WhatsApp alternatives? Check out Telegram, Signal and more

The most popular messaging app is WhatsApp. Do you still want to know WhatsApp alternatives? Well, check out Telegram, Signal and more.

WhatsApp alternatives like Telegram and Signal are popular, but nowhere near the Meta owned messaging app (Adem AY/Unsplash)

Last year WhatsApp was in the news for various reasons, especially over its updated privacy policy, which it tried to ram down users' throats. It had even threatened to close down WhatsApp accounts of users who did not agree to the new privacy policy. It triggered a controversy, forcing it to backtrack. One of the many consequences was that a huge number of its users quit the app and opted for WhatsApp alternatives. Despite all the controversy and even the discussion about the switching WhatsApp off and signing up to other messaging applications, the Meta-owned messaging app has survived and even thrived! Well, much water has flowed down the Yamuna since then and WhatsApp has rolled out a huge number of enticing features. However, if you are someone who likes to have substitutes in your life, just in case, then know about the WhatsApp alternatives you can go to.

You must have heard the names of Telegram and Signal that people were talking about last year amidst all the WhatsApp privacy policy chaos. These are quite popular too and growing by leaps and bounds even though they are nowhere near WhatsApp on the users' popularity charts. While WhatsApp has over 2 billion users, Telegram has over 500 million monthly active users. Apart from these 2, Wire, Discord, Viber, and Skype are some other options in the list of WhatsApp alternatives. Telegram focuses on security, is free and importantly, it can be used on all devices at the same time. Something that WhatsApp has done just recently. Another messaging app that acquired prominence in 2021 was Signal. It too is an encrypted messaging app and focuses on user privacy. Notably, Tesla chief Elon Musk has recommended Signal to everyone. These WhatsApp alternatives too offer great privacy options and security.

Undoubtedly, a lot of users are open to quitting WhatsApp and jumping on a new platform but they are forced to stay with it, at the end of the day, because most of their friends and families are on WhatsApp and these people are not leaving.

However, quitting WhatsApp is your own choice depending on the concerns that you individually have.