Which is better between Whatsapp, WeChat and Viber?

If SMS are dying (or are increasingly being given away in offers), the credit goes to the new ones messaging smartphone applications which, compared to those of the most recent past such as MSN Messenger, are not linked to a registered account but to the telephone number.
This is a significant difference between applications such as WhatsApp, Viber and the latest WeChat who recognize from the user’s address book who are the friends who have the app installed, with whom you can then text for free (always using an internet connection).

The three most used applications in the world are WhatsAppthe undisputed leader of mobile messaging, Viber and the Chinese WeChat. These three applications, although similar to the base, have many differences and are worth seeing which one is best and which one is worth using based on 5 characteristics.
NOTE: Today it makes more sense to talk about the comparison between Whatsapp and Telegram since viber and WeChat are rarely used.

READ ALSO: Best apps for texting: WhatsApp and alternatives

1) Supported downloads and platforms, smartphones and operating systems
An important thing to decide which application to use is to verify that it is compatible with as many mobile phone models as possible so as to be sure that it works for us and for friends.

– WhatsApp works on iPhone (iOS 4.3 and above) e Android.
It cannot be kept active on two different platforms simultaneously
However, it is not possible to download it on the iPod, iPad or any other tablet of any operating system and not even on an iPhone unlocked with Jailbreak (or perhaps it is possible, but without support and optimization).
WhatsApp also works on Blackberry (OS 4.6 and later), Windows Phone 7.5 and above and quite a number of models Nokia S40 and S60.
WhatsApp is also a paid application that costs 1 Euro for iOS while it is free for one year for the others (then it will cost 1 Euro a year).
Those who already have WhatsApp for Windows Phone will never have to pay to use it.
WhatsApp can also be used via the web on a PC.

– Viber works on iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7 e 8, Blackberry OS5 e OS7, Nokia S40 e S60.
Viber also works on the Bada OS and the version was recently released as well per PC Windows e Mac which works in parallel with the mobile app.
Viber cannot be installed on Android tablets.
Viber is a free and ad-free application of any kind.
In addition to messages, Viber also allows you to make free phone calls.

– WeChat is a newer free application than the other two that works a little on all smartphone models: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone e Nokia S40.
Furthermore, WeChat also works with a web interface and as a program for Windows PCs, so you can chat with friends even from a computer or by opening the WeChat website (first, however, you need to register from your smartphone).
Web Chat is also useful for sending files to your mobile phone from your computer.
Opening WeChat on the PC there is also a plugin called Web Grab to send web pages from the computer to the mobile phone just by shaking the hand held mobile.

2) Application functions

– WhatsApptaking advantage of the Internet connection, it allows you to send text messages, photos, video clips, location data (which open on Google Maps), audio clips, someone’s mobile phone contact.
However, voice calls cannot be made, at least for now.
WhatsApp also allows you to make group chats (max: 30) and use lots of smilies or Emoji.

– Viberin addition to messages, it also allows you to make voice calls as you would with Skype, free to other Viber users.
With Viber Desktop, you can even make calls from your computer.

– WeChat is the most complete of the three apps and allows not only to send text messages, images, videos, audio recordings, position data, emoticons and contacts, but also to make video calls and use the mobile phone as if it were a walkie talkie (i.e. we speak one by one in turn).
WeChat is also the only app with some social add-ons that allow you to make new friends randomly, with people detected nearby.
You can even throw messages into the bottle in the open sea with the Drift Bottle function that can be read by strangers.
If you do not want to use these social add-ons in the settings they can be disabled.

3) Registration, Privacy and Security
These apps use your device’s contact list to determine which of your contacts are already using the app so you can chat with them right away, without asking for permissions.

– WhatsApp requires a valid phone number to register for the service.
When you are registered on your mobile, WhatsApp scans your device contacts to determine who is already on WhatsApp so you can send them messages without having to wait for any type of contact approval.
This also means that anyone who has my number can contact me in WhatsApp (even if I don’t have his).
You can still block some annoying contacts from the chat settings.
In Whatsapp all contacts can see when we are online, when we connected for the last time and when a message is read (when the double v appears).
See here how to be invisible on Whatsapp and hide access and reading of messages
WhatsApp only works on one device for each account and if you register on another mobile phone, you are logged out on the first one.
WhatsApp encrypts sent messages that cannot be easily intercepted by third parties.

– Viber works like WhatsApp in registration and uses mobile number to validate the user.
Viber instantly integrates the contact list of the mobile phone book into the application and you can immediately see the registered contacts who already have the app installed and who are online.
You can hide the online status or the last accessed date in the application settings.
Viber uses Google Analytics to track its users’ information.
Also in the settings you can disable data collection.

– WeChat it also requires a mobile number to register and shows which other friendly users (whose phone number you have in the address book) have the application.
Unlike the other two, in WeChat you cannot immediately chat with the contacts found, to start messaging with them you need to send a contact request that must be approved.
WeChat social extensions allow you to find strangers to chat with, even without sharing your phone number, but using the WeChat ID (so you can hide your identity)
There are many privacy options in the application settings.

4) Backup options to keep messages

– His WhatsApp the backup process is different on each device.
However, in WhatsApp the chat history is saved on the device automatically on Android, Windows Phone and Nokia.
To transfer all chat history to another mobile (imagine you have a new phone) you have to do it manually.
On iPhone and Blackberry send the conversation to ourselves to save it.

– Viber has a simple backup function, because every text conversation is a CSV file.
– WeChat has all the backup options to transfer the chat history of the last 7 days to another device without difficulty.
There is no option to export chat history to a file.

5) Popularity
In the end, this is the most important comparison key because a chat application can be as beautiful as we like, then if there is no one there, however, we do very little.
Here then is the weak point of a powerful and fun app like WeChat, which, at least for now, is used very little in Italy.
In my case, out of a directory of 200 telephone numbers, about 50 are on WhatsApp, 7 on Viber and 3 on WeChat.
WhatsAppdespite being paid and even if it has fewer features than the other two, it is however the most popular and used in Italy.
WeChat says it has 400 million registered users, only 50 million of them are outside of China (where WhatsApp hardly exists).
However, it must be said that the much advertising on TV (with Leo Messi) of WeChat is making this application known and who knows that users are not growing rapidly.

In conclusion, on the smartphone it is definitely worth installing WhatsApp which remains the main app to send messages and to be contacted by friends.
Viber is useful for making free phone calls via the internet as you do with Skype so it remains very important.
WeChat finally, in addition to the fact that it can be kept installed waiting for other friends to join, it also works to have fun and meet new peoplee.
These three applications are incredible communication tools that will permanently supplant the regular and expensive SMS service.

In addition to these three messaging applications, it cannot be forgotten that there are also free services from three web giants such as Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts e Skype from Microsoft.