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Best Group Texting Alternative Apps

9+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.5 avg rating
9 free apps
Updated September 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good group texting alternative apps. We benchmark 9+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Compare top Group Texting Alternative Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MessengerMessengerFree4.7★ (14M)YesYesSep 2026
2JusTalk - Video Chat & CallsJusTalk - Video Chat & CallsFree4.4★ (75K)YesYesSep 2026
3Nextplus: Private Phone NumberNextplus: Private Phone NumberFree4.6★ (90K)YesYesSep 2026
4Qara: Second Phone NumberQara: Second Phone NumberFree3.7★ (18)NoNoSep 2026
5Discord - Talk, Play, Hang OutDiscord - Talk, Play, Hang OutFree4.7★ (3.5M)NoYesSep 2026
6Idle – Chat & WidgetsIdle – Chat & WidgetsFree—NoNoSep 2026
7InstagramInstagramFree4.7★ (29M)YesYesSep 2026
8SnapchatSnapchatFree4.5★ (5.9M)YesYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Group Texting Alternative

Messenger#1

Messenger by Meta Platforms, Inc.

Text, audio and video calls
Editor's Choice
🌐 Social Networking
4.7😞(14M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#10in Social Networking
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Connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. Share photos, videos, and large files, and express yourself with custom themes and animated content. Features an AI assistant for help and support.

What We Love

  • 📱 Useful for staying connected with friends and family
  • 🗣️ Enables easy communication through text, voice, and video
  • 💬 Convenient group chat features
  • 🌐 Works across multiple devices and platforms

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
  • 🔄 Unnecessary updates that remove useful features
  • 📤 Issues with message delivery and notifications
  • 🗂️ Cluttered interface and poor organization of chats
JusTalk - Video Chat & Calls#2

JusTalk - Video Chat & Calls by Jus

Meet Happy, Share the Moment
Strong Contender
🌐 Social Networking
4.4😊(75K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
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Connect with loved ones through high-quality voice and video calls, instant messaging, and interactive features. Share moments, play games, and doodle together in real-time. Offers a secure and convenient communication platform for individuals and families.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great for calling and texting
  • 👍 Customizable profile and themes
  • 🎨 Fun features like drawing and games during calls
  • 💯 Overall great experience

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
  • 💰 Too many premium features
  • 🔇 Call quality issues, especially with group calls
  • 🔔 Annoying notifications and ads
Nextplus: Private Phone Number#3

Nextplus: Private Phone Number by textPlus, Inc.

Unlimited 2nd Line Talk & Text
Worth Considering
🌐 Social Networking
4.6😐(90K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
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Get a free US phone number for unlimited texting and calling to US and Canadian numbers. Works over WiFi and allows you to communicate without sharing your personal number. Offers inexpensive outbound calls and can turn devices like iPod touch into phones.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great service
  • 👍 Customizable user profile and message threads
  • 👍 Different ringtones to choose from
  • 👍 Personalized settings
  • 👍 Free app with no sign-up or hidden fees
  • 👍 Works well as a secondary number

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Calls sometimes drop or become inaudible
  • 🐛 Unclear how call credits are applied
  • 🐛 Messages sometimes don't deliver
  • 🐛 Photos and videos don't always work
  • 🐛 Notifications and message sync issues
  • 💸 Too many long, intrusive ads

More Group Texting Alternative apps to explore

FAQ about Group Texting Alternative

What are the best group texting alternative apps for iPhone?
Messenger tops our group texting alternative apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.7-star average from 14M App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 9 of the top group texting alternative apps we rank are free to download, including Messenger and JusTalk - Video Chat & Calls.
Messenger shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 9+ group texting alternative apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app is a free messaging platform that allows you to connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. You can share photos, videos, and large files, create shared albums, and customize your chat experience. It also includes an AI assistant for various tasks.
Key features include text, audio, and video calls, high-definition photo sharing, shared albums, QR code connections for easy adding of contacts, large file sharing up to 100MB, the ability to edit and unsend messages, disappearing messages for privacy, and an integrated AI assistant.