In 2025, online chat apps will continue to be essential for staying in touch with friends, making new connections, and even working remotely. With new features, increased security, and integration with artificial intelligence, these platforms have evolved to offer richer, more personalized experiences. In this comprehensive guide, you will discover the best apps for online chatting, their advantages, additional features, precautions when using them, and interesting alternatives.
Advantages
Real-time connections
Chat with anyone in the world instantly, with text, voice, and video support.
Thematic groups and communities
Join groups with common interests and expand your social network naturally.
Privacy and security
Many apps offer end-to-end encryption and tools to block unwanted users.
Interactive and modern resources
Stickers, animated emojis, group calls, and even 3D avatars make chatting more fun.
Best Online Chat Apps in 2025
1. WhatsApp (Meta) – Android, iOS, Web
Features: Text messages, voice and video calls, groups, status, file sharing, channels and communities.
Differentials: Familiar interface, end-to-end encryption, Facebook and Instagram integration, and support for multiple devices simultaneously.
2. Telegram – Android, iOS, Web
Features: Cloud chats, smart bots, groups with up to 200,000 members, public and private channels, voice and video calls, polls.
Differentials: Highly customizable, fast, with a focus on privacy and advanced features such as scheduling messages and sending large files (up to 2GB).
3. Discord – Android, iOS, Web, Desktop
Features: Servers by theme, voice rooms, video, text channels, integration with games and collaborative tools.
Differentials: Great for communities and study groups, ongoing voice chats, and bots for automations.
4. Signal – Android, iOS, Desktop
Features: Text messages, voice and video calls, sending files and images.
Differentials: One of the most secure apps in the world, with open source encryption and a total focus on user privacy.
5. WeChat – Android, iOS, Web
Features: Messaging, payments, integrated social networks, calls and online services within the platform.
Differentials: Very popular in Asia, it allows you to do practically everything in the same app — from chatting to ordering food.
Interesting Extra Features
- Self-destructing messages: Present in apps like Telegram and Signal, ideal for maintaining privacy.
- Bots and AI: Telegram and Discord lead the way with built-in automations and smart assistants.
- Reactions and polls: WhatsApp, Discord and Telegram already support emoji reactions and quick polls.
- Call with up to 32 people: Advanced video calling features like WhatsApp and Discord.
- Avatars and Augmented Reality: Some platforms already offer personalized 3D avatars for video chats.
Common Care or Mistakes
- Sharing personal information in open groups: Avoid providing information such as address, CPF or email in public chats.
- Use weak passwords: Enable two-step verification whenever possible.
- Downloading apps from untrusted sources: Always download from Google Play Store, App Store or official website.
- Ignore security notifications: Many apps warn you if there is a suspicious login or number change — pay attention.
- Do not set group privacy: On WhatsApp, for example, you can limit who can add you.
Interesting Alternatives
- Facebook Messenger: Still widely used by those who have a Facebook account, with support for video calls and integrated games.
- Skype: Although less popular, it is still a good option for video calls and formal meetings.
- Slack: Great for work teams, with organized channels and integration with various tools.
- Google Chat: Integrated with Gmail and Google Workspace, ideal for those who already use the Google ecosystem.
- Viber: A popular app in Europe and Asia, with high-quality VoIP calls and good privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Signal is considered the most secure, with end-to-end encryption and auditable open-source code.
Telegram allows groups with up to 200,000 members and channels with an unlimited number of followers.
Yes, in 2025 WhatsApp allows login on multiple devices simultaneously with chat synchronization.
Yes, apps like Telegram (public groups), OmeTV and Chatous allow you to chat with strangers.
Enable two-step verification, use strong passwords, and monitor for suspicious logins.
Conclusion
Whether you want to chat with friends, meet new people or keep in touch for work, there are a wide variety of online chat apps in 2025. Choose the one that best suits your communication style, take advantage of modern features and, above all, keep your security and privacy top of mind. Save this article to refer to whenever you need to choose the best chat app!
