Top 10 Instant Messaging Apps for Businesses (Free and Paid)

The popularity of instant messaging (IM) has skyrocketed in recent years. A study shows that the number of instant messaging accounts worldwide will reach eight billion in 2022. Team messaging apps help people accomplish their tasks either in person or remotely. But the real question is whether you are maximizing the benefits of instant messaging. Check out the top instant messaging apps for businesses to use for efficient internal and external communications. 

1. WhatsApp 

WhatsApp is the most common instant messenger app around. With more than 2 billion users, there’s a good chance your customers are using its texting, group chats, file sharing, and voice and video calls features. There’s a group chat feature allowing only admins to send instant messages.

WhatsApp has an exclusive business tool to connect small enterprises with their customers. WhatsApp for Business offers a business profile, a greeting message, a quick reply, and an away reply.

2. Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is on WhatsApp’s heels as a step to boost your business’s external communication capabilities. It is available in almost every country except China. Your company’s Facebook page comes with a Messenger app that can be reached by customers who don’t have Facebook accounts.

3. Skype

Skype is a famous communication platform that allows users to make voice and video calls, send instant messages, and share files with other Skype users. It has evolved into a comprehensive tool for online communication. Particularly, it’s one of the widely-used instant messaging apps for businesses.

Skype provides real-time translation of voice and text conversations between users speaking different languages. Users can also make landline and mobile calls to non-Skype users at a low cost. Overall, Skype offers a variety of features to enhance online communication and collaboration.

4. WeChat

WeChat is a multi-purpose social media app developed by Tencent in China. It is one of China’s most popular messaging apps, with over 1 billion monthly active users. On top of instant messaging, this app offers other features for comprehensive communication and lifestyle platforms. 

For example, users can make voice and video calls, send text messages, photos, and emoticons, and share their location with others. WeChat also includes a feature called “Moments,” which allows users to share their life events and experiences with friends and followers in a social media-style feed. 

5. Telegram

Telegram’s user base is lower than other instant messaging services on this list. The messaging app is gaining popularity among businesses because of the features like supergroups, bots, and secret chats. Telegram also allows users to send files up to 1.5 GB, especially in countries with tight restrictions on messaging apps. However, several unique features can boost your lead generation. This instant man, like public channels, groups, and supergroups, allows up to 100,000 users per group.

6. Slack

Slack is a team collaboration platform that provides a central hub for communication, organization, and project management. It was founded in 2013 and has become one of the most popular instant messaging apps for businesses.

With Slack, users can send direct messages to individuals or groups and participate in public or private channels for specific topics or projects. The platform integrates with many other tools, like Google Drive and Dropbox. Slack also has a searchable archive of all messages for easy searching and access to information. It is popular among remote teams for being s a comprehensive communication, collaboration, and project management platform. 

7. Discord

Discord is a communication platform established in 2015 for online communities and gamers. It provides various tools for text, voice, and video communication, as well as file sharing and collaboration. 

The platform includes voice and video calling, direct messaging, server-based text channels, and file sharing capabilities. Discord also offers a range of customization options, including creating custom emotes and adding integrations from other tools, such as Trello and Spotify. Discord is a versatile platform for communication and collaboration, making it a popular choice for online communities and gamers.

8. Microsoft Teams 

The Microsoft Teams features a few key selling points, one being its in-messaging word-like formatting. You can change font styles and create bulleted lists within each IM. Then there’s Teams’s deep integration with Office 365. Collaboration within the entire Microsoft Office toolkit without leaving the app makes it great for the corporate environment.

9. Brosix

Brosix has been providing an all-in-one business instant messaging app for enterprises of all types and sizes since 2006. It is a versatile business solution with dynamic productivity tools, robust security, and comprehensive administrative control.

Voice and video capabilities, screen sharing, and a native whiteboard solution streamline communication and collaboration. Broadcast messages let you target your message to a handpicked audience.

Unlike other instant messengers for business, Brosix’s unlimited-size file transfer never restricts file transfers, neither by size nor volume. Companies looking to boost customer support can quickly deploy the engaging live chat solution.

10. Fleep

Fleep is an excellent tool for inter-business communication. With Fleep, you can chat with other Fleep users and teams outside your organization. The app delivers the core messaging capabilities you’d expect from an instant messaging app. There’s also unlimited messaging history, native task management, and the ability to send emails through the app. The disadvantage, however, is that Fleep doesn’t have collaboration tools. Moreover, you don’t get native voice and video calling.

Conclusion

The rapid growth of messaging apps as a communication channel for billions, not to mention the enhanced security and productivity of business instant messengers, make IM technology an essential business tool. When choosing the right messaging app for your business, examine your internal and external communication needs.