In 2025, messengers became the main communication tool, replacing calls, SMS and partly social networks. In this article, we will explain how messengers have evolved and which messengers are the most popular in Russia and worldwide today.
History of Messenger Development
Messengers began to displace traditional communication methods in the mid-2000s, but the real breakthrough happened in the 2010s. Since the launch of ICQ in 1996, internet pagers gradually evolved, but mass adoption became possible only with the rise of smartphones and mobile internet.
The key turning point — the appearance of WhatsApp (2009) and Telegram (2013). These apps offered a free, fast and convenient alternative to SMS and voice calls, especially under expensive or limited mobile plans.
By the mid-2010s, messengers had already surpassed social networks in frequency of use for personal communication. By the 2020s, they became a primary channel not only for messaging but also for business communication, replacing email, phone calls and even some social network functions.
Main reasons for popularity:
- Free communication with internet access;
- Simple interface;
- Support for video calls and file transfer;
- Ability to create groups and channels;
- Integration of AI assistants and bots.
Thus, messengers became the leading platform for online communication by the end of the 2010s and maintain this position in 2025.
Top-5 Most Popular Messengers in Russia
In 2025, Russian users actively use both foreign and domestic messengers. However, due to stricter requirements of Law No. 152-FZ “On Personal Data” — in particular, mandatory storage of Russian citizens’ data only on Russian servers and the prohibition on transferring personal data through foreign messengers — more attention is being paid to local solutions.
WhatsApp remains the leading messenger in Russia: according to Mediascope, in April 2025 its monthly audience exceeded 97 million people aged 12 and older.
Its popularity is explained by a simple interface, reliable message delivery and essential features valued by the mass audience: text chats, voice and video calls, file sharing up to 2 GB, group chats up to 1024 participants and statuses similar to stories. Importantly, WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for all personal chats and calls by default.
However, the service belongs to Meta Platforms, which in 2022 was designated an extremist organization and banned in Russia. Despite this, WhatsApp continues to operate, but its blocking remains possible at any moment under current law. This creates legal and operational risks for users and businesses. Additionally, users occasionally face difficulties with calls in some regions, though there is no full-scale blocking yet.
Telegram
Telegram holds second place in Russia with a monthly audience of about 89 million users as of April 2025.
Its popularity is driven by speed, flexibility and features such as channels, public and private chats, bots, cloud storage, message editing and file support up to 2 GB. Unlike WhatsApp, end-to-end encryption is not enabled by default — only in “secret chats,” which do not support group messaging.
Telegram is developed by Russian programmers Pavel and Nikolai Durov but registered outside Russia and does not fall under Russian data disclosure laws. This gives users a high level of autonomy, but also carries risks: the platform may be blocked if regulatory pressure increases, especially due to refusal to comply with FSB decryption demands. Still, in 2025 Telegram remains available and widely used for personal and professional communication.
VK Messenger
VK Messenger is popular in Russia thanks to deep integration with the social network VKontakte — one of the country’s largest digital services. As of 2025, about 55.8 million people use the messenger monthly.
Its features include text messages, voice and video calls (including group calls), file sharing up to 2 GB, group chats with mentions and polls, cloud sync and push notifications. The messenger is available as a standalone app and as an embedded module inside VK’s feed.
The platform belongs to VK, a company registered in Russia, and fully complies with local legislation, including data storage requirements. This makes the service stable and predictable amid increasing internet regulation. Blocking VK Messenger is unlikely, as the company cooperates with regulators and provides metadata access when legally required. In 2025 it remains a key tool for everyday and work communication in Russia.
Yandex Messenger
Yandex Messenger is part of the Yandex ecosystem and closely integrated with Yandex Mail and other services. As of 2025, its monthly audience in Russia is about 10–12 million users.
Its popularity comes from smooth integration with Yandex Mail, automatic contact sync and the ability to communicate without a separate registration — a Yandex account is enough.
Main features: text messages, voice calls, file sharing, group creation and notifications. A key feature is intelligent spam and malicious link filtering, as well as integration with Yandex Disk and smart assistants (for example, the Alice smart speaker).
The messenger is developed by a Russian company and complies with Russian legislation, including data storage and regulatory cooperation. This makes it unlikely to be blocked. However, due to a smaller audience compared with WhatsApp, Telegram and VK, it remains a niche solution mainly for active users of Yandex services.
MAX
The MAX messenger is a new Russian service developed by VK. Its beta version became available in spring 2025, and the official launch took place in autumn. As of October 2025, the number of registered accounts exceeded 45 million — almost a third of Russia’s population.
According to other data, about 18 million are active users, mainly from major cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Krasnodar and Yekaterinburg. Features include personal and group chats, media and document sharing (up to 4 GB), voice and video calls, emojis, stickers, interactive elements, channels and groups.
At early stages the messenger operated with limited features — without mini-apps or extended integrations.
Since MAX was introduced as a nationwide messenger concept, it fully complies with data storage legislation. Blocking is not a concern. The service aims to become a domestic alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram amid growing focus on digital sovereignty.
Popular Messenger for Business
As demand grows for secure and legally compliant communication platforms, strong alternatives to foreign services are emerging. The Russian company Unlimited Production, owner of the corporate platform eXpress, announced public free access to its service.
The service is positioned as a domestic alternative to foreign platforms — primarily Telegram and WhatsApp.
The eXpress messenger provides end-to-end encryption for all personal chats and calls, does not collect metadata and does not transfer information to third parties. All servers are located in Russia, which ensures compliance with Federal Law-152 and eliminates risks of regulatory blocking.
Beyond strong protection, users appreciate the intuitive interface. The platform combines all modern features needed for work and personal use: group chats, channels, file sharing, voice and video calls. Companies can integrate it with corporate systems, automate unique processes and apply their own corporate branding.
Top-5 Most Popular Messengers in the World
After reviewing the most popular messengers in Russia, let’s look at the global leaders.
WhatsApp is the most popular messenger in the world. As of 2025, more than 3.1 billion people use it monthly, around 47% of the global messenger market. It is available in over 180 countries and supports more than 60 languages.
In Russia, WhatsApp also leads: the audience reaches 97 million active users per month aged 12+. It is the main channel for personal and business communication in the country.
Key features of WhatsApp:
- Text messages and statuses (similar to stories);
- Voice and video calls (including groups up to 32 participants);
- File sharing up to 2 GB;
- Group chats up to 1024 participants;
- End-to-end encryption by default;
- Multi-platform support (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS);
- Web version and desktop app with sync.
WhatsApp belongs to Meta Platforms, recognized as an extremist organization in Russia. Despite this, the messenger continues operating, though the risk of blocking remains.
Due to simplicity, reliability and wide adoption, WhatsApp stays the top choice worldwide and in Russia.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is a messenger from Meta Platforms, integrated with the Facebook social network. As of 2025, it has about 931 million monthly users worldwide, making it one of the largest messengers, though far behind WhatsApp.
Its features include text messages, group chats, voice and video calls, file sharing, stickers, effects, and integration with games and Marketplace.
End-to-end encryption is not enabled by default — only in “Secret Conversations,” which do not support groups.
In Russia, Facebook Messenger is unavailable. Since March 2022, access to Facebook and Messenger has been fully blocked because Meta Platforms is designated an extremist organization. Attempts to bypass blocking do not ensure stable operation and may violate the law.
Thus, despite its global popularity, Facebook Messenger is not used in Russia on a mass scale.
WeChat is a Chinese messenger developed by Tencent. As of 2025, it has about 1.3 billion monthly active users, mainly in China.
WeChat’s functionality goes far beyond messaging:
- Text chats, voice and video calls;
- Groups up to 500 participants;
- Built-in payments (WeChat Pay);
- Mini-programs (lightweight apps inside the messenger);
- Integration with booking, delivery, government services and social networks.
WeChat does not use end-to-end encryption. Tencent provides chat access to Chinese authorities under local law.
In Russia, WeChat is not popular: its audience is mainly Chinese businesses, tourists and students. The app is not blocked but rarely used due to the language barrier and lack of local ecosystem integration.
Telegram
Telegram is one of the most popular messengers worldwide. As of 2025, about 950 million people use it monthly.
In Russia, Telegram ranks second after WhatsApp with about 89 million active users.
Key features of Telegram:
- Cloud chats with sync across all devices;
- Groups up to 200,000 participants and unlimited channels;
- File sharing up to 2 GB;
- Bots and mini-apps;
- Voice and video calls;
- “Secret chats” with end-to-end encryption.
Important: end-to-end encryption applies only to secret chats; regular chats remain cloud-based.
Telegram is registered outside Russia and does not provide data to Russian authorities. It was partially blocked in Russia from 2018 to 2020 but has been accessible since 2020. In 2025 it remains widely used.
Discord
A messenger originally built for gamers, but by 2025 it became a popular platform for communities, education groups and remote teams. Its global monthly audience is about 240 million users.
Main features of Discord:
- Text channels and direct messages;
- Low-latency voice and video chats;
- Independent servers with flexible moderation;
- Integration with games, streaming and third-party services;
- Bot and role support.
The service does not use end-to-end encryption; data is stored in the US.
In Russia, Discord has been blocked since October 2024 due to non-compliance with local law and its foreign ownership. In 2025 it remains inaccessible without circumvention tools and is not used on a mass scale.
Conclusion
By 2025, messengers have firmly become the main digital communication tool — both personal and professional. In Russia, WhatsApp and Telegram dominate thanks to convenience, features and wide availability.
At the same time, demand for domestic solutions — such as VK Messenger, Yandex Messenger, MAX and eXpress — is growing, as they comply with national law and reduce the risk of blocking.
Globally, WhatsApp leads, while Telegram remains key in the CIS and Eastern Europe. Facebook Messenger and Discord, though popular abroad, are blocked or rarely used in Russia.
Choosing a messenger today is a balance between convenience, privacy, legal safety and technological independence. More users and companies are choosing platforms that ensure data protection and stable operation in the local market.
