Today WhatsApp has become a heartbeat for mobile users all over the world. If you say “I don’t have WhatsApp”, then people will think of you as someone from another planet. Whatsapp has eventually replaced all kind of messaging options like SMS, Email, Messengers like Yahoo, MSN etc. After the recent introduction of video calling feature, WhatsApp started competing with other video calling apps like Skype.
You may wonder what makes WhatsApp so special. The app can be downloaded and used without any cost. It has all the features of communication like audio calls, video calls, sharing audio/video/text. WhatsApp group is the most popular these days as it helps to create different groups for friends, family, work related etc.
Is WhatsApp is the only app available for messaging? Of course, not. There are many alternatives to WhatsApp with similar functionality.
10+ Best Alternatives to Whatsapp you will love this year
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Telegram
Telegram was developed by Nikolai and Pavel Durov and released in the year 2013. It can be used as a good alternative for WhatsApp as you can send unlimited messages and media files using it.
The messages and media files in telegram are stored in cloud space. So you don’t have to worry about the memory space and you will not run out of storage. Another feature to watch out is ‘Secret Chats’. In this, the communication is encrypted between the two persons so that the message is secure and can be seen only by the recipient. Telegram does not support calls. Group chat feature is also available in Telegram.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Viber
Viber is very similar to and has almost all the features available in WhatsApp. Like WhatsApp, you need the mobile number to activate Viber and it imports the contacts from your address book and shows you the contacts having Viber. Viber supports audio/video calls, group messaging and sharing photos/videos.
It has a feature named Viber Out which helps to call other non Viber mobiles or landline phones at low rates.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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WeChat
WeChat is developed by Tencent, China in the year 2011. It supports audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos, broadcast messaging and group chat. WeChat has a special feature named ‘Moments’ where you can create, like or share posts like in Facebook. But it will be only visible to the contacts in your friends list.
Apart from messaging, WeChat also has a payment system and the users can link their bank accounts/credit cards and send money to the contacts easily. Like Viber, WeChat Out helps to call other non-WeChat mobiles or landline phones at low rates.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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LINE
Line app is developed by Line Corporation in Japan in the year 2011. It supports messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. It has a good handy feature named ‘Keep’ where you can add all your favorite messages and media files so that you can see it whenever you want and share it easily. Line also has video conferencing facility.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Facebook Messenger
Almost every internet user knows Facebook or in short FB but might not have explored its messenger fully. Facebook messenger is a very good alternative for WhatsApp as it has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Group video calling has also been added to the Facebook messenger recently.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Skype
Skype is the most popular messenger and video calling app for computers using windows. It can also be used in mobiles and can be used as an alternative for WhatsApp. It has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Skype also offers low rates for calling international mobiles and landlines.
It does not need any phone number for creating the account.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Kik
Kik messenger is developed by a company named Kik Interactive in Canada. It does not need any phone number for registering with it. It does not support calling feature but it has messaging, sharing photos/videos and group chats.
The salient feature in Kik is its anonymous nature as there is no verification of the user name or date of birth.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Hangouts
Hangouts is nothing but the Google Hangouts used in computers for making audio/video calls. It can be used as a good alternative for WhatsApp as it has messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. 
Hangouts offer very low rates for calling international mobiles and landlines.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Groupme
Groupme is a popular messaging app that can be used as an alternative to WhatsApp. It supports messaging, sharing photos/videos and group chats. The salient feature in Groupme is its Group SMS feature. It is very handy in case of a network failure or remote places where internet network is not available.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows
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Tango
Tango is developed by a US based company named TangoME Inc. It is a very good alternative to WhatsApp as it has almost all features like messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. 
It does not need any phone number for registration. Tango can also be used in Tablets.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS
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BBM
BBM stands for Black Berry Messenger and was developed by Blackberry Ltd in the year 2005. It not only works with Blackberry but also with other platform smartphones. Though it has lost popularity these days, BBM is a good alternative for WhatsApp as it supports messaging, audio/video calls, sharing photos/videos and group chat. The salient feature in BBM is ‘Retract’.
You can delete the already sent message before it is read so that user doesn’t even know that they received a message like that. It has other features like Private chat and BBM Pin (You can block certain contacts from messaging).
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry
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- Kakao Talk
Kakao Talk is developed by a company named Kakao Inc in South Korea. It supports messaging, voice calls, sharing photos/videos and group chats. Like WhatsApp it needs a phone number to get connected and use it.
It shows the contacts who are having Kakao Talk. It can be a good alternative for WhatsApp.
Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry
WhatsApp is not the only way for messaging and calls. Check out any of the apps above when you find some time and communicate with the world without WhatsApp.
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