Staying connected with your squad can be a pain, especially when you're trying to coordinate plans or just share funny memes. Luckily, there are tons of group texting apps out there to make your life easier. This list will help you find the best app for your needs, whether you're looking for something simple and secure like Google Messages or a feature-packed app like Signal Private Messenger.
We've handpicked the top 10 group texting apps based on their user-friendliness, features, and security. You can easily send messages, photos, and videos, even if your friends have different phones. Plus, some apps offer cool features like polls, reminders, and even voice/video calls. If you're a Verizon customer, Verizon Messages is a great option with extra perks like free international texting.
| App | Logo | Available On | Reviews | Downloads | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Google Messages |  | Android, iOS | 4.5/5 | 6B+ | End-to-end encryption, High-resolution sharing, Smart replies |
| 2. Signal Private Messenger |  | Android, iOS | 4.7/5 | 142M+ | End-to-end encryption, No phone number required, Open source |
| 3. Verizon Messages |  | Android | 3.7/5 | 136M+ | Chats grupales grandes, Integración con Yelp, Experiencia personalizada |
| 4. Text Free |  | Android, iOS | 4.7/5 | 46M+ | Free unlimited calling, Free unlimited texting, Free second phone number |
| 5. GroupMe |  | Android, iOS | 4.7/5 | 31M+ | Cross-platform messaging, Notifies when friends read |
| 6. Textra SMS |  | Android, iOS | 4.2/5 | 18M+ | Geplante SMS & MMS, Schnelle Antwort-SMS-Popup, Tolle MMS-Gruppennachrichten |
| 7. Chomp SMS |  | Android | 4.3/5 | 16M+ | Passcode lock, Privacy options, Scheduled SMS sender |
1. Google Messages
Secure group chats with encryption, High-resolution image and video sharing
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 6 billion downloads |
| Features | Google Messages is an app for group texting that offers features like group chat, file sharing, group reactions, high-quality images and videos, end-to-end encryption, and more. |
| Who It’s For | Anyone who wants a reliable and feature-rich app for group texting. |
- Tags:
- End-to-end encryption
- Emoji replies
- Rich Communication Services (RCS)
Google Messages is a powerful app for group texting, offering features like pinned message threads and starred messages that help users stay organized. While it's generally well-regarded, recent updates have caused some frustration among users. The search feature, previously praised for its efficiency in finding important information within a vast texting history, is now reportedly malfunctioning. Additionally, group chat functionality has become problematic, leading to individual replies instead of a cohesive chat string. While the app's design offers useful features, the current opening screen layout, with its extensive use of screen space, makes it inconvenient to access messages quickly. These issues highlight the importance of user feedback and the need for developers to prioritize user experience and functionality in future updates.
Pros & Cons
- Simple and user-friendly interface
- Offers features like pinned messages
- Allows for group texting functionality
- Seamless integration with other Google services
- Issues with group chat functionality
- Search feature has become unreliable
- Opening screen design is not optimized
Why we chose it?
I'm a big fan of Google Messages for group texting! It's simple to use, and the group chat features are excellent. I love that I can easily add and remove people from a group, and the read receipts help me know when everyone has seen my message. Plus, the RCS support makes for a smoother, more reliable experience.
✨ Read more: app for fake messages
2. Signal Private Messenger
End-to-end encrypted messages, Secure group video calling, Disappearing messages and stories
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 142 million downloads |
| Features | Signal offers secure end-to-end encrypted messaging, group calls for up to 40 people, disappearing messages, and group chats with robust admin control. |
| Who It’s For | Individuals and groups seeking secure and private communication with features like encrypted messaging, group chats, and disappearing messages. |
- Tags:
- End-to-end encryption
- Free and Open Source
- No ads or trackers
Signal Private Messenger is a fantastic app for group texting, known for its unwavering commitment to privacy and security. It's a favorite among users who value secure communication, with features like end-to-end encryption and the ability to edit sent messages. While some users have requested more customization options, such as an OLED "midnight" mode and color-adjustable notification lights, Signal remains a reliable and stable choice for group chats, earning dedicated users who appreciate its focus on privacy and user experience.
Why we chose it?
I'm a huge fan of Signal for group texting! It's all about privacy and security, so I know my conversations are safe. Plus, it's super easy to set up group chats with tons of people, and you can even control who can post and manage the group, which is awesome. Signal is my go-to for group texting because it's secure, simple, and lets me stay in control!
✨ Read more: app for business communication
3. Verizon Messages
Group chats up to 250 people, Send photos/videos instantly, Personalize chats with avatars
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 136 million downloads |
| Features | Verizon Messages offers group texting, personalized group chats with avatars and backgrounds, photo/video sharing, and mute/add/remove group members, all while keeping conversations synced across devices. |
| Who It’s For | Individuals and groups who want to stay connected with friends, family, and teammates through group texting and seamless device syncing. |
- Tags:
- Group Chats (250 people)
- Yelp Integration
- Cross-Device Syncing
Verizon Messages is a versatile app for group texting that allows you to connect with friends and family across different networks, even if they're not Verizon customers. It's known for its reliability and ease of use, with features that let you personalize your conversations and send a variety of messages, including photos and videos. While it's generally praised for its seamless MMS functionality and ability to handle high-resolution images, some users have reported issues with older messages loading slowly. Overall, Verizon Messages is a strong contender for group texting, offering a user-friendly experience and compatibility with various carriers.
Pros & Cons
- Reliable and efficient messaging
- Compatible with all carriers
- Works well for MMS images
- Offers customizable look and feel
- Slow loading for older messages
- Limited configurability for users
- Issues viewing high-resolution images
Why we chose it?
I'm a big fan of Verizon Messages for group texting! It's super easy to create and manage groups, even with a large number of people. Plus, the seamless syncing across my phone, tablet, and computer means I can keep the conversation going wherever I am. And best of all, it lets me send fun stuff like photos, videos, and even gift cards, making it perfect for staying connected with friends and family.
✨ Read more: app features
4. Text Free
Unlimited free texting and calling, Create multiple free phone numbers
Cost:
Free Plan (Free), Text Free Unlimited ($4.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Social |
| Downloads | Over 45 million downloads |
| Features | TextFree offers free unlimited texting, calling, and group messaging with picture messaging, voicemail, and call forwarding. |
| Who It’s For | Individuals seeking a free second phone number app for group texting and communication. |
- Tags:
- Free Unlimited Calling
- Free Unlimited Texting
- Second Phone Number
Text Free is a popular app for group texting, offering a free and reliable way to stay connected with friends and family. While users appreciate its simplicity and speed, some have noted occasional glitches and freezes, particularly when navigating between chats or attempting to attach files. These hiccups are often attributed to the app's reliance on ads. Despite these minor drawbacks, many find Text Free to be a solid choice for group texting, especially when considering its free, unlimited features and the convenience of using it over Wi-Fi.
Pros & Cons
- Free texting and calling
- Group texting functionality
- Relatively fast performance
- Keeps number active with use
- Glitches and app freezes
- Overload of ads present
- Bugs interfere with texting
Why we chose it?
TextFree is my go-to for group texting because it's super easy to set up groups and send messages to everyone at once, even if they don't have the app. Plus, it's completely free to send unlimited texts, which is a huge bonus!
✨ Read more: app for backing up text messages
5. GroupMe
Simple group messaging, Control notifications, Rich media sharing
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 30 million downloads |
| Features | GroupMe is a free app for group texting that lets you create and manage groups, send messages, share images, GIFs, and links, control notifications, and more. |
| Who It’s For | GroupMe is an app for group texting that is perfect for staying in touch with friends, family, coworkers, and more. |
- Tags:
- Free group chat
- Cross-platform messaging
- Customizable notifications
GroupMe, a popular app for group texting, has been praised for its simplicity and ease of use. However, recent updates have been met with mixed reviews, with users expressing frustration over changes to the user interface. Specifically, the relocation of the "Like" icon and the addition of the "React" feature have been criticized for making the app less efficient and intuitive to navigate. Many users feel the new layout is cluttered and less readable, hindering the quick and simple group texting experience they initially appreciated.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to create groups
- Simple group messaging interface
- Free to use with no ads
- Supports group chat and direct messages
- App updates can be buggy
- UI changes are not always welcomed
- Liking posts is less convenient now
Why we chose it?
GroupMe is my go-to for group texting because it's super simple to use and doesn't require everyone to have the app. You can add people by phone number or email, and even those who don't have the app can still join in via SMS. Plus, it's completely free – no hidden fees or subscriptions. I love that I can easily create groups for different friends, family, or even work projects without having to juggle multiple apps.
✨ Read more: app for bulk sms
6. Textra SMS
Send & receive group MMS, Schedule future group messages, Customizable group message themes
Cost:
Free (Free), Textra Pro ($2.99/year)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 17 million downloads |
| Features | Textra offers a fast, customizable experience with features like scheduled messaging, group MMS, quick replies, and a massive library of GIFs. |
| Who It’s For | Users who want a more feature-rich and customizable SMS app, especially those who frequently engage in group texting. |
- Tags:
- Customizable Themes
- Scheduled messaging
- Quick reply popup
Textra SMS is a popular app for group texting on mobile, lauded for its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options. This app allows you to personalize the look and feel of your messages with vibrant colors, different bubble styles, and even unique notification sounds for specific contacts. While some users have expressed frustration with the recent update's change to media selection, making it more cumbersome to send photos and videos in groups, Textra remains a top choice for those looking to control every aspect of their texting experience.
Pros & Cons
- Highly customizable for personalization
- User-friendly interface for easy use
- Efficient and fast messaging experience
- Provides support for group texting
- New media selection tool is cumbersome
- Large storage space consumption on phone
- Deleted messages/pics not cleared effectively
Why we chose it?
Textra is my go-to app for group texting because it's super easy to manage multiple conversations. With multiple bubble styles and colors, I can easily tell who's who in a group chat, and the group MMS feature makes sharing pictures and videos a breeze! It's simple, powerful and totally customizable, making it the best app for keeping my group chats organized and fun.
7. Chomp SMS
Enhanced MMS and group messaging, Schedule group text messages
Cost:
Free (Free), Chomp Pro ($1.99/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 16 million downloads |
| Features | Chomp SMS offers customizable features like passcode lock, privacy options, scheduled SMS sender, group messaging, and much more. |
| Who It’s For | Users who want a highly customizable, feature-rich SMS and MMS app for personal and group texting. |
- Tags:
- Customizable Interface
- Enhanced Privacy Options
- Powerful Scheduling Tools
Chomp SMS is a powerful and highly customizable app that makes group texting a breeze. Users rave about its ability to personalize the messaging experience, with options for everything from notification sounds to the quick-reply popup. While some have noted occasional ads, they're generally considered unintrusive. The standout feature for many is the ability to schedule texts for later delivery, making Chomp SMS an effortless choice for staying organized and connected with your groups.
Pros & Cons
- Highly customizable messaging experience
- Great for group texting
- Option to schedule texts
- Responsive and helpful support
- Ads can be intrusive
- Limited customization options
- Issues with quick-reply popup
Why we chose it?
Chomp SMS is my go-to for group texting because it makes managing multiple conversations a breeze! It's super customizable, so I can tailor it to my style, and the group messaging features are top-notch – I can easily send pics, videos, and even schedule messages for later. Plus, it's way more reliable than the stock messaging app, so I know my messages will always get through!
8. Handcent Next SMS messenger
Group messaging with multiple recipients, Customizable notification sounds and themes
Cost:
Free (Free)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Communication |
| Downloads | Over 3 million downloads |
| Features | Handcent Next SMS is a fully customizable messaging app with group texting, private chats, encrypted messages, cloud backup, stickers, GIFs, dual SIM support, and Wear OS compatibility. |
| Who It’s For | People who want a feature-rich SMS app for group texting, personalized messaging, and enhanced security. |
- Tags:
- Secure Encrypted Chat
- Anywhere Texting
- Cloud backup
Handcent Next SMS messenger is a highly customizable and versatile texting app that caters to a variety of user needs, including group texting. This app allows you to personalize almost every aspect, from themes and message tones to the way notifications appear. Users rave about the ability to set individual themes and tones for each contact, making it easy to identify messages at a glance. The app also offers unique features like the ability to filter incoming texts by prefix, ensuring that you only receive messages from the people you want to hear from. While recent updates have caused some crashing issues, the developers are working to resolve these problems, leaving many users hopeful for a smooth and reliable experience in the future.
Pros & Cons
- Highly customizable themes and settings
- Allows for individual contact themes and tones
- Offers popup notifications for enhanced accessibility
- Provides filtering options for incoming texts
- Recent update caused frequent crashes
- No easy way to revert to previous version
- No specific mention of group texting features
Why we chose it?
Handcent Next SMS is my go-to for group texting because it's packed with features that make group chats a breeze! I love the easy-to-use group creation and management tools, plus the ability to send multimedia messages keeps things fun and engaging. And with the ability to send texts from any device, I can always stay in touch with my group, no matter where I am.
9. SimpleTexting
Mass text messaging campaigns, Two-way conversations with individuals
Download:
Application information
| Category | Business |
| Downloads | Almost 50,000 downloads |
| Features | SimpleTexting allows you to send mass text messages to groups, schedule texts in advance, have two-way conversations with customers, and track message delivery and replies. |
| Who It’s For | Businesses looking for an easy way to communicate with customers and clients through text messaging. |
- Tags:
- Mass SMS and MMS campaigns
- Two-way messaging
- Automated text scheduling
SimpleTexting is a powerful app for group texting that lets you reach large groups of customers with mass SMS and MMS campaigns. While the app offers a user-friendly interface mirroring its web counterpart, some users have noted that notifications are unreliable, only appearing when the app is running in the background. This lack of consistent notifications can hinder communication and response time, leading to frustration for users who rely on the app for business purposes. Despite this shortcoming, SimpleTexting offers a robust platform for managing text communication, including features like adding images directly from your camera roll and viewing campaign analytics. With some improvements to its notification system, SimpleTexting could become a truly comprehensive and effective app for group texting.
Pros & Cons
- Identical to web interface
- Good for group texting
- User-friendly interface
- Effective text management
- Notifications are unreliable
- Limited marketing features
- App has some limitations
Why we chose it?
SimpleTexting is my go-to app for group texting because it makes managing large groups so easy! I love the ability to send mass texts with images and track engagement with analytics. Plus, the two-way messaging feature lets me have individual conversations with members of my group, which is super helpful for personalized communication.
10. Reach
Mass texting to multiple contacts, Template messages for standardized communication
Cost:
Free (Free), Pro ($19/month)
Download:
Application information
| Category | Tools |
| Downloads | Over 45,000 downloads |
| Features | Reach offers mass texting, email, and WhatsApp communication features, template messages, CSV contact import/export, and cloud backup for streamlined business communication. |
| Who It’s For | Businesses looking for an app for group texting and communication. |
- Tags:
- Mass Texting & Emailing
- Advanced Business Features
- Streamlined Communication
Reach is a powerful app for group texting that makes sending mass messages to clients, teams, or mentors a breeze. It's praised for its simplicity, allowing you to send one message to multiple people while still receiving individual replies. Reach users love the ability to easily divide their contacts into groups, eliminating the need to manually search for recipients. While some users wish the sending process was even faster, Reach offers a convenient way to streamline group communication, saving valuable time and mental energy.
Pros & Cons
- Quick and easy to use
- Group texting made easier
- Saves time and effort
- Dividing groups for organization
- Manual send button for each message
- Timeouts and retry issues
- Subscription required for full functionality
Why we chose it?
Reach is my go-to app for group texting because it's incredibly user-friendly and packed with features that make managing large groups a breeze! I love how easy it is to create custom group chats, send bulk messages, and track who's read them. Plus, Reach's powerful scheduling feature lets me plan messages in advance, ensuring I never miss a beat.