading report;
- flexible settings for profile and feed privacy;
- special bots for all occasions: find out the weather, traffic jams, movie premieres, play games;
- there are electronic payments, but are only available in the USA, France, UK;
- you can delete messages both from yourself and from the interlocutor, but only within 10 minutes.
Disadvantages:
- intrusive adware;
- unpopular in the post-Soviet space;
- takes up a lot of space;
- drains the battery quickly.
Viber
Free messenger from Belarusian developers, now owned by the Japanese company Rakuten. Allows you to exchange all types of files, make any type of calls. For authorization in the system, the user must indicate his phone number.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 39 Mb.
Advantages:
- end-to-end encryption;
- integrated with Facebook;
- dark theme;
- voice, video calls;
- group chat with up to 250 contacts;
- informative public accounts;
- you can transfer various files: photo, video, music;
- thanks to the Western Union system there is a money transfer function;
- you can share contacts, transfer location;
- The paid Viber Out feature allows you to call landlines and mobile phones;
- synchronizes with the phone book;
- large collection of stickers.
Disadvantages:
- advertising;
- sometimes interrupts a voice call, reporting a low signal level. At the same time, other messengers, at the same speed of the Internet connection, work properly;
- the latest versions of the application are using more traffic.
Telegram
The sensational project of Pavel Durov, the creator of Vkontakte. This is a cloud messenger that can be used on several devices at once, while all chats, except secret ones, will be equally visible.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 54 MB.
Advantages:
- secure - the special encryption protocol MTProto is used;
- user-friendly interface: clear navigation, night theme, you can change the font;
- many sets of free stickers, you can add your own;
- regular chats - message history is stored in the cloud, accessible from any device; since March 2020, it became possible to delete your messages both for yourself and the interlocutor; you can also set a timer to delete media files;
- secret chats - message history is stored only on users' devices; also timers can be set for messages for deletion;
- endless cloud for selected messages;
- voice calls;
- group chats up to 200 participants;
- anonymous channels;
- bots;
- search for users by name or by phone number;
- convenient photo editor;
- you can make a gif.
Disadvantages:
- By decision of Roskomnadzor, it has been blocked on the territory of the Russian Federation since April 2018.
Wechat
This is an analogue of Facebook or Vkontakte for China, but with expanded functionality. The program is as universal as a Swiss knife, and represents a union of millions (not thousands, this is not a slip of the tongue) of applications for any area of life: banks, beauty salons, pharmacies, celebrities, small shops with handicrafts. Any of the applications is an official account with which you can chat, purchase a product or service.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 96 Mb.
Advantages:
- free;
- integrated with many social networks, such as Facebook, Tencent QQ; for example, you can register with your Facebook account and then sync your friends list;
- text messages;
- exchange of photos, videos;
- audio-video calls;
- mass mailing;
- group chats;
- stickers, emoticons, gifs;
- there is an automatic translator;
- search for objects by GPS;
- transferring contacts via Bluetooth;
- recognition of speech, music;
- search for new acquaintances by location;
- you can edit photos, add labels, process with filters;
- internal payment system WeChat Pay, which in 2016 overtook PayPal in terms of the number of transactions. You can pay through it for anything: from plane tickets to pies from a stall on the street. It is enough to scan the QR code and pay for the purchase.
- since 2018, the identity verification function has been available for identified users when crossing the border of mainland China with special administrative regions of Macau, Hong Kong. No passport needed.
Disadvantages:
- there is no good translation into Russian;
- spam;
- according to user reviews, the apple version is more convenient;
- not very common among the Russian-speaking population.
Skype
A free program with which you can carry out text, voice and video communication. Acquired by Microsoft in 2011. Since then, many users have noticed a degradation in the quality of the application.
Operating system: Android, iOS.
Size: 83 Mb.
Advantages:
- exchange of text, voice, video messages;
- the ability to send files of any type;
- group video chat up to 25 people;
- photo editor;
- emoticons, gifs with famous characters;
- SkypeOut is a paid service, you can call a landline or mobile phone;
- The opposite service SkypeIn allows you to receive calls from landline phones;
- screen sharing function.
Disadvantages:
- advertising;
- unstable work after updates;
- security problems - conversations are often intercepted, recorded;
- many users complain about noise during audio, video calls;
- sometimes after updating you have to log in to the system again;
- inconvenient search for users.
iMessage
An instant messaging application integrated into the iOS system.
Operating system: iOS.
Advantages:
- built into all Apple devices;
- clear, simple menu;
- the default is safe mode for sending messages;
- linked to many applications for different tasks: "Store", "Photos", "Music", Apple Pay, etc. It allows you to share audio, photos and videos with friends and family, transfer money and make purchases.
Disadvantages:
- available only to owners of Apple devices;
- if the application was unable to send an encrypted message, then it is sent by regular SMS.
Lite versions of famous instant messengers
If your phone does not have enough memory to install the required application, you can use the lite version. Often, light options not only take up less space, but are also less voracious. But there are also disadvantages here. Many such applications are characterized by reduced functionality. Here is an incomplete list of instant messengers that have a "light" analogue:
- Messenger - Messenger Lite, there is also Facebook Lite;
- Skype - Skype Lite;
- Vkontakte - Kate Mobile. The unofficial version has additional functions, for example, the "invisible" mode.
Conclusion
Most modern smartphones have several messengers installed, because rarely does anyone have a circle of friends and acquaintances that is so unanimous in terms of the choice of software.Of course, it is not necessary to use all the applications in a row - it not only takes a lot of time and effort, but also takes up plenty of space on the phone. If there is a need to install several programs for communication, and there is little memory, you can use the "lightweight" versions. And in order to save time and not be distracted by the beeping of a mobile phone, it is enough to turn off the notifications of the corresponding applications.
We hope our recommendations have helped you understand the sea of similar applications.
If you have experience using the programs described in this review, or you know examples with more interesting functionality, share your impressions in the comments.
