Mobile-Friendly 
Desktop Friendly 
Free for UofT students
Whatsapp
About
WhatsApp is one of the most popular cross-platform messaging and calling platforms. Although a web and desktop is available, they primarily function as a companion to the phone app rather than a standalone platform.
The Takeaway: Whatsapp is one of the most ubiquitous messaging services due to its ease of use and availability across platforms and countries. Although the search for older messages and ability to quote when replying it makes it easy to have multiple conversations in one chat, it's ideal for smaller group conversation as the limit for video calls is eight participants.
Pros and Cons
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
|
Host group chats with up to 256 people Share documents up to 100MB easily Automatically import phone contacts End-to-end encryption Control your data usage by manually reducing data usage for calls without greatly impacting call quality Works seamlessly across multiple mobile platforms (iOS, Android, Windows) with desktop Delete sent messages easily Easily change display name, can add pronouns to name |
Calling feature not available in all countries Can’t send video files larger than 16MB and documents larger than 100MB You can’t contact someone unless you have their cell phone number No sign-out option |
WhatsApp is free to use as it uses your phone's Internet connection (4G/3G/2G/EDGE or Wi-Fi, as available) to send and receive messages to your friends and family. You don't have to pay for every message. As long as you haven't exceeded your data limit or you're connected to a free Wi-Fi network, your carrier shouldn't charge you extra for messaging over WhatsApp. WhatsApp Calling works in the same way.
However:
- If your phone is roaming, additional mobile data charges may apply.
- If you send SMS messages to your friends inviting them to use WhatsApp, service charges from your mobile provider may also apply.
Is it free to send messages over WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is not available in Ukraine (Crimea region), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, China, and Syria. To access WhatsApp from an unsupported country, consider using one of the UofT supported VPNs if allowed according to your local law. Please note that WhatsApp is classified as a VOIP service so it may not work if you are trying to access it from country that restricts VOIP platforms