Also Read:7 Best Facebook Alternative Apps for AndroidThe problem with MessengerMessenger (like its parent app Facebook) is both RAM and CPU hungryapp.Itcontinuously runsin the background, affecting your phone’s performance and eating all the battery juice. They are also known to cause persistent wake locks. Sure, people with the OnePlus 3T aren’t complaining about RAM, but for the average user with adecent smartphone, RAM matters. So the next time your phone lags, you know where to look.Yes, there is a workaround tosend and receiveFacebook message without using the messenger app, but that will require a Rooted Android device. Which if you don’t have, or looking for some better solution, here we’ve compiled a list of the best Alternative to Facebook app.
Alternatives for Facebook Messenger
1. Try Facebook Wrappers
Facebook wrappers are nothing but the mobile version of the site, put together in a separate appwith some customization of course. They are alight-weight, highly customizable and battery friendly version of the Facebook app with a built in messenger.Thoughfrankly speaking, all wrappers are 80% same in layout and functionality. Their Messaging feature is also not highly reliable. For instance, we tested all the popular Facebook wrappers, and while we didn’t have any issues in sending FacebookMessages, however,the receiving part was not reliable. Most of the time, we didn’t even get thenotification for the received messages.Following are some Facebook wrappers that you should consider.
1.1Swipe for Facebook(Free/ $2.99)
Swipe for Facebook is a wrapper which focuses on making your Facebook experience smoother, cleaner and faster.The UI is tweaked to give more of a Material Design feel. It also comes with Facebook Messenger support and a tabbed setup that lets you swipe between all the various parts of the app. The pro version creates a cache of visited pages so you won’t have to download the page again and you have full control over notifications and looks, thanks to themes support.
1.2Tinfoil for Facebook(Free)
Tinfoil was one of the first Facebook Wrapper to hit the market. And it is still a robust, no-nonsense app whose rise to fame was courtesy of the fact that it doesn’t ask for any permissions. As the name suggests, it is a web-wrapped version of the Facebook app offering the same functionality with the ability to send messages from within the app itself.The only downside is that updates aren’t that frequent and hence you can’t expect issues, however rare, to be resolved very quickly.
1.3Metal for Facebook($0.99)
Metal is a web-wrapper with some tweaks and additional features included to improve the user experience. Apart from being ad-free, it boasts of notifications, slight UI tweaks, and a few theming options.Metal also provides a notification shade bar. From here, you can access your news feed, friend requests, messages, and notifications etc. When you select any of these options, it opens a slightly diminished floating window. Opening the app proper provides the full-screen experience. It also has fingerprint authentication for signing in, which is a nifty feature to keep prying eyes away. The developer updates the app frequently, making it a very pleasing experience to use this app.
1.4Toffeed for Facebook(Free)
Toffeed is a newer Facebook app and to be honest, it needs a bit of working. The layout is quite similar to Tinfoil and Metal, except there is no fix menu bar on top. Scrolling is buttery smooth, though a bit faster than the normal Android motion. It has a few issues and that doesn’t make it the best option for people who are on Facebook constantly. For casual users, it’s a pretty decent option.
1.5Hermit Lite Apps Browser(Free)
Hermit is not exactly a Facebook Wrapper app but their final product is similar to that. Hermit uses Chrome Custom tabs to create a standalone app for any website. That’s, it takes any websiteand gives it a nice wrapper, making it appear more like an app.In itself, Hermit is a tiny app (less than 2MB) and it also allows you to set an auto sync frequency of your liking, leading to, you guessed it, better battery life. If you’re looking for a broader, unified experience, then Hermit is a superb choice and could potentially prolong your battery life considerably.Bottomline: Facebook wrappers offer all the basic features of both Facebook and Messenger app, combined. However, since Facebookcontinuously changes their API, thesending and receive messagespart is not reliable. Sure some developers are able to find aworkaround, but even they understand, it not going to work in along run.
2. Trillian(Free| $20/ year| $60 for lifetime)
Trillian works on your phone, tablet, and desktop and keeps all your tabs synchronized across all devices. It has a very clean design, much like the official Messenger app but none of the bloatware and excessive RAM usage. One of the major advantages it has over “Disa” (we’ll come to this app later) is that you can configure multiple accounts into it.It supports apps like “AIM” and “Yahoo! Chat” too. Also, this app has been around for a long time and hence it offers a very clear, bug-free experience to its users.Bottomline: Good, but the UI is not quite intuitiveand you don’t really have to pay for the feature it offerssince you can get it for free in our last app.
3. Messenger Lite(Free)
If however, you’re a fan of official apps (really?), then try “Messenger Lite”. Like Facebook lite, it’s a strip down version of the official Messenger app, aimed to the 3rd world countries where fast Internet isn’t always available, people can also use it worldwide as a leaner, faster alternative to Messenger which doesn’t use up as many system resources and also consumes less data!If Messenger lite is not available in your country, try extracting it apk using this online tool or download other 3rd app stores.Bottomline:The app offers the core features from Messenger, like sending & receiving messages, receiving stickers, sharing photos & links. It does miss out on other features like therecently introduced Stories, chat bots, sending stickers, calls, voice messages. But if you are okay with just sending messages and sharing pictures without bogging down your smartphone, then Facebook Messenger Lite is a good alternative to the Messenger app.
4. Fast- Social App(Free)
Fast is one of the oldest Facebook apps available. It has most of the same features as the official Facebook app, including posting, commenting, re-sharing, and access to Groups and Pages. It boasts Facebook chat support as well, although we’re not sure how long that will hold out with Facebook cracking down on how it works on mobile.Bottomline: In any case, Fast has its issues, but it’s a good effort and works well for basic Facebook use. There is also aFast Lite optionthat provides a more basic, but lighter experience.
5. Disa (Unified Messenger Hub)(Free)
One of the problems with instant messaging since time immemorial has been juggling contacts and conversations across multiple services. Disa solves this problem by grouping all the popular instant messaging app under one hood. In simple words, you can send and receive, – WhatsApp, Hangout and Facebook messages etc from one single app.On the flip side, this app doesn’t allow multiple users for Facebook. Also, it doesn’t allow minor features like the “big” like button or stickersbut do the basic texting job pretty well.
Bottomline: The best thing about Disa is it’s highly reliable and easy on the battery. Unlike Facebook wrapper, we got all the Facebook messages notificationon real-time. And unlike Trillian, Disa is free and more intuitive UI. Thus making it our favorite Facebook messenger alternative.Also Read: How to use two WhatsApp on Android using Disa.
Wrapping Up
These were some of the best alternatives for Facebook Messenger. The best in our view is Metal which offers many tweaks and advanced features like fingerprint authentication plus it’s also a very light-weight. But if you’re in search for an official Facebook app, that offers basic Messenger functionalities and is also less resource hungry then Messenger Lite fits for you better. I personally used Disa, since it’s highly reliable.Which app do you use for messaging on Facebook? If we missed out any of your favorite messaging apps then do let us know in the comments below.
FAQs
What is the best all-in-one Messenger app for Android? ›
One app for all your communication services
The best alternatives to All-in-One Messenger are Franz Messenger , Franz 5 and Rambox. If these 3 options don't work for you, we've listed a few more alternatives below.
According to the latest data, WhatsApp Messenger is the most popular messaging app downloaded on the Google Play Store in the USA. This is no surprise, considering it's the most used messaging app globally, with 2 billion users.
Which Messenger is best for private chat? ›#1 Signal. Signal is the overall winner for both iOS and Android users. Signal created an encryption protocol that is now recognized as the most secure messaging app protocol out there. It offers everything most users need – SMS, video and voice calls, group chats, file sharing, disappearing messages, etc.
What app is better than Messenger? ›Telegram is undoubtedly one of the biggest competitors to Facebook Messenger, with more than 400 million users. Its robust security makes it a better alternative to Facebook Messenger. It is a cloud-based voice chat and messaging service.
Is there a way to use Messenger without Facebook? ›You'll need to create a Facebook account to use Messenger. You can then deactivate your Facebook account and log into Messenger using your Facebook account information. This is called a Deactivated Except Messenger Account (DEMA).
Does Android have its own Messenger? ›Messages is Google's official universal messaging platform for the Android ecosystem, similar to the implementation of iMessage in Apple devices.
Why do I have 2 Messenger apps on Android? ›The Dual Messenger function will allow you to use two separate accounts for the same app. Once enabled, a second app icon will appear on your Home screen. From there you'll be able to send and receive messages to a second account.
Can I have 2 Messenger apps on Android? ›On the Settings screen, tap Advanced features → Dual Messenger. Supported apps will appear. Step 2. Tap the switch of an app to install the second app.
Which Instant Messenger is the safest? ›- Wire – Secure Messaging App for Android,iOS. ...
- Threema – Top Encrypted Messaging App. ...
- WhatsApp – Most Secure Messaging Platform. ...
- Wickr Me – Most Secured Private Messaging App. ...
- Viber – Secure Messaging Software. ...
- Silence – Best Secure Messaging Platform. ...
- Line – Best Private Chat App.
WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are most-used messaging platforms in 2021.
Is there a secret Messenger? ›
Facebook's secret messenger feature allows users to talk to one another in a completely private and closed-off chat. Secret Conversations enables two friends to speak to each other in an encrypted space which no-one else, including Facebook, is able to view.
How do you secretly chat with someone? ›- Telegram. Another free application for secret messaging on Android is Telegram. ...
- WhatsApp. Everyone uses WhatsApp to exchange messages, files, photos, and videos with one another. ...
- Viber Messenger. A lot of people prefer using Viber messenger to contact one another.
Text Vault is the best texting app for protecting your real phone number during texting by keeping your personal phone number private and secret.
Are there two messenger apps? ›Dual Messenger works with popular messaging services, and you'll find Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram on the list. Because Dual Messenger essentially clones an existing app, you can't delete that app if you want to use its clone.
Why is Facebook forcing me to use Messenger? ›Facebook says the move is to give chat users the “best experience” possible. A spokesperson said: “Since [2014], we've worked hard to make Messenger the best way to connect with the people you care about by adding video calling, conversations with businesses, gifs and much more.
What are the 2 messaging apps on Samsung? ›If you own a Samsung device, you might have noticed how it came with two pre-installed messaging apps: Google Messages and Samsung Messages.
Why WhatsApp is better than Messenger? ›WhatsApp is a lighter application, It won't consume more data to run even though we are using an App. Facebook Messenger is a heavy application, it consumes a lot of data to launch and run in the background, even though we are not using the App.
Is Google Messenger the same as Facebook Messenger? ›Google Messenger is a stripped back text messaging app that can only send and receive SMS and MMS, and can't send messages over the internet like rivals WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or even Google's Hangouts app.
What is the default messaging app for Android? ›Google Messages for Android is the default Messaging app.
What is Samsung default messaging app? ›Newer phones come with at least two built-in messaging options: Samsung Messages and Messages by Google.
Which messages app should I use on Samsung? ›
Samsung Galaxy devices let you use Samsung Messages or Google Messages. Samsung Messages was the default messaging app for Samsung phones, but phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have now joined other Android phones (like the Google Pixel) in making Google Messages the default.
Can you tell if someone is checking your Messenger? ›A filled-in blue circle next to your message means that your message was delivered. And, when a friend has read your message, a small version of your friend's photo will appear next to your message.
How can you tell if someone has another Messenger account? ›If you want to know if someone has Messenger installed, open your Messenger and click on the “People” tab at the bottom of the screen. Search the list of active people online for the user's name. If you see their name, they have Messenger installed.
Which app cannot be hacked? ›...
These 7 Apps Will Keep You From Getting Hacked
- Privacy. ...
- Cloak 3.0. ...
- Tether. ...
- Password Chef. ...
- 1Password for Teams. ...
- Meldium. ...
- Better. ...
- 27 Must-Have Apps You (Probably) Don't Know About.
- Signal. Here's a secure messaging app that uses an encryption system and can keep your messages safe. ...
- iMessage. Apple Messages is an app used only on Apple devices, but it is perfect when it comes to security features. ...
- WhatsApp. ...
- Viber. ...
- Threema. ...
- LINE. ...
- Telegram. ...
- KakaoTalk.
Most Popular Apps 2022 (United States)
TikTok remained the most popular app in the US as well, increasing its downloads in the country for two years in a row. Cash App climbed again in 2022, cementing itself as the most popular finance app in the US.
Facebook offers five types of messages that can be used in different situations by Maisie to send messages to customers who opt-in to receive communications in Messenger.
What chatting app do Americans use? ›If WhatsApp is not popular in the US, what do Americans use to chat? It's somewhat popular in the United States. However, most American use texting, SnapChat, Facebook Messenger, and the message feature on Instagram. Hope that helps!
What is the safest app to chat with friends? ›- Signal. Signal could be the most popular app of all the most secure messaging apps out there. ...
- Telegram. ...
- Discord. ...
- Dust. ...
- Threema. ...
- Line.
Beeper is a universal chat app. It's a single app to chat with friends on 15 different chat networks. We've added chat superpowers that make it the best chat app on earth.
What is the most popular chat software? ›
- Zendesk Support Suite.
- Intercom.
- Zoho Desk.
- Service Hub.
- Tidio.
- Podium.
- Freshdesk.
- Drift.
Step 1: Go to Settings. Select Private mode or click on the option from the notification panel. Step 2: Turn on the private mode & Enter your security pin. View your hidden texts in the private folder or browse the gallery for other content.
How to view secret conversations on Messenger from another phone? ›Open Facebook in a browser and type in the target person's Facebook credentials. Tap the Messages icon in the top right of the page. Select Message Requests which is right next to the Recent button. Tap See filtered requests to check out the secret Facebook messages from people they're not yet connected to on Facebook.
How do you find hidden messages on Facebook Android? ›To see your hidden messages in the mobile Messenger app, tap your profile picture at the top-left and choose Message requests from the resulting menu.
Can I see secret conversations on another device? ›You cannot tell it directly because the secret conversation is end-to-end encrypted. However, you can use the AirDroid Parental Control app. You can access the Messenger of the target device from your device. You can check the secret conversations folder of the target person easily using this app.
What apps are disguised? ›- Calculator Pro+
- Smiley.
- Telegram.
- Signal.
- Wire.
- Viber.
- Blur Chat.
- Silence.
Today we're looking at Viber Messenger, the purple Messaging App from Israel.
Can you have hidden apps on Android? ›Open Android device settings. Scroll down and click on the Home screen. Search and click Hide apps. Now click as many apps as you wish to hide, and the hidden applications won't appear in the home screen menu.
Can someone track you just by texting you? ›Yes! Assuming you're talking about SMS messaging, only if that someone happens to have access to your cellular provider's logs. Otherwise, no, someone can't track your location from a text. That changes if you're talking about other messaging formats.
Does Android have a Messenger? ›If you choose Messenger as your default SMS app, keep in mind that: Standard messaging rates apply. You can only access SMS messages from the Messenger app on your Android phone and not on any other devices.
What is the Google Messenger app called? ›
Use Google Chat to message a person or group: On Google Chat for web. On the desktop app. On the Android mobile app.
What is Gmail Messenger called? ›Google Chat is Gmail's instant messaging feature, which allows you to talk in realtime to friends and family. You can use it within your web browser or by downloading the official Google Chrome extension Chat for Google.