In this article, we are not just going to talk about some of the options that you’re going to have to get this done. We want to cover why an app for international texting could be just what you need. Most of the world has actually taken to texting through different apps. Whether that be WhatsApp, Telegram, or even taking their texting through social media platforms. If you’re looking for the obscure app that none has ever heard of to take your texting through there, you’re probably not going to find it here. The main idea behind the article is to talk about apps that are going to allow you to reach the highest number of people possible. If you can do that for “free” then it gets a bump up on our list.
Another thing that we really want to make sure that we tackle is the safety concern. A lot of people have moved off of sending messages through social media for fear of a hack. If you’re really worried about someone snooping around in your conversations, then maybe it’s not social media that you want to avoid, but your email account. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Hilary Clinton? Bad jokes aside, if you want safety, what you really need to protect is your accounts.
We are going to go over different types of apps to find the best app for international texting. Just as a heads-up, though, these days we are really splitting hairs. In the old days we had web apps, phone apps, and social media platforms with messaging possibilities. These days, the reality is that each platform for the most has its own version of everything. In the sense that you can use it on your phone on a desktop computer, your phone or just pretty much anywhere that you want. Still, there are some differences between these apps that we want to cover. Here are the topics we are going to be talking about.
- Should You Use An App For International Texting?
- Telegram or WhatsApp
- Web Based App For International Texting
- Email App For International Texting
- The Social Media Option
- Dump Regular Texting Altogether?
Should You Use An App For International Texting?
There are a ton of good reasons to use an app for international texting. Particularly many of the ones that we are going to talk about here. For starters, you’re not going to have to have phone coverage to use most apps. In most cases, an app for international texting is going to be able to run purely on Wi-Fi. Obviously, it’s going to be easier to access a Wi-Fi network when you’re abroad. Rather than having to worry about ways to get phone coverage. To be able to get coverage so that you can use your regular phone and text from there can be expensive. There are potentially roaming fees that you’re going to have to deal with in certain cases. Texting while abroad without a proper plan in place can make your phone bill skyrocket.
All of these things considered, it can definitely make sense to move your texting through an app, at least for the time that you spend abroad. It can certainly be a way to cut costs right off the bat. A lot of people don’t want to move their texting through a particular app because usually the person that you want to text through these apps needs to have an account on the service. What happens is that when you move your texting through these apps, you’re effectively shortening your contact list. That could be true, but further along the line, we’ll give you a couple of tips to help you solve that particular issue.
Telegram or WhatsApp
This is probably THE debate that people wanted to see us settle. There are a couple of things that we think are super important in determining which app to choose. Number one, most people are going to go to the app that has most of their contacts on the user base already! For the most part, Telegram has been embraced by the workers crowd, while WhatsApp remains more of a social Network type of application. That’s not a law of any kind. You can be one of those people that usually texts as a form of just catching up with friends. Yet, find out that most of the people that you regularly text are on Telegram.
The other instance that tends to make a difference is the security aspect of things. We’ve talked about WhatsApp safety features in other articles on the site. That got a lot of press a couple of years ago when Mark Zuckerberg appeared before a senate committee. Encryption levels on both apps are pretty much on the same scale at this point. There are a couple of truths to be aware of, though. WhatsApp has a bigger user base, so there are some hackers out there trying to get to you. Really what you should do is make sure that you have decent privacy settings on. Make sure that only your contacts can contact you through the service!
There is a thought that Telegram is safer. The difference really is, again the user base is similar, and you’re not having to trust Mark Zuckerberg with your data management. Yes, there can be technical differences in the way that both apps handle the data that is transferred through them. All in all, your data should be safe regardless of which app you chose. Ideally, go with the app that most of your contacts are on. When it comes to safety, just make sure that you only interact with people that are on your contact list through the app. If you want to be extra safe, don’t share important documents through the app.
Functionality Of Telegram & WhatsApp
These apps were originally phone apps. Now as we mentioned they have a web version, and you can use them on virtually any device. The main difference is that you need to make sure that your phone number that you registered an account with is active to be able to text through these apps. Even if you’re doing it through a Wi-Fi network. For the most part, your phone needs to be on and able to transmit data. Even if you’re using the web version of the app. These requirements can actually make it harder for you to use these apps to text when you’re abroad.
Should You Use Telegram or WhatsApp As Your App For International Texting?
If many of your contacts have an active account on any of these two platforms, they are a viable option. It can be a little difficult though when you have to ensure that your phone is always active to use the web app. With some of these other options, you could text through a web app even if your phone is off. When it comes to safety, an argument could be made that Telegram is a little better. Just because it’s not as regularly attacked as WhatsApp. In any case, both are valid options, just as long as the people you want to stay in touch with have an account on the platform.
Web Based App For International Texting
The web based apps that we are going to be talking about here are Skype and Zoom. Mainly Skype because Zoom’s texting features are a little odd. Particularly because people are more used to joining random meetings on the app. There are other similar apps that you can look into, but Skype is the biggest. Plus, it actually offers the opportunity to send an actual SMS text message to a mobile phone. Many are probably thinking that Skype and Zoom both have mobile apps. That’s completely true, but they started out primarily as a web based operator of internet calls. This is the reason why we are labeling them as such.
There’s a ton of benefits on Skype, and a lot of times it seems that people have forgotten about them ever since Zoom came on the scene. Your email list is basically your contact list. Of course people need to have an account on the service to be able to text them or make web calls to them. You can though get a premium account and buy Skype minutes to be able to text people directly to their phones! This is a great option because you’re going to be able to access the platform through multiple devices without necessarily needing to have phone coverage. You’re going to be able to text or call them through the app essentially for free. You also have the paid option of direct phone texts.
Through the phone app, you can text with contacts pretty much as seamlessly as you would with any other app out there. The fact that you can do this through many devices and not necessarily your phone can be an advantage as well. Since you’re going to be able to use a tablet or a laptop to be able to make calls and texts abroad. Without having this fear of getting hit with roaming fees. Overall, we feel that this is an underappreciated option. Particularly with the new apps that’ve come out. However, it has certain features like the direct texting option that other apps just aren’t able to provide.
Email App For International Texting
Android phone users are going to be much more familiar with this option. Google Hangouts is an app that Google has tried to push to get people to communicate on their platform not just for emails, but for texting. It hasn’t really worked out, and they’ve tried other types of features since. Including Google Fi, and Google Voice. Google Hangouts is actually a pretty good option when you have to handle work conversations when you’re abroad. Your contact list is going to be made up by the list of email addresses that you have saved on your Google account. Wouldn’t it be the same thing as emailing them, though?
Yes, and no. Google Hangouts does open up what we could call a chatroom. You’re going to be able to have a more fluid conversation this way. Then you would through just emailing them. Think of emailing as literally sending a sealed envelope with a letter. You wouldn’t do that just to say like, cool, or, ok. Yes, some people do that, but it certainly is not ideal in virtually anyone’s mind. The benefits that you get with Google Hangouts is that you essentially have a premade contact list already. Which is not something that you’d have with WhatsApp or Telegram. It’s not an app, though, that we see many people socializing in, for sure. It’s an option that is way more geared towards workers.
The Social Media Option
Apps like Facebook Messenger are a great way to bypass the contact list problem that you could have with WhatsApp or Telegram. At least when it comes to the texts that you send out to your friends and loved ones in general. Since, there’s a good chance that you have them as part of your friends list or Instagram followers. You can manage both Facebook and Instagram messages through one app these days. As with many of the options on the list, you could text through different devices. If you are reluctant to move to a messaging app because your contacts are not on it, this can be a good option.
You are going to be able to make direct calls and video calls through this app as well. All that you are going to need is a stable Wi-Fi connection. If there is one problem that we see with this option, it would be that a lot of people just ignore their messages through these apps. At least that’s what a lot of women have told us! It sounds kind of suspicious, though. Also, this may not be the best option when you’re trying to reach someone for professional purposes. Without a doubt, this seems to be way more of a valid route for strictly friends and family.
Dump Regular Texting Altogether?
Many people throughout the world have done this a long time ago. Just take all of their texting needs through apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. This is something that we’ve seen sort of changes on a per country basis. We’ve talked about this in another part of the site. A long time ago, T-Mobile and other American wireless service providers introduced free texting. This eliminated the need for the American consumer to branch out to different apps as they started to show up. In other countries, though, texting was still an expensive endeavor. Until things like BB Pin came along. The blackberry messenger app that allowed you to contact people who had the phone!
From there messaging apps started to pop up with WhatsApp Messenger and Telegram ultimately becoming the most popular of the bunch. We’ve said before that if a chunk of your contact list has effectively migrated to these apps, it could be a good idea to do the same. Particularly, if you travel a lot. Getting international texting privileges even with American companies can cost you a pretty penny in the end. With a lot of these apps, you’re really not going to have to worry about where you are in the world. With a stable internet connection, you’re going to be able to contact people halfway across the world in seconds through an app for international texting.
What’s The Best App For International Texting?
As we’ve been mentioning, a lot of these apps have the same features. It can be hard to really split them apart. The easiest way to determine what the best app for international texting is for you would be to see which one most of your acquaintances are on. Also, you don’t necessarily have to choose, you can download and create an account on multiple apps if you want to. It’s very common for people in certain areas to use WhatsApp for social purposes and Telegram for work. Some people also work through Slack or even Discord.
The one forgotten app that we want to shed some light on again is Skype. Its interface went through some changes. Some people fled because they didn’t love that their conversations were running through a Microsoft cloud. There are certain features though like the possibility of sending a direct text to someone’s phone through the app or the web browser that pretty much no other app has. If you’re having trouble choosing which platform you want to migrate to, you can ask a friend to try multiple apps out with you to see which ones fit your needs best. Don’t be afraid of a little trial and error. Also, it could be a good idea to learn how to use multiple apps. Since you never know if you’re going to have to contact a client or work associate through a particular app that you don’t use often!