In this detailed WhatsApp vs Viber guide, we take a look at the most used instant messaging app with over two billion users, WhatsApp and we take a look at one of its major rivals Viber. In this WhatsApp vs Viber comparison guide, we also take a look at the service’s security and data privacy measures and encryption technologies employed among other features. Once you are done, you can decide which instant messaging app fits your preferences more and which is one is safer to use, so let’s start.
Thanks to instant messaging apps we have at our disposal today, we get to communicate with friends and family who are scattered all over the globe at any time and any place. While Viber and WhatsApp are extremely popular, there are many other great services with quite similar features such as Telegram and Signal. If you are interested in learning more about these, make sure you check out other comparison articles here.
For the purpose of this WhatsApp vs Viber guide, we take a look at these only and they surely have many things in common. Both Viber and WhatsApp allow users to make video and voice calls, send text messages, share files, share images and videos, transfer documents, and communicate in group chats. Both Viber and WhatsApp are available for desktop, Android, and iOS devices and both use end-to-end encryption to add an extra protection layer. There are also some differences between the two and these are explored further.
WhatsApp and Its Features
With over two billion active users, WhatsApp is the most used instant messaging app and there is no wonder why considering it offers a plethora of great features. The app was launched by WhatsApp LLC and developed by Jan Koum and Brian Acton back in 2009. The client application was acquired by Facebook Inc. in 2014 and this has boosted its popularity among youngsters for sure. In addition to being the major instant messaging app used in North America, WhatsApp has its local fans across the globe including many parts of Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
With such a great user base, WhatsApp vs Viber as well as WhatsApp vs other instant messaging options is taking over the throne. Every single day, tens of millions of instant messages are sent using the app. While the numbers of staggering, Viber with over one billion users is the biggest WhatsApp rival even though many people in the United Kingdom and the United States have never used or even heard of Viber. While WhatsApp wins the popularity contest, Viber offers a greater collection of awesome features. However, let’s first examine what WhatsApp offers.
The app is a cross-platform, freeware, voice-over-IP centralized messaging service you can use to send text messages, make voice and video calls, share images and files, share your location, and share documents. To use the service, a user needs to provide his or her cellular phone number. The app is free for download on the Google Play Store and App Store and the service works over Wi-Fi, 4G, and 3G.
It is also important to note that WhatsApp uses a cryptography algorithm developed by Open Whisper Systems to protect your privacy. To add an extra layer of protection when communicating using WhatsApp, you can turn to the WhatsApp disappearing messages option which allows you to send fully end-to-end encrypted, self destruct messages. With WhatsApp, chat backups are possible with iCloud and Google Drive.
- Encrypted messaging
- Delivery and reading confirmations
- File sharing options
- Voice and video calling options
- Location and contact sharing
- Disappearing messages
Viber and Its Features
As mentioned in the previous section of our WhatsApp vs Viber guide, Viber with over one billion users is the biggest WhatsApp rival and it offers a great selection of features. Launched by Rakuten Viber that is part of Rakuten Inc. in 2010, Viber is also a voice-over-IP, cross-platform instant messaging app that you can get for free on the Google Play Store and App Store. The Viber app can also be downloaded to Linux and Windows desktop devices.
Just like with WhatsApp, to get started with Viber, you need to register using your cellular phone number while using the service on your desktop device does not require mobile connectivity. Viber is primarily used for sending text messages but it allows users to share files, documents, images, videos, and video records. With Viber, you can also make voice and video calls, share your location and contacts, as well as send stickers and GIFs.
Unlike WhatsApp, Viber offers a paid mobile calling and international landline service Viber Out that you can use to communicate with anyone whose phone number you have when you are not connected to the internet. Group chats and calls are also possible while chats are one hundred percent synced between different devices that you use. Viber Communities is another great feature thanks to which you can communicate with people across the globe about various topics.
All of these major Viber features we mentioned above are secured with the best end-to-end encryption including your one-on-one chats, text messages, group messages, as well as shared media, and basically everything else. The company responsible for the app cannot go through or read your personal messages nor access your personal files shared. With Viber, you can send disappearing or self destruct messages as well as use its Hidden Chat option to hide some or all of your chats.
- All Viber features end-to-end encrypted
- Great Viber Communities options
- Hidden and Secret Chat options
- External calls with Viber Out
- Viber Games
- Smart notifications
WhatsApp Vs Viber – Which One is Better?
When it comes to WhatsApp vs Viber battle, Viber most certainly provides greater data privacy and security to its users considering all of its features are end-to-end encrypted. Viber also has a greater selection of features and many of these are not offered by WhatsApp such as Hidden Chat and Secret Chat options. Thanks to Viber Communities options, you can communicate with people about various topics while Viber Games provide so much fun as well.
With Viber, you can also make mobile and landline calls when you are not connected to the internet and this is not possible with WhatsApp. WhatsApp also has its benefits as well such as group chat options and disappearing messages options. WhatsApp is also end-to-end encrypted but Viber features some extra privacy options including its Trust List feature and WhatsApp does not offer anything similar.
The bottom line, this WhatsApp vs Viber battle has to see Viber coming out as the winner based on its capabilities and features. Viber has more great options and it employs more data and privacy security options. At the same time, WhatsApp has a bigger user base and it most certainly leads in many countries. If you are looking for a more universal, more multi-functional instant messaging app, Viber is an excellent choice. If you are looking for an instant messaging app that has a great user base and that is easier to use or more user-friendly, then go with WhatsApp.