The 8 best messaging apps in 2026
Our pick: The best messaging app in 2026 is Signal (9.2/10), followed by WhatsApp and Telegram.
You use the messaging app your people use, but you still get a choice. We rank chat, team-communication, video-calling and email apps on reliability, features, design, cost and, above all, whether your conversations are encrypted and private.
SignalPrivate messaging and calls, encrypted by default
9.2
Best design
Telegram8.9 overall
The full ranking
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No apps match those filters.
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1
Signal9.2
Private messaging and calls, encrypted by default 9.20 -
2
WhatsApp9.0
Encrypted chats and calls with the people you already know 9.00 -
3
Telegram8.9
Fast cloud messaging with huge groups, channels and bots 8.90 -
4
Slack8.6
Channel-based team chat with huddles and workflows 8.60 -
5
Discord8.5
Voice, video and text hangouts for communities and friends 8.50 -
6
Zoom Workplace8.3
Video meetings plus chat, docs and whiteboards in one app 8.30 -
7
Spark Mail8.2
A smart email app that sorts your inbox for you 8.20 -
8
Microsoft Teams8.0
Chat, meetings and files built into Microsoft 365 8.00
Votes don't change our scores. They show whether readers agree with the order — sort by Most upvoted to see theirs.
Head to head
Guides for messaging & calls
Questions
What is the best messaging app in 2026?
Signal is our top pick, with an overall score of 9.2 out of 10. Signal is the messenger to pick when privacy matters. Every message, call and group chat is end-to-end encrypted by default, and the nonprofit behind it collects almost no data. Usernames let you chat without sharing your phone number. The catch is reach: fewer of your friends may use it, and it lacks extras like channels and bots. Use it for anything sensitive.
What is the best free messaging app?
Signal is also the best option you can use for free. Yes, Signal is free, has no ads and is funded by donations. The only paid option is extra storage for encrypted backups of older photos and videos.
Which messaging app is best for privacy?
Signal has the highest privacy score in this category at 9.9 out of 10.