There are literally hundreds of messaging apps on offer on the app marketplace so which ones are worth downloading o your phone?

In this article I’ll share with you the top 5 chat apps that should be a mainstay inside your social app portfolio.

1. Signal

Private messaging apps are really starting to become popular especially with social media platforms being hacked and private photos and messages being leaked for all to see.

Signal is for the person who is cares about security as all communication is passed through an end-to-end military-grade encryption process making it great for the Snowden types out there.

It also comes with self-destructing messages, group chat and voice calls which have all been encrypted for security.

2. Band

Band is my favourite group messaging app because it allows you to create little social media groups just for you and your friends which are called bands.

This messaging app has loads of features that you might not see in other messaging apps like poll voting, synchronized to-do list, file sharing, bill split, cloud storage and you can search for open groups to join just like Facebook groups.

It’s a great little messaging app so definitely get this on your phone if you enjoy group chat.

3. Voxer Walkie Talkie

Voxer was one of those surprising team messaging apps that has become a mainstay and everyone

on my team has it installed.

One of the main problems with calling people is that the person you’re calling is not always available to chat so with Voxer you can send them a voice message and then when they are ready then can send you a reply to that voice message.

You can also send media along with your answers as well and I find I’m using it more and more with my team.

4. WhatsApp

No messaging apps best of list would be complete without one of the heavy weights of the messaging apps division. WhatsApp has over 1 billion users which means that you’re going to have to do a lot of convincing to get people onto this app since they’re likely to have it on their phone ready to go.

With features like free phone and video calls to any WhatsApp user, free app to app messaging, media sharing, push notifications, emoticons, etc. it ticks a lot of boxes for the average user looking for a solid messaging app to connect with friends, family and work mates.

It also has end-to-end encryption which is I think is very important for communication these days.

It is also a cross platform app which means you can use it on Android, iOS, Blackberries, Windows phones as well.

5. GroupMe

I’m a huge fan of group messaging apps and this one is my go to when communicating with friends and family especially if I’m away travelling.

While Band is a fun app to use to meet new people and have fun with friends my go to group chat option is this one without a doubt.

It allows me to send group text messages to my friends and have them all interact with each other.

Conclusion

The best messaging apps are the ones that fit seamlessly into your life and actually improve your ability to communicate. Whether it’s work, family, or friends I have an app that helps me stay in up to date on what’s happening in each area.