Clear communication is essential to me as a nomad. I interact with the world through the written word. And that's how I foster my relationships. They thrive with in-person meetings, but there's one channel that dominates our communication. Instant Messaging. And Beeper helps me text everyone.
Regardless if you're in the same room with a friend or miles apart we love texting each other. Therefore, you likely use WhatsApp with friends. iMessage with family. Telegram with fellow nomads. Slack with colleagues. Discord with gamers. Instagram DMs for dates. Signal for privacy-conscious nerds. The list is endless.
Why do so many chat apps exist?
It's because communication is the social glue. Communication thrives when it's effortless. Phone calls used to be expensive. SMS messages as well. But then we had Skype and WhatsApp. They lowered the cost to where we no longer need to count dialed minutes or sent texts.
Moreover, each region adopted smartphones differently. Market dynamics grew chat apps that best fit local needs. While living in Asia, I'm often surprised by the dominant players in each country. For example:
- China: WeChat
- Japan and Thailand: LINE
- Malaysia and India: WhatsApp
- Vietnam: Zalo
- Philippines: Viber
- South Korea: KakaoTalk
- Cambodia: Telegram
Why isn't there a widely used messaging protocol?
Every phone can call any other phone in the world. The same is true for email. It's the interoperability created by standards. Every phone number starts with a country code, and every email inbox uses protocols like IMAP and SMTP.
However, messaging apps were developed independently and at different technological breakthroughs. During the PC era most notable were IRC chat and XMPP (Jabber) protocol.
Contributors to Wikimedia projects
In the mobile era, Signal became the major messaging protocol. Their end-to-end encryption has been used in:
- Signal the app
- Google Messages
- Facebook Messenger secret conversations
- Skype private conversations (before the shutdown)
Despite that, all these messaging apps are separate silos. They use the same protocol, but for example, Signal users can’t exchange messages with WhatsApp. Even more absurd, Meta's products WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger aren't interoperable. Despite that Mark Zuckerberg announced it back in 2019.
Alex Hern
Each chat app has vested interests in keeping users within their network. Especially when they become integrated with commerce, payments, and other services. This market's fragmentation plus competition benefits us. With each region addressing local needs.
However, governments realize that these communication channels become crucial infrastructure. That’s why the Digital Markets Act in the EU is pushing for interoperability between chat apps.
Tim Hardwick
Lastly, there's a new Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. Both Apple and Google implemented it in Rich Communication Services. Conversely, RCS is the long awaited replacement for SMS. Independent of the instant messaging apps. Unfortunately, its implementation and E2E encryption depend on telcos in each country.
Enter the Matrix, a messaging bridge used by Beeper
Before we reach the mobile messaging true interoperability, let's use Beeper. It's not yet another messaging app. Rather, it's an aggregator that bridges all the major chat apps.
It works thanks to the Matrix protocol. Introduced in 2014, the same year as Signal. What's intriguing is that Matrix's security features are so extensive that's now the communication platform used by NATO and national governments.
List of security features of different messaging apps
Crucially, the Matrix community developed bridges to connect to other chat apps. Even if these apps use their custom protocols, Matrix allows exchanging messages. All while preserving the end-to-end encryption.
Authors
Beeper the one app to rule them all
I read about Matrix when Automattic invested in them in 2020. The same company that develops WordPress went further and acquired Texts in 2023. Then they got Beeper in 2024. Both have been utilizing the Matrix protocol.
Even though the Texts app worked only on desktop, I was thrilled. For 5 USD per month, it unified and sped up my communication. Once the branding and functionality were moved to the Beeper, the benefits expanded to the mobile app as well.
Why should you consider Beeper?
Messaging fragmentation is a fact. People prefer one chat app over another due to many reasons:
- network effects — my friends already use a specific app,
- personal choice — habits, preferences, and visual appeal,
- uniqueness — Telegram introduces many features first,
- hardware dependency — iMessage only on Apple devices,
- ecommerce — local businesses offer discounts and display QR codes that work only with one chat app,
- censorship — Signal used by journalists and activists,
- geopolitics — local governments curtail access to certain apps,
- security — NATO or similar organizations want to audit the whole tech stack.
As a digital nomad, I face this reality often. Element, the Matrix app, is cool, but nobody uses it. Signal is niche, yet I have important connections there. WhatsApp is dominant globally, so I use it too. For deliveries in Kuala Lumpur, I need to have WhatsApp Business with my Malaysian number. Some friends default to messaging on Instagram. Work chats happen on Slack. Then Nomads.com community uses Telegram. Lastly, Planet Wild, my favorite non-profit organization, uses Discord.
For me, staying in touch is more important than forcing others to use my preferred app. I come to where they already are. Hence, Beeper is the perfect bridge between major chat apps.
Did your experience mirror this?
Beeper Advantages
Every app has a different authentication process. So setting up Beeper from scratch takes a while. Yet, if you are a messaging power user, it's worth it. Here are especially useful features.
End-to-end encryption on device
Communication should be private by default. Regardless of the content between you and your contacts. That’s why I'm glad that using Beeper doesn’t break the end-to-end encryption offered by Signal or WhatsApp.
Even if other apps don’t offer the E2E encryption, like Instagram, Beeper still encrypts the connection between them and Instagram. Therefore, the content of your messages is not visible to Beeper.
Open-source project
Anyone should be able to audit Beeper's claims about the encryption. Therefore, Beeper's open-source code benefits users. The more popular the app, the more scrutiny it deserves. So I’m glad that researchers and developers can review the ins and outs of Beeper.
No technical complexity of Matrix/Element
When I first read about it, I dabbled in the Matrix/Element ecosystem. Yet, the Texts/Beeper app was the breakthrough. It became the user-friendly implementation of the Matrix protocol with bridges to popular chat apps. A key shift that allowed over 100 000 users switch over to Beeper.
Touch/Face ID authentication
On iPhone, Touch or Face ID can gate every app. Useful if you want an extra layer of security for your chats. However, the native desktop apps don’t support it.
Therefore, it is great that the Beeper Mac app supports Touch ID. To ensure only you can access your chats.
Hotkeys
Beeper has an extensive set of hotkeys. You can customize these keyboard shortcuts to further speed up your workflow. Crucial for all power users.
Connect multiple accounts from the same network
Frequent switching of phone numbers used to be common among nomads. Every country meant a new SIM card with a new phone number. WhatsApp was especially notorious for it. It's now easier when most new smartphones support dual-SIM.
Still, plenty of people use WhatsApp for their main phone number and WhatsApp Business for a local number. Even if they don't run a business. Therefore, it is wonderful to connect both WhatsApp accounts to Beeper. And chat with all contacts from within one app.
Focused user interface
Each chat app has its own distractions and superfluous features. WhatsApp adopts Instagram's functionalities. Telegram is pushing mini-apps. Instagram never loads the messages screen first. Even Signal introduced time-limited vertical photo stories. I just want to text my friends. Beeper does that.
Unified experience across all apps and devices
The instant messaging apps work on Android and iOS. Yet not every app supports all devices. Their desktop or tablet apps either don’t exist or offer a limited experience compared to the native mobile apps.
That's why it's refreshing to use Beeper, which works on all devices. Since they are an aggregator with paid plans, they strive to offer a polished experience across all their apps. Which is especially useful if your preferred chat app doesn’t offer full featured app on desktop or tablet.
Quick search across all messages
Have you tried locating a particular text from a friend? It's very hard when you don’t remember if they texted it to you on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, etc. Beeper provides searching all messages and apps simultaneously. Such a time saver!
Start a chat not knowing your contact's preferred chat app
Most chat apps use phone numbers for identification. So as long as you saved your contact’s phone number, Beeper can quickly check what chat app they use. Crucial when a friend switched over to a new messaging app.
Show recipients I'm typing
Animated three dots have cultural significance for millennials, like me. Given texting's widespread acceptance, it's pleasant to see when someone composes a message for you. Beeper supports this feature as well.
Remind later and send later
Beeper aspires to be the inbox for messaging. Likewise, they have features known from email clients. Namely, your message can be send later and you can be reminded about a thread.
Very useful for nomads who operate in different time zones and aspire to be conscientious about their recipients.
Ability to turn off the number of unread messages
The unread message counter is archaic. Notifications from every app overwhelm people. So flashy "5237 unread messages" notice is just stress inducing.
Similarly to Hey, my favorite email client, Beeper lets you turn off the number of unread messages. You still see a blue dot next to the chat app icon. And you can filter the unread messages in Beeper. Seeing such a counter serves no purpose.
Piotrek Bodera
Ability to show only DMs in the inbox
As mentioned above, messaging apps expand their functionality. Some features confuse even veteran users. That's visible to anyone who uses WhatsApp groups, broadcast lists, channels, and communities.
Luckily, Beeper offers better control over what's visible in the inbox. For each network, you can choose whether to show:
- all messages
- none
- only direct messages (DMs)
WhatsApp Communities and Telegram Topics as separate spaces
Group chats remain a solid alternative to overcrowded and noisy social media. Once again, Beeper gives a better experience in managing and accessing them. WhatsApp Communities and Telegram Topics are advanced group chats with multiple smaller groups inside. Akin Discord or Slack servers with separate channels for different topics.
By enabling the "separate spaces" feature, it's easier to navigate between all the groups.
Automatic cache clearing after a set time
Popular group chats can feature plenty of messages with videos, images, and gifs. Your device caches these files for faster loading. They can also take gigabytes of your storage without you noticing it.
Hence, it is convenient that Beeper allows automatic cache clearing after a set time. You can adjust this setting for each chat.
Compatibility with other writing apps
I strive for great written communication. Even when texting with friends. Hence, to write faster, I use Cotypist. And to proofread my writing, I use LanguageTool desktop app. Both of them work well with Beeper.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration
Since artificial intelligence is augmenting my work, I'm pleased that Beeper's desktop app supports MCP. I connected Claude to use it as an advanced search engine.
Reading an uncountable amount of messages across different groups isn't workable for humans. But it's a simple task for AI. Therefore, I'm glad that I can use Claude's powers to find niche topics I'm interested in.
However, be very careful with this integration. Your messaging accounts could face a ban if your AI spams groups and contacts.
Beeper Plus extras for original Texts supporters
Back in 2023, I paid for Texts subscription. Their desktop app already delivered a ton of value. Then, a confusing period occurred when Beeper was free and Texts was paid. Even though they offered overlapping features. So I canceled my Texts subscription and switched to free Beeper.
Once the transition was complete and Beeper introduced new paid plans, I received perks. By grandfathering I got the Beeper Plus indefinitely for free with 13 accounts in total.
Beeper disadvantages
Like any software, Beeper is in constant development. So stuff breaks. And the better you understand how it works, the better you can use it.
You can't delete the original chat apps
Beeper is an aggregator. So it relies on the original apps. Authentication, profile management, and other app-specific features require native chat apps.
Luckily, you can deactivate all notifications. Effectively silencing each app to only see notifications from Beeper.
Beeper doesn't support (video) calls
Texting is the primary use case. And Beeper excels at it. However, the native apps handle all audio and video calls directly. That's another reason you can't delete them.
It's unclear if Beeper will ever support calls. Each app handles them differently, and routing such connections through Beeper could be challenging. Including a loss of quality.
Slight delay in relaying messages
Even though text messages don't require a lot of data transfer, there's still a noticeable delay. Beeper is passing each message via a Matrix bridge, which is a longer route than what the native apps use.
Nevertheless, I still prefer Beeper's unified experience over receiving messages a second earlier.
Slow file sending
Anytime I need to send pictures or videos, I still send them via native apps. They handle them much faster. Which is most likely related to the longer Matrix relay path mentioned above.
Give up some app-specific features
Beeper is for texting. So I'm completely fine if I occasionally can't use a poll, bots, or mini apps. However, if it is your deal-breaker, then Beeper may not be for you.
Periodical loss of bridge connection
Facebook Messenger experienced a period of malfunction for me. While all other networks worked. Perhaps, that I almost never chat with anyone on Messenger related to this issue.
But other connections can be flaky too. That’s another reason to keep the native apps as back ups.
No on device end-to-end encryption for all apps
Currently, Discord and Slack don’t support end-to-end encryption on device. You need to rely on the Beeper cloud. Which may be crucial if you have a strict security profile.
No independent security audit yet
Although Beeper's code is open-source, a reputable third party has not audited it. A certification from an independent security audit would be valid confirmation that Beeper is a reliable aggregator.
Notification overload from groups
Although I configured Beeper to display only DMs, groups still send me occasional notifications. Popular Discord channels can be noisy, producing too many notifications.
Luckily, toggling this setting on and off usually fixes the issue.
Beeper Support is not always responsive
I have had instances when I reported issues and didn’t receive a response from Beeper team. Yet, in general, they fix issues quickly, so I don’t experience issues that would stop me from using the app.
The one chat app to rule them all
Beeper is an excellent software that saves me a lot of time and effort. Without constant context switching between chat apps, I remain focused. And unique additional features like MCP allow me to connect with people scattered around vast communities.
In March 2026, I wrote that Hey is the best email app for nomads. Beeper is another indispensable tool that I highly recommend. It's one inbox for all your chats. Free to start with optional paid plans.
Please note it's not a sponsored article. I'm just a happy customer of Beeper. And I'm sharing my experience to help fellow nomads.
Texting habits
Do you use Beeper? Or do you have a system for using native apps efficiently? Or just stick to one chat app?
Reply and tell me what you think. I strive to respond to every comment, and I'd love hearing from you.
See you next Tuesday.
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