Top 9 (Secure) Telegram Alternatives for iOS

After WhatsApp and Snapchat, Telegram is racing toward the one-billion-user mark. 

As of April 2025, it counts roughly one billion monthly users worldwide and nearly 100 million in India. Yet size alone can’t cover every need. 

Some iPhone owners want a snappy video greeting, tighter Apple integration, or a messenger that never sells data. 

The nine free apps below fill those gaps. Let’s dive in.

Also Read: 9 Best Telegram Alternatives For Android (India)

Quick-Glance Comparison

App	Monthly users/installs	Privacy default	Distinct edge
FaceCall	4.6★ on App Store, 150K+ iOS installs	TLS now; full E2E app	Video Caller ID for first-impression branding
iMessage	Built into ~1.3 B active Apple devices	End-to-end	Deep Apple ecosystem hooks
WhatsApp	≈ 2.9 B MAU	End-to-end	Everyone already has it
Signal	≈ 70 M MAU	End-to-end	No ads, no trackers
Discord	≈ 200 M MAU	Transport-layer TLS	Sub-100 ms voice latency
Viber	≈ 800 M MAU	End-to-end	Cheap landline calling
Threema	12 M paying users	End-to-end	No SIM, one-time fee
Spike	2 M active users	TLS + optional E2E	Email + chat in one inbox
WeChat	1.3 B MAU (global)	TLS	Payments, mini-apps, vast China reach

*MAU = monthly active users. Counts are rounded to the nearest meaningful figure from company disclosures or third-party estimates (Statista, Data.ai, SimilarWeb).

1. FaceCall

FaceCall is designed for coaches, tutors, and consultants who sell on trust. 

Its standout feature, a 20-second Video Caller ID, plays before the other person answers, so every ring feels like a warm intro rather than a cold call. 

The iOS download is under 15 MB, offers Hindi onboarding, and has crossed 150,000 installs with a 4.6-star rating. Up to 100 people can join a group video in crisp 4K; live broadcasts reach 10,000 viewers. 

Chats travel through encrypted TLS pipes, with full end-to-end encryption. Indian users can list paid sessions in the in-app marketplace and get paid directly via UPI.

Features

• Video Caller ID
• 4K broadcasts (10 K viewers)
• 100-seat video rooms
• Screen share & recording
• UPI marketplace
• Hindi UI
• AI auto-translate
• Avatar filters
• Private file vault

Pros

• Personal video greeting wins trust faster
• Two-minute, no-email signup
• Smooth HD calls on average 4 G

Cons

• No Mac desktop client yet (July 2025)
• Contacts must install FaceCall to view greetings

2. iMessage

iMessage sits on every iPhone, iPad, and Mac – about 1.3 billion active Apple devices, so there’s no installation step. 

All texts, voice notes, and FaceTime links are end-to-end encrypted, and backups can be locked with your iCloud key. 

You can edit or unsend any message within 15 minutes, share Live Photo stickers, and start a FaceTime movie-watch party with SharePlay. For users who live inside Apple’s ecosystem, iMessage keeps chats private and effortless.

Features

• Edit/unsend (15 min)
• SharePlay-in-chat
• Live Photo stickers
• Inline replies
• iCloud-locked backups
• Screen effects
• Handwritten notes
• 32-person FaceTime links

Pros

• Zero setup. Just use Apple ID
• Works seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch
• Strong encryption with no ads

Cons

• Android friends fall back to plain SMS
• Group size tops out at 32
  

3. WhatsApp

WhatsApp remains the fastest way to reach friends worldwide, with roughly 2.9 billion monthly users and more than 530 million in India. 

End-to-end encryption covers every chat and call by default, and the May 2025 update lifted group video to 32 seats. 

Communities can now bundle up to 5,000 members, which makes it perfect for schools, RWAs, and online courses. 

Voice messages play in the background while you scroll, and HD photo mode keeps images sharp.

Features

• Always-on E2E
• 32-seat video rooms
• Four-device companion mode
• 2 GB file share
• View-once media
• Payments (India)
• Chat lock

Pros

• Nearly everyone already has it
• Delivers even on weak 3 G
• Businesses can automate support via Cloud API

Cons

• Ads creeping into the Updates tab
• Backups depend on iCloud, not WhatsApp’s servers

4. Signal

Signal is the privacy purist’s choice. 

Run by a non-profit, it shows no ads, keeps no trackers, and stores only the date you joined plus last connection time. Around 70 million people use it monthly. 

January 2025 brought usernames to the app, allowing you to hide your phone number in group chats. 

“Sealed Sender” masks routing info (even from Signal itself), and calls remain encrypted end-to-end. Group video tops out at 40 seats – small but secure.

Features

• E2E by default
• Usernames (no phone in groups)
• Disappearing messages (30seconds–4weeks)
• Sealed Sender
• Local app lock
• Polls
• 40-seat video calls

Pros

• Zero ads or data resale
• Open-source code, audited often
• Minimal metadata retained

Cons

• Video rooms smaller than WhatsApp or Discord
• No public channels or bot platform
  

5. Discord

Originally for gamers, Discord now powers classes, crypto DAOs, and fan clubs. 

Roughly 200 million users log in each month. Voice latency stays under 100 ms, so live events run smoothly. 

Along with that, the stage channels host thousands for town-hall Q&As, and screen-sharing hits 1080p/60 fps. 

Encryption is TLS only, so keep sensitive docs elsewhere.

Features

• Live voice rooms
• Stage Channels
• Screen share
• Go-Live streaming
• Threaded chats
• AutoMod AI

Pros

• Voice rarely stutters, even on shaky Wi-Fi
• Huge free bot ecosystem
• Threads keep long chats tidy

Cons

• No end-to-end encryption
• The interface can overwhelm new users
  

6. Viber

Viber may not be huge in North America, but it owns big chunks of Eastern Europe and sees solid growth in India’s tier-2 cities. 

Company filings put the global count near 800 million monthly users. 

Every chat, call, and file share is end-to-end encrypted, and the “Viber Out” add-on lets you call landlines abroad for about a rupee a minute. 

A Lite toggle cuts video data by 50 percent—handy on prepaid packs.

Features

• End-to-end chat and calls
• 60-seat group video
• Self-destruct timers (10s–1d)
• Community channels (unlimited members)
• Business catalog
• Low-data mode

Pros

• Cheap landline and STD calling
• Local language stickers keep chats fun
• Calls stay clear on 3G

Cons

• Home-screen ad banners feel busy
• The interface looks dated next to FaceCall

7. Threema

Threema is “buy once, forget forever.” 

You pay a one-time ₹350 on the App Store and get Swiss-hosted servers plus end-to-end encryption. 

No SIM, email, or ad tracker ever touches your account. The firm reports about 12 million paying users and supply contracts with German schools and Dutch police. 

Your ID is a random eight-digit code you can share via QR—ideal if you’d rather not flash your phone number to clients.

Features

• No-SIM signup
• Swiss data centers
• Encrypted voice/video
• Built-in polls
• 2 GB file vault

Pros

• No ads or trackers—ever
• One payment, no subscriptions
• Phone number stays private

Cons

• Friends must also pay to join
• Smaller Indian user base than Signal

8. Spike

Spike re-imagines email as chat. 

It pulls Gmail, Outlook, or iCloud into a WhatsApp-style inbox—then layers real-time typing dots, read receipts, and one-tap voice notes on top. 

The company says it now serves about 2 million active users worldwide, mostly freelancers who juggle clients in email and chat at once. Encryption uses TLS by default, with optional PGP for end-to-end. 

On iOS, Spike turns each inbox into a swipeable chat feed, cutting long threads into snack-size bubbles.

Features

• Email + chat in one app
• Real-time typing and reads
• Priority Inbox AI
• Voice memos and group video (8 seats)
• Calendar view
• Optional PGP encryption

Pros

• No need to ask clients to install a new app
• Turns messy email chains into clean chat bubbles
• Built-in notes and tasks reduce app hopping

Cons

• Free tier caps searchable history
• End-to-end requires extra PGP setup

9. WeChat

WeChat is China’s “everything app,” logging about 1.3 billion monthly users worldwide. 

While full features need a mainland number, the global version still offers free chat, voice, and group video (9 seats) plus handy extras: quick pay at stores that accept WeChat Pay, mini-apps for flight booking, and real-time translation. 

Messages ride TLS in transit; end-to-end is not provided, so keep sensitive data elsewhere. Still, for anyone who works with factories, suppliers, or travellers in China, WeChat is non-negotiable.

Features

• TLS chat and calls
• 9-person group video
• WeChat Pay (select regions)
• Mini-apps store
• Real-time chat translate
• File share up to 1 GB

Pros

• Essential for China business contacts
• Built-in payments and mini-apps reduce clutter
• Live translation eases cross-language chats

Cons

• No end-to-end encryption
• Heavy app size (≈ 450 MB after cache)

Also Read: 10 Most Secure Telegram Alternatives

How to Choose the Best Alternative to Telegram for iOS?

Start with your single must-have. 

Need a show-stopping first impression? 

FaceCall wins.

Its Video Caller ID and 4K rooms let coaches, tutors, and sellers break the ice in seconds.

Prefer everything to stay in Apple’s bubble? 

Stick with iMessage. 

But then again, in most scenarios, FaceCall delivers the quickest win with the least compromise.

And what better way to equip yourself with these features than by trying the app?

Download FaceCall now and experience the real power of an original and authentic video caller ID.