Social Networking Apps for Android: Chat, Calls and Friend Apps

What the social networking tag holds

Social networking apps connect you with other people through profiles, messages and calls. The tag here is applied by label, so it gathers tools with a similar purpose but different style: video chat, lightweight messaging, and apps built for a specific country or community. Some are big-name style communication apps, others are smaller regional tools, and a few combine several functions in one package. When you look for social networking apps for android, treat the page as a menu of tools, then choose by what you want to do.

If you need something narrower, try messenger for chat, video calling for face-to-face talk, community for group-based apps, or communication for general tools. The broader apps section has more.

Apps in this tag

• 2nr Drugi Numer: a communication app built around a second number on your phone.
• Chamet Live Video Chat and Meet: a live video chat app for meeting new people.
• TEU 2.0 (Todo en Uno): an all-in-one style app, as its name suggests.
• imo Lite: a light app for video calls and chat.

How to choose a social networking app

Start with the purpose. If you need to reach friends and family, choose the app they already use, since a network is only useful with people on it. For video chat, look at how stable calls are on a weak connection and how much data they use; lite apps are designed for that. For second numbers or all-in-one tools, read what the app actually offers, because a short description can hide that some features are paid or limited to certain countries. Check the language of the interface too, since several tools in this list are aimed at a specific market.

Check before you install

Read the minimum Android version and the file size on every card. These apps need an internet connection and often a phone number to register, so think carefully about what you are giving them. Avoid a modified build for anything tied to an account you value, because servers can block logins from unofficial files. Check permissions at install time and refuse any that make no sense for the app, such as contacts for a tool that does not need them. Do not share verification codes with anyone. If you want more installation help, our guides page covers it; for anything involving money or identity, use the version from the store in your region.