Recently, people got awareness to leave popular proprietary software WhatsApp. We even saw # Delete Whatsapp hashtags on social networks. For Ubuntu users who want to switch away from it here's alternatives, namely Telegram and Element, which are free and easy, and available for Ubuntu too. Fortunately, today both are also available for users who use Debian, Mint GNU/Linux, and other Ubuntu-family computers. For Android users, both are already available at F-Droid. They are Free Libre Open Source Software also known as FLOSS. We hope these will always be friendly and useful for us forever. Please share this with your friends!

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Telegram

A full featured social media platform that is the most user friendly and convenient. Telegram has desktop (GNU GPL), phone (F-Droid), and web versions too. It supports GNU/Linux, Windows, and macOS as well as Android and iOS. You will find you and family switching easier to Telegram than any other alternative. It permits seamless multi device. Requires phone number. Its official website is https://telegram.org.

Download: Telegram Desktop | Telegram Android | Telegram iOS | Telegram Web

Element

A full featured social media platform too. Today Element (formerly called Riot.im) already has video & voice conferences features aside from file sharing. Available for desktop, phone, and web too. It supports all OSes Telegram does support (mentioned above). Special feature is, it is bigger than any other messengers, as it gives the user also the server software (e.g. for companies to create their own messenger without reliance to third party). Does not require phone number. Its official website is https://element.io.

Download: Element Desktop | Android | iOS | Web | Server Version

How To Install

As stated above, Telegram is already available in Ubuntu's repository while Element is available for Ubuntu. Here's quick guide to install both so your PC and laptop got these friendly messengers.

Telegram Desktop:

$ sudo apt-get install telegram-desktop

Element Desktop:
Follow official guide or much more simpler get unofficial AppImage.

Learn More

How To Delete Your WhatsApp Account (AndroidCentral)

Intro to Element/Matrix (Ubuntu Buzz) 

Privacy Tools, PRISM Break, and Secure Messengers (more alternatives)

Signal  (another free & secure messenger, now praised worldwide)

Help Quit GitHub (similar post to this but about code hosting)

Enjoy sharing once again!