Let’s be honest: the stock Android messaging app that came with your phone is just… OK. It sends texts, receives photos, and that’s pretty much it. However, for a lot of us, “OK” is simply not good enough. You could be wanting more personalization, enhanced security, or just a simple way to message from your laptop that’s not a complicated hassle.
Enter third-party Android messaging apps. These apps are more than just a pretty interface for your default SMS; they bring a whole array of exciting new features that can radically alter your day-to-day communication. For instance, sending scheduled messages on someone’s birthday, or securing your conversations with a passcode are just a couple of examples of how third-party apps outperform and offer more features than stock apps.
Unfortunately, the Google Play Store presents you with not one, two, or three, but thousands of choices. While some are great, others can end up being battery-draining ad-riddled nightmares. We made it easier for you by thoroughly testing the top runners and helping you select the best Android texting app that fits your privacy, aesthetic, or productivity requirements.
How We Chose the Winners: Our Criteria
First off, let’s establish how we determined the typical app from a top one. Our selection was not simply based on the number of downloads; rather, we identified key features that could genuinely enhance the user experience.
Customization
Everyone has their own taste – so a phone is personal, a texting app should be too. We wanted to see, first of all, how far theme change, bubbles, and fonts can go and thus chose apps based on it. But customization is not always only about aesthetics, as it can also be about lightning conditions and thus comfortable usage. Therefore, all of our top picks must support dark mode.
Privacy & Security
We live in a time of mass hacking, so it’s a must to have your conversations encrypted. Our assessment focused on whether an app provides end-to-end encryption, allows password locking of individual threads, and is not vulnerable to data tracking. Apps that treated user data carelessly were not considered.
Functionality
We all love a nice and smooth user interface but what really helps is that the stuff you use day after day just works. So we looked at features and functionalities such as scheduled messages for birthdays, syncing across various platforms and working backup options. Besides, support for dual-SIM devices was also verified because most Android users cannot live without it.
User Interface (UI)
Lastly, we examined the app experience. Is it user-friendly? Is the style neat and contemporary? Is it overrun with annoying ads? The best Android texting app should operate like a breeze: swift, light, and intuitive rather than slow and cumbersome.
1. Textra SMS: The King of Customization
Anyone who has ever Googled or asked about Android messaging apps on Reddit or tech forums must have come across the name of Textra. For many years, this app has been the epitome of customization for legitimate reasons. When it comes to a user interface, nothing beats the freedom and variety of choices, which Textra offers.
Unique Features
The options for personalization of the environment in whom the messages are read are virtually unlimited with Textra. You can opt for a variety of material design colors and see over 180 different options for theme, bubble, icon and more. However, the coolest part about it is the floating ‘Quick Reply’ popup that allows you to answer texts without closing your current app or even unlocking the phone. Plus, it features several bubble styles and contact notification customization letting you in on a text by just a glance at the screen.
Pros
- Fast performance: On aging or lower-end devices, Textra runs smoothly and fast.
- Unrivaled level of customization: You have the power over themes and colors like never before.
- Dark Mode: Various dark themes – dark, black, and night – are perfectly implemented.
- Scheduling: Setting up SMS scheduling is no longer a problem with this app.
Cons
- Paywall: Apart from the well-equipped free version, there is a one-time charge for the Pro edition necessary for unlocking all features and removing ads.
2. Pulse SMS: Text From Any Device
You’ve got multiple machines at hand, but still your messages go through your phone only. It is frustrating when your workflow is interrupted just because you have to pick up the phone. Pulse SMS is going to be your savior because it was created as the best Android texting app that provides a platform that connects your phone, tablet, and PC.
Unique Features
Pulse’s number one feature is syncing your SMS and MMS accounts to all your devices like laptop, smartphone, tablet, smart watch, and even Android TV. What’s more, syncing is so easy due to personal account features, while other competitors require complicated installations or setups. By the way, it also has a “private conversations” folder which can be protected with a password for keeping sensitive chats.
Pros
- Syncing: Messaging in multiple platforms is leading in the industry.
- Backup: Your whole account will be backed up automatically if you change your phone.
- Design: A clean and modern material design interface.
- Security: Password protection for private threads.
Cons
- Subscription: You have to pay a subscription fee for cross-device syncing (available monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscription), though you can still use the app for free on one device.
3. Chomp SMS: The Lightweight Veteran
The reliable and trusty Chomp SMS has been polished and enhanced for more than ten years, the same team behind it also makes Textra. It will be a right choice for you if you don’t want your battery to wear out quickly and love your battery.
Unique Features
Chomp makes you feel more secure with its feature of app lock with passcode that restricts access to the whole inbox. It even supports the newest emojis and maintains their display on your device, thanks to the built-in emoji database feature. Another remarkable feature “stop sending” lets you have a few seconds after sending a message to retract it – very handy for fixing typos.
Pros
- Lightweight: Using it is a real treat for your battery and your device speed keeps up.
- Reliable: After years of development, bugs or crashes occur very rarely.
- Customization: Great level of theme and notification customization.
Cons
- Dated UI: The UI looks functional but a bit old-fashioned when compared to newer Android messaging apps like QKSMS or Google Messages.
4. Signal Private Messenger: The Security Fortress
Is your high priority security? Then the answer is Signal — nobody can beat it. Being typically recognized as one of the most secure messaging apps, Signal has become the entire castle of encryption instead of just a replacement for your outdated SMS app. The main idea is to secure your data from third parties, like hackers, big corporations, and government surveillance.
Unique Features
Signal uses highly secure end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls made through the app. There is also a “disappearing mode” feature which lets you set messages to be deleted after a certain duration automatically. One huge plus is that Signal is open-source software, which means anyone can review the source code and confirm that the app does not contain hidden features or tracking.
Pros
- Security: Encryption standards of the highest level.
- Privacy: Zero ads, no affiliate marketing, no intrusive tracking.
- Cost: Totally free; quarterly and yearly donations keep the app alive.
Cons
- Adoption: If you want to enjoy the full security benefits, your contact needs to be on Signal. Otherwise, when texting non-Signal users, it falls back to regular, unencrypted SMS.
- Fun Factor: There are fewer customization options compared to apps like Textra or Chomp.
5. SMS Organizer: The Clutter Killer (by Microsoft)
Microsoft in a list of best Android messaging apps? Quite unexpectedly, yet SMS Organizer gives a high-level of performance. This app comes out of the Microsoft Garage project and was initially aimed at resuming control over the flood of promotional text messages and spam.
Unique Features
SMS Organizer categorizes your messages in different rooms: Personal, Transactional, and Promotional. It means that bank statements and OTPs don’t drown a mom’s text. What’s more, the app uses SMS data for creating reminders to pay bills or take care of your flights or tickets, which are shown in a nice and handy dashboard.
Pros
- Organization: No other app can come close to SMS Organizer in automatic sorting.
- Offline: Has the ability to organize and sort work completely offline.
- Backup: Google Drive backup and restore is very straightforward and quick.
Cons
- Availability: The app is unavailable in certain countries and regions, so gaining global reach is currently not possible.
6. Handcent Next SMS: The Feature-Packed Powerhouse
Among the initial customizable Android messaging apps that dated back to when Android was just a toddler, is Handcent Next SMS. It grew from simple to complex until it is now a packed feature/prodigy that tries to do everything.
Unique Features
The “Handcent Anywhere” facility lets you message on your computer or tablet, just as Pulse does. However, Handcent sticks out from the crowd with a vast array of holiday-oriented e-cards and a huge collection of stickers in the making, thus festive times are never going to be a problem. Security-wise, it also comes with a “Private Box” in which you can store your confidential messages that can only be reached by password.
Pros
- Themes: Immense collection of skins and themes.
- Cross-Platform: Support for texting from computers.
- Privacy: Private box feature for security.
Cons
- Slow Down: There might be a feeling of bloat caused by so many features and menus.
- Learning Curve: For a new user who only wants a simple app, UI can be pretty puzzling.
7. Mood Messenger: For the Expressive Texter
Texting shouldn’t be a chore, so Mood Messenger utilizes that concept to the fullest. While some of the other apps center their efforts around security and task management, Mood is all about creative expression. So if you are the type of person who always responds with emojis and GIFs, then you should definitely get this app, as it is the best Android texting app specifically made for such users.
Unique Features
Predictive Emojis is one of the advanced features of Mood Messenger that automatically suggests the perfect emoji right on your fingertips whenever you need it. Besides, you can assign custom wallpapers for different contacts so that the chat with your partner is visually different from that with your boss. Apart from that, it also has an “invisible” typing mode so nobody can know when you are writing a message.
Pros
- Visuals: Interface that is highly customizable and visually attractive.
- Fun: Outstanding integration of GIFs, YouTube, and animated emojis.
- Smart: Predictive emoji features that help you to save time.
Cons
- Ads: There are sporadic ads present in the free version.
- Premium: You need to subscribe to the premium service for some of the best customization features.
8. Simple SMS Messenger: Open Source Simplicity
Quite often, one does not desire fancy but simply the function that sends SMS and keeps the user data safe. Simple SMS Messenger is designed as part of “Simple Mobile Tools” a comprehensive set of open-source apps considered to be light texting app alternatives free from trackers.
Unique Features
The major selling point here is what isn’t in the app. It’s pointless to show ads or ask for unnecessary permissions in an app that doesn’t even need the internet. Due to its minuscule size, it can run on phones with storage constraints quite handily. Also, the app’s visual style adheres strictly to Material Design standards, giving it the appearance of a native Google app.
Pros
- Privacy: Entirely focused on privacy and without any trackers.
- Usability: Extremely simple; no learning step involved.
- Clean: Absolutely no ads or appeals for purchases.
Cons
- Features: Not having the functionality to schedule texts and the customization that is mostly visual.
9. Google Voice: The Business Professional’s Choice
The way Google Voice works is quite different from all the other apps listed above. What it gives you is a completely separate phone number tied to your Google account. It may not be a perfect alternative to a conventional SMS client, but it does have some powerful features targeted at business people.
Unique Features
You can text and call using the virtual number provided by Google Voice, which is not a SIM card number that most people typically use for their phones. This fantastic feature is a small and effective way of protecting your real number by only sharing the Google Voice number with strangers, sales, etc. Another excellent feature is the voice-mail transcription, coupled by the fact that you can use any PC to access and send texts via web interface.
Pros
- Privacy: Avoids revealing your personal cell number.
- Spam: Its spam filtering power is really remarkable.
- Archive: Your texts and voicemails are searchable and stored online.
Cons
- Account: You must have a Google account.
- Distinction: Has
completely different working principle from standard SMS; it uses data/Wi-Fi for the Google Voice number, not your carrier’s SMS plan (though it can forward messages).
10. QKSMS: Beautiful and Open Source
If you want to benefit from a sleek interface and abide by the principles of open-source, QKSMS fits your bill perfectly. This app is widely considered the most attractive Android messaging app.
Unique Features
Because a major pillar of QKSMS is “Material Design,” the app will be in perfect harmony with your screen, and the effect would be gorgeous. An automatic “night mode” is also a feature of the app that changes the theme based on the time of day. Hence, it comes with efficient group messaging features that many stock apps often lack.
Pros
- Open Source: Transparent and community-driven.
- Ad-Free: Soothing ad-free user experience.
- Aesthetics: Nice, clean, and customizable look.
Cons
- Updates: New features implementation is slower compared to commercial apps with paid teams.
Comparison Table: At a Glance
Sometimes it helps to see the data side-by-side. Here is how our top picks stack up.
| App Name | Cost | Encryption | Customization Level | PC Syncing |
| Textra SMS | Freemium | No | High | No |
| Pulse SMS | Freemium | Yes | Medium | Yes |
| Chomp SMS | Free | No | High | No |
| Signal | Free | Yes | Low | Yes (Desktop App) |
| SMS Organizer | Free | No | Medium | No |
| Handcent | Freemium | No | High | Yes |
| Mood | Freemium | No | High | No |
| Simple SMS | Free | No | Low | No |
| Google Voice | Free | No | Low | Yes |
| QKSMS | Free | No | Medium | No |
Conclusion
There is no one and only “perfect” app for everyone. The best Android texting app that you want depends totally on what you like most.
If for you, data privacy is paramount and data security worries you, then Signal is the answer. Wanting a phone that looks just how you want it to Textra SMS offers the level of customization that no other app can match. Keeping in mind your everchanging devices thus you laptop, tablet and phone, should be in sync, then Pulse SMS is your app.
The great thing about Android, is that you do not simply have to settle for the stock default from the box. Changing to these texting app alternatives is pretty simple, free, and totally reversible. So what is your excuse to stick to a dull and boring default experience?
Install one of these apps now, take it for a spin and feel free to leave a comment below telling us which one has made its way into your home screen permanently!
