RCS Compared to Other Messaging Services

RCS is gaining popularity and can now be used on Android as well as iOS phones, and we have already provided an in-depth explanation of the differences between SMS and RCS. But it is equally important to understand RCS features compared to messaging services such as WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram and Signal—for private users as well as businesses.

RCS vs. WhatsApp

Whatsapp can be seen as the main competitor to RCS, as it is also an important messaging service for businesses. Comparing the two services, the first and most obvious advantage of RCS vs WhatsApp is that RCS is built-in and does not require an additional app download. Several features are offered by both services, e.g., chatbots, delivery receipts, and read receipts. For verification and trust features, RCS always comes with verified tick marks (for Android) and branded content, which are not always available in WhatsApp.

Is RCS or WhatsApp the better choice for businesses? In Germany, there are about 68.5 million smartphone users and about 57 million active RCS users, but only about 43 to 44 million active WhatsApp business users—which means that RCS covers about 83% of all smartphone users and compared to WhatsApp, its reach is 30% higher in the German market. Additionally, functionalities like vertical content, push services (A2P), and chatbots without human handover capabilities are available for RCS, but not for WhatsApp.

RCS vs. Signal

Signal is often called the most secure messaging app available. It is based on open-source software, and a nonprofit organization developed it and owns it. Like RCS, it offers end-to-end encryption. Additionally, the company that owns it does not have access to metadata about conversations. For private users, Signal can be an alternative to WhatsApp, as it allows users to send images and videos as well, and offers group chats. Signal cannot be used for promotional and other purposes, therefore it is not a viable option for businesses.

RCS vs. Telegram

Telegram is another popular messaging service with end-to-end encryption, but in contrast to Signal, messages are stored on servers. Telegram Business offers business services as well, mainly via channels (which can be used for broadcasting messages to a larger audience) and chat bots. But in comparison to RCS, it doesn’t yet offer as many attractive features for companies.

RCS vs. Viber

Viber is particularly important in certain markets, especially in Eastern and Southern Europe as well as parts of Asia. There are currently about 1.8 billion Viber users. It is available for business as well as for personal use, offering promotional content and conversational campaigns with features such as images, stickers, videos and buttons. It also supports chatbots for customer service, payments, and automated business interactions. Its notifications appear as push alerts, which make them especially visible to users—a feature that is also implemented in RCS. While Viber offers similar features to RCS and has a bigger overall global user base (RCS had more than 1 billion users worldwide in 2024 according to estimates by Juniper Research and Google), it is not as widely used as RCS by far in Western and Central European and North American markets.

Conclusion: RCS Compared to Other Messaging Apps

While private users might consider WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, or Viber as alternatives to RCS, companies are only able to use the full potential of mobile messaging services for various informational and promotional purposes with RCS. For a more detailed discussion of the advantages of RCS for companies, we provide a separate article: “RCS for companies: What are the advantages?”