Viber vs SimpleX Chat

Viber8.8Visit SimpleX Chat8.6Visit

Higher score Viber #4 in WhatsApp Alternatives 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Viber

vs

SimpleX Chat #6 in WhatsApp Alternatives 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 5 features Visit SimpleX Chat

• Viber fits best

  People who want free messaging, calls and group chats

• SimpleX Chat fits best

  Privacy-minded users avoiding phone-number identities

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Side by side

Feature	Viber 8.8/10 Visit ↗	SimpleX Chat 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.6
Ranking	#4 in WhatsApp Alternatives	#6 in WhatsApp Alternatives
Best for	People who want free messaging, calls and group chats	Privacy-minded users avoiding phone-number identities
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Docs, Tickets, Live chat · 24/7	Email, Live chat, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Viber 1/5 · SimpleX Chat 2/5
Default E2E encryption	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Desktop apps	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Multi-device support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Voice and video calls	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Open source	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Max group size	250 members	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free messaging and calls between Viber users End-to-end encryption for one-to-one and group chats Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android	Connect without user profile identifiers. Encrypts messages, media, calls, and local chat storage. Offers apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Cons	An account requires a phone number Group chats are limited to 250 members Backups are not encrypted	Current groups are described as suitable for relatively small groups. Backups can be unencrypted, depending on provider and configuration. A future freemium model is discussed, so the free model may change.
Our verdict	Viber brings messaging and calling together across mobile and desktop, with one-to-one chats, group conversations, voice and video calls, and communities and channels. It suits people who want a familiar messenger for personal… Read the review →	SimpleX Chat is an open-source messaging application for people who want private conversations without user profile identifiers. It supports encrypted text, files and media, voice messages, voice and video calls, disappearing messages, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Viber — where it wins

  • Free messaging and calls between Viber users
  • End-to-end encryption for one-to-one and group chats
  • Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • An account requires a phone number
  • Group chats are limited to 250 members
  • Backups are not encrypted

• SimpleX Chat — where it wins

  • Connect without user profile identifiers.
  • Encrypts messages, media, calls, and local chat storage.
  • Offers apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

  Where it doesn't

  • Current groups are described as suitable for relatively small groups.
  • Backups can be unencrypted, depending on provider and configuration.
  • A future freemium model is discussed, so the free model may change.

• Viber8.8/10 · Free plan

  A free messenger with calls, group chats and synced desktop and mobile apps.

  Visit ViberFull verdict →
• SimpleX Chat8.6/10 · Free plan

  Private messaging across mobile and desktop, with encrypted calls and identifier-free connections.

  Visit SimpleX ChatFull verdict →