Given the human need to socialize, keeping in touch with family and friends is essential. Instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and many more have changed the very essence of communication, and their ready availability makes them an indispensable option.

Given the innovations in digital communication, the Linux community is blessed with instant messengers, each premium and open-source OS winning users.

Here are some of the best instant messaging apps to use on your Linux desktop.

1. Hint

Signal is an open-source, cross-platform application with top-notch end-to-end encryption features. The messenger provides users with multilingual support, standard VoIP features, call and contact registry, along with many other features.

You can set a timer to automatically delete old messages. In addition, you can also create groups for chatting and file sharing. Rest assured, Signal has a fun list of stickers alongside the standard emoji to spice up your chats.

2. Telegram

Telegram is a straightforward, instant messaging application for face-to-face and group communication on Linux and other desktop/mobile platforms. It is a top rated app that provides good performing VoIP services along with its text chat functions.

It has a minimal but intuitive UI/UX. You can use Telegram for encrypted messaging and use its fun sticker packs to liven up your communications. Telegram helps users with business communication on the go.

One of its most reliable features is auto-deletion for inactive accounts which ensures that your old untraceable chats do not fall into the wrong hands.

3. Franz

Franz is an open-source messaging app that you can use on your Linux desktop. It provides highly secure messaging service with rich features.

Franz is not a standalone messaging app though. Instead, it brings together premium services such as Slack, Messenger, Telegram, Skype, Zendesk etc. and provides a common platform for users to communicate.

Franz allows you to use it for personal and business communication. Using automation, you can schedule and streamline your chats. With Franz, you can even set up multiple accounts and separate them into different workspaces for different business agendas, team members, and more.

4. Skype

Skype is probably one of the oldest known apps on this list, which remains a supported instant messenger for Linux. It provides global VoIP support for your contacts. You can also use your internet/data services through its natively offered low-rate mobile/landline calls.

With its P2P communication features, Skype helps you make conference calls and make secure, encrypted calls for personal and business purposes. Skype has always been the standard bearer for quality VoIP calling with minimal data usage.

5. Jami

Formerly known as GNU Ring/SFLPhone, Jami is a peer-to-peer softphone and SIP-based IM application. The application has rapidly evolved through a combination of developer and community-maintained efforts to become an open-source alternative to Skype.

Jami allows you to communicate seamlessly with your contacts across a variety of desktop and mobile platforms. It features end-to-end encryption and authentication for your communications with its distributed hash tables.

Jami has great VoIP functionality with screen-sharing, conferencing, and privacy-focused features. It also provides multi-account support for multiple workspaces.

6. discord

Discord runs on Linux, Windows, and smartphones alike. It lives on to enhance your cross-platform gaming and non-gaming-related communication on Linux.

Its social media-like, channel-based group messaging system allows you to interact with users based on interest groups who are not in your contact list.

The most important advantage of Discord is its integration capabilities; You can connect it with multiple applications to enrich its instant messaging services.

You can also run Discord as a browser-based client. Discord is the perfect messaging platform for connecting with your contacts on Windows, macOS, Linux, and smartphones.