Top 10 Most Popular Messaging Apps in 2024

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger was first introduced to a 139 million US audience. Facebook Messenger app permits you to stay in contact together with your Facebook contacts right away. It comes in handy with intriguing features like message reactions, GIFS, emojis, etc, to take your conversation to a whole new level!

The app's emoji and sticker library is always filled with new and trending memes, making FB Messenger super fun to use and incredible for expressing precisely what’s on your mind.

You can also name your contacts using the voice or video name characteristic, send custom voice notes, or even send complete files!

Instagram Direct

Gone are the days when Instagram Directs were all about sending texts and GIFs—the new update that allows people to edit their text, react to their favorite memories, and send reels has made people go crazy over the app!

Instagram Direct is a messaging app that is linked to your official Instagram account and is one of the most famous messaging SMS apps available, with nearly 170 million monthly active users in the US.

Although you may not be able to link your mobile numbers, its principal use is to message your Instagram contacts. This app is notable for sending media such as pictures and movies without delay out of your device’s library.

You can also send voice notes and video chat over the app. The app's smooth double-tap “like” function makes liking messages remarkably smooth and immediate.

Most currently, Instagram Direct has delivered a notes function that lets you publish notes for followers or close contacts to see.

Snapchat

Next is Snapchat, with about 159 million users in the US—it is surely one of the most popular messaging apps of recent times.

Unlike Facebook, Snapchat allows you to easily communicate with pals while sending “snaps” or motion pictures over the platform. Depending on your settings, these “snaps” disappear seconds after they’re seen, which makes communicating over SnapChat immediate and more conversational.

You can also view stories from around the world and discover new ones within the app!

This app is most popular among teenagers and Gen Z, who grew up using it to capture everything around them.

Whatsapp

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps globally and continues to be used in the US, with around 75.1 million monthly active users.

WhatsApp is a branch of Facebook - as they both have the same owner. This messaging app has been a hit due to its ability to add contacts through phone numbers only - so only people having your number will be able to text you. No spam, no irrelevant people, cool, right?

WhatsApp touts itself as giving the person rapid, simple, and steady worldwide calling and texting, all free of charge.

Something WhatsApp gives that regular SMS apps don’t is the ability to send GIFs, stickers, or even large media files.

WeChat

WeChat comes in fifth with 19 million monthly users within the US. It has a similar design to WhatsApp, but if you pick an app that isn’t related to Facebook, this messenger app has a few of the same features you’ll get on WhatsApp, and even more.

Send pictures, movies, GIFs, and stickers, make voice and video calls, as well as broadcast videos to massive audiences, share images/movies, or even region sharing. This app has got you covered for everything!

A precise characteristic of WeChat is that it includes a translation function, which is why it’s famous with users who want to make worldwide calls to countries and chat without any language barrier!

Telegram

Telegram has 10 million users within the US and is rapidly becoming an all-rounder messaging app that organizes your texts and messages in a single location.

The way this messaging app works is straightforward. A unique feature of Telegram is its ability to create businesses of up to 200 people!; Yes, you heard that right. You can also broadcast motion pictures to massive audiences in the same way you would do for Instagram Live.

Another plus is that Telegram guarantees security with fully encrypted voice and video calls, making it more secure than messenger apps like Facebook or Instagram.

Discord

A huge misconception prevails in society that Discord is the best messaging app for the gaming community. Well to be honest it used to be for gamers only, but now we are well past that.

Over the years, Discord has evolved to be in the race for the world’s best messaging app in 2024. From organizing study groups to making meme channels, Discord offers text, video, and voice communication for the users to interact with one another effectively.

Coming integrated with other apps and services like Spotify and YouTube gives Discord an upper hand then the other platforms out there. So if you are looking for an all-in-one messaging platform, then Discord is surely among the best!

Signal

Signal has 9 million users within the US and is doing pretty well for an immediate SMS and calling app.

Similar to Telegram, Signal gives a private and stable SMS experience with an included signal path. What does a blanketed sign path mean? Signal makes use of end-to-end encryption to send messages and calls.

With this kind of encryption, Google and other third parties can’t read or access messages as they go within secure channels.

This makes it a dependable and stable provider for those of you who've ended up weary of privacy breaches from big groups like Google and Facebook.

Viber

Viber, owned by Rakuten, has about 8.2 million active users in the US and is becoming increasingly famous as a messaging app. It is a catch-all SMS app for someone who desires the whole thing in one.

It offers many features not found in other SMS messenger apps, such as the option to sign up for communities, create custom stickers, and disappear messages.

Viber has a smooth interface and may be synced to several devices with screen sharing abilities. You can also reliably connect Viber to your mobile or laptop at any time.

Also, pay a visit to meeting apps and unlock new levels for your communication!

Zello

With five million users within the US, Zello touts itself as the most reliable push-to-speak walkie-talkie messenger app.

The Zello app can be accessed at any time and doesn’t require a reliable radio signal or regular Wifi connections. This is what makes it so successful and a need for several massive groups who want to talk over channels in between their workday.

Not only that but Zello can be used for emergencies and communicating with friends and circle of relatives.

Final Thoughts!

Whether to keep in touch with your family or have a long-awaited call session with old friends - communication is surely the way to a healthy heart; it should be done in the right way!

Messaging apps are becoming the new mode for having uninterrupted conversations!

In the guide above, you will find our finest picks of messaging apps that will surely make your conversations worthwhile!