Hangouts vs. Messenger

jj14x · Feb 5, 2016

Depends on what action you take. When you click the "+" on the right side bottom of hangouts, it asks if you want a new video call/new sms/new group/new conversation. If you select "new SMS", it will send SMS. All others will default to using the Hangouts service (IM).

If, you are using Hangouts to handle Google Voice SMS/Calls, then your "SMS" will be sent over the data (WiFi/CellularData) connection that is available (not over the cellular connection)

The easiest way to figure this out is to just set Hangouts as your default SMS app - and try it out. It is reversible, so you don't really risk anything.

Edit: I don't use Hangouts for my carrier SMS, so if this information is inaccurate, hopefully somebody will correct me.

JBentleyR · Feb 5, 2016

Thanks for the sound advice, JJ.
I have been changing back and forth between Hangouts and Messenger so many times now, it's become second nature! On Hangouts now for the foreseeable future!
I suspect I'll just be using 'new SMS' as I don't use videos or group messages. Not sure about conversations, though.

Brian706 · Feb 5, 2016

You can also switch between SMS and IM within your conversation, and not just when you start a new conversation. It's been awhile since I've been in Hangouts, but you should see somewhere near the bottom left a way to switch between the two.

GuitarG20 · Feb 6, 2016

Yep, if you have a google connection to the person, you can use the toggle to switch between the two, and if you have it set that way, they will stay threaded together. pretty neat if you ask me.

exninja · Feb 11, 2016

Something to note is that if you use Hangouts and someone sends an IM but you have your data signal off you won't receive the message until you turn it on again.

JBentleyR · Feb 11, 2016

exninja said:
Something to note is that if you use Hangouts and someone sends an IM but you have your data signal off you won't receive the message until you turn it on again.

That's interesting.
How about Messenger. Will that receive IM without data being enabled? I suspect not, from what I've read above; just SMS messages.

jj14x · Feb 12, 2016

IM relies on a data connection, so without a data connection, no IMs

exninja · Feb 12, 2016

JBentleyR said:
That's interesting.
How about Messenger. Will that receive IM without data being enabled? I suspect not, from what I've read above; just SMS messages.

jj14x said:
IM relies on a data connection, so without a data connection, no IMs

Google Messenger doesn't do IM, just SMS/MMS. As mentioned, no app will receive IM w/o data

JBentleyR · Feb 12, 2016

exninja said:
Google Messenger doesn't do IM, just SMS/MMS. As mentioned, no app will receive IM w/o data

That's interesting.
As JJ said earlier, Google must be trying to get rid of Hangouts; when I last opened Hangouts there was a brief message at the bottom suggesting I try the 'new Messenger' app. If they are intending to replace Hangouts with Messenger, surely it's strange that Hangouts will handle IM (with a data connection) and Messenger won't?

exninja · Feb 12, 2016

I'm not sure what their motivation is for switching back. For years it was the native messenger handled SMS/MMS only and Hangouts was IM. Then KitKat-ish they let Hangouts handle SMS/MMS, then they didn't even offer a distinct Messenger app. The problem I had when they were combined was that I'd end up sending IM's when I wanted to send SMS and didn't notice till much later. I prefer them separate, but I can definitely see the appeal to have them be the same.

exninja · Feb 12, 2016

Oh, something else I didn't like when they were combined is that Hangouts wouldn't retry sending SMS when there was no signal. So I'd try to send, but then wouldn't find out till much later that it actually never went through. I even submitted a bug report for that one.

GuitarG20 · Feb 13, 2016

It does seem to be a secondary choice to them at this point. When I set up my new device, the messenger app was the default sms app, and it didn't automatically make it hangouts till i disabled the sms app

Mr. Lucky · Feb 14, 2016

I'm sticking with Hangouts. I love that everything is integrated, and other than the color scheme, there's really nothing I dislike about it.

stevensotobx · Mar 16, 2016

I read like the first 10 comments and for those of you guys that are not really Google fans... Here's a tip, Google has multiple services example Google Voice which is a way where you can receive text messages and phone calls giving you your own personal number... Hangouts has the capability to receive your Google Voice your regular SMS from your carrier and it can be used as a messenger I happen to use all three services with no problem at all.. And I use it with just one app instead of me having to bounce between two different apps... I like the design of the messenger butt it really has no purpose when they already have one app that does it all... And I've had my same phone number for about 8 years thanks to Google Voice... P. S. Apple will never have anything against Google... when it comes to services FaceTime is b******* not everybody in this world has an apple but Hangouts is for everybody including windows... Hangouts is way better if you use Google to its full extend... if you just use it for SMS then messenger can be better... The design is is better overall Hangouts takes it all

mttfrog13 · Mar 25, 2016

If you have friends that use hangouts, then hangouts is the app to use IMO since it combines SMS and hangouts. Ideally, I try to message my friends with hangouts instant messaging rather than SMS. This is just because you don't need a signal and works over wifi and more easily from my laptop. Also, hangouts has integration across devices, especially if you have project fi which will then allow you to send sms from any computer or tablet as well.

If you are having glitches with hangouts, then use messenger, otherwise hangouts should be the default sms/mms app.

franklyray · Mar 28, 2016

In my world I see no difference between IM and SMS so I will stay with Hangouts. I do like combining GV and texts with each person I communicate with. Seems best. Thanks.

Novasec · Apr 3, 2016

Messanger just doesn't work it's not able to send or get MMS even with new network settings applied and it's doesn't have the latest Android N API yet and cannot reply inline to the notification panel where as hangouts has already been updated to Android N and has the new API installed so you can reply direct from notification panel without opening the app at all. Hangouts is fast and flawless where as messanger is slow clunky and full of bugs on Android N and hangouts isn't. Hangouts has way more advanced features then messanger. Like inline replies.

Brian706 · Apr 4, 2016

Android N is only a developer preview right now. Messenger not working properly on N is a problem with a bug riddled OS that is in beta right now; not a problem with the Messenger app. All the broken features you mentioned work just fine.

f2racer · May 14, 2016

Mr. Lucky said:
I'm sticking with Hangouts. I love that everything is integrated, and other than the color scheme, there's really nothing I dislike about it.

I'm on a grandfathered unlimited data plan with limited minutes and pay per message. I do most if not all of my outbound phone calls using Hangouts Dialer and all of my TXT/MMS using my Google Voice # through Hangouts (I ported my long standing mobile # to Voice this last year). Last month I used something like 5 minutes voice and 3 messages through my carrier and everything else through Hangouts over data. At least for me it works.

dbdb · Sep 30, 2016

f2racer said:
I'm on a grandfathered unlimited data plan with limited minutes and pay per message. I do most if not all of my outbound phone calls using Hangouts Dialer and all of my TXT/MMS using my Google Voice # through Hangouts (I ported my long standing mobile # to Voice this last year). Last month I used something like 5 minutes voice and 3 messages through my carrier and everything else through Hangouts over data. At least for me it works.

I was in the same situation and always used data. I am looking into a cheaper option now, but with the other carrier sometimes data is not available when SMS is available. It seems such a shame that you cannot run both (Hangouts and Messenger) simultaneously and just turn notifications off for one app or the other.

This is my understanding of features/limitations if anyone could correct me...

Hangouts

Sends SMS from your google voice number (or IM, but I only care about SMS) over data/WiFi through your google voice number
View and respond to messages online from gmail page
View and respond to messages using WiFi when out of the country the same as if you were in USA
Unusable without a data/WiFi connection

Messenger

Sends SMS from your google voice number using your carrier phone number, but receiver only sees GV number (does not use data)
View and respond to messages online by separately loading voice.google.com
Cannot be used when out of country without additional fees if at all
Unusable without a cellular connection (oh, but I think you could send SMS over data/WiFi if you use the Google Voice app still)

Again, I would really appreciate if anyone could FACT-CHECK ME on those points, but that is my understanding.

I don't care to send any messages from my carrier number. What I really want is to send using my carrier SMS service but with my google number as the reply (I believe this is what Messenger does), AND have the option to send over WiFi when I'm not in the country, AND still see my conversations online on my gmail page, all WITHOUT switching between apps (or at least having both apps synced with all messages sent and received).

I will not be switching back and forth because I want all my conversations in one place.

Deleted User · Dec 26, 2016

I don't like that you can't set a default theme for all contacts in Messenger and have to set them individually. I don't get why it's such a large app for what it is either, when other text apps are a fraction of the size.

hstroph · Dec 30, 2016

exninja said:
... What do you all think?

Messenger here, didn't like "Hangouts" functionality or even the stupid name.

Acel Cauilan · Apr 12, 2017

exninja said:
Now that Google has supplied us with a new Messenger app, who is using it and who is sticking with Hangouts?

I have switched to Messenger. The reason for me is that Hangouts was acting a little glitchy, and it seemed to happen when I had a lot of texts in a conversation (like with my wife). I like the feature in Messenger that you can take a picture and the viewfinder is within the screen, but what I don't like about that is that I can't take a portrait-oriented picture. The camera also doesn't focus as well with it, so half the time I end up taking a picture with the camera app and attaching it separately. Also, I've noticed that with Marshmallow, Hangouts is not making notification noises. When it does, it cuts it off severely. I'm not sure if that's Light Manager not getting along with it or a Hangouts issue, but Messenger seems to work just fine.

What do you all think?

Acel Cauilan · Apr 12, 2017

Brian706 said:
One more tip about sharing photos: after pressing the paperclip icon, tapping a photo will insert that one photo but if you longpress a photo it will check that photo and put check boxes on the others allowing you to select multiple photos.

As for whether or not to keep the other apps, that's really up to you. Google Messenger is only for sending text messages wheras Facebook Messenger is just for sending instant messages. While very similar, text messages require that you have a mobile signal. You can not send one in an area where there is no service. Instant messaging just requires an internet connection; ie can be sent over WiFi. People that do not have unlimited texting tend to prefer IM because it doesn't use a text message. It's essentially unlimited free texting so long as you're on WiFi.

Hangouts does both. It can handle your text messages and also send instant messages with the ability to keep a conversation made up of SMS and IM together in the same thread.

I stuck with hangouts for quite awhile until I got my nexus 6 and messenger was the default. I decided to give it a good chance and came to prefer it. If I sent more IMs I'd probably stick with hangouts for the convenience, but messenger just functions better as an SMS/MMS handler.

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