Viber is a messaging and calling app with end-to-end encryption, offering free calls, group chats, communities, stickers, and disappearing messages. Owned by Rakuten, it has a strong presence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Viber competes in a messaging market dominated by WhatsApp (2B+ users) and regional leaders like LINE (Japan) and KakaoTalk (Korea). Despite over 1 billion installs, Viber's active user base is concentrated in specific regions. Rakuten's ownership provides financial backing but limited synergies with Western markets.
Meta-owned with 2B+ monthly active users. End-to-end encrypted. De facto standard in most markets outside China, Japan, and Korea. Business API generates revenue without ads in chat.
Channels, bots, large group support (200K members), and file sharing up to 2GB. Growing rapidly as a platform beyond messaging. Not end-to-end encrypted by default for regular chats.
Open-source, nonprofit-backed with the strongest privacy credentials. No ads, no tracking, no data collection. Endorsed by privacy advocates and security researchers.
Viber is dominant in markets like Eastern Europe and the Balkans but has failed to break into WhatsApp-dominated regions. Deepening features for existing strongholds may be more viable than competing globally.
Viber's business messaging and chatbot platform generates revenue from brands reaching customers. This B2B channel mirrors WhatsApp Business API but at smaller scale with concentrated geographic reach.
Viber offers end-to-end encryption but lacks Signal's privacy reputation and WhatsApp's user trust. Differentiating on privacy requires more than technical features; it requires brand perception changes.
Both Viber and WhatsApp offer end-to-end encryption for messages. Viber is owned by Rakuten, while WhatsApp is owned by Meta. Neither has the privacy reputation of Signal. The choice often depends on which app your contacts use.
Viber established early market share in Eastern Europe and the Balkans before WhatsApp's dominance solidified. Network effects keep users on the platform their contacts already use. Local marketing and carrier partnerships reinforced its position.
Viber's messaging and calling features are free for Viber-to-Viber communication. Viber Out allows paid calls to mobile and landline numbers. Sticker packs and some features are available as in-app purchases.