Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WhatsApp VS Tox

Compare WhatsApp VS Tox and see what are their differences

WhatsApp logo WhatsApp

WhatsApp Messenger: More than 1 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends and family, anytime and anywhere.

Tox logo Tox

Send messages, files, create groups and make Tox to Tox audio and video calls. Securely.
  • WhatsApp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • Tox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

WhatsApp

$ Details
free
Platforms
Mobile Desktop
Release Date
2009 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Brian Acton
Employees
1,000 - 1,999

WhatsApp features and specs

  • End-to-End Encryption
    WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls, ensuring that only you and the person you're communicating with can read or listen to them.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    WhatsApp is available on various platforms including iOS, Android, and Windows, allowing users to stay connected regardless of the device they are using.
  • Cost-Effective
    The app is free to download and use, with no subscription fees, making it a cost-effective solution for messaging and calls.
  • Wide Adoption
    With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp has a large user base, making it likely that your contacts are already using the app.
  • Multimedia Sharing
    Users can easily share photos, videos, documents, and location, enhancing the communication experience.
  • Voice and Video Calls
    WhatsApp supports high-quality voice and video calls, allowing users to communicate in various modes.
  • Group Chats
    The app supports group chats, enabling users to communicate with multiple people at once.

Possible disadvantages of WhatsApp

  • Privacy Concerns
    While WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, its ownership by Facebook has raised concerns over data privacy and usage.
  • Data Usage
    High data consumption during voice and video calls can be a concern, especially for users without an unlimited data plan.
  • Storage Space
    Multimedia and chat backups can consume significant storage space on devices, leading to potential issues with device performance.
  • Spam and Scams
    Users sometimes receive spam messages or become targets of scams, which can be a nuisance and a security risk.
  • Limited File Size
    The app has limitations on the size of files that can be shared, which might not be convenient for all users.
  • Dependency on Phone Number
    Users are required to have a phone number to register, which can be a barrier for some individuals.
  • Availability in Certain Countries
    WhatsApp is banned or restricted in some countries, limiting its accessibility for users in those regions.

Tox features and specs

  • Privacy-Focused
    Tox uses end-to-end encryption to ensure that all communications are private and secure from eavesdropping.
  • Decentralized
    By not relying on a central server, Tox avoids single points of failure and the risk of data breaches associated with centralized services.
  • Open Source
    Tox is fully open source, which allows anyone to audit the code for security vulnerabilities or to contribute improvements.
  • Cross-Platform
    Tox supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
  • Multi-functional
    In addition to text messaging, Tox supports voice and video calls, as well as file sharing, making it a versatile communication tool.

Possible disadvantages of Tox

  • Resource Intensive
    Running a decentralized network can be more resource-intensive compared to using a lightweight centralized service.
  • Network Reliability
    Decentralized networks may face issues with reliability and speed, particularly if there are not enough nodes available.
  • User Interface
    The user interface of some Tox clients can be less polished compared to mainstream messaging apps, affecting user experience.
  • Learning Curve
    The decentralized nature and specialized features of Tox may require a learning curve for users unfamiliar with such systems.
  • Dependencies
    Setting up and maintaining a Tox node may require additional software dependencies and technical knowledge.

Analysis of Tox

Overall verdict

  • Tox is generally considered a good option for users who value privacy and security in their communications. It effectively protects user data, but it may lack some user-friendly features found in more mainstream messaging apps. Additionally, its decentralized nature could lead to slower performance compared to centralized services.

Why this product is good

  • Tox (tox.chat) is a peer-to-peer instant messaging platform that prioritizes privacy and security. It uses end-to-end encryption to protect user communications, ensuring messages, calls, and file transfers remain private. Since it's decentralized, there is no central server that can be compromised, providing resilience against server attacks and censorship. Its open-source nature allows for community scrutiny and contributions, improving reliability and trustworthiness.

Recommended for

    Privacy-conscious individuals, security experts, activists operating in sensitive environments, and users looking for an open-source, decentralized messaging solution.

WhatsApp videos

How to Use Whatsapp - 2020 Beginner's Guide

More videos:

  • Tutorial - WhatsApp Web - Full Review & Tutorial
  • Review - Whatsapp Web | Everything You Need To Know!
  • Review - What is WhatsApp? A Review
  • Review - What is WhatsApp & How Does it Work? | WhatsApp Guide Part 1

Tox videos

CRYPT SKIP TOX MESSENGER REVIEW PART 1

More videos:

  • Review - ULTIMATE BODY TOX REVIEW
  • Review - CRYPT SKIP TOX MESSENGER REVIEW PART 3

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WhatsApp and Tox)
Communication
72 72%
28% 28
Messaging
80 80%
20% 20
Group Chat & Notifications
Instant Messaging
60 60%
40% 40

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare WhatsApp and Tox

WhatsApp Reviews

  1. Dhruv choudhary
    BEST APP FOR PRIVATE CHATTING

    I AM USING WHATSAPP SINCE 2015 AND STILL CURRENTLY USING IT HELPS ME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIEND AND RELATIVES AND NOW IT ALSO HELPS ME TO DO PAYMENT VIA WHATSAPP.

    🏁 Competitors: Skype
    👍 Pros:    Free to use|Easy to use
    👎 Cons:    Nothing, so far

20 Telegram Alternatives to Chat With in 2024
WhatsApp’s other claim to fame is its security features, with end-to-end encryption. These security features, although not perfect, are still considered much better than Telegram’s. WhatsApp does a good job replicating Telegram’s chat features, but isn’t the best replacement for building groups of people who don’t know each other or for live streaming.
10 Best Secure Messaging Apps to Keep Your Conversation Private
WhatsApp is another highly popular messaging app that has brought end-to-end encryption to the masses. And the best part is that the encryption is enabled by default and extends to all forms of communication on WhatsApp, be it messages, audio or video calls, and WhatsApp Web. It uses the encryption protocol developed by Open Whisper Systems — the company behind Signal...
Source: beebom.com
10 Best Telegram Alternatives in 2024
Whatsapp is a very famous app similar to Telegram and it is widely used for communication across the world, some of the widely used features also includes group messaging, private or group calls, all can be done through end-end encryption. Apart from these features people also put a status of about 24 hours.
Top 10 Apps like Telegram for Android and IOs [2023]
WhatsApp's recently announced 'community' feature successfully engaged existing users and onboarded numerous communities. WhatsApp has a distinct platform wherein business users can easily interact. It supports up to 2 billion people using it worldwide, allowing you to engage audiences, accelerate sales, and improve customer service outcomes. Furthermore, it enabled...
The best WhatsApp alternatives for 2023
However recent developments have started hammering home WhatsApp's relationship to parent company Facebook. The same Facebook that's almost constantly in the news for some major controversy or another. The controversy over the WhatsApp privacy policy, which many understood to mean WhatsApp would start sharing more information with Facebook — with rumors that the contents of...

Tox Reviews

Top 10 Apps like Telegram for Android and IOs [2023]
Contrary to other Telegram alternatives, the Tox network is developed by its users rather than central servers that may be raided, shut down, or required to turn up data. Tox uses open-source libraries to encrypt anything you do with it. Your chat partners are the only ones who can see what you're saying.
5 best secure private messengers
Users are identified with a Tox ID, but one consequence of being a P2P platform is that Tox contacts can see other contacts IP addresses. The official documentation suggests a workaround for this being to route your Tox connections through Tor, although we can’t see why routing it through a VPN wouldn’t also work (with the proviso that a using a VPN does not provide the...
Source: proprivacy.com
Top 10 Team Chat Software for a Self-Hosted environment specifically designed for Large Enterprises
Another instant messaging application for large corporations and governments. TOX is a free, easy-to-use messaging tool that comes without advertising. It's a people made a tool, that is highly encrypted and distributed. The other features of Tox include; voice, video, screen sharing, file sharing and groups
The 7 Best Texting Apps
There are a variety of clients you can use, depending on your hardware. On iOS, there's an app called Antidote for Tox, which provides basic access to the service. On Android, an app called Antox does the same. For desktop platforms, you've got a choice of qTox and uTox. You can check out the official wiki to learn more about the different types of clients.
Source: zapier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Tox might be a bit more popular than WhatsApp. We know about 29 links to it since March 2021 and only 24 links to WhatsApp. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WhatsApp mentions (24)

  • User-facing/client-side tools for internet troubleshooting
    Hi everyone. The other day a client of mine's employees started having issues with the "internet not working". After some detective work with traceroute and interviewing them about what sites they were having issues with, I determined that the actual issue was with the web.whatsapp.com service having downtime. I'm mentioning all this because I'm now thinking of making them a small video/article on our intranet... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is WhatsApp Web down in Oman?
    I believe web.whatsapp.com is being blocked by local telecom companies in order to protect their duopoly and keep Oman in tech--stone-age. If fewer people know how else the rest of the world uses the internet, then they don't have to make an effort to improve their offerings. Omantel is definitely blocking this web.whatsapp.com. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Open Letter to WhatsApp: Need for a Linux Desktop App
    What's wrong with https://web.whatsapp.com/ ? Source: over 1 year ago
  • Best app, like, ever?
    Whatsapp (Free) - chat. Although some people prefer iMessage and other ones. Source: over 1 year ago
  • WhatsApp Mac Client - can I have it installed two times?
    Use browser for one account https://web.whatsapp.com/ and app for the other. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Tox mentions (29)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WhatsApp and Tox, you can also consider the following products

Telegram - Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s superfast, simple and free.

Signal - Fast, simple & secure messaging. Privacy that fits in your pocket.

Skype - Stay in touch with your family and friends for free on Skype. Download Skype today to chat and call on desktop and mobile.

Element.io - Secure messaging app with strong end-to-end encryption, advanced group chat privacy settings, secure video calls for teams, encrypted communication using Matrix open network. Riot.im is now Element.

Facebook Messenger - Facebook Messenger is a faster way to message.

Slack - A messaging app for teams who see through the Earth!