When you install WhatsApp Messenger, you have to enter your telephone number, then enter a code you receive via SMS. From then the app syncs with your iPhone contacts - anyone who owns the app will have a tab attached. Touch a contact who doesn't have WhatsApp Messenger and you'll be able to send them an invite.

Sending messages is just like the normal SMS service for the iPhone, except of course it doesn't send messages over the phone network. As well as text, you can send images, audio, contacts or even location. WhatsApp Messenger uses push notifications, so you don't have to be signed in to get messages, which makes it just as good as the native SMS service.

WhatsApp Messenger also includes a group chat feature, allowing lots of your friends to talk at once without having to pay per message.

The only issue with WhatsApp Messenger is that it only works between WhatsApp users. It's really good when your friends have it, but if some of your contacts don't own it, you'll be stuck with SMS some of the time! Having said that, if there's one person you SMS a lot, it's certainly worth investing in WhatsApp, as it can save you lots of money!

WhatsApp Messenger works great, as long as you can convince others to start using it too!

Download WhatsApp Messenger 2.8.7 in Softonic

WeChat is cross platform and includes individual and group messaging with text, voice notes, images, videos and location data. WeChat allows free HD video calls, secure message storage and does not invade your chats with intrusive advertising. WeChat also supports video recordings, syncing of phone contacts and GPS.

The interface of WeChat will be familiar to anyone that's ever used WhatsApp. Chats, Contacts, Social and Settings are listed along the bottom and new notifications appear in your WeChat timeline. WeChat also features an interesting real time Live Chat feature for groups and you can invite people into the chat using QR codes. WeChat also saves your chat history so that you can search it any time.

Other than that however, WeChat is just another Facetime/WhatsApp alternative that doesn't offer anything new. As the developer is based in China, it's also considerably more popular in Asia than the rest of the World.

WeChat is an interesting WhatsApp style chat client that can be a bit overwhelming with notifications but is an interesting alternative to WhatsApp.

Download WeChat 4.5.0.54 in Softonic

LINE allows you to make free calls to other users of the service. This includes the ability to make calls between the iPhone and Android versions of LINE. The application is easy to set up, allowing you to register with your phone number or email address (the latter option only gives you access to text chat, though.

The call function of LINE works very well. Although the option to make video calls is missing, the sound quality when making calls is excellent. There is a slight delay in calls both via WiFi and 3G, though the quality is still better than both fring and Skype.

Text chatting in LINE is easy, with support for group chats of up-to 100 people, and a good selection of emoticons to add to your conversations. Unlike WhatsApp, LINE allows you to chat between the desktop and mobile versions of the application.

LINE is a viable alternative to apps like WhatsApp and Viber, allowing you to make free calls on your phone with good audio quality.

Download LINE 3.6.5 in Softonic

Facebook for iPhone is a long standing app for users to access their profiles. But when users want to just contact their friends without looking at walls or profiles, Facebook Messenger is the app to use.

A standalone messenger app, Facebook Messenger combines IM and texting with Facebook and phone contacts. It links contacts together who might not use the Facebook app that often by directly contacting their phone.

Facebook Messenger focuses on messaging only. Even with location services, Facebook Messenger is a communication app. Allowing for group chats with friends and being able to add photos, Facebook Messenger is a good app for users with a large amount of friends.

There are other communication apps that connect with Facebook, but Facebook Messenger is the official app that will undoubtedly evolve with time. The ground work has been placed. It is now a matter of time to see where it goes.

Facebook Messenger is simple, but works well as a SMS and text app.

Download Facebook Messenger for iPhone 2.4 in Softonic

The app allows you to talk for free to your Skype contacts via text chat, video or voice calls. You can also make cheap international calls with Skype for iPad by purchasing Skype credits and using these to access the service's cut-price tariffs.

This iPad version of Skype has been designed specifically for the iPad, and is noticeably more comfortable to use than the original Skype for iPhone app. Functioning in both landscape and portrait modes, Skype for iPad is divided into two panels.

The smaller panel on the left of the Skype for iPad interface lets you switch views between Contacts, Recent chats and History. The larger panel is where you browse through your contacts, chat via instant messaging, or view the person you're speaking to in a video chat. There's a dialer pop-out built into the menu at the top of the screen, making it quick to place a call to any number.

In our tests of Skype for iPad, the video quality we got out of it was pretty poor, even when using WiFi. Video is generally grainy and choppy, but we were satisfied with the audio quality.

As with the iPhone version, Skype for iPad lacks a lot of the features of the desktop release. For instance, there's no group chat (try fring if this is what you're looking) for or SMS support.

Skype for iPad offers an easy way to make free calls from your Apple tablet, though it's somewhat lacking in features.

Download Skype for iPad 4.6 in Softonic

It is difficult to talk to friends overseas through many communication apps. The cost of international calls can quickly add up and instant messaging is usually specific to the app.

What KakaoTalk does differently is connect itself to a user’s phone number to allow for text chat that looks and feels like SMS, but costs nothing. By using the phone number rather than proxy service, users are able to chat without starting a bloated messaging app.

KakaoTalk also supports group chatting with an unlimited number of friends, so users in separate countries can have the ability to talk with one another. In tests from an Android phone to iPhone 4 from Berkeley, California to Seoul, South Korea, each message arrived within moments of sending through KakaoTalk.

Image attachments also loaded quickly. The only issue was the quality of a short voice memo in KakaoTalk. The quality sounded a little grainy and it was slightly difficulty to understand what was being said.

KakaoTalk also supports a small amount of visual customization, mainly for backgrounds of the chat screens, but there is not much else for users to change.

KakaoTalk is an impressive app because it is simple to use, and the ability to chat with friends and family worldwide is a huge plus.

Download KakaoTalk 3.3.0 in Softonic

Making long distance or international calls from your mobile phone can be so expensive that it's almost better to not stay in touch. Install Nimbuzz on your phone, and you'll be able to talk to people all over the World for free - at least in theory.

Nimbuzz pulls all your contacts together in one place, so you can exchange messages with all your friends on networks such as MSN, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, Facebook, or MySpace.

The user interface in Nimbuzz combines all of your contacts from all these various networks into one place, and you can see who is online at any time. Everything is presented in a very neat and clear way: contacts are ordered alphabetically and each has a different icon depending on which network they belong to.

To start connecting with Nimbuzz you simply need to tap on a person's name then select an icon from: Call, Chat or Mail. Of course, the call option is only available for the services that support VoIP (Google Talk, MSN, Skype, etc.) but the voice quality is generally very good if you have a strong signal.

There are a few things that annoyed us about Nimbuzz. For instance, it sometimes doesn't display Facebook contacts in the Contacts list. Also, it persistently says when a new mail was sent to our Gmail or MSN accounts, but didn't actually let us read the email. Even when we deleted these alert emails they kept coming back.

If the developers of Nimbuzz can iron out these flaws then it will cement its place as the best app for free, multi-network chat on the iPhone.

Download Nimbuzz 2.5.1 in Softonic

What does Hike Messenger do?

Hike Messenger allows you save the cost of sending SMS by exchanging free messages with anyone else who has the app installed, regardless of what smartphone platform they are using. Hike can even send SMS messages for free to someone, though this service only works in India at present.

Besides just chatting via instant messaging, you can attach images, video, audio and voice messages to your chats with Hike. There's also an option for sharing your location with the person you're chatting too. Hike includes a group chatting feature too.

Hike Messenger includes a wide selection of fun emoticons that you can add to your chats, which are grouped into three different types of character. There's something for everyone in there.

How easy is Hike Messenger to use?

The setup process for Hike Messenger is very similar to that of WhatsApp or Viber. You need to enter your phone number and you'll be sent an activation code via SMS. Enter this into the field provided and you're away.

You can easily view all your friends on Hike by tapping the contacts button. This will pull up a list of people from your phone contacts book who have Hike, as well as allowing you to invite friends who don't yet have the app.

Is Hike Messenger better than WhatsApp?

Ultimately, Hike Messenger is very similar to WhatsApp. It shares almost all of the same features, though I would say WhatsApp is a bit more polished. Although the user interface of Hike looks great, it doesn't have the customization options of WhatsApp, which allows you to change the background image of the chat window. WhatsApp has a more varied range of emoticons, too.

In our tests of Hike Messenger we had problems with the activation process, which the developer said was not working due to "high demand". Eventually we managed to register and test the app. In general it runs very well, but we experienced a couple of crashes.

Hike Messenger is a fast and easy way to chat for free with your buddies on your phone. Whether you choose Hike over WhatsApp, LINE, Viber and the rest will depend ultimately on which service most of your friends are using.

Download Hike Messenger 1.7.6 in Softonic

The app is like a cross between the original eBuddy and WhatsApp. You can send messages and multimedia files with eBuddy XMS to anyone else who has the app installed, and vice versa.

To set up messaging with eBuddy XMS, you need to enter your phone number, then an activation code (sent to you via SMS). You'll be issued with a PIN number once you've entered the code. You can then chat with anyone on eBuddy XMS, adding them as contacts by entering their phone number or PIN number. There's an option to scan your phone book or Facebook friends for any contacts who are using eBuddy XMS.

In terms of features, eBuddy XMS lets you send photos, videos and emoticons, as well as text messages. Unlike WhatsApp, there's no option to record and send audio files, but there is a group messaging feature.

Providing you can convince your friends to switch from Viber or WhatsApp, eBuddy XMS makes for a simple, free messaging app.

Download eBuddy XMS 2.14 in Softonic

When I was a boy, the only way of getting in touch with someone was to phone them up, write them a letter, or go to their house. These days though, there are countless different new ways to communicate thanks to email, instant messaging, VoIP, social networks, and the like.

This is great, but it does pose problems in that it's often difficult to work out the best way to reach someone. You might have separate buddy lists for a variety of networks and constantly logging in, launching apps and finding your online pals can be a real chore. fring is designed to change all that, providing you with a single platform, based on your mobile, where all of your online friends are available in one place.

fring supports most of the major chat services, including Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Yahoo!, and AIM. You can also use the program to check Facebook updates, and view Twitter feeds.

Smooth set-up

Registering or signing in for a fring account is a bit of a chore in this version of fring. It often fails to recognize correct user details and can take an age to connect even when it does.

Once you're in, however, you can import your online contacts very easily. You just go to the Add-ons section within the More menu, click a service you want to access (e.g. Skype, Yahoo!) and sign in using your normal log-in for that account. The contacts are automatically pulled into fring and displayed on the Buddy list, and you can quickly view who is online and who isn't.

Not only can you chat via instant messages but fring also lets you make cheap or free calls to your buddies via SkypeOut/SkypeIn. This means you can ring people from your phone's contacts locally or internationally, at vastly reduced rates. You can make fring calls over both WiFi and 3G.

Other functions

fring also supports video chat over VoIP, and this latest version supports up-to four-way video calling for OS 4. One great thing about the video chat feature is that it is compatible with other versions of fring, such as the Android or Symbian incarnations. This means you can video conference with buddies regardless of the phone they use.

Chat features in the iPhone version of fring are few and far between. For instance, there’s no file transfer, emoticons, or games, which is a bit of a shame.

This latest version of fring integrates Twitter support. The new social stream feature within fring allows you to view Twitter feeds, Facebook updates and fring activity all through one neatly-organized window.

Overall, fring makes for a great way to manage all of your contacts on all of your networks from one, easy-to-use application. Just don’t expect the level of features you’d normally get from your chat clients, though.

Download fring 5.6.0.11 in Softonic

What does JaxtrSMS do?

Instead of using the SMS messaging feature on your phone, JaxtrSMS lets you use your data or WiFi connection to send the message, in much the same way as you can with messaging apps like WhatsApp Messenger and Viber.

The main difference between JaxtrSMS and these other chat apps is that doesn't require the person you're sending the message to to have the application installed as well. So, you're able to send a message directly to their SMS inbox.

You can use JaxtrSMS to send free SMS to any phone in the USA or India, but if you're outside of these countries you'll need to buy credits with JaxtrSMS to send messages. These rates could be cheaper than they are on your mobile plan, but make sure you check before you part with your money. There's no charge to send messages to another phone with JaxtrSMS on it.

How does the app work?

JaxtrSMS is pretty easy to set up and start using. The first time you load the app you need to enter your name and telephone number then check your SMS inbox and click on the link in the mail from JaxtrSMS to activate the application. You're now free to start composing messages, adding the recipient's number, or looking them up from your phone contacts.

Although JaxtrSMS performs its function reliably, it's not a very pretty app, and neither does it have many features. The user interface isn't attractive and there's no support for sending multimedia messages or even adding emoticons to your texts. It does have options for sharing about the app on Facebook or Twitter, though.

JaxtrSMS lets you send free SMS to any phone in the USA and India, but if you live outside of these countries we'd recommend you stick with WhatsApp or Viber, since they're nicer to use and have more features.

Download JaxtrSMS 2.0.9 in Softonic

GTalk+ for iPhone replicates the simple beauty of the desktop application very well. The interface is neat and free of clutter and it's dead easy to work with. You need to launch GTalk+ in your Safari browser and then sign in with your Google account details.

What you can do

The main window in GTalk+ allows you to perform more or less everything you can in the desktop version, such as viewing your online contacts, searching for contacts, and changing your status. The only things you can't do is sorting who to show or adding new contacts.

The chat window in GTalk+ is also pretty similar to the original and just as easy to use. It supports profile images and also has a cool 'Off the record' feature, which you can switch on if you don't want your conversation to be saved.

There's no voice chat facility in GTalk+ (that's what you're phone's for, after all) but by far the biggest flaw within the program occurs when you try to open a new Safari window with the app running. In this instance your status is automatically set to unavailable, which does get quite annoying.

That said, GTalk+ does provide a simple and enjoyable way to chat with your buddies online.

Download GTalk+ (Chat for Google Talk) 1.4.1 in Softonic

Hangouts syncs across devices and only get notifications once. Interestingly enough, Hangouts doesn't support "invisible" status. The chat app also features photo sharing support, multiple accounts, and read notifications showing how far your contact has read in your chat.

Even if you use Google Talk, Hangouts will replace it with this update.

Download Hangouts 1.0.1 in Softonic

Like eBuddy, you'll need to sign up for a Meebo account before you get started adding your other messaging accounts. Meebo has an A-Z of almost every instant messaging service you'll have heard of, so if you have tons of accounts, the chances are you'll find them here!

Once you have added the services you want, using Meebo is really easy. Contacts are listed alphabetically, but also grouped into buddies, friends and other contacts (this depends on the services you use). With lots of accounts, it can be a bit overwhelming, but otherwise it's easy to use and looks good

Meebo may be easy to use, but it is a little basic. For example, with Windows Live contacts, Meebo doesn't show status, so you can see whether people are online, but not if they are busy. Other than that, you can send images or take pictures with the iPhone and there's a good range of emoticons provided.

Despite being a bit on the basic side, the usability and support for probably any messenger service you will want makes Meebo a great choice for dedicated instant message fans

Download Meebo 1.91 in Softonic

Sometimes it can be a pain to grab your phone that's across the room to make a text. mysms is available on all the major platforms and even has a web interface so you can send texts from whatever device you're on. No more walking across the room to grab your phone. Each computer or phone you install mysms on will be synced automatically.

The application is easy to use and syncs quickly. Choose to create a new message and start typing a contact's name. You then have a choice to send the message using your carrier, which will charge you text messaging fees, or send the message for free via mysms' service. Free messaging requires your friends to have mysms installed as well, similar to apps like Viber.

Overall, mysms is a great application and service for sending texts but users will have to put their faith in mysms' security.

Download mysms 1.2.0 in Softonic

The interface is formatted like most recognizable messenger clients. IM+ Pro goes one step further by migrating existing customization into the app so it is easily recognizable. Contacts lists are aggregated together into separate drop downs. Each section shows the associated account so if a list looks unfamiliar, there is a simple way to show where the contact is from.

IM+ Pro accesses the most popular clients like AIM, MSN Messenger, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Jabber, and ICQ. IM+ Pro essentially can be the one stop for all messaging needs.

The only drawback to IM+ Pro is also the main strength. Accessing multiple accounts can cause a lot of clutter in the app and users who have large lists of contacts will see a lag while IM+ Pro restores itself or works through different lists.

IM+ Pro is a great app for users who want to be able to communicate over large networks at once.

Download IM+ Pro for iPhone 6.2 in Softonic

You can start chats with them, upload photos to the service as well as share photos in chats. When singing up, you can manually create your account or sign up using your Facebook credentials. But even after signing up with Facebook, it does not import and information like friends on Facebook who are using Minus. Photos can be edited, adding filters and effects with extra option available for download.

Using the app is simple as well as customizing your profile. There is not an option to delete your profile from the app which is disconcerting. The app is an interesting idea to connect with people near you that you do not know, but the community that use Minus - Make friends near you today! is unknown.

Minus - Make friends near you today! is an interesting communication app, but needs more account options.

Download Minus - Make friends near you today! 1.0.1 in Softonic