Texting charges suck. Google Chat lets users bypass them. (It uses your mobile data connection, not your text allotment.) These other Android apps do that and more, with features like group chat and video sharing.
The ability to sort your contacts into groups and text them in batches makes GroupMe — which Skype purchased in 2011 — like Google+ Circles for smartphones. The easy-to-navigate app is perfect for coordinating multiperson meetups, but it can also do one-on-one chats.
Rating: 8 out of 10____FREE | Group Me
Facebook profiles are nearly as ubiquitous as phone numbers, so texting from within your friend list is almost as effective as texting from within your address book. Almost. Your profile-holdout friends are as good as phoneless to you here.
WIRED: Familiar UI. Integrates past chats and texts into one history for each contact.
TIRED: Nixing notifications to avoid the constant mass-message invites (you’ll be tempted) renders the app useless as an SMS alternative.
Rating: 6 out of 10____FREE | Facebook Messenger
Like Google Voice, this app assigns you a phone number you can use to send free messages to other users. It integrates all of your stored contacts nicely, but constantly having to give out a second number gets old fast.
WIRED Diverts automatically to Facebook chat to contact friends who don’t use the app.
TIRED Only the iOS version has free inbound calls. No voicemail. Incomplete conversation threading between phone and web interfaces.
Rating: 6 out of 10____FREE | Pinger Textfree
