Wi-Fi texting makes it easy to stay connected to the world, even when there’s no cellular network connectivity. Here’s a list of the best internet messaging apps that allow you to text from your computer, as well as the mobile devices.
Mobile phones have evolved into devices that allow us to manage work, socialize on the go, enjoy entertaining content and so much more in between. This does not change the fact that the primary use of a mobile phone continues to be communication, which itself has significantly been upgraded with the advent of communication networking technologies such as Wi-Fi. All thanks to wireless network connectivity, we can now enjoy high-speed connectivity without being hooked up to the grid through an Ethernet cable.
There surely isn’t a shortage of mobile apps and services that allow us to send and receive messages, but most of them have one requirement in common – you still need a phone number to set up the account. Even if you only plan to do Wi-Fi texting through the instant messenger apps, you will still need a phone number to which the account is linked. Allowing you to send out text messages, along with multimedia files and even calling in some cases, here are best messaging apps that work not only for your Android and iOS devices but on PCs as well.
Best Wi-Fi Texting Apps
While the most popular instant messaging apps for Wi-Fi texting have to be the regular collection such as WhatsApp and WeChat, most of these apps require you to add your phone number first. Even if you are lucky enough to find an app that lets you text without giving out your phone number, it may not have the cross-platform compatibility that some of the other popular apps do. We’ve found the balance between these two factors to bring you a collection of apps that not only allow you to communicate over Wi-Fi but are also available across different operating systems.
Hangouts
The company behind Android OS has moved its focus towards mobile messaging apps such as Google Allo and Google Duo, which revolve around the user’s phone number. However, Hangouts continues to be supported, even if not outright advertised by Google, as an instant messenger that is available across mobile devices, and messenger app extension for Google Chrome browser, as a web-based client built into Gmail as well. Direct integration with Google allows you to start chatting with all of your contacts and create groups with up to 150 members. Apart from texting, you get complete multimedia sharing capabilities, with video conferencing up to 10 users at a time.
Skype
After the fact that MSN never really took off, Microsoft decided to acquire the competitor Skype and turned it into a Wi-Fi texting app for all platforms. Dividing the service into two different channels for personal and business use, both versions of Skype allow you to send out messages for free, share photos, videos, audio, and more. Not only can you make free voice and video calls to your fellow Skype users, but also make calls to mobile phones and landlines all across the world by purchasing Skype credits for VoIP calling all across the board.
Facebook Messenger
It’s no surprise that the largest social media network in the world would also develop one of the most popular messaging services out there. Facebook Messenger may be competing with its own WhatsApp Messenger in certain ways, but since it does not depend on a mobile number to operate, you can simply sign in to your Facebook account and start using it right away. Incorporating every popular feature such as media sharing, video calling, and even secured payment transfers, Facebook Messenger is the closest thing there is to an all-in-one messaging service that not just offer multi-platform operation, but Wi-Fi texting along with it.
Pushbullet
While it may not be a traditional messenger app, Pushbullet might just be the app you’re looking to create a bridge between your mobile phone and the computer. Designed to allow viewing and replying of text messages from any app, Pushbullet lets you share links, media, and more between devices, and even across to your friends who use the app. Not only does Pushbullet display all of your mobile notifications on the computer screen, but also allows you to create specific “Pushbullet Channels” that bring you notifications that matter, on a timely basis, directly to the big screen.
Google Voice
Although the service isn’t available outside the United States of America and Canada, Google Voice is possibly the easiest way to get a calling number to send text messages, voice calls, and voicemail messages. Developed to work across mobile devices and on the computers through the web app, Google Voice easily backs up all of your messages, voicemails, and contact information as well. Not only does the app allow you to make calls across the North American region for free, but offers a VoIP service similar to Skype for making international calls at a competitive rate.
Discord
Ever wanted a Wi-Fi texting app to stay connected with the gaming community and your online virtual friends not just from the computer, but your mobile phone too? Discord offers you all of the features you’ve come to expect from instant messaging apps, and then some added features dedicated to gamers. Apart from texting, voice communication and video sharing, Discord enables you to find teammates, create a squad for specific games, join gaming communities for an open forum of discussion, and higher-level community management tools for moderators to keep things clean and friendly.
Kik
Back in the day when instant messaging apps were still struggling to make it to market with stable connectivity, Kik was among the leaders in the race. Despite the setback that the app has faced due to raised privacy concerns in the past, Kik Messenger has survived the crowded space of instant messengers. Although the app has not yet featured a native web-based client for users on the computer, Kik does allow you to connect with friends and even find new ones through its social messaging platform, without having to share your phone number. Apart from connecting with people through Wi-Fi texting, the app even brings some interactive fun with online multiplayer games and more.
Final Words
No longer restricted to a handful of characters when sending out text messages, the advent of instant messaging has been a cornerstone for an entire generation of people. The modern age of texting and multimedia sharing exists over mobile phones, but there can be times when you don’t want to engage your phone number with certain apps for security and privacy purposes. We’ve enlisted some of the most popular Wi-Fi texting app available on the Google Play Store, allowing you to communicate seamlessly across mobile and computer platforms as well.
Which of these internet-based Wi-Fi texting apps are you going to power up for communication on both, mobile and desktop platforms? We’d like to know more about what you think, so go ahead and share your thoughts in the comments section that is given right down below.
Husain Parvez
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