imo

Lightweight free messaging and video calling app built for slow connections and international calls.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About imo

imo is a free messenger focused on voice and video calls that work well on slow or unreliable networks, which has made it popular for keeping in touch with family across South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It covers chats, group calls, voice messages, stories and in-chat translation, and offers end-to-end encryption, a two-step verification option and disappearing messages. A Lite Android version keeps the app small on low-end phones. imo is free and makes its money from ads and in-app purchases, so expect advertising in the interface. Apps are available for Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac. The company is less transparent than the big Western messengers about ownership and data handling: it is run by PageBites, a subsidiary of Singularity IM. It is a practical pick when relatives already use it or bandwidth is poor, while privacy-minded users usually prefer Signal or WhatsApp.

Best for: Families making video calls across countries on slow or patchy connections.

What works

Calls hold up well on slow networks
Lite version for low-end Android phones
Built-in message translation

Why people leave

Ads in the app
Less transparency about ownership and data use
Small user base in North America and Europe

Top imo alternatives

See all 4

1
WhatsApp
Larger network with encrypted calls that also work on modest connections.
66.5
2
Viber
Free calls plus Viber Out for cheap calls to regular phone numbers.
62.6
3
Telegram
Ad-free personal chats with good call quality and cloud sync.
59.6
4
Signal
Encrypted calls without ads from a nonprofit.
57.2

Why people left imo

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imo: common questions

Is imo free?

Yes, imo is free to use.

Is imo open source?

No, imo is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Signal.

What platforms does imo run on?

imo is available for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

What are the best alternatives to imo?

The highest-ranked imo alternatives right now are WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 imo alternatives

imo facts

4 of 4 verified

Users: Over 200 million; Checked Oct 25, 2026imo.im(opens source in a new tab); “Today, imo has over 200 million users across more than 170 countries, speaking 62 languages.”
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac; Checked Oct 25, 2026imo.im(opens source in a new tab); “Download Available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac”
Privacy features: End-to-end encryption, disappearing messages; Checked Oct 25, 2026imo.im(opens source in a new tab); “Private Ultimate Privacy Protection One-tap safeguard your privacy with End-to-End Encryption, Time Machine, and Disappearing Message.”
Operator: PageBites, Inc.; Checked Oct 25, 2026imo.im(opens source in a new tab); “Internationally operated by PageBites, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Singularity IM, Inc.”