Best free international texting app

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Rob5TCP
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Best free international texting app

Post by Rob5TCP »

Looking at
Whatsapp
Heywire
Viber

I text a lot to Canada and need a good free texting app.
I am concerned that Facebook bought whatsapp.
Primary interested in Canada- would be an extra if the other user would not also
need to use the app but could use their current texting mode.
If not possible, still an option.
What do you guys find the best and the least intrusive?
(ie not asking for voluminous personal detail).
hmw
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by hmw »

I don't know what is the best.

I text my parents in Canada on I-Message which is free on the apple platform.

I also use whatsapp for people who are not using a iPhone. works well and has no complaints.
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potatoman
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by potatoman »

I use both whatsapp and viber. Viber mainly for wifi calls - no complaints. I've got some friends in asia who turned me on to whatsapp, apparently it's the go-to messaging app in much of asia, and I'm a fan of that too.
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carorun
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by carorun »

Everyone I want to talk to is on iMessage, but it seems that WhatsApp has the messaging market cornered in Asia and Africa.
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LadyGeek
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (texting app).
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sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

I don't text much and use iMessage when I do, but I have read that WeChat (微信 - WeiXin) is quite popular in Asia. It comes in an English version, if that worries you.

http://www.wechat.com/en/
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

This is a little dated, but WhatsApp doesn't have the market cornered, unless you think 300 million is 10 times as much as 236 million.
Tencent-owned WeChat is best known for being WhatsApp’s competitor — it was recently revealed that WeChat and Weixin hit a combined new high of 235.8 million monthly active users, and chalked up 100 million registered user accounts outside China.

In comparison, WhatsApp recently revealed that it has surpassed 300 million monthly active users.
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

Don't forget Line, especially if you like cute stickers in your messages. (Line is Japan's most popular texting app)
http://line.me/en/

Here is a top 10 worldwide. If you are Canadian, why are you not using KIK?
http://readwrite.com/2014/03/06/10-bigg ... xkOoB1yIeR
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

Why not ask your friends and family in Canada what they use? I use iMessages because that's what my family uses, even the 10 and 8 year old granddaughters. (The 5 year old has an iPod touch, but doesn't have an apple account)
Lafder
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by Lafder »

Depending on your cell phone plan, international texts can be included as part of an unlimited texting plan. We have T Mobile and their coverage area is quite extensive. I have no idea which text app we use though.

Double check with your provider since it was not covered on our prior plan and the per text fee was pretty high unless on a plan.
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JLJL
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by JLJL »

sscritic wrote:I don't text much and use iMessage when I do, but I have read that WeChat (微信 - WeiXin) is quite popular in Asia. It comes in an English version, if that worries you.

http://www.wechat.com/en/
+1

WeChat works great and has some fun extras
acegolfer
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by acegolfer »

The best is what the majority of your contacts use.

This graph shows which IM is #1 in each country.
http://wikibrains.com/map/537b4380e4b05 ... 6gbUZRdX94

If you can choose any, then telegram is a new one and the most secure.
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

acegolfer wrote:The best is what the majority of your contacts use.

This graph shows which IM is #1 in each country.
http://wikibrains.com/map/537b4380e4b05 ... 6gbUZRdX94

If you can choose any, then telegram is a new one and the most secure.
The answer for Canada is Facebook Messenger, but the OP stated
I am concerned that Facebook bought whatsapp.
Using Facebook Messenger isn't going to get him away from Facebook's desire to know everything about him and share everything he does on the internet, even when signed out of Facebook, with advertisers.
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Sunny Sarkar
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by Sunny Sarkar »

Both WhatsApp and Viber do the job - as long as the other side is also on the same app. Viber is free (ad supported), while WhatsApp is almost free (99c/yr, first year free).
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sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

Once again, what is confusing about this?
I am concerned that Facebook bought whatsapp.
If you like whatsapp, tell the OP why he has no reason to fear Facebook. I do fear Facebook, and google too for that matter, but google is more central to my life. I can do without Facebook, but not without google.
acegolfer
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by acegolfer »

sscritic wrote:
acegolfer wrote:The best is what the majority of your contacts use.

This graph shows which IM is #1 in each country.
http://wikibrains.com/map/537b4380e4b05 ... 6gbUZRdX94

If you can choose any, then telegram is a new one and the most secure.
The answer for Canada is Facebook Messenger, but the OP stated
I am concerned that Facebook bought whatsapp.
Using Facebook Messenger isn't going to get him away from Facebook's desire to know everything about him and share everything he does on the internet, even when signed out of Facebook, with advertisers.
Good point. I didn't check what's #1 in Canada. If he's against facebook, then as I mentioned, I recommend telegram. https://telegram.org/ It's arguably the most secure IM now and a lot of techies moved to, when facebook bought whatsapp. Unfortunately, it's not popular among average users.
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midareff
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by midareff »

sscritic wrote:Don't forget Line, especially if you like cute stickers in your messages. (Line is Japan's most popular texting app)
http://line.me/en/

Here is a top 10 worldwide. If you are Canadian, why are you not using KIK?
http://readwrite.com/2014/03/06/10-bigg ... xkOoB1yIeR

wife says +1 for line (Thailand)..
fareastwarriors
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by fareastwarriors »

Kakao
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

midareff wrote:
sscritic wrote:Don't forget Line, especially if you like cute stickers in your messages. (Line is Japan's most popular texting app)
http://line.me/en/
wife says +1 for line (Thailand)..
When I first read about Line, I recommended it for my 9 year old granddaughter by way of her mother. Her mother said no way: way too much cuteness, she texts enough already. :)
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

fareastwarriors wrote:Kakao
That's the company; the service is KakaoTalk
http://www.kakao.com/services/8
KakaoTalk Messenger
By Kakao Corp.
sscritic
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by sscritic »

So Rob5TCP, are you Japanese Canadian, Chinese Canadian, or Korean Canadian? :)
andyandyandy
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by andyandyandy »

Whats app!
Bmac
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Re: Best free international texting app

Post by Bmac »

I have family throughout US and brother in Spain. WhatsApp has worked well for us as a group chat no matter if we are at our respective homes or traveling domestically or abroad. Recently started using Telegram for a local chat and it seems to work just as well. Can't comment on how it works internationally.
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