Communicating with other people is the reason why phones were invented. Smartphones have taken communication to new heights. One of the most important apps on every smartphone is the messaging app. We use these apps to talk to friends, share photos, have group chats, and so much more. For this list, we’re focusing on messaging apps that aren’t primarily for SMS.

Whether you’re someone who juggles 50 different conversations at once or you have just a couple going on, here are the best messaging apps for Android!

Facebook Messenger

Nobody wants to like a Facebook app, but Messenger is actually pretty great. FB Messenger can do pretty much anything you can imagine. It has SMS support, GIFs, stickers, video calling, games, mobile payments, and so much more. But the best feature is that everyone you know is already on Facebook. You can also try the Lite version.

DOWNLOAD: Facebook Messenger

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.0/5

Google Allo

Allo has had a rough start as Google’s latest messaging app, but the app itself is actually very good. It’s pretty lightweight and fast, has features like stickers, and the added benefit of Google Assistant. The main issue with Allo is the lack of SMS support and getting all your friends to use yet another app.

DOWNLOAD: Allo

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.3/5

Google Hangouts

Hangouts is one of Google’s most successful messaging attempts. While it may eventually get killed in favor of Allo, Hangouts still works perfectly fine as a simple messenger. It has many of the features you would expect and a lot of people think it works better than Allo. Hangouts is still a great choice, but we don’t know how long it will last.

DOWNLOAD: Hangouts

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.0/5

GroupMe

GroupMe is a messaging app owned by Microsoft. As the name implies, it works great for group conversations, but it’s also a one-on-one messenger. Members of a group that don’t have GroupMe can still participate through SMS. GroupMe has a bunch of built-in tools, such as a calendar, GIFs, emoji, and more.

DOWNLOAD: GroupMe

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: yes
  • Rating: 4.5/5

Kik

Kik is a hugely popular messaging app in some parts of the world. All you need to use Kik is a username, but you can only talk to other Kik users. You can have group and private conversations, share pics, videos, GIFs, and even play games. As with other apps on this list, Kik only works if you can get your friends to use it.

DOWNLOAD: Kik

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: Yes
  • Rating: 4.3/5

LINE

LINE is another messaging app that is very popular in some parts of the world. Not only does it have group and private messaging with text, but it also supports voice and video calls. LINE includes tons of stickers and GIFs to light up your conversations. LINE has a bunch of other features, such as mobile payments, as well. It’s loaded.

DOWNLOAD: LINE

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: Yes
  • Rating: 4.2/5

Signal

Signal is a messaging app all about security. The app uses advanced end-to-end encryption protocols to provide privacy. Everything you say in the app is ket private. Signal also has the typical features you’d expect, including voice and video calls, group chats, media, and more. It’s a great app for the privacy minded.

DOWNLOAD: Signal

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.6/5

Telegram

Telegram bills itself as the fastest messaging app on the market. The app is very simple and lightweight, but it still has many powerful features. You can have group chats, end-to-end encryption, unlimited file sharing, GIFs, stickers, photo editing and much more. If you want something easy and fast, Telegram is a great choice.

DOWNLOAD: Telegram

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.3/5

WeChat

WeChat is a messaging and calling app that allows you to easily connect with family and friends across the globe. It’s the all-in-one communications app for SMS, voice and video calls, photo sharing, and games. WeChat has basically everything you could ask for, but the UI isn’t cluttered and messy like some others. It’s still a nice, clean app.

DOWNLOAD: WeChat

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: Yes
  • Rating: 4.2/5

WhatsApp

Everybody knows about WhatsApp. It’s the most popular messaging app in the world, but in the US it’s not so widely used. WhatsApp doesn’t work with phone numbers. You just create an account and you can talk to anyone that has a WhatsApp account. It supports group chats, voice calls, and many different interfaces on other platforms. WhatsApp is everywhere.

DOWNLOAD: WhatsApp

  • Price: Free
  • In-app Purchases: No
  • Rating: 4.4/5

More Best Apps

The Google Play Store has hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from. This list only scratches the surface. We’ve published numerous “Best Apps” lists for everything from dating to education. Check out the lists below to explore even more!