Messaging Apps

Type				Team Size
Me, Myself and I	Group Collaboration	The Academic System	Software	1	2-10	11-30	30+

Disclaimer: This article includes messengers that we consider relevant because they are used by a large part of the academic population or used in our team communication and teaching. It is not intended to be exhaustive and does not include messengers that are only used in specific parts of the world or exclusive to certain operating systems, as well as messaging functions that are incorporated in e.g. social media platforms. Furthermore, it should be noted that functions and data protection regulations change frequently, and are thus considered at the date this entry was written.

What, Why & When

Messaging services have become part of our everyday life and help us keep in touch with the people around us. They are used in private contexts as well as for education or work. Today, there are numerous applications that focus on communication and differ slightly for example in aspects of purpose, design, functions or business models and data protection. Because there are so many, you are spoiled for choice. This article aims to present a general overview over selected messaging services.

Overview of Selected Messaging Apps

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the most used messaging app in Germany but also worldwide. This plays an important role, since communication, by definition, requires more than one person and therefore more than one device with the messenger installed. Having to deal with messages on ten different platforms is not very convenient. With WhatsApp, there is a high probability that the person you want to communicate with, already has the app installed. Functions include private and group chats, sending texts, photos, videos, documents, locations, stickers, and GIFs, as well as voice messages and phone calls with or without video and a “status”. However, there has been a lot of criticism and concerns in regard to data protection and exchange because the messenger belongs to Meta (Facebook) since 2014 which is why some people have switched to other platforms. There are counter-tactics by Meta to move much of the influencer community from YouTube to WhatsApp.

+ most users, familiar user surface, "default messenger"
+ many functions
- data security & transparency

Telegram

Telegram is a frequently used alternative to WhatsApp with more than 700 million users worldwide. It allows large groups with up to 200,000 members, which gives it the character of a social network rather than just a messenger for private conversations. It has a function for channels where only admins can post messages to their subscribers. There is also a function to add bots which automatically fulfil certain tasks, such as sending reminders. Other functions are similar to WhatsApp, also including calls and stories. But there is a downside: Telegram has been known for being used for spreading false information and propaganda, hate messages and for illegal activities. The platform has been criticized for not preventing these activities. Telegram’s claims to be more secure than other platforms have been questioned. For example, end-to-end encryption is not the default setting, unlike in WhatsApp or Signal. In addition to that, the corporate structure is rather non-transparent.

+ many functions including large groups, channels, bots, screen-sharing
+ frequently used
- data security & transparency
- illgal activities & propaganda

Signal

Signal is a messenger from the US which has similar functions to WhatsApp. Unlike Telegram, it is not designed for communicating with extremely large audiences and for instance does not support bots. However, Signal is simple to use, allows groups with up to 1000 members and also supports visually impaired users. It does require a phone number but generally has a very good reputation when it comes to data security. Notably to this end, end-to-end encryption is standard and there is no cloud storage. Additionally, Signal is open source.

+ data security
+ user interface
- few users
- migration to new device can be a hassle

Slack

Slack is an online communication and collaboration tool for teams to supersede communication via email. Its advertisement focuses on professional rather than private use. It is possible to communicate in private chats, group chats or channels via text and voice messages and of course files and videos can also be shared. You can make calls, create links to other programs and prepare automatic messages as reminders or make use of bots. Slack even integrates artificial intelligence, that can for instance summarize previous messages. Slack is not open source and there has been some criticism regarding data security in the past. There is a free version with less functions available than in the charged version. It might be noteworthy that the free plan only allows users to access messages from the last three months and not further into the past.

+ helpful structure and functions for professional use
+ links to other programs
+ sharing large files
- full version expensive

Discord

Discord is designed for and often used in the gaming scene. Today, it is also used as a regular messenger or for teams. It allows channels and groups (“servers”), as well as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocols) and video calls, but also private chats. It is well-suited for communication in communities and offers many functions such as always-on-audio-channels for free, unlike Slack, which can get very expensive in the paid version. However, Discord is less useful for sharing large files. Unlike other providers, it does not access the contacts, but it has been criticized that it is not open source, that external bots can potentially collect data and that messages are saved on discord-servers to be accessible from different devices.

+ many functions and personalizable
+ mostly usable without phone number
- data security

Threema

Threema can be used anonymously and does not necessarily require a phone number or email address. It focuses on data security and protection and has similar functions as other messaging apps such as voice messages, live locations, and GIFs. Higher security is achieved because there is no cloud synchronisation, therefore, Threema can only be used in the mobile app or via the browser version. However, security comes at a price: Threema is not free and installing it currently costs 5,99 € (AppStore).

+ data security
+ no phone number required
- costs
- few users

Wire

Wire is based in Switzerland and also focuses on data protection. It is open source, and everything is end-to-end encrypted. Wire claims to only rely on third-party suppliers based in the EU or Switzerland. It allows the usage of different accounts, for example for private and work-related conversations and supports screen-sharing. Wire is free, but only for private use. There are paid versions with more functions available.

+ data security
+ EU-based
- few users
- not all functions available in free version

Interoperable Messengers

In 2022, the European Digital Markets Act became effective. It is intended that large providers allow interoperability with different messenger services, meaning that it would for example be possible to communicate via WhatsApp with someone using Signal. This could possibly avoid the problem that messengers that have many users have an advantage, which makes it difficult for alternatives to gain momentum. The first steps towards interoperability are expected in 2024. However, this also poses challenges to data-handling. It remains to be seen if the changes will benefit alternatives to the most used platform WhatsApp.

Concluding Remarks

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, functions change very frequently and, in some cases, become more and more similar to each other. WhatsApp for example has recently introduced broadcast-channels similar to Telegram, and Telegram on the other hand introduced “stories” which are similar to the WhatsApp “status”. Therefore, the differences in functionality are often rather small and dynamic. However, there are differences when it comes to the target group for which the applications were designed and partly in regard to data protection and corporate structures. Thus, it makes sense to think about the context and wanted or unwanted features in order to compare the different options and find the best solution. When it comes to data security, Signal, Wire and Threema are better alternatives, however, Threema is the only messenger in this comparison that is not free or does not offer a free version. Registration without a phone number is only possible for Threema, Wire and for Discord.

	Whatsapp	Telegram	Signal	Slack	Discord	Threema	Wire
Free / free options	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
Phone number required	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no
Compatible with web browser	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	yes	yes
Screen sharing	no	yes	no	yes	yes	no	on desktop
Open-source	no	partly	yes	no	no	partly	yes

For a detailed comparison regarding technical details and data security check out this comparison in German or this one in English.

Links & Further Reading

The author of this entry is Hannah Metke.