WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users globally. WhatsApp Business is a version of WhatsApp specifically designed for small businesses, enabling them to connect with customers easily through messaging. However, WhatsApp Business does have some limitations, which has led businesses to look for alternatives that may suit their needs better.
Why look for WhatsApp Business alternatives?
There are a few key reasons why a business may want to consider using an alternative app instead of WhatsApp Business:
- Limited features – WhatsApp Business lacks some features like bulk messaging, chatbots, or advanced analytics that businesses need.
- No desktop app – WhatsApp Business does not have a desktop app, making it inconvenient for businesses interacting with customers through a computer.
- Privacy concerns – Some businesses may have concerns over WhatsApp’s requirement to share phone numbers and data with Facebook (which owns WhatsApp).
- Cost – While WhatsApp Business itself is free, larger businesses have to pay to access certain features like improved analytics and fast response times.
- Lack of customer service – WhatsApp does not provide customer service or support tailored to business users.
Due to these limitations, many businesses are looking into alternative messaging apps that can serve their communication needs better.
Top WhatsApp Business alternative messaging apps
Here are some of the top alternative business messaging apps to consider instead of WhatsApp Business:
1. Telegram
Telegram is one of the most robust alternatives to WhatsApp when it comes to features. Key advantages include:
- Free cloud storage – Up to 200GB free storage for files and media.
- Group chats – Group chats can support up to 200,000 members.
- Bots & channels – Advanced options for bots and channels to automatically interact with customers.
- Security – Telegram uses end-to-end encryption for secret chats.
- Desktop & web apps – Full Telegram experience on desktop and web to complement mobile apps.
- Analytics – Provides statistics like number of viewers of messages.
Telegram has a strong focus on speed, security and embracing innovative features. With 500+ million users globally, it presents a highly popular WhatsApp alternative for businesses.
2. Signal
Signal is widely considered one of the most secure messaging apps available. Key features include:
- End-to-end encryption – All messages and calls are encrypted using an open-source protocol.
- Data minimization – Signal collects very little user data.
- Open source – The app is open source allowing transparency and community input.
- Group chats – Encrypted group chats with up to 1,000 members.
- High delivery success rate – Optimized to successfully deliver messages quickly.
For businesses that prioritize security and privacy when communicating with customers, Signal can be an excellent WhatsApp alternative.
3. Slack
Slack has become hugely popular as a collaboration and communication app for teams. For customer communication, it offers advantages like:
- Organized channels – Custom channels to segment communications with different customers.
- File sharing – Ability to easily share files up to 1GB with external users.
- App integration – Integrates with a huge range of apps like Salesforce, Dropbox, Google Drive and more.
- Feature-rich free plan – Generous free plan with search, 10K messages history and more.
- 24/7 support – Provides dedicated customer support via live chat or email.
With its vast range of features tailored for business teams, Slack can be an excellent unified communication solution between a business and its customers.
4. Skype
Skype, now owned by Microsoft, has been a long-standing communication tool, especially useful for:
- Messaging – Send instant messages to customers 1-on-1 or in groups.
- Video/voice calls – Make free VoIP calls to customers with video capability.
- File sharing – Share files up to 300MB with external users.
- Chatbot integration – Integrate chatbots to provide automated customer support.
- Mobile & desktop apps – Use across mobile and desktop for convenience.
With its blend of messaging, voice/video calls and integration potential, Skype still remains a handy WhatsApp alternative for some businesses.
5. Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger has over 1.3 billion users, making it useful for businesses whose target audience uses Facebook actively. Benefits include:
- Free to use – No cost to message customers who already use Messenger.
- Rich media support – Share images, videos, files, voice messages.
- Chatbot integration – Chatbots on Messenger can provide automated customer support.
- User base – Huge existing user base to tap into.
- Ads integration – Can potentially leverage Facebook’s advertising tools.
The sheer user reach of Facebook Messenger makes it a simple WhatsApp alternative for some customer communication needs.
6. Viber
Viber is a popular messaging app much like WhatsApp, providing an alternative with features like:
- Group chats – Public group chats with up to 200,000 members.
- Desktop apps – Desktop apps available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- VoIP calls – Free high-quality VoIP calls between Viber users.
- End-to-end encryption – Encryption for one-on-one chats.
- Chat extensions – Integrate bots, polls, Shopping and more into chats.
For a messaging experience similar to WhatsApp while also adding some additional features, Viber can be a useful alternative for businesses to consider.
Comparing key features of WhatsApp Business alternatives
Here is a comparison table looking at some of the key features businesses may want in a messaging app and how the WhatsApp alternatives stack up:
| Feature | WhatsApp Business | Telegram | Signal | Slack | Skype | Facebook Messenger | Viber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | ✓ | Partial | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | Partial |
| Group chat size limit | 256 users | 200,000 users | 1,000 users | 15 users (free) | 300 users | 250 users | 200,000 users |
| Desktop app | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Customer support | ✕ | Limited | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Video calls | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ (paid only) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max file upload size | 100MB | 2GB | 100MB | 1GB | 300MB | Unknown | 100MB |
This makes it easy to compare the capabilities of each tool to evaluate which messaging platform contains the features most useful for your business needs when communicating with customers.
Choosing the right WhatsApp Business alternative
With various alternatives to choose from, here are some tips on selecting the right messaging app for your business:
- Consider your customers’ usage – Pick an app already used by a majority of your target customers to ensure high adoption.
- Prioritize must-have features – Decide on features like encryption, group sizes, file sharing that are critical for your use case.
- Try before committing – Test out the app’s usability, reliability before asking customers to switch over.
- Evaluate costs – While many apps offer free basic plans, consider upgrade costs for advanced features.
- Check platform reach – Ensure the app is available across the platforms your business uses – mobile, desktop, web.
- Assess integration support – Look for apps that easily integrate with your existing business systems if needed.
Choosing the right alternative comes down to thoroughly assessing your specific priorities and customer needs, rather than simply jumping to the most popular app.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp Business offers a convenient way for businesses to connect with customers through messaging, it does have limitations in features. Many businesses can benefit from exploring alternative messaging apps that better cater to their specific requirements.
Options like Telegram, Signal, Slack, Skype, Facebook Messenger and Viber all present viable WhatsApp Business alternatives with their own benefits. The key is to match the app’s strengths to your priorities around factors like security, ease of use, features and costs.
With messaging being such an essential channel to engage today’s consumers, finding the right platform tailored to your business and audience needs can make a huge difference in providing excellent customer communication and support through this popular medium.