Although WhatsApp is the messaging app par excellence In much of the world today, we have many alternatives. This means that from time to time, many consider stopping using the Meta platform in favor of alternative messaging apps, such as Telegram or Signal.
Whether you are considering stopping using WhatsApp or have never considered it but want to know the reason for this decision, in this article we analyze the situation and talk about the advantages of the most common alternatives.
The main reason why users look for WhatsApp alternatives is related to privacy
Like many, I started using WhatsApp as my primary messaging app. After all, it’s the most popular option in much of the world. Before we get into the details, it’s important to note that WhatsApp is a completely secure application and that the reasons why WhatsApp users look for alternatives are generally not related to the security of the app.
It is true that spam on WhatsApp is a major problem and there are many scams circulating through the app, but all the conversations we have through WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, which means that no one (not even Meta) can read them. Block unknown contacts to avoid spam We shouldn’t have any major problems with WhatsApp.
Despite this, many users decide to start using alternative messaging apps, such as Telegram or Signal. The main reason is privacy related: WhatsApp is a Meta application, owner of platforms like Instagram or Facebook. We are all aware of the amount of data collected by Meta in its different services and this is a point with which many do not agree.
Even though I have always had a WhatsApp account, I’ve been using Telegram for about a decade. Over time, there are more and more people on Telegram, so it is no longer rare that our contacts have an account on the platform. This makes Telegram a perfectly valid alternative to WhatsApp, although it has a weak point: end-to-end encryption is exclusive to secret chats.
Of course, one of the strong points of Telegram (and one of the reasons why users opt for this alternative) is the multiple possibilities that the application offers us. Telegram bots allow us get the most out of the platform: We have bots to convert files, RSS, reminders and much more. Also, many people use Telegram as their personal cloud.
Another advantage that I consider interesting is the possibility of using a user namethus avoiding having to provide our phone number when someone wants to write to us. Fortunately, we know that WhatsApp will soon integrate this functionality.
Moreover, Telegram has always had more privacy settingssuch as the ability to adjust in detail who sees our profile picture, our biography and the time of the last connection, among others. Despite this, WhatsApp has improved a lot in this aspect in recent years.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, Signal is another of the most common WhatsApp alternatives. It is the ideal messaging app if you are concerned about privacy, as it does not collect any type of data about users. Of course, all conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption.
The only weak point of Signal (so to speak) is that it is not as popular as WhatsApp or Telegram, so the most normal thing is that the contacts with whom we usually speak do not have an account on the platform. Therefore, it is difficult to limit ourselves to Signal as the only messaging application.
At this point, it is important to keep in mind that looking for alternatives to WhatsApp This does not mean that you should stop using the platform completely.at least for now. If you are thinking of stopping using WhatsApp, you can start using alternatives such as Telegram or Signal with users who use these applications and limit the use of WhatsApp to occasions when it is easier to use the Meta application.
Cover Image | Microsoft Designer Image Creator
In Xataka Android | 40 tips to master Telegram: learn to use the app like a pro