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Best Instant Messaging Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.3 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated July 2026

Messenger is the household name in instant messaging, 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 Instant Messaging Apps (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MessengerMessengerFree4.7★ (13M)YesYesAug 2026
2MessagesMessagesFree4.1★ (32K)NoNoAug 2026
3IM+ Instant MessengerIM+ Instant MessengerFree3.6★ (8)NoYesAug 2026
4WhatsApp MessengerWhatsApp MessengerFree4.7★ (18M)YesYesAug 2026
5TrillianTrillianFree4.1★ (569)NoYesAug 2026
6Buddy - Instant MessagingBuddy - Instant MessagingFree5.0★ (7)NoNoAug 2026
7YouTubeYouTubeFree4.7★ (49M)YesYesAug 2026
8Chot: Secure Instant MessagingChot: Secure Instant MessagingFree—NoNoJul 2026

Top Picks for Instant Messaging

Messenger#1

Messenger by Meta Platforms, Inc.

Text, audio and video calls
Editor's Choice
🌐 Social Networking
4.7😞(13M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#13in Social Networking
Messenger screenshot 1
Messenger screenshot 2
Messenger screenshot 3
Messenger screenshot 4
Messenger screenshot 5
Messenger screenshot 6

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
Messages#2

Messages by Apple

Strong Contender
🌐 Social Networking
4.1😊(32K ratings)
Free
Messages screenshot 1
Messages screenshot 2
Messages screenshot 3
Messages screenshot 4
Messages screenshot 5

Communicate with contacts through unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents. Supports iMessage for Apple devices and RCS, SMS, and MMS for others. Features include message editing, unsending, and scheduling.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fast and reliable messaging
  • 🔒 End-to-end encryption
  • 👍 Seamless integration with Apple devices
  • 💡 Fun features like Memoji and stickers

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Limited search functionality
  • 📤 Inability to delete messages for others
IM+ Instant Messenger#3

IM+ Instant Messenger by SHAPE GmbH

Social Browser & Aggregator
Worth Considering
🌐 Social Networking
3.6😞(8 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
IM+ Instant Messenger screenshot 1
IM+ Instant Messenger screenshot 2
IM+ Instant Messenger screenshot 3
IM+ Instant Messenger screenshot 4
IM+ Instant Messenger screenshot 5

Consolidate all your social media and messaging apps into a single, streamlined interface. Manage multiple accounts across various platforms, from popular social networks to instant messengers, all within one convenient application. Save time and device space by unifying your digital communication.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Works well
  • 👍 Convenient all-in-one messaging
  • 💡 Integrated web browser
  • 👍 Customizable backgrounds

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Disconnects and logs out often
  • 🐛 Unreliable notifications

More Instant Messaging apps to explore

4
WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp Messenger
Simple. Reliable. Private.
Free

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.

End-to-end encrypted messagingHigh-quality voice and video callsGroup chats and calls
🌐 Social Networking
(18M)
free with in-app purchases
5
Trillian
Trillian
Trillian
Modern and secure messaging
Free

This secure messaging platform offers instant communication for businesses, healthcare organizations, and individuals. It modernizes employee communication, provides HIPAA-compliant messaging for healthcare, and allows free, private communication for personal use.

Secure business instant messagingHIPAA-compliant healthcare communicationFree individual messaging
💼 Business
(569)
free with in-app purchases
6
Buddy - Instant Messaging
Buddy - Instant Messaging
Buddy - Instant Messaging
by KNNK Studio LLC
Free

Connect with others through live chat rooms and build your social circle. Discover communities based on shared interests like gaming, music, or campus life. Enjoy direct conversations without the pressure of social media feeds.

Live chat roomsCommunity discoveryCustomizable profiles
🌐 Social Networking
(7)
free
7
YouTube
YouTube
YouTube
Videos, Music and Live Streams
Free

Watch and subscribe to a vast array of videos, from music and gaming to news and learning. Discover trending content, connect with creators, and even upload your own videos. Offers options for ad-free viewing and exclusive perks.

Personalized video recommendationsSubscribe to favorite channelsExplore trending and popular content
📷 Photo & Video
(49M)
free with in-app purchases
8
Chot: Secure Instant Messaging
Chot: Secure Instant Messaging
Chot: Secure Instant Messaging
End To End Encrypted Messages
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
9
Kik Messaging & Chat App
Kik Messaging & Chat App
Kik Messaging & Chat App
Messaging, Chatting & Live
Free

Connect with friends and discover new ones through chat. Share photos, videos, games, and more without needing phone numbers. Explore interests and join groups for seamless communication.

Connect with friendsGroup chatsShare photos and videos
🌐 Social Networking
(484K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Orbit Messenger
Orbit Messenger
Orbit Messenger
Connect with friends instantly
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
11
CoreX Messenger
CoreX Messenger
CoreX Messenger
Instant. Secure. Invisible.
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
12
Bout-ye Messaging
Bout-ye Messaging
Bout-ye Messaging
by Norman Patterson
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
13
NABA Messenger
NABA Messenger
NABA Messenger
Fast & Secure Messaging
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
14
NZ Messenger
NZ Messenger
NZ Messenger
Chat with Kiwis, Instantly
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
15
Barq Messenger
Barq Messenger
Barq Messenger
A real-time chatting app
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
16
Callimo
Callimo
Callimo
Video call & chat
Free

Connect with friends globally through fast, secure, and easy-to-use video calls and instant messaging. Create group chats to stay in touch with multiple people simultaneously.

Instant messagingGroup chatsSecure communication
🌐 Social Networking
(1)
free
17
Circle - Messaging
Circle - Messaging
Circle - Messaging
by Fahad Shah
Free
💼 Business
(0)
18
Cross Messenger
Cross Messenger
Cross Messenger
by IPTP Ltd
Free

Connect with friends, family, and colleagues through secure instant messaging. Share texts, multimedia, and make calls or video conferences. Offers a simple, stable, and safe communication experience across multiple devices and platforms.

Instant text messagingMultimedia file sharingGroup chat creation
🌐 Social Networking
(1)
free
19
Reaction Messenger
Reaction Messenger
Reaction Messenger
by Nicholas Pond-Hubert
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)
20
Facevel Messenger
Facevel Messenger
Facevel Messenger
by Ndugutse Eric
Free
🌐 Social Networking
(0)

FAQ about Instant Messaging

What are the best instant messaging apps for iPhone?
Messenger tops our instant messaging apps ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.7-star average from 13M App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top instant messaging apps we rank are free to download, including Messenger and Messages.
Messenger shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 249+ instant messaging apps on the iOS App Store as of July 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.

Related searches

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