Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages: Which Android Messaging App Is Best?

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A Samsung phone comes with two apps that can send text messages: Samsung Messages and Google Messages. It's strange to see two very similarly named apps that do essentially the same thing. Does it matter which one you use? Here's what you need to know to make the decision for yourself.

​Google Messages Has Replaced Samsung Messages

For many years, Samsung Messages was Samsung's go-to texting app. Now, even though Samsung Messages is still around, the company's phones default to Google Messages instead. Why?

In the US, virtually all Android phones now come with Google Messages by default. Google has encouraged OEMs to adopt the app, and the three major carriers began preloading Google Messages on all Android phones in 2021 as a way to implement RCS support.

There are also ways in which Google Messages is simply the better app, and now Samsung does not have to compete. Even if you attempt to use the preinstalled Samsung Messages app in the US, the app may still nudge you to use Google Messages instead.

Of course, you're free to ignore this recommendation and continue to use Samsung Messages, but is there a good reason to?

​Reasons You May Still Prefer Samsung Messages

Samsung Messages has had a long run. It's mature software, and, for millions of people, it's familiar. It's also still a pretty solid app.

One thing Samsung Messages has going for it is its simplicity. If you've ever used a texting app on a smartphone before, then you know how it works. SMS and MMS have been around longer than many of us have been alive.

There's also something appealing about an app that doesn't suggest you create an account and make your chats available online. Samsung Messages just does what it's supposed to do. Nothing more.

Consistency With Other Samsung Apps

Samsung's One UI has its own vibe. It's not nearly as distinct from what you see on a Pixel as Samsung's TouchWiz used to be, but there remains a noticeable stylistic difference.

If you want your