--- title: "The European WhatsApp alternative for groups (2026) | mssgs" description: "Looking for a WhatsApp alternative for your group? mssgs has channels, voice channels and games, needs no phone number, shows no ads and keeps your data in the EU." canonical: https://mss.gs/en/whatsapp-alternative language: en --- # The European alternative to WhatsApp For groups that outgrew a group chat: channels per topic, voice channels and games. No phone number needed, no ads, and your data in the EU. ## mssgs as a WhatsApp alternative mssgs is a European alternative to WhatsApp for groups: friend groups, clubs, sports teams, classes and gaming groups. Instead of one long group chat, your group gets its own community with separate channels, drop-in voice channels, events and nine built-in games. You sign up with an email address, so nobody in the group sees your phone number. There are no ads and no built-in AI assistant, the data is stored in the EU, and one-to-one chats are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp is still better for quick private messages with people who are only on WhatsApp. Made by RUAL, the Netherlands (since 2009) Sign up with An email address, no phone number Data stored In the EU, with a Dutch hosting provider Ads None Price Free, optional Premium Apps iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, web Comparison checked on 27 September 2026. ## WhatsApp and mssgs, side by side Two different ideas of a group. Green marks the side that is ahead on that row, and we say so when that is WhatsApp. | Feature | WhatsApp | mssgs | | --- | --- | --- | | **Company and privacy** | | | | Made by | Meta Platforms, United States | RUAL, the Netherlands | | Account | Phone number required, usernames rolling out in 2026 | Email address, no phone number | | End-to-end encryption | Every chat, group and call | One-to-one chats; community channels are encrypted on the server | | Advertising | In the Updates tab (Status and Channels) since 2026 | None | | AI assistant in the app | Meta AI, built in and cannot be removed | None built in, connect your own over MCP if you want | | Who can message you | Anyone who has your number | Nobody, until you accept a DM request | | **Groups** | | | | How a group is organised | One chat per group, groups bundled in Communities | A community with separate text, voice, photo and announcement channels | | Group calls | Up to 32 people | Voice channels anyone can drop into, with camera and screen sharing | | Roles | Admins and members | Roles with their own permissions and channels | | Polls and events | Both built in | Events with RSVP, polls through bots | | Games | No | Nine turn-based games built into every chat | | Bots and automation | WhatsApp Business Platform, for companies | Bot messages, webhooks and /command triggers for any community | | **Price and apps** | | | | Price | Free | Free, Premium is optional and never renews by itself | | Apps | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, web | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, web | Checked on 27 September 2026 against WhatsApp's own help center and blog. Apps change; if something here is out of date, tell us at [support@mss.gs](mailto:support@mss.gs) and we fix it. ## Why groups look for a WhatsApp alternative The reasons we hear most, and what mssgs does instead. ### Your phone number in every group WhatsApp needs a phone number, and everyone in a group can see it. Usernames are rolling out in 2026, but a number is still required and people who have it still see it. You sign up with an email address. Nobody in your community sees your phone number, because mssgs never asks for it. ### One endless group chat A busy WhatsApp group is one stream where plans, photos, memes and announcements all get lost in the same scroll. A community has separate channels: announcements, photos, per team or per topic, plus voice channels you drop into. ### Ads and Meta AI Since March 2026 WhatsApp shows ads in the Updates tab in the EU, and Meta AI is built into the app with no way to remove it. No ads, no tracking and no assistant reading along. mssgs is paid for by optional [Premium and credits](https://mss.gs/en/credits). ### Owned by Meta WhatsApp belongs to Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram. Messages are encrypted, but who you talk to, when and from where is processed by Meta. mssgs is made in the Netherlands, and your data stays in the EU with a Dutch hosting provider, no American cloud. See [security](https://mss.gs/en/security). ### Messages from strangers Anyone who has your number can send you a message, and group links spread your number further. Direct messages are off by default. People send a request, and you decide whether to accept it. ### Just messages WhatsApp is built for messages and calls. Doing something together means switching to another app. Play one of [nine built-in games](https://mss.gs/en/games), hang out in a voice channel or plan an event, all in the same place. ## What WhatsApp still does better mssgs is not trying to replace every chat with your mum. These are the things WhatsApp does that mssgs does not. - **Everyone has it.** Your family, your neighbours and your dentist are already on WhatsApp. - **End-to-end encryption for everything**, including group chats and group calls, by default. - **Status and Channels** to share updates and follow people and organisations. - **Polls built in**, plus payments in some countries. - **Parent-managed accounts** for children under 13; mssgs starts at 13. - **No setup.** Your contacts are simply there. ### Stay on WhatsApp if - you mostly send private messages to family and friends - the people you need to reach are only on WhatsApp - you want every group chat end-to-end encrypted ### Choose mssgs if - your group outgrew a single group chat - you do not want to share your phone number with everyone - you want no ads, no Meta and your data in Europe - you want voice channels and games for your group ## Move your group from WhatsApp in three steps Your WhatsApp history stays where it is. Setting up the new place takes a few minutes. ### Get mssgs Free on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, or [open it in your browser](https://mss.gs/app). Sign up with your email address. ### Create your community Start with a few channels, for example announcements, general and photos, add a voice channel and invite a co-owner. ### Share the link in your group Post the invite link or QR code in your WhatsApp group. Invites can expire or be limited to a number of uses. Moving a club or a big group? [Get in touch](https://mss.gs/en/contact) and we help you plan it. More questions? See the [FAQ](https://mss.gs/en/faq) or the [help desk](https://mss.gs/en/help). ## WhatsApp alternative: frequently asked questions ### What is a good alternative to WhatsApp for groups? For groups that have outgrown one group chat, such as clubs, sports teams, classes, gaming groups and big friend groups, mssgs is a good alternative: it gives your group a community with separate channels, voice channels, events and nine built-in games, without ads and without sharing phone numbers. For quick private messages with family, WhatsApp is still the easiest choice. ### Is there a European alternative to WhatsApp? Yes. mssgs is built by RUAL, a Dutch software company founded in 2009, falls under Dutch law and stores all data in the EU with a Dutch hosting provider. It is made for group chats and communities rather than for replacing your phone's contact list. ### Can I use mssgs without a phone number? Yes. You sign up with an email address and sign in with a code sent to it. mssgs never asks for your phone number, so nobody in your communities can see it. ### Is mssgs end-to-end encrypted like WhatsApp? Partly. One-to-one chats on mssgs are end-to-end encrypted with the Signal protocol, the same protocol WhatsApp uses. Messages in community channels are stored encrypted (AES-256) but not end-to-end, which is what makes search possible. WhatsApp end-to-end encrypts group chats too. See [security](https://mss.gs/en/security). ### Can I move my WhatsApp group to mssgs? Your group can move, your chat history cannot: there is no import from WhatsApp. Create a community, share the invite link or QR code in your WhatsApp group, and keep the old chat as an archive. ### Is mssgs free? Yes. Communities, channels, direct messages, voice calls, the games and the map are free for everyone. [Premium](https://mss.gs/en/credits) is optional, is paid with credits and never renews by itself. ### Does mssgs have ads or a built-in AI like Meta AI? No ads, and no assistant built into your chats. If you want one, you can connect your own, such as Claude, over [MCP](https://mss.gs/en/docs/mcp) and choose exactly which channels it may see. mssgs never uses your messages to train AI. ### Is mssgs suitable for teenagers? The minimum age is 13. mssgs never asks for an ID or a face scan; accounts aged 13 to 15 start with protective settings until a parent links the account in the [Parent Center](https://mss.gs/en/child-safety). Parents see who their child talks to, never what they say. ## Other alternatives ## Give your group its own place Free to start, no phone number, no ads. Your group, your channels, your data in Europe.