With over 2 billion active users, WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps worldwide.
In this article, we will explore why people use WhatsApp instead of texting with the ordinary messaging (SMS) app on their phones.
In short; people choose WhatsApp over texting because it offers more features and flexibility compared to traditional texting; allowing users to send messages, make voice and video calls, share multimedia files, and even create group chats.
I will be highlighting the several benefits that WhatsApp offers over conventional messaging methods.
WhatsApp is a free simple, fast, secure instant messaging app/platform that has a wide user base of more than 2 billion users in over 180 countries.
People all over the world use WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends and family, anytime and anywhere.
It enables seamless communication between individuals, regardless of their geographical location, fostering connections and facilitating the exchange of information in an efficient and user-friendly manner.
Unlike the SMS/text messaging system, WhatsApp does not depend on a cellular network to operate, all you need to a connection to the internet and you can text right away!
WhatsApp was started by Jan Koum and Brian Acton in 2009 as an alternative to SMS.
Now it supports sending and receiving a variety of media: text, photos, videos, documents, and location.
TEXTING (SMS)
Texting, or Short Message Service (SMS), is a concise form of written communication primarily exchanged between mobile devices.
It allows for quick and instant communication with a character limit, usually around 160 characters.
While traditional texting may incur charges, it provides global accessibility and is a standard feature on most mobile phones.
Although widely used, traditional texting lacks some features found in modern messaging apps.
Users have therefore increasingly adopted alternative platforms or chat apps offering additional capabilities, such as group chats and multimedia sharing.
Why Use WhatsApp instead of Texting (SMS)?
Below I share several reasons why would you use WhatsApp instead of texting:
- WhatsApp is easy to access; completely free to download and to seamlessly send/receive messages, and voice calls or video chat with your family and friends, both locally and internationally.
Furthermore, WhatsApp is a popular messaging app worldwide and can be used to communicate with people across the globe.
This is particularly useful for people who have relatives or friends living abroad.
To top it off, you can do all the above without needing a sim card since it uses your phone’s Internet connection to send messages, therefore you can avoid SMS fees.
- With WhatsApp, you can easily create groups; send messages, and share files in a WhatsApp group of up to 256 participants.
All these participants can also chat at the same time, something nonexistent in SMS.
Additionally, users can also Broadcast a single message to multiple people at once.
- Text messages have a limit on the number of characters/words you can include in your message, the more you exceed the limit on each text box, the higher you will be charged.
With WhatsApp however, you can easily send a long note without any limit and without incurring any extra fees.
- WhatsApp users can easily make audio and video calls without having to install a separate app (Skype for example) for this purpose, and you can do this even if you’re on a limited data plan.
- WhatsApp enables users to share multiple pictures, files, video and audio files with their contacts, all of which you can’t do with SMS.
Additionally, you can share your files quickly even if have a slow internet connection.
- With WhatsApp, you can check the status of your sent messages with read receipts.
You can see if the person you sent a message to has received and opened the message.
This depends on whether you have enabled the read receipts on your account or not. - Whatsapp enables users to share their location/address using GPS or Google Maps.
The recipient can just click on the message, open Maps, and then follow the map to reach the destination sent.
- You can update your bio and your profile picture so that your contacts can know who they’re talking to. It helps people who have just added your contact as well.
- WhatsApp allows document sharing, users can send PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, slideshows and more, without hassling with email or file-sharing apps.
You can send documents of up to 100 MB, which is not so with SMS.
- WhatsApp has a lot of options and features compared to the default SMS app.
Features like emojis, gifs, stickers and other gestures that aren’t included in text messaging.
- WhatsApp messages are stored in a structured format which makes the content easily searchable.
Say you’re trying to find something specific in your chat history, there’s a search box option that enables you to find what you want very smoothly.
- WhatsApp has a unique feature; WhatsApp Web which enables cross-compatibility, meaning you to use WhatsApp on tablets or desktops.
With Whatsapp Web, you can seamlessly sync all of your chats to your computer so that you can chat on whatever device is most convenient for you.
- WhatsApp offers great business options with Whatsapp Business.
You can use your WhatsApp Business profile to create a catalogue to display your products, market/promote your business as well as provide quick support to your clients and deliver important notifications to them.
- WhatsApp is considerably safer and more secure than SMS because of its built-in end-to-end encryption.
This means your messages and calls are secured so that only you and the person you’re communicating with can read or listen to them, nobody in between can, not even WhatsApp.
More reasons why would someone use WhatsApp instead of texting (SMS)
- With WhatsApp, you can easily know when your contacts were last active.
- Unlike normal text messaging, WhatsApp texts can be sent and unsent according to your convenience, of course within a specified period.
- You can also use the Whatsapp payment feature to send or receive money.
- WhatsApp is perfect for a quick hello or a longer story through voice messaging; all with just a tap of a button.
- WhatsApp also offers additional security and privacy control features like two-step verification, Touch ID, Face ID, or Android fingerprint lock, block and report spam options, disappearing messages, etc.
- With the WhatsApp backup and recovery feature, users can save their chats and media and export them or send them to themselves via email, or even retrieve this data in case of a loss or change of device.
You can also set up regular backups for your chats. - WhatsApp enables you to customize your messages, for example, you can use bold, italics, and
strikethroughin your texts.
WhatsApp vs Texting
When comparing WhatsApp and texting, it is evident that both modes of communication have distinct features and advantages.
WhatsApp allows users to send text messages, voice recordings, images, files and videos.
On the other hand, traditional texting primarily involves sending short text messages through cellular networks.
While texting may be convenient for users without smartphones or stable internet connections, WhatsApp offers a more versatile and feature-rich experience.
With its convenient user interface and various functionalities, WhatsApp has gained immense popularity, especially among smartphone users, making it the preferred choice over traditional texting or other forms of communication.
FAQ
Why the cost of using WhatsApp is significantly less than texting?
The cost of using WhatsApp is significantly less than traditional texting because WhatsApp uses the internet to transmit messages, while traditional texting uses a cellular network.
When you send a text message through your cellular network, you are essentially using a small amount of data to send that message.
This data is typically charged by your cellular network provider, either on a per-message basis or through a data plan.
In contrast, WhatsApp uses the internet to transmit messages, which means that as long as you have a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection, you can send messages without incurring any additional charges.
This makes WhatsApp a much more cost-effective option for people who want to send messages, particularly if they frequently communicate with people in other countries or send multimedia messages like photos or videos.
Furthermore, WhatsApp also offers end-to-end encryption, which means that messages are secured and protected from hackers or unauthorized access.
Can you text someone who doesn’t use WhatsApp?
No, you cannot text someone who doesn’t use WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is a messaging platform that requires both the sender and the recipient to have the app installed on their devices to communicate with each other.
What is the major difference between a text message and a WhatsApp message?
The major difference between a text message and a WhatsApp message is the way they are delivered and the features they offer.
Text messages are delivered through the cellular network of your mobile carrier.
They are sent and received using the phone number associated with your mobile device.
WhatsApp messages, on the other hand, are delivered through the internet using a data connection, either Wi-Fi or cellular data.
In conclusion
WhatsApp’s appeal lies in its convenience, reliability, and security, offering users a range of benefits that traditional texting cannot match.
As more people continue to discover the advantages of using WhatsApp, it is clear that this messaging app is here to stay, and its popularity is only set to increase in the years to come.
But before we wrap up this article, let’s look at some of the downsides of WhatsApp because just like any other app, it’s not perfect. For example;
- WhatsApp is prone to hackers, spammers, and fraudsters who misuse the app for their mischief.
- You can’t have multiple WhatsApp accounts on one device and phone number.
- Sometimes, WhatsApp backups might fail to transfer all chats to a new device, leading to information loss.
So, WhatsApp, while without its downsides, seems to be a much-preferred messaging platform to text messaging by most people, due to the multiple features and functionalities it offers.
