There are hundreds of chat apps available inside Google Play Store and the App Store and I reckon I’ve tried almost all of them and although I have a dozen loaded on to my phone there are a small handful that I use every day.
- Google Hangouts
One of my favourite chat apps for work is Google Hangouts. It’s great. It allows my team to stay in the loop on everything that is going on inside the business, the other important thing about business chat is that it needs to be cross-platform.
This means I should be able to leave my computer and still get hangout messages on my phone or tablet so I don’t miss anything.
Other notable chat apps for teams are Discord and Slack which are also great but for us Google Hangouts gets the job done perfectly.
- GroupMe
In terms of group chat apps GroupMe is hands down my favourite.
One of the things I love most about this app is that it’s not trying to be everything to everyone is serves a very specific market and does it very well.
I’m a huge fan of group chat and GroupMe allows you to actually send group text messages.
You may be thinking every mobile can send group messages which aren’t actually true when you send a group message you’re actually sending a lot of one-to-one messages at the same time. Those recipients don’t know that others have received that same text and they can’t join in on a conversation.
It’s the equivalent of a mass email blast.
GroupMe allows everyone to have a conversation together.
- Facebook Messenger
I’ve been using Facebook Messenger for years and still use it mainly because a lot of my family and older friends use it exclusively so if I want to chat with them then I have to keep it on my phone.
That said, I’ve always found it reliable in terms of connection and video quality and the group chat function is perfect for organizing family events during holiday periods.
- Tango
Tango is another well-known name within the highly competitive chat apps space and what makes this one of my favourite social networking apps is that it covers a lot of bases in terms of features as well as being cross-platform meaning that you can switch devices (PC, mobile and tablet) while continuing on the conversation.
The features I use most are Tango-Out (allows you to call landlines inside the US, Canada, Mexico, and India.
I’m big into a group chat and with Tango, I’ll often use the group video option as well as sharing multi-media like photos, videos, and music.
Instagram is my favourite chat app for many reasons.
- It’s got my life on there.
- I love having it to share photos and funny pics with my social circle.
- I also use it for business to generate followers and sales.
In terms of business, photos sell and since Instagram has such an enormous following in the west it’s easy to promote various products and team up with influencers etc.
In terms of personal use, it helps me stay in touch with friends and family both with photos but also in a more direct way with the instant messaging feature.
Conclusion
The best chat apps are the ones that fit seamlessly into your life and actually improve your ability to communicate. Whether it’s work, family, or friends I have an app that helps me stay in up to date on what’s happening in each area.
