Best SMS apps for Android: 8 you should check out

Some of you may not know this, but the Nexus 5 comes with Hangouts as the default SMS/MMS/IM app. No offense to Google, but not everyone is a fan of Hangouts. Having said that, the previous stock Android SMS app and other manufacturer SMS apps are not always the best either. Here's some of the best alternative SMS apps for Android and a special bonus at the end.

Believe it or not, some people still use smartphones for texting! 

1. chomp SMS: for those want everything

chomp SMS is an SMS app which has been around for a long time, and progressed alongside of Android to become one of the most popular Android SMS apps of today. Some of its features include a huge array of emojis, passcode app lock, message locks, more intense privacy options, blacklists, quick reply popups, not to mention a ton of customization options, as well as Pushbullet and Android Wear compatibility.

chomp SMS has it all: features, customization options and Android Wear support. 

chomp SMSINSTALL

2. Textra SMS: for Material Design lovers

Textra SMS is being added to this list partially because the developer was quick to bring the new Andorid L Material Design to the app, which makes this already ‘’beautiful’’ texting app even more appealing.

It’s also got a lot of features, a lot more than the stock SMS app on your device will offer, such as floating notifications, quick reply popups, a heap load of signature and notification types, and it’s also compatible with PushBullet as well as Android Wear in case you’ve bought yourself a Moto 360, LG G Watch R or Samsung Gear Live.

We love the Android L design that Textra SMS has to offer.

Textra SMSINSTALL

3. 8sms: for the minimalist types

As opposed to some other frilly SMS apps, 8sms is an Android 4.4 / CyanogenMod 10.2 compatible messaging app which gets straight to the point with a bit more added functionality than the average stock SMS/MMS app, like quick pop-up replies. Plus it’s free, so ditching the old standard SMS app won’t seem so hard.

Need just a tiny bit more than what your stock SMS app has to offer? Try 8sms for no fuss texting

8sms (Stock Messaging, KitKat)INSTALL

4. HoverChat: for those who never want to miss a text

I love HoverChat. It brings the cool pop-up bubble functionality of Facebook's chat heads or Link Bubble to your SMS app. So no matter which screen or app you're currently in, any new SMS will pop up in front of what you're doing so you'll never miss a notification bar message again (although HoverChat previews in the notification bar too). If you're not yet ready to deal with the message, you can dismiss it or drag it out of the way, and you can reply directly from the notification bubble. How's that for multitasking?

HoverChat lets you continue on with whatever you were doing

5. Handcent SMS: for those who love options and features galore

Handcent SMS is a staple of alternative SMS apps, and has now received a more modern look with a recent update in the Play Store. Taking this into consideration, as well as the features and themes galore, Handcent truly is the Android lover's SMS app.

You can customize the way the app handles incoming and outgoing messages as much as you could ever want, including scheduling messages to go out at specific times (only in the Pro version though). You can also sign in with your Facebook credentials so you'll see your contacts' Facebook profile pics.

Handcent SMS used to lack style, but a recent update has really spruced it up. / © handcent_market

Handcent SMSINSTALL

6. hello SMS: to keep text messaging simple and clean

On the other end of the style spectrum, hello SMS is one of the best looking SMS apps we've ever seen. Slick, clean and minimal, hello SMS is the style guru's SMS app. The app has a super simple tab setup, so you'll get your friends profile pics and names on the left and you simply swipe out the conversation tab.

You can do all the same tings you can with most other SMS apps, of course, but the truly unique thing about hello SMS is just how much it manages to do without looking heavy or bloated. If only all apps looked this clean.  

hello SMS ioffers a super clean, minimal layout with all the basic stuff you need.

hello smsINSTALL

7. TextSecure: for those who want extra security

If security is on your mind when it comes to messaging then it is hard to go past TextSecure (case in point: I had to take photos of the screens because screenshots are blocked by the app). TextSecure encrypts your personal communications with end-to-end encryption protocols as soon as you register your number.

Custom ROMs like CyanogenMod already use the TextSecure service for better security but you can get it as a stand-alone app as well. As you may recall, the NSA has a habit of intercepting SMS content as it passes through data centers. TextSecure only handles encrypted content so your messages are safe in transit. All of your attachments are also encrypted.

We had to snap pics of TextSecure because screenshots aren't allowed.

TextSecure Private MessengerINSTALL

8. EvolveSMS: for the customizing types

EvolveSMS is the Google-inspired SMS app we wish Hangouts was. It has been designed to look a lot like Google+ and has a nice clean design with the latest Android style guidelines in mind. While the default orange interface looks great you can also grab more themes if you're willing to drop a little coin for the customization pack. Swiping between conversations and a navigation drawer make it a breeze to navigate and there's plenty of customization options preloaded for free.

EvolveSMS follows the Android style guidelines and looks very Google+ish. 

EvolveSMSINSTALL