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Messaging has become the de facto standard of communication for many people, primarily because it provides instant gratification, but also because it opens up a new world of discussion between users with similar interests.
Let me explain.
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When most people think of messaging, they think of text messages, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger. But did you know there are other services that allow you to create rooms, public chats, and other types of discussions that other people can join? Or you can go to a service like Matrix to find a room that interests you and join it.
You can also chat one-on-one with friends, colleagues, or loved ones. You might think that to do this, you need to use a service like Facebook Messenger, Slack, Twitter, Android Messages, or iMessage.
There used to be consolidation apps that let you consolidate all your messaging accounts into one easy-to-use interface, but over time, these apps couldn’t keep up and fell into obscurity and little use.
Luckily, there are other options out there, and we’d like to introduce them to you.
Let’s chat.
1. Session
If you’re serious about privacy and security, check out Session. We’ve already mentioned the Session messaging service, but it’s worth mentioning again here because of its focus on privacy. Session minimizes sensitive metadata to provide privacy to users and protect against all forms of surveillance.
And this new fully encrypted messenger app takes privacy seriously.
Instead of a regular user ID, Session creates a randomly generated string that you can copy and send to other users so they can chat with you, and end-to-end encryption means only you and the person you’re messaging can read your chats. Of all the messaging apps I’ve used, this is the most private and secure.
Session is available for free as a Linux AppImage.
2. Ram Box
Rambox is one of the few apps that lets you consolidate all your chat accounts into one entry point. Rambox supports a multitude of services, including Android Messages, Discord, Facebook, Google Chat, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Notion, Outlook, Telegram, TikTok, Trello, TweetDeck, and WhatsApp.
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You can add as many services as you like and sign in to those accounts to use them through the Rambox desktop app or web interface. Rambox has a free option that allows unlimited app usage, up to two instances per app, and more. There is also a Pro plan for $5.85/month and an Enterprise plan for $14/month. For more details on the plans, see the price/feature matrix.
Rambox can be installed using a Snap.
3. Elements
Element is a desktop app for the Matrix service. In Matrix, you can create public rooms and invite users to your new rooms, or you can join one of the many public rooms from your Matrix server. There are rooms dedicated to different topics, but if you can’t find a topic that suits your needs, just create a room and invite users to it.
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Matrix has other desktop apps, but Element is by far the best. The only catch to creating a public room in Element is getting people to join. You can send invites by email, but finding an address to share in other ways can be a bit difficult. Even with that caveat, Element/Matrix is a great combination for messaging and chatting with people all over the world.
Element can be installed via your Linux distribution’s standard repositories, Snap, or Flatpak.
4. RocketChat
Rocket.chat is one of my favorite chat apps, but due to its proprietary features it is a bit limited in functionality. What’s really great about Rocket.chat is that you can deploy a server on your LAN to create a localized chat service that can only be accessed by users within your network, meaning you can create a secure space for family, friends and colleagues.
Rocket.chat also includes all the collaboration features you’re accustomed to from the likes of Slack, so you can not only chat but also share files, create rooms, share DMs, etc. If you’re interested in how to deploy a Rocket.chat server, check out this how-to – it’s a lot easier than you think and you’ll finally enjoy a private chat/collaboration service.
The Rocket.chat desktop app can be installed for free via standard Linux repositories, Snap, or Flatpak.
5. Discord
Discord offers messaging, voice, and video, and is similar to Element, but uses a completely different service. Very similar to Rocket.chat, Discord is a very popular service, especially with gamers. Discord also offers an easy way to join discoverable communities that you can search by keyword or name.
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Once you join a group, you can use the messaging feature to communicate with like-minded people. Discord also allows you to sign into multiple communities or create your own. Each community has its own rules, so make sure you follow them or you might get kicked out.
Discord is free to install and use as a DEB or tar file from the Discord download page.
