Effective Communication is the sharing of messages with impact. Decades ago, communication between individuals or groups was via SMS and Emails. Delays in the reception of messages, lack of instant delivery, time to download images, overflowing inboxes, and lack of security were the prevalent issues faced using the above techniques.
Technology intervened and led to the development of messaging applications. Mobile phones have built-in text message features, but why do people prefer messaging apps? The blog elaborates in detail about top messaging apps in India.
Top 10 Online Messaging Apps in India 2025
Messaging Applications
The main idea of messaging apps to connect people in real-time started around 1990, but it gained momentum over the years with improved features. As of 2022, the number of people using online messaging apps was 487.5 million. Among the various communication trends texting has caught the eyes of all people. Gradually the term “text messaging” took the form of “instant messaging” where communication is between known users or groups of users. The online messaging application helps with swift and straightforward communication. The application requires and operates on the user’s mobile internet connection.
Why messaging apps?
It’s not easy for people to forget the good olden days when people had to count the number of characters before sending messages because text messages were limited to 160 characters. They were waiting for a reply because there was no acknowledgment of sent messages and extra charges on special days. Message lost if the internet is unavailable. These drawbacks pestered the minds of developers to look for a solution with enhanced features. This led to the platform of messaging applications.
Messaging applications are a part of many people’s daily lives and have become necessary for communication. Communicating from one to another on that basis communication has become faster, more engaging, and convenient and it has been majorly used by both the individual and the corporate world.
According to Statista, with over 3 billion people using messaging apps with various popular messaging apps, Messaging apps are also known as IM apps or online chat apps whereby users can effectively and efficiently share text, media content, and files between individuals or groups of people. These messaging apps have transformed business communication by providing instant connection and communication regardless of the location.
Top Messaging apps features
The reasons to be passionate about messaging apps are:
- Platform compatibility
Messaging apps work across different operating systems enabling all users to access and download them on their devices whether it be a laptop, tablet, or mobile.
- Customization
The messaging apps allow users to access their app settings, such as background themes, wallpapers, app language, notifications, favorites, etc.
- Cost Efficiency
The messaging app operates using an internet connection. It can be downloaded free in the Play Store, and any multimedia content can be transferred without any cost.
- Privacy
The apps provide rights to users to restrict the contacts who can access their information. They can lock their app for personal use and security purposes.
- Updates
The application requires regular updates as extended features are incorporated frequently. They strive to improve user experience.
- Real-time communication
Messages are delivered instantly provided both parties have a standard internet connection. This enables efficient private communication.
- Check availability
The application helps to track the availability of the contact list and check if the recipient is online, or offline, the last message viewed time, and message status delivery.
- Share files
The application allows unlimited file transfer or any multimedia content like stickers, emojis, and live location with the preferred user in the contact list or groups within the contacts.
- Group Chat
The application associates a group of people to form a chat room enabling private communication and transfer. The admin is given special privileges to monitor the group. Messages can be sent in audio format also.
- Voice and video calls
The application enables to view each other in a live calling environment. The voice and video calls can be within a group of people also.
- Storage and Backup
Messaging applications with texts and also multimedia content, confidential data. The users back pickup data and store it without losing it in the cloud.
- Notifications
The user is notified about the incoming number message along with the sender’s contact details to ease convenience. The user may be notified even if they are using other apps.
- Disappearing messages
As its name, they are self-destructive after an amount of time fixed by the sender. In the chat history, the private messages were not recorded. This authorizes security.
Strengths of Top messaging apps in India
The recent transformation of technology has made people communicate through messages rather than making a call. In situations when the recipient is busy attending a call, the message can be sent instantly through messaging applications. The reason for the immense support from people is:
Data Types
Messages of any format can be transferred through the application. Voice messages, smileys, images, audio, video, text files, and many more data types can be transferred instantly.
Convenience
The private chat room is enabled for each contact, so the users can keep track and save data for a long time. The messages are displayed with date and time to maintain records of interaction.
Ease of use
The application is enjoyed by people of any age category and occupation. Registration just requires the valid mobile number of the user.
Language support
The applications are designed to support multiple languages. Users can access and send messages in the language they are comfortable with.
Internal communication
In any team or group collaboration, communication through messages improves efficiency and on-time decision-making. A study shows that work productivity has increased by 20 to 25% after replacing emails with instant messages.
Charge
There is no separate purchase cost for the app. The user has to just download the app from the Play Store. Using an internet connection the app works.
Location sharing
Live location sharing is a special feature supported by some message applications. They integrate themselves with maps and help to share the location of the user with the desired recipients.
The act of communication is made effortless by the above methodologies.
Statistics of the growth in messaging apps
As of 2025 752 million internet users and 462 million social media users are there in the Indian market. With the total population of the country being 1.44 billion, 52% are regular internet users. It has grown by 4% compared to 2023. A survey stated that 25% of the Indian population uses messaging apps many times a day. Such is the impact of messaging apps in the daily lives of people. Day by day the number of apps delivered in the market is increasing. In the competition, few apps are widely popular and accepted by people. We will refer to each of the top messaging apps in India in detail.
In many parts of the world, this app is an essential part of everyday life. Whatsapp popularity is because it allows users to stay in touch by messages, voice and video calls all with just an internet connection. It has around 2 billion active users accessing the streamlined communication it offers.
Core features
- Voice and video calls
Whatsapp is available with an inbuilt feature to interact with the contact list either by voice calls or video calls. The users can add members to the ongoing call and interact like a group communication.
- Secure Messaging
WhatsApp provides an individual chatroom for each user, to have private conversations. The owner has the right to limit the users who can view or access the data. The system uses an end-to-end encryption model for security purposes.
- WhatsApp Business
The app allows the admin to initiate a chatroom with any number of users. This working model is of more benefit to business operations. Any number of files or text data can be shared. All the group members get instant messages the communication time is reduced and work efficiency is multiplied.
- Support all data formats.
WhatsApp allows the transfer of files of any size and format. Images, audio files, video files, animation content, spreadsheets, word and PDF documents, and many more.
- Payment
A recently added feature allows users to transfer money within the contact list. Users need not switch between apps for transactions to happen.
Telegram
Telegram ranks 2nd among the other messaging apps. It is simple, fast, secure, and designed to work on all platforms. It doesn’t need any phone number. Telegram can be used on all the user’s devices at the same time.
Core Features of Telegram
- Message Editing
A special feature that sets Telegram apart from any other messaging app is the provision to edit the sent message. The sender can edit the text message sent and it is instantly updated to the recipient. It allows users to edit images like crop, change contrast, and saturation, add stickers, and many more.
- Silent messages
This option allows users to send messages without disturbing the busy recipient. The notification options are in silence even if the recipient has not enabled any mode.
- Convert audio messages to text.
Tired of typing, then this quality of telegram enables users to speak and converts them into the corresponding text.
- Message Scheduling
If any data needs to be sent later, the user can schedule the delivery date and time. The user can set aside his worries since Telegram does the work perfectly.
- Translate messages
The app provides multi-lingual support, the user can type the text in one language and translate it to another easily without using any other apps for help.
Signal
It is one of the highly secure messaging apps. It offers secure end-to-end encryption by default. It focuses on serving 950 billion users.
Distinct features of Signal
- Secure group connection
People can add themselves to the group after they get an invite from the group admin. Not everyone in the contact list can be added to the group.
- Lock screen notification
Signal does not facilitate this to happen. The message can be viewed only after opening the app.
- session verification
Every conversation session is secure in the signal app. To initiate a conversation the special security number is generated and if both parties have the same numbers the session is initiated. It also uses QR code verification for secure sessions.
- privacy
The app does not include ads or any other marketing techniques. It ensures total convenience and security.
Share Chat
The prime spot of attraction in this app is that it allows users to express themselves through blogging and video posts.
Attractions of the app
- Regional Content
This app entertains users by sharing content in the language relevant to them. The app looks into the registration details and automatically feeds them with interesting information.
- Entertainment
Movie trailers, music videos, TV shows, and a wide range of entertainment feeds are shared using the ShareChat platform,
- Virtual gifts
The users view the entertainment content and as a token of appreciation, the viewers can send virtual gifts to content creators.
Snapchat
Snap is a term coined for self-destructive photos and videos. This social media app allows users to share photos and videos available for the time specified by the sender.
293 million active users are the driving force behind the app.
Traits of Snapchat
- stories
The snaps created by users are put into a sequence to form a story. For a day the story will be visible to the user’s circle.
- Bitmoji
The app allows users to create their emotions and display them as bitmoji. The portrayed bitmoji can be shared between users and friends.
- Snapcodes
The user can add friends by scanning the snapcodes. New friends can be added to the group by sharing the snapcodes. This allows known contacts to access group and personal information.
Facebook Messenger
With over 120 million customers, yet another app preferred by businesses is Facebook Messenger. Business owners can use the app to promote their platform by posting advertisements, promotional videos, and offers. The app is an integral part of the business survey team. People can connect with businesses easily using this app. The messenger allows the privacy of customers.
Instagram direct messenger
In India, 75% of social media users have access to Instagram accounts. They explore the world and happenings in all fields around them very easily using Instagram. Instagram Direct is a platform to share videos, images, and content related to business since the coverage of its territory is huge. It is a perfect gateway to be associated with the outside world.
Line
A very popular messaging app among the young generations. Calls to Landline numbers are possible with the use of the line app. The extensive feature allows the friends in a group to share albums or watch YouTube videos together. The app mainly focuses on multimedia content and to entertain young people but with security ensured at every step.
Kik
The registration is very simple with just a username and email id allowing people to send and receive messages. The app allows users to interact with the contact list and also with strangers in public groups. A single user can create many Kik accounts as per desire.
JioChat
The main attractiveness of the app is users can change the language settings according to the region they want. It channels UPI&payments, entertainment, news, games and more. The app shares over 1000 stickers.
Troop
A superior quality app that enables smooth office communication and office routines. The burnout option enables confidential personal data to self-destruct after a fixed routine. Multiple users can receive the same message at the same time without forming a group.
Future of Messaging Apps
People nowadays skip the process of calling and prefer to message instantly. Technology advancements have shrunk the world at our fingertips. Inventions and updates are happening daily in the field of communication. What can be the future traits in hold for the messaging apps?
- Artificial Intelligence
Professionals are working on the idea of making the app work similar to AI assistants like replying to messages and composing messages. AI can break language barriers and provide translation facilities.
- Integration
The main idea is to add functionalities needed by users and to operate without leaving the app. App builders aim to bring in services like calendars, calculators, and reminders to be integrated within the app itself. Extended services like appointment booking, food ordering, and online purchases can be integrated into the app.
- Enhanced security
The security services currently available can be extended to feature recognition to prevent unauthorized access. If the mobile number is known to hackers, they may have a chance to view personal data. The customers must ensure that the operating environment is safe.
- Payments
Some applications have started to perform cash transactions within the private chat room. This can be improved by keeping track of all bank transactions and regular notifications from the banking app to keep the customers updated.
- Interactive content
The chunks of data transferred as images, audio, video, voice notes, and GIFs are increasing rapidly. The future aims to incorporate more interactive elements like polls, quizzes, games, and more fun engaging tasks.
- E-Commerce
The messaging platform can be appended to make purchases or place orders within the chat rooms. The business owners can integrate themselves with the app. The message application can act as the gateway by featuring product catalogs, order tracking, and enhanced payment options.
How do Top Messaging Apps in India earn revenue?
The main attractive features of online message applications are they are cheap and can operate as a free downloaded app. The question that pesters our mind is, how do they make profits by just texting?? Exploring the market gave the following results.
- Advertising
When we open the Play Store and search for an app, several pop-up ads gain our attention. The downloading time is utilized to display content with videos, which in turn encourages other websites. The app earns by the number of users viewing the ad, the number of clicks within the ad, and installing the advertised app earns commission also.
- In-app purchases
The latest feature of the message application is money transfer. The application does not charge the user but the banks are charged fees. This is a direct revenue to applications.
- Marketing
Online merchants can use the message application platform to display their products online. The user’s attention every time to the products falls in as cash and adds to the revenue earned.
Guide to developing Messaging applications
The above discussion might have seeded an idea of Top messaging apps in India. If you are looking to develop online message applications reach Smarther, the team is always ready with open hands to give a clear-cut description of their success stories. Undoubtedly you will collaborate to work in a productive environment and get the results with satisfaction and perfection.
