Comparison Of Cross-Platform Instant Messaging Clients
The landscape for instant messaging involves cross-platform instant messaging clients that can handle one or multiple protocols.
This article possibly contains original research. (December 2020) |
Clients that use the same protocol can typically federate and talk to one another. The following table compares general and technical information for cross-platform instant messaging clients in active development, each of which have their own article that provide further information.
General
| Client | Developer | Initial release | Platform | Latest release | License (client) | License (server) | Monthly active users | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | |||||||
| Briar | May 9, 2018 | Android | 1.5.9  | 2024-01-16 | GPL-3.0-or-later | Not applicable (peer-to-peer over Bluetooth, WiFi, or Tor network) | ||
| Discord | Discord Inc. | March 6, 2015 | Android | 159.10 | 2023-01-04 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 150 million (2021) |
| iOS | 159.0 | 2023-01-06 | ||||||
| Linux | 0.0.22 | 2022-12-10 | ||||||
| macOS | 0.0.270 | 2022-12-12 | ||||||
| Windows | 1.0.9034 | 2024-02-28 | ||||||
| Element | New Vector Limited | July 2016 | Android | 1.6.6 | 2023-10-05 | Apache-2.0 | Matrix protocol | 43 million (2021) |
| iOS | 1.11.0 | 2023-08-15 | ||||||
| Linux | 1.11.47 | 2023-10-24 | ||||||
| macOS | 1.11.47 | 2023-10-24 | ||||||
| Windows | 1.11.47 | 2023-10-24 | ||||||
| Web | 1.11.47 | 2023-10-24 | ||||||
| Fractal | March 16, 2018 | Linux desktops and mobile OSs | GPLv3 | Matrix protocol | ||||
| Gadu-Gadu | Łukasz Foltyn, GG Network S.A. | August 15, 2000 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | ||||
| Gajim | Yann Le Boulanger | May 21, 2004 | BSD | 1.8.4 | 2023-11-26 | GPL-3.0-only | XMPP protocol | |
| Linux | ||||||||
| macOS | ||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Google Chat (formerly Google Hangouts) | May 15, 2013 (as Google Hangouts) March 9, 2017 (as Google Chat) | Android | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 1 billion (2021) 500 million active (2020) | |||
| iOS | ||||||||
| Web | ||||||||
| Google Messages (RCS) | 2018 | Android | 10.9.36 | 2022-02-24 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 1 billion (2021) 500 million active (2020) | |
| Web | ||||||||
| Wear OS | ||||||||
| ICQ | Mail.Ru | November 1996 | Proprietary adware freemium | Proprietary | 11 million (2018) | |||
| Jami | Savoir-faire Linux | Android | GPL-3.0-or-later | Not applicable (peer-to-peer) | ||||
| iOS | ||||||||
| Linux | ||||||||
| macOS | ||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Jitsi | Emil Ivov | 2003 | Desktop | 2.10 | 2017-10-01 | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 | 20 million (2020) |
| KakaoTalk | Kakao Corp. | March 18, 2010 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 47 million (2021) | |||
| Kik Messenger | Medialab | October 2010 | Android | 15.50.1.27996 | 2023-03-17 | Proprietary adware freemium | Proprietary | 15 million (2017) |
| iOS | 16.8.3 | 2023-02-25 | ||||||
| Line | LINE Corporation | March 2012 | Android | 13.0.1 | 2023-01-17 | Proprietary freemium | Proprietary | 169 million (2020) |
| iOS | 13.4.0 | 2023-03-30 | ||||||
| Chrome | 2.5.11 | 2023-02-21 | ||||||
| macOS | 7.16.1 | 2023-03-17 | ||||||
| Windows | 7.14.1.2907 | 2023-03-23 | ||||||
| Linphone | Belledonne Communications | Android | 4.5.6 | 2021-11-08 | GPL-3.0-or-later or proprietary | |||
| iOS | 4.5.1 | 2021-10-08 | ||||||
| Linux | 4.3.2 | 2021-11-09 | ||||||
| macOS | 4.3.2 | 2021-11-09 | ||||||
| Windows | 4.3.2 | 2021-11-09 | ||||||
| Mattermost | Mattermost Inc | 2015 | Android | Apache-2.0 | MIT license binary, AGPLv3 for source code, Apache-2.0 for admin tools and config files | |||
| iOS | ||||||||
| Linux | 5.2.2 | 2022-12-06 | ||||||
| macOS | 5.2.2 | 2022-12-06 | ||||||
| Windows | 5.2.2 | 2022-12-06 | ||||||
| Messenger | Meta Platforms | August 9, 2011 | Android | 431.1.0.35.116 | 2023-10-24 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 988 million (2022) |
| iOS | 390.0 | 2022-12-14 | ||||||
| macOS | 169.0 | 2022-11-17 | ||||||
| Windows | 1180.4.112.0 | 2021-08-18 | ||||||
| Movim | Timothée Jaussoin | March 3, 2011 | Any, Progressive web application | 0.23 | 2024-02-01 | AGPL-3.0-or-later | XMPP protocol | |
| Mumble | September 22, 2005 | Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | 1.4.287 | 2022-09-14 | 3-clause BSD | Open source | ||
| Palringo | Palringo Ltd | 2006 | Android | 10.14 | 2021-11-29 | Proprietary freemium | Proprietary | |
| iOS | 10.13.1 | 2021-10-19 | ||||||
| Paltalk | AVM Software, Inc | June 1998 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 5.5 million (2013) | |||
| Pidgin | Mark Spencer | November 1998 | BSD | 2.14.13 | 2024-02-23 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Umpteen, both open protocols and interfaces with proprietary messengers | |
| Linux | ||||||||
| macOS | ||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Psi | Psi and Psi+ developers | 2001 | Linux | 1.5 | 2020-09-06 | GPL-2.0-or-later | XMPP protocol | |
| macOS | ||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Tencent Holdings | February 10, 1999 | Android | 9.0.50 | 2024-04-25 | Proprietary adware | Proprietary | 597 million (2023) | |
| iOS, iPadOS, watchOS | 9.0.50 | 2024-04-25 | ||||||
| Windows | 9.9.9 | 2024-04-15 | ||||||
| macOS | 6.9.33 | 2024-04-15 | ||||||
| Linux | 3.2.7 | 2024-04-15 | ||||||
| RetroShare | Cyril Soler, Gioacchino Mazzurco | 2006 | 0.6.6 | 2021-03-13 | GPL | Not applicable (peer-to-peer) | ||
| Ricochet | Invisible.im | June 2014 | FreeBSD | 1.1.4 [needs update] (fork took over development, now at 3.0.15) | 2016-11-07 | BSD-3-Clause | Not applicable (peer-to-peer over the Tor network) | |
| Linux | ||||||||
| macOS | ||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Signal | Signal Foundation | July 2014 | Android | 7.2.4 | 2024-04-03 | GPL-3.0-only | AGPL-3.0-only | 40 million (2021) |
| iOS | 7.4 | 2024-03-27 | GPL-3.0-only | |||||
| Desktop | 7.4.0 | 2024-03-28 | AGPL-3.0-only | |||||
| Skype | Skype Technologies, a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation | 2003 | Proprietary adware freemium | Proprietary | 200 million (2020) | |||
| Slack | Slack Technologies | August 2013 | Proprietary freemium | Proprietary | 12 million (2019) | |||
| Snapchat | Snap Inc. | November 2011 | Android | 12.27.0.8 | 2023-03-29 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 557 million (2022) |
| iOS | 12.27.0.37 | 2023-03-28 | ||||||
| Surespot | Surespot LLC | 2013 | Android | 81 | 2019-04-27 | GPL-3.0-or-later + freemium | Defunct | |
| iOS | 21 | 2018-11-14 | ||||||
| TeamNote | TeamNote Limited | 2012 | Subscription | Proprietary | ||||
| Telegram | Telegram Messenger LLP | 2013 | Android | 10.6.4 | 2024-02-01 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Proprietary | 700 million (2022) |
| iOS, iPadOS | 10.7.1 | 2024-02-03 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |||||
| Desktop | 4.14.13 | 2024-02-05 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |||||
| macOS | 10.7.1 | 2024-02-05 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |||||
| Threema | Threema GmbH | December 2012 | Android | 5.2.4 | 2024-03-25 | AGPL-3.0-only | Proprietary | 10 million (2021) |
| iOS | 4.6.17 | 2022-03-14 | ||||||
| Web | AGPL-3.0-or-later | |||||||
| Trillian | Cerulean Studios | July 1, 2000 | Android | 6.6.0.13 | 2023-07-25 | Proprietary adware freemium | Proprietary | |
| iOS | 6.6.12 | 2023-06-05 | ||||||
| Linux | 6.3.0.1 | 2020-05-27 | ||||||
| macOS | 6.5 Build 43 | 2023-09-08 | ||||||
| Windows | 6.5 Build 31 | 2023-08-18 | ||||||
| Web | 6.5 Build 12 | 2023-01-05 | ||||||
| Viber | Rakuten Viber | December 2, 2010 | Android | 20.4.3.0 | 2023-07-02 | Proprietary freemium | Proprietary | 260 million (2019) |
| iOS | 20.4.0 | 2023-07-04 | ||||||
| Linux | 20.3.0.1 | 2023-06-14 | ||||||
| macOS | 20.2.0 | 2023-06-12 | ||||||
| Windows | 20.4.0.0 | 2023-06-30 | ||||||
| Tencent Holdings Limited | January 21, 2011 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 1.263 billion (2022) | ||||
| Meta Platforms | January 2009 | Android | 2.24.6.78 | 2024-03-25 | Proprietary freeware | Proprietary | 2 billion (2020) | |
| iOS | 24.6.77 | 2024-03-25 | ||||||
| macOS | 2.24.5.76 | 2024-03-14 | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||||
| Wire | Wire Swiss GmbH | December 3, 2014 | Android | 4.3.5 | 2023-09-27 | GPL-3.0-or-later | AGPL-3.0-or-later | |
| iOS | 3.110.1 | 2023-08-08 | ||||||
| Linux | 3.31.3060 | 2023-05-16 | ||||||
| macOS | 3.31.4556 | 2023-05-16 | ||||||
| Windows | 3.31.4421 | 2023-05-16 | ||||||
| Web | 0.27 | 2023-07-13 | ||||||
| Client | Developer | Initial release | Platform | Latest release | License (client) | License (server) | Monthly active users | |
| Version | Date | |||||||
Operating system support
| Client | Windows | macOS | Linux | Web | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Element | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fractal | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Gadu-Gadu | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gajim | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Google Chat | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Messages (RCS) | No | No | Needs third-party client | Yes | Included | No |
| ICQ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jami | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jitsi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| KakaoTalk | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Kik Messenger | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Line | Yes | Yes | As browser extension | No | Yes | Yes |
| Linphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mattermost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Messages (Apple) | No | Included | No | No | No | Included |
| Messenger | Yes | Yes | Needs third-party client | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mumble | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Movim | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Palringo | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Paltalk | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pidgin | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Psi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| RetroShare | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Ricochet | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Session | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Signal | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Skype | Included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snapchat | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Surespot | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| TeamNote | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tencent QQ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Threema | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trillian | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Viber | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | Needs third-party client | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | Needs third-party client | Yes | Yes | iPhone devices only. App cannot be installed on iPad, iPod Touch. | |
| Wire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Client | Windows | macOS | Linux | Web | Android | iOS |
Connectivity
| Client | Registration requirement | Independent of mobile phone | End-to-end encryption | Peer-to-peer text chat | Open source servers | Federated servers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | No | Yes | Yes | —(P2P) | —(P2P) | |
| Discord | Email or Phone number | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Element | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fractal | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Gadu-Gadu | Email and Phone number | No | No | |||
| Gajim | Yes | No | Yes | |||
| Google Chat | Email; Google account | Yes | ||||
| Google Messages (RCS) | Phone number | Similar to SMS requirements, RCS messaging requires a valid SIM card to be inserted in the device. RCS chat features may continue to work for up to 14 days, when a SIM card is removed from the device. | —[clarification needed] | Yes | ||
| ICQ | Phone number | Phone required for initial registration. Desktop client can function independently afterwards. | No | |||
| Jami | No | No | Yes | Yes | —(P2P) | —(P2P) |
| Jitsi | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| KakaoTalk | No | No | No | No | ||
| Kik Messenger | No | No | No | No | ||
| Line | Phone number | No | No | No | No | |
| Linphone | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mattermost | No | Yes | No | |||
| Messages (Apple) | Email; Apple ID account | Yes | No | —[clarification needed] | —[clarification needed] | |
| Messenger | Email or Phone number; Facebook account | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Movim | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Mumble | no | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Palringo | No | No | No | |||
| Paltalk | No | No | ||||
| Pidgin | No | Yes | with extension only | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Psi | No | |||||
| RetroShare | Yes | —(P2P) | —(P2P) | |||
| Ricochet | Yes | —(P2P) | —(P2P) | |||
| Session | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Signal | Phone number; iOS or Android device. VoIP number | VoIP workaround | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Skype | Email; Microsoft account | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Slack | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Snapchat | Email or Phone number | No | No | No | No | |
| Surespot | No | No | No | |||
| TeamNote | ||||||
| Telegram | Phone number; iOS or Android device | Phone required for initial registration & login. Desktop client can function independently afterwards. | For some features: secret chats, voice and video calls, and voice chats in groups | No | No | No |
| Tencent QQ | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Threema | No | A valid phone number or email address is not required for registration & login. However, the mobile app serves as the primary device, due to the end-to-end encryption architecture. | Yes | No | No | No |
| Trillian | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
| Viber | Phone number | No | No | No | No | |
| Phone number or QQ number | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Phone number | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Wire | Email or Phone number | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Client | Registration requirement | Independent of mobile phone | End-to-end encryption | Peer-to-peer text chat | Open source servers | Federated servers |
Privacy
Some messaging services that are not designed for privacy require a unique phone number for sign-up, as a form of identity verification and to prevent users from creating multiple accounts.
Some messaging services that do not solely focus on a mobile-first experience, or enforce SMS authentication, may allow email addresses to be used for sign-up instead.
Some messaging services offer greater flexibility and privacy, by allowing users to create more than one account to compartmentalize personal & work purposes, or not requiring personally identifiable information for sign-up.
To find out if the software has end-to-end encryption, see "media" table below.
| Client | Share username | Hide number | Account expiration | Reset password | Password lockout | Search for contacts | Voice changer | Plugins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | by public key or in-person pairing | |||||||
| Discord | •Username & Discord Tag •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled | No | ||||||
| Element | •Username •Matrix ID | Yes | ||||||
| Fractal | •Username •Matrix ID | |||||||
| Gadu-Gadu | No | |||||||
| Gajim | Yes | |||||||
| Google Chat | •Email address | |||||||
| Google Messages (RCS) | •Phone number | |||||||
| ICQ | Yes | |||||||
| Jami | Yes | No (not stored on servers) | No (not stored on servers) | No (not stored on servers) | by random identifier or email-like address | No | Yes | |
| Jitsi | by shared 4-random-words URL | Yes | ||||||
| KakaoTalk | ||||||||
| Kik Messenger | •Username •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled | |||||||
| Line | •Username •Phone number •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled (sending friend requests are required) | Yes | ||||||
| Linphone | ||||||||
| Mattermost | Yes | |||||||
| Messages (Apple) | •Email address •Phone number | No | ||||||
| Messenger | •Facebook profile •Username URL •Phone number •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled | Yes | ||||||
| Movim | No | |||||||
| Mumble | •username | |||||||
| Palringo | No | |||||||
| Paltalk | No | |||||||
| Pidgin | Yes | |||||||
| Psi | Yes | |||||||
| RetroShare | ||||||||
| Ricochet | ||||||||
| Signal | Yes | Default. Number is only visible if it is saved to a friend's contact | No | 30 seconds after 5 fails | •Phone number (Contact list syncs automatically with phonebook contacts) | No | ||
| Skype | •Username •Email address •Phone number | Yes | ||||||
| Slack | •Name (requires joining a Slack workspace) •Email address invitation (requires Slack Connect) | Yes | ||||||
| Snapchat | •Username •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled | Yes | ||||||
| Surespot | No | No | ||||||
| TeamNote | ||||||||
| Telegram | 6 months | 5 seconds after 3 fails | •Username •Phone number (Contact list syncs automatically with phonebook contacts) | No | ||||
| Tencent QQ | No | |||||||
| Threema | No | |||||||
| Trillian | Yes | |||||||
| Viber | •Phone number (Contact list syncs automatically with phonebook contacts) | Yes | ||||||
| •Username •Phone number •Phonebook contacts scanning if enabled (sending friend requests are required) | ||||||||
| No | •Phone number (Contact list syncs automatically with phonebook contacts) | No | ||||||
| Wire | No | |||||||
| Client | Share username | Hide number | Account expiration | Reset password | Password lockout | Search for contacts | Voice changer | Plugins |
- 1: Apple iOS doesn't allow screenshot protection.
Screenshot security
| Client | Hide number in chats | Lock screen timeout | Lock screen when closed | Lock screen button | Screenshot detection | Screenshot/recording disabled (Android only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Discord | No | |||||
| Element | No | |||||
| Fractal | ||||||
| Gadu-Gadu | ||||||
| Gajim | ||||||
| Google Chat | ||||||
| Google Messages (RCS) | ||||||
| ICQ | ||||||
| Jami | No (not stored on servers) | No | No | Yes | ||
| Jitsi | No | |||||
| KakaoTalk | ||||||
| Kik Messenger | ||||||
| Line | Yes | |||||
| Linphone | ||||||
| Mattermost | No | |||||
| Messages (Apple) | No | |||||
| Messenger | No | |||||
| Movim | ? | |||||
| Mumble | ||||||
| Palringo | ||||||
| Paltalk | ||||||
| Pidgin | ||||||
| Psi | ||||||
| RetroShare | ||||||
| Ricochet | ||||||
| Signal | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Skype | ||||||
| Slack | ||||||
| Snapchat | Yes | |||||
| Surespot | ||||||
| TeamNote | ||||||
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (on Secret Chats) | Yes (on Secret Chats) | |
| Tencent QQ | ||||||
| Threema | Yes | |||||
| Trillian | ||||||
| Viber | Yes | |||||
| No | Fingerprint sensor | |||||
| Wire | No | |||||
| Client | Hide number in chats | Lock screen timeout | Lock screen when closed | Lock screen button | Screenshot detection | Screenshot/recording disabled (Android only) |
Message handling
| Client | Threads | Sent messages | Read messages | Self-destructing messages | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threads | Collapse | Ignore | Editing | Deleting | Delete for contacts | Delete notification | Receipts | Hide receipts | Exists | Deletion trigger | |
| Briar | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | ||||||
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||||
| Element | Yes | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | No | ||||
| Fractal | |||||||||||
| Gadu-Gadu | |||||||||||
| Gajim | Yes | Yes | No | ||||||||
| Google Chat | Yes | Yes | Yes | Originally for Google Workspace accounts only; rolled out to consumer accounts in July 2023 | Originally for Google Workspace accounts only; rolled out to consumer accounts in July 2023 | Yes | No | ||||
| Google Messages (RCS) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||||
| ICQ | No | No | No | Yes | |||||||
| Jami | No | No | No | No | Desktop only | No | Not applicable | Yes | Android only | Yes | |
| Jitsi | No | No | No | No | |||||||
| KakaoTalk | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Kik Messenger | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Line | No | No | No | No | Partial | Yes | No | ||||
| Linphone | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Mattermost | Yes | Optional 7+ | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||||
| Messages (Apple) | No | No | No | No | |||||||
| Messenger | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Movim | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | |||||
| Mumble | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Palringo | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Paltalk | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Pidgin | No | No | No | Yes | |||||||
| Psi | No | No | No | Yes | |||||||
| RetroShare | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | ||||
| Ricochet | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Signal | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Within 3 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Read |
| Skype | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Snapchat | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Surespot | No | No | No | No | |||||||
| TeamNote | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | |||||
| Telegram | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Read |
| Tencent QQ | No | No | No | ||||||||
| Threema | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||||
| Trillian | No | No | No | Yes | |||||||
| Viber | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| No | No | No | |||||||||
| No | No | No | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | No | ||||
| Wire | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Client | Threads | Sent messages | Read messages | Self-destructing messages | |||||||
| Threads | Collapse | Ignore | Editing | Deleting | Delete for contacts | Delete notification | Receipts | Hide receipts | Exists | Deletion trigger | |
Media
| Client | File transfer | Voice messages | Voice chat | Video chat | E2EE | Encrypted local storage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | Groups | ||||||
| Briar | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Element | |||||||
| Fractal | |||||||
| Gadu-Gadu | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Gajim | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Plug-in | |
| Google Chat | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Google Messages (RCS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| ICQ | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Jami | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jitsi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| KakaoTalk | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Kik Messenger | Yes | No | No | ||||
| Line | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | |
| Linphone | |||||||
| Mattermost | Yes | Plug-in | Plug-in | Plug-in | No | No | |
| Messages (Apple) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Messenger | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Movim | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | For private group | |
| Mumble | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Palringo | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Paltalk | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Pidgin | No | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | ||
| Psi | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial | Yes | Yes | |
| RetroShare | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Ricochet | Yes | ||||||
| Signal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Skype | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Slack | Yes | No | No | ||||
| Snapchat | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Surespot | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No groupchat | |
| TeamNote | Yes | No | |||||
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Secret Chats | No | No |
| Tencent QQ | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Threema | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trillian | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Viber | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Wire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Client | File transfer | Voice messages | Voice chat | Video chat | E2EE | Encrypted local storage | |
| Individual | Groups | ||||||
Miscellaneous
Messaging services can operate around different models, based on security and accessibility considerations.
A mobile-focused, phone number-based model operates on the concept of primary and secondary devices. Examples of such messaging services include: WhatsApp, Viber, Line, WeChat, Signal, etc. The primary device is a mobile phone and is required to login and send/receive messages. Only one mobile phone is allowed to be the primary device, as attempting to login to the messaging app on another mobile phone would trigger the previous phone to be logged out. The secondary device is a computer running a desktop operating system, which serves as a companion for the primary device. Desktop messaging clients on secondary devices do not function independently, as they are reliant on the mobile phone maintaining an active network connection for login authentication and syncing messages.
A multi-device, device-agnostic model is designed for accessibility on multiple devices, regardless of desktop or mobile. Examples of such messaging services include: Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts (subsequently Google Chat), Telegram, ICQ, Element, Slack, Discord, etc. Users have more options as usernames or email addresses can be used as user identifiers, besides phone numbers. Unlike the phone-based model, user accounts on a multi-device model are not tied to a single device, and logins are allowed on multiple devices. Messaging services with a multi-device model are able to eliminate feature disparity and provide identical functionality on both mobile and desktop clients. Desktop clients can function independently, without relying on the mobile phone to login and sync messages.
| Client | Typing notifications | Multi-device support | Emoji reactions | Stickers | GIF search | Custom emoji | Themes / skins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | No | Yes | No | ||||
| Discord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (custom stickers require paid) | Yes | Paid | Paid |
| Element | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractal | |||||||
| Gadu-Gadu | No | ||||||
| Gajim | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Google Chat | Yes (an optional setting allows messages to be accessible on Gmail as well) | Yes | Yes | No | |||
| Google Messages (RCS) | On secondary web browsers only (phone required to sync messages) | Only a limited set of reactions available | Yes | Yes | Partial | ||
| ICQ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Jami | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | |||
| Jitsi | Yes | ||||||
| KakaoTalk | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages) | No | |||||
| Kik Messenger | No | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Line | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| Linphone | |||||||
| Mattermost | No | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Messages (Apple) | Yes (Apple devices) | No | No | ||||
| Messenger | Yes (messages are also accessible on the main Facebook website) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Movim | Yes | No | No | ||||
| Mumble | |||||||
| Palringo | No | Yes | |||||
| Paltalk | No | Yes | |||||
| Pidgin | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||
| Psi | Yes | Yes | |||||
| RetroShare | Yes | No | |||||
| Ricochet | No | ||||||
| Signal | Yes | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages; 5 linked devices) | Yes | Yes | Only on Android and iOS | No | Yes |
| Skype | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Snapchat | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Surespot | No | Yes | |||||
| TeamNote | No | ||||||
| Telegram | Yes | Yes | Full set of reactions only available on Telegram Premium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tencent QQ | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages) | No | Yes | ||||
| Threema | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages). Phone must maintain an active network connection at all times to use the desktop client. | Yes | No | Yes | |||
| Trillian | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Viber | On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages) | Only a limited set of reactions available | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |
| On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages) | No | ||||||
| On secondary desktop devices only (phone required to sync messages; 4 linked devices) Phone must not be offline for ≥ 14 days; message history limited to 3 months. Unsupported on iPad, iPod Touch. | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| Wire | Yes | No | No | No | |||
| Client | Typing notifications | Multi-device support | Emoji reactions | Stickers | GIF search | Custom emoji | Themes / skins |
See also
Notes
References
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