Without a doubt, WhatsApp is the leader on the market right now when it comes to messaging apps. It is all due to its vast user base. We all know that Facebook has bought it. Ever since that happened, the company tried to add many features to the apps, including Instagram. WhatsApp remained a messaging platform. Many users suggested plenty of features for the app, but they would transform it into something else, different than a simple messaging app.
If you want more than a simple messaging app, there’s also Telegram. It is a cross-platform service that has many extra features, such as programmable bots, which help the users of the app to customize the way they communicate with the others.
We have all heard of the huge scandal with Facebook. In the meantime, Telegram has had its problems, too, with the Russian authorities, that denied the private encryption keys of users. However, both of them are very good, and you should give them a try. But which one is best?
Both of them come with similar features. For example, they both have stickers, picture-in-picture viewing, and these, besides the usual features of a messaging app. There are many features that set them apart.
The user base
In January last year, WhatsApp had 1.5 billion active users. Sometime later, Telegram reported having 200 million monthly active users. In spite of the fact that it has a much smaller user base, Telegram started in 2013, and it has not shared a single byte of the user data to any other third-party. It is quite useful if we are to take into account the Facebook scandals.
In terms of features
Both of them have some excellent features.
Group video calling
This feature of WhatsApp has become more and more advanced in time. Just recently, the app added support for group video calling. By using it, you can call about three people at the same time. You can initiate the call from any WhatsApp group. All you have to do is to tap on the Phone icon placed on the top bar. Then, you need to add the participants of the call.
Secret Chat
This feature allows you to have end-to-end encryption convos. You get notifications for the screenshots taken, and you cannot forward a message sent on a secret chat. Also, you can set a self-destruct timer, which will make your messages disappear after a time you set.
Daniel Kiss is the senior editor for News Lair. Daniel was working as a writer since he finished high-school, first for local papers then he started online, nowadays he likes to write about the latest games and tech innovations.
