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imo alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave imo: ads in the app, and less transparency about ownership and data use. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces imo, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. WhatsApp currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1WhatsApp logoWhatsAppFreeNoWeb, Windows, macOS +26 of 666.5
2Viber logoViberFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 462.6
3Telegram logoTelegramFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +35 of 559.6
4Signal logoSignalFreeYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 557.2
  1. WhatsApp logo

    1. WhatsAppTop pick

    Best for: Anyone who wants to reach friends, family and businesses on the messenger they already use

    FreeWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from imo

    Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.

    Pros

    • Almost everyone in many countries already has it
    • Chats and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default
    • Reliable group chats, voice notes and group video calls

    Cons

    • Owned by Meta, which collects usage metadata
    • Requires a phone number to sign up
    • Ads and Meta AI are creeping into the app
    Visit WhatsApp Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is WhatsApp a good imo alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes, by default
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Group size
    Up to 1,000 people
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Group calls
    Up to 32 people
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    More than 3 billion
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Meta (joined Facebook in 2014)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026whatsapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Viber logo

    2. Viber

    Best for: People in Viber-heavy regions and anyone who makes cheap international calls to regular phones

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from imo

    Free calls plus Viber Out for cheap calls to regular phone numbers.

    Pros

    • Chats encrypted by default, including groups
    • Full desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux
    • Viber Out calls landlines and non-users cheaply

    Cons

    • Ads and promoted content inside the app
    • Small user base outside its core regions
    • Requires a phone number
    Visit Viber Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Viber a good imo alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes, by default
    Checked Oct 25, 2026viber.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Disappearing messages
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026viber.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Device sync
    Mobile and desktop
    Checked Oct 25, 2026viber.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free messaging and calls
    Checked Oct 25, 2026viber.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Telegram logo

    3. Telegram

    Best for: Communities, channel followers and power users who want every chat synced on every device

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from imo

    Ad-free personal chats with good call quality and cloud sync.

    Pros

    • Instant sync across phone, desktop and web without the phone online
    • Very large groups and broadcast channels
    • Open bot platform and open-source client apps

    Cons

    • Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted
    • Secret Chats are one-to-one and tied to a single device
    • Public groups attract spam and scams
    Visit Telegram Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Telegram a good imo alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    Free, with optional Premium
    Checked Oct 25, 2026telegram.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Group size
    Up to 200,000 members
    Checked Oct 25, 2026telegram.org(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Secret Chats and calls only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026telegram.org(opens source in a new tab)
    File size limit
    2 GB (4 GB with Premium)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026telegram.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Client apps, reproducible builds
    Checked Oct 25, 2026telegram.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Signal logo

    4. Signal

    Best for: Anyone who wants the strongest mainstream privacy without giving up a familiar chat app

    FreeOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from imo

    Encrypted calls without ads from a nonprofit.

    Pros

    • Everything end-to-end encrypted by default, including groups
    • Collects almost no metadata
    • No ads, tracking or paid tier; open source

    Cons

    • Needs a phone number to register
    • Desktop app only works linked to a phone
    • Smaller network than WhatsApp in most countries
    Visit Signal Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Signal a good imo alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Organisation
    Independent nonprofit
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads and tracking
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Always on
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop app
    Requires Signal on your phone
    Checked Oct 25, 2026signal.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best imo alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

WhatsApp logo

Best imo alternative for most people

WhatsApp

Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.

Signal logo

Best imo alternative for a free option

Signal

Encrypted calls without ads from a nonprofit.

Viber logo

Best imo alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Viber

Free calls plus Viber Out for cheap calls to regular phone numbers.

Signal logo

Best imo alternative for open source

Signal

Encrypted calls without ads from a nonprofit.

Telegram logo

Best imo alternative for Mac

Telegram

Ad-free personal chats with good call quality and cloud sync.

WhatsApp logo

Best imo alternative for Windows

WhatsApp

Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.

Viber logo

Best imo alternative for Linux

Viber

Free calls plus Viber Out for cheap calls to regular phone numbers.

WhatsApp logo

Best imo alternative for iPhone and Android

WhatsApp

Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.

WhatsApp logo

Best imo alternative for working in the browser

WhatsApp

Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.

imo alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to imo?

WhatsApp ranks first right now. Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections. Viber and Telegram follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to imo?

Yes. WhatsApp (free), Viber (free plan + paid), Telegram (free plan + paid) and Signal (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to imo?

Yes: Signal.

Which imo alternatives work on Linux?

Viber, Telegram and Signal run on Linux.

Why do people switch from imo?

The complaints we hear most: ads in the app; less transparency about ownership and data use; small user base in North America and Europe.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces imo, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.