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Best Hangouts Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated September 2026

Google Chat is the household name in hangouts, but it's far from the only option. We track 249+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Hangouts Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Google ChatGoogle ChatFree4.6★ (306K)NoNoSep 2026
2Google MeetGoogle MeetFree4.8★ (2.3M)NoNoSep 2026
3WhatsApp MessengerWhatsApp MessengerFree4.7★ (19M)YesYesSep 2026
4Google VoiceGoogle VoiceFree4.3★ (62K)NoNoSep 2026
5Telegram MessengerTelegram MessengerFree4.0★ (280K)NoYesSep 2026
6Kik Messaging & Chat AppKik Messaging & Chat AppFree4.3★ (485K)YesYesSep 2026
7MessengerMessengerFree4.7★ (14M)YesYesSep 2026
8Signal - Private MessengerSignal - Private MessengerFree4.7★ (1.1M)NoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Hangouts

Google Chat#1

Google Chat by Google

Efficient Team Communication
Editor's Choice
💼 Business
4.6😐(306K ratings)
Free
#33in Business
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Connect, collaborate, and accomplish tasks with AI-powered messaging. Streamline teamwork with integrations and smart features. Securely communicate with your team, whether in real-time or asynchronously.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Convenient for contacting friends
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Efficient messaging
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with Google Suite
  • 👍 Useful for business communication

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable
  • 🤔 Confusing layout and UI
  • 🔒 Concerns about privacy and security
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • 🤔 Lacks key features from previous Google messaging apps
Google Meet#2

Google Meet by Google

Video calling and meetings
Strong Contender
🌐 Social Networking
4.8😊(2.3M ratings)
Free
#11in Social Networking
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Connect with friends, family, and colleagues through high-quality video calls and meetings. Schedule calls, send video messages, or join spontaneous conversations. Enhance interactions with features like real-time captions, in-call chat, and engaging effects.

What We Love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 High-quality video and audio
  • 💡 Cross-platform compatibility
  • 🤝 Allows communication with non-iPhone users
  • 😊 Overall positive experience

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent freezing and disconnections
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • 🔇 Audio issues like echoes and delays
  • 📵 Inability to use without a phone number
  • 🤔 Confusing UI and limited features compared to competitors
WhatsApp Messenger#3

WhatsApp Messenger by WhatsApp Inc.

Simple. Reliable. Private.
Worth Considering
🌐 Social Networking
4.7😊(19M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#2in Social Networking
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Connect with friends and family globally through private messaging and high-quality calls. Share moments, documents, and stay in touch across devices, even on slow connections. Your conversations are secured with end-to-end encryption.

What We Love

  • 💬 Great communication tool
  • 🌍 Connects people globally
  • 🔒 Secure and private messaging
  • 📱 Versatile features (calls, video, groups)
  • 🆓 Free to use

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches (freezing, crashing, notification issues)
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with data sharing
  • 🙈 Lack of customization and control (status, groups)
  • 📤 Backup and restore issues
  • 🚫 Arbitrary account bans

More Hangouts apps to explore

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FAQ about Hangouts

What are the best hangouts apps for iPhone?
Google Chat tops our hangouts apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.6-star average from 306K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top hangouts apps we rank are free to download, including Google Chat and Google Meet.
Google Chat has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 249+ hangouts apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app is a team communication and collaboration platform designed for users of Google Workspace. It offers AI-powered messaging features like conversation summaries, automatic translation, and smart search to help teams stay connected and productive.
Key features include AI-driven conversation summaries, automatic translation for over 120 languages, AI-powered search, action item capture, personalized status updates, audio/video messages, real-time huddles, and deep integration with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Calendar, and Drive.

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