Texting apps offer many communication features that are attractive to business owners who want a simple way to keep in touch with their employees. Find the best texting app for your business in our helpful guide.
When you’re looking for an efficient solution to your company’s communication requirements, a texting app can help. Unlike email, which is the go-to solution for many office-based businesses, texting allows you to communicate with employees whether they’re at home, at a job site, or halfway across the world. This guide explores the best texting apps and what to look for when choosing one for your organization’s needs.
What To Look For in a Texting App
Though dozens of texting apps are available, not all offer the features necessary to support your business operations. When selecting a texting app, there are a few elements you’ll want to consider.
Security is a primary concern for many organizations. No company wants its data to be susceptible to hackers or other bad actors. Finding an app that offers end-to-end message encryption can alleviate concerns about data security.
Other factors that will likely affect your decision-making process are communication options and pricing structure. A great solution will include features for one-on-one and group messages and audio and video call functionality. You’ll want to carefully evaluate each app’s pricing to find one that suits your company’s budget.
1. WhatsApp – Best for International Teams
WhatsApp has long been a preferred communication tool among consumers, and it’s expanded to offer a business solution. Through WhatsApp, you can easily communicate with anyone who also has the app. WhatsApp includes options for texts, voice messages, and sharing files and images securely.
The WhatsApp interface is clean and intuitive. You shouldn’t need more than a few minutes to figure out how it works. If you’ve ever sent an SMS text before, you’ll essentially follow the same process — just within the app itself rather than directly from your phone.
You can set up group channels for multiple departments or teams or engage in one-on-one conversations with other employees. Plus, you can easily see who viewed your message through WhatsApp’s read status feature.
WhatsApp includes several security features important to companies, like end-to-end encryption and automatic spam detection. You can also enable two-step verification, providing an additional layer of protection to your account.
Key Features
- Check read status of sent texts
- Organize messages according to groups and channels
- Use end-to-end message encryption and two-factor authorization
- Silence messages during your downtime
Pros
- Free option available
- Avoid international calling fees with overseas employees
- Streamlined interface similar to traditional texts
Cons
- Need a phone number to sign up for the app
- All user data, including individual IP addresses, available to Meta
2. Telegram – Best for Photo Sharing and Editing
Telegram is a popular messaging app, particularly throughout Europe and Asia, although it is available in most countries. Through Telegram, users can quickly start individual or group chats with anyone in their contact lists. With a maximum group size of 200,000 people, you shouldn’t face any obstacles in creating company-wide discussions in which everyone can participate.
Several features make Telegram unique among other messaging apps.
First, Telegram allows users to create “self-destructing” messages. If a sender sets the “self-destruct” setting on something they send, it will disappear within a certain period, usually after the recipient reads it. For business owners who want to prevent privacy leaks, self-destructing messages can be attractive.
Another feature that businesses may benefit from is Telegram’s secret chat function. When users participate in a confidential chat, the contents aren’t stored anywhere other people can access them, like servers. It’s a genuine end-to-end encryption that some other messaging apps don’t offer.
Telegram also allows users to turn off message forwarding. Recipients won’t be able to send messages to others through the app.
Key Features
- Share photos and videos
- Participate in voice or video calls
- End-to-end encryption on some types of chats
- Self-destruct messaging option
Pros
- Supports video calls with up to 1,000 users at once
- Free for business use
- Downloadable app for PCs and Macs
Cons
- Regular conversations don’t have end-to-end encryption
- Fewer features than other messaging apps offer
3. Messenger – Best for Companies Using Facebook
Meta’s Messenger is a popular app that most people already have, particularly if they have a Facebook account. Through Messenger, you can send texts to anyone in your contacts list. Texts can include additional media, like videos, website links, graphics, and document files.
Messenger also supports audio and video calls with multiple people, making it ideal for quick conversations with employees or clients. Businesses with a Facebook page can set up their own Messenger account, providing a free way to communicate with clients who have questions and reach out via Facebook.
You can set up auto-replies through Messenger for frequent questions your customers ask. For instance, if you receive lots of inquiries about your website or business hours, the Messenger auto-responder can reply for you, saving you a few moments of valuable time.
Unlike other messaging apps, you don’t need a phone number to use Messenger, but you will need an email address to initiate the setup process. Messenger also has a dedicated chatbot that can answer any questions you have, providing an extra layer of customer support.
Key Features
- Clean interface that’s easy to understand
- Includes payment features within the app
- Supports WiFi calling
- Participate in group audio or video chats
- Free service accessible to anyone with an email address or Facebook account
Pros
- Offers end-to-end encryption for personal accounts
- Provides 24-7 customer support via a chatbot
Cons
- Business and professional accounts do not have end-to-end encryption
- Primarily a social messaging platform, not a professional one
4. Signal – Best for Companies Seeking Secure Communication
Signal has the most security features of all the messaging apps available. If you’re looking for the best free texting app for business with end-to-end encryption on all messages, Signal should be your first choice. It’s one of the only apps that make end-to-end encryption the default, ensuring that no one can see the messages you exchange except you and the recipient.
With Signal, you don’t need to worry about your private data ending up on a server others can access. It’s also a nonprofit company, so it doesn’t actively seek advertising revenue by selling customer data like some other apps do.
Through Signal, you can send texts, files, and images to your heart’s content. Plus, Signal provides a solid base for audio and video calls.
Key Features
- Disappearing messages feature
- Built-in photo markup for images
- Customize messages with Signal stickers
- Send or receive MobileCoin, a type of digital currency
Pros
- Automatically blurs faces within the app to protect user privacy
- No need to worry about ads or trackers
Cons
- Desktop app only accessible to users who already have the mobile app
- No option to view group chat history for new users
5. Rakuten Viber – Best for Companies Sharing Sensitive Information
Viber is one of the top messaging apps, but it doesn’t have quite the same size of user base as Messenger or WhatsApp. That’s a shame because Viber offers many features that businesses and customers can benefit from.
Through Viber, you’ll receive a strongly functioning messaging tool that includes end-to-end encryption on some chats. You won’t need to worry about nefarious actors intercepting your important messages. Plus, Viber offers highly secure secret chats that prevent participants from taking screenshots and sending them to others. Users also can’t forward any of the messages they receive.
Not every Viber chat receives the same end-to-end encryption treatment. Basic one-on-one conversations that aren’t designated as secret aren’t encrypted, nor are public chats. Businesses with data privacy concerns should stick to private chat options for the best results.
Key Features
- Ability to set secret chats to self-destruct after the recipient reads them
- No forwarding of secret chats
- Senders alerted if someone tries to screenshot a confidential chat
- Can block communication from everyone except Trusted Contacts
Pros
- Offers end-to-end encryption of private chats
- Can erase sent messages from your inbox
- Not connected to any social media services
Cons
- Few customization options
- Need to pay a fee to message users who don’t have Viber
What Are Texting Apps?
Texting apps allow you to send short written messages to the recipient of your choice. Some texting apps will enable you to contact people using their mobile phone numbers, while others only allow communication between people with the same app.
A few texting apps only support SMS messages, which limits communications to character texts. Other apps allow the transfer of files, audio, images, and video. Security features, like self-destructing messages and end-to-end encryption, vary depending on the app you’re using.
The Benefits of Texting Apps
Texting apps are cheaper than SMS messaging services, which typically charge money for the data or the message’s size. Companies with people located outside the country will find messaging apps much cheaper than sending texts through traditional channels. Some apps also offer more security for your sensitive communications.
Texting apps are fast. You can instantly reach anyone through a messaging app, no matter where they are. As long as their phone is set up to receive alerts, they’ll get your message.
