I prefer Signal but use WhatsApp for this simple reason

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

When WhatsApp modified its phrases in 2021, I was one of many many customers who appeared for different messaging apps for Android. Whereas I had heard about Signal earlier than, the controversial transfer by WhatsApp prompted me to truly attempt the app out. I cherished it then and I nonetheless like it now.

But over all these years, I barely use Signal though I prefer it vastly over WhatsApp. And that’s due to a serious benefit WhatsApp has over the privacy-focused messaging app.

Which messaging app do you prefer?

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There’s quite a bit to like about Signal

Signal Privacy Settings

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

You don’t need to be somebody who lives off-grid within the woods to understand Signal. The messaging app balances nice privateness options with a glossy UI and loads of helpful options. It consists of end-to-end encryption for your messages and calls by default. Even your profile is end-to-end encrypted and knowledge assortment is minimized.

In case you’ve tried different privacy-focused providers, you’ll know that there’s normally a trade-off with regards to options. But Signal has an incredible function set, with sure instruments even outpacing WhatsApp. Actually, Signal means that you can schedule messages — a function that WhatsApp doesn’t at the moment supply.

Signal has an incredible function set, with sure instruments even outpacing WhatsApp.

Signal additionally means that you can add contacts utilizing a username, with the choice to not share your quantity mechanically when added. There’s additionally the flexibility to set chat colours and wallpapers, that means you may customise the looks of the app.

Necessities, reminiscent of video and voice calls, are nicely lined, and the app can be utilized on a desktop. Signal even has a Tales function, although I by no means contact it. General, Signal is a feature-rich messaging app, along with its privateness options. Consequently, I vastly prefer the expertise over WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has change into a bloated nightmare

Holding smartphone with WhatsApp logo on the screen Stock photo

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

WhatsApp has added loads of options through the years — but I don’t use lots of them. I miss the WhatsApp of yesteryear, when it was less complicated. Statuses, Communities, and Channels all really feel like they simply add to the bloat and noise when utilizing WhatsApp.

I’ve additionally tried my finest to disregard Meta AI, since I don’t hassle with generative AI on my smartphone, but WhatsApp simply retains making it extra distinguished. Above the brand new chat icon, there’s now a Meta AI button. In the meantime, the search bar you use to filter via your chats is now additionally crammed with really helpful prompts for the chatbot. You possibly can mute Meta AI, but you may’t truly take away it from WhatsApp.

WhatsApp additionally has a spam and rip-off downside. Whereas it’s not as dangerous as you may discover on social media platforms, I nonetheless obtain far too many unsolicited messages from companies and scammers.

I obtain far too many unsolicited messages from companies and scammers.

Lastly, WhatsApp’s plan so as to add adverts to the app has simply soured my expertise additional. Whereas I keep away from the Updates tab as a lot as doable, and can seemingly not see any of those advertisements, it additional highlights Meta’s dedication to monetize its apps as a lot as doable. It additionally incentivizes extra knowledge assortment and sharing. Messages on the platform are end-to-end encrypted, but there’s loads that corporations can decide from metadata.

There’s additionally no assure that Meta gained’t push advertisements to different elements of the app, since being a worthwhile firm has by no means stopped it from pushing much more advertisements on its apps earlier than.

But WhatsApp has one main benefit

WhatsApp stock photo from Dec 2021 1

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

My distaste for WhatsApp is palpable, so why do I use it when I don’t just like the expertise? It boils down to at least one simple consideration — most of my contacts use WhatsApp. Actually, I was stunned when I discovered that WhatsApp shouldn’t be as well-liked within the US as it’s in different international locations.

WhatsApp is house to most of my chats with contacts and all of my teams. It’s how PR corporations usually attain out to me. It’s additionally how I attain sure companies, like when I order a repeat of my cat’s treatment from my vet. It’s really uncommon to seek out somebody who doesn’t use WhatsApp right here.

Whereas Signal additionally has group chats, the shortage of contacts who use it means it’s not a viable possibility for my group teams that embody security info and incident reviews. I don’t even have sufficient contacts who use Signal to create an off-the-cuff group chat, since none of them know one another.

It’s additionally a tough promote to inform somebody to modify over to Signal, since they’ll encounter the identical downside after they transfer over. I’m a tech journalist, so I ought to arguably have extra contacts that use area of interest, security-focused apps. But I have 20 complete contacts on Signal, in distinction to the 200+ I have on WhatsApp.

It is a laborious promote to get somebody to modify over to Signal, since they’re going to encounter an absence of contacts too.

It’s the identical reason that my colleagues can’t depart WhatsApp regardless of the advertisements. However the largest downside with messaging apps is that they require different individuals to use them, by definition. The messaging app we use will depend on what everybody else round us makes use of, so it’s basically chosen for us by others.

But that gained’t cease me from hoping that Signal emerges as a viable different to WhatsApp. The app has nice options with out the bags of Meta-owned merchandise. WhatsApp has been ordered by the European Union to permit interoperability with different encrypted messaging apps and progress is being made in direction of that aim. Hopefully extra international locations will add stress to develop this function to different areas.

In any case, we deserve to have the ability to select which messaging app we use, because it performs such an necessary position in our day by day lives.