We live in a modern world where we have many communication modes available that we can use to connect with our loved ones and colleagues. Texting is arguably one of the most popular modes of communication and all major platforms including Facebook and Twitter offer texting options on their platforms. Similarly, Apple also has iMessage which you can use to communicate with your friends in the Apple Ecosystem. Although iMessage works well for most people, there are some other amazing texting apps as well that you can use for communication. If you are interested, keep reading because we are going to share the best free texting apps for Mac that you can use. Let’s get started.
List of 9 Best Free Texting Apps for Mac
If you are a Mac user and you are looking for the best texting apps for your Mac system, you are in the right place. Here are the top 9 best free texting apps for Mac.
1. WhatsApp
Let’s start with WhatsApp which is arguably the most popular messaging app in the world. The app has come a long way since its inception and its availability on various platforms including Mac makes it an ideal app for texting. The best thing about WhatsApp is that it’s very popular and it’s very likely that your loved ones already use it which means that you can easily communicate with them using the app.
Another great thing about WhatsApp is that it comes with various modes of communication including Video, Voice calls, Voice notes, and text messages. Also, it’s very good when it comes to privacy because it uses end-to-end encryption. So, if you are looking for a feature-rich texting app for Mac, you can’t go wrong with WhatsApp.
2. Adium
Adium is another very popular texting app that you can consider for your Mac system. The best thing about Adium is that it allows you to connect to multiple platforms and you can text on these platforms using the app. For now, Adium supports Twitter, Google, Bonjour, IRC, Jabber, and others.
When it comes to features, Adium comes with all the bells and whistles you can expect from a good messaging app. For starters, it comes with a file transferring option which you can use to share files. The only downside of Adium is that it comes with a pretty basic User Interface which can be a dealbreaker for some people especially those who like texting apps with modern interfaces. Overall, if you want a texting app for Mac with the ability to gather chats from your multiple platforms, Adium is a solid option for you.
3. Trillian
If you don’t like the interface of Adium and want a texting app for Mac with a modern user interface, you can consider Trillian. It’s a very popular texting app that allows you to connect with multiple platforms in a single app and it supports all major messaging platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google, Jabber, and Olark.
The free version of the app will work well for most people but if you want access to advanced features such as chat history and higher device limits, you will need to upgrade your account to a professional account. Overall, if you want a modern texting app for Mac with the option to add multiple platforms, you should consider Trillian.
4. Franz
If you are looking for a premium texting app with support for all major texting platforms, you can consider Franz. Like Adium and Trillian, Franz also allows you to add multiple platforms to a single app and use them for chatting. However, the unique thing about Franz is that it supports all major social media platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype, Twitter, Gmail, Telegram, Discord, LinkedIn, Hangouts, and Trello.
The only downside of Franz is that it allows you to only use 3 of the supported platforms in the free version and if you want access to all of the supported platforms, you will need to get a premium account which will cost you up to $6 depending on the version you get.
If we look at the user interface of Franz, it’s very modern and minimalistic. So, if you want a premium texting app with support for all major messaging platforms, you can’t go wrong with Franz.
5. Station
Station is a popular open-source texting app for Mac that has recently become very popular among Mac users. The app is not available on Mac App Store but you can easily install it from GitHub. The best thing about Station is that it supports over 670 messaging apps which means that you can use most of your messaging apps with the app.
The only downside of Station is that it’s not actively maintained which means that it can get outdated a few months and years from now but until it last, Station is an excellent texting app for Mac users.
6. Telegram
Telegram is one of the most popular messaging apps for Mac which is known for its state-of-the-art security. The best thing about Telegram is that it doesn’t compromise on any part of the security and uses the most advanced security technologies to secure your communication. For starters, it comes with 256-bit AES Encryption and 2048-bit RSA Encryption to secure the communication channel. On top of that, it uses Diffie-Hellman secure key exchange which makes sure that only the right people get access to your messages.
When it comes to features, Telegram is better than most of the messaging apps out there. It comes with no limits for media or files which means that you can share large files pretty easily. On top of that, it also comes with a pretty awesome and secure Secret Chat feature which is equipped with self-destruct messages option.
The only downside of Telegram is that it only allows you to send messages to the people on the platform. So, if your friends or family members are not using Telegram, you won’t be able to send messages. Overall, Telegram is a very practical and secure texting app and if you want a security-centric texting app for Mac, you can’t go wrong with Telegram.
7. Signal
Signal is another very popular messaging app that you can use on your Mac system. When it comes to features, it’s pretty similar to Telegram because Signal also focuses on your security and it uses advanced security systems and technologies to protect your privacy.
When it comes to features, Signal is as good as any other texting app on this list which means that it’s equipped with all popular communication modes including texting, voice notes, voice, and video calls. Also, you can create groups on Signal to easily communicate with all of your friends.
The only downside of Signal is that it’s not as popular as WhatsApp which means that there’s a chance that your friends or family might not have this app. So, if you want to communicate with them using Signal, they must install this app as well.
8. Viber
Viber is a very popular texting app with millions of users around the world. It’s a direct competitor to WhatsApp and it shares many similar features. Like other apps on this list, Viber also has its apps for all major platforms including Mac. So, you can install the app and start using it for your daily communication.
In Viber, you get the option to send messages via text as well as in the form of voice notes. You can also use Video and Voice calls for communicating with your friends and loved ones. Another nifty feature of Viber is “Viber Out” which allows you to use the app to call any mobile or landline number globally which is a big plus. So, even if your friends are not using Viber, you can still communicate with them using the Viber Out feature.
Viber is also really good in terms of privacy and the app uses end-to-end encryption to secure your communication. Overall, if you want a modern texting app for Mac with the option to call any landline or mobile number globally, Viber is a solid option for you.
9. iMessage
iMessage is the native texting app for Apple users and the best thing about iMessage is that it works flawlessly with Apple devices. The unique advantage of iMessage is that it has excellent integration with the Apple Ecosystem and it will work well with all of your Apple devices including your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Macs.
Apple is also continuously improving iMessage and it’s almost as good as any other texting app on this list. On top of that, iMessage already comes pre-installed on your computer so you won’t have to do any effort of installing the app. Just open the app and start using it for communicating with your loved ones.
Bottom Line
These are the top free texting apps that you can install on your Mac and use for communicating with your colleagues and loved ones. All of them offer free versions but some of them also offer paid versions which come with additional perks and features. We hope that you found the right texting app for your Mac system. Happy Texting!
