4 Best Samsung Messages Alternatives for Android in 2026
2026-08-25
Looking for a Samsung Messages replacement after the July 2026 shut down? Here are the best SMS apps for Android, from Google Messages to Textra and more.
Samsung Messages is gone. The app was officially discontinued on July 6, 2026, leaving millions of Galaxy owners without their default text messaging app. Samsung is pushing everyone toward Google Messages, but that's not the only option.
Want a Samsung Messages replacement that fits how you actually text? Here are the five best SMS apps for Android：
Quick Picks: Samsung Messages Alternatives at a Glance
To skip ahead, here's how the top replacements compare.
| App | Best For | RCS Support | Price | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Messages | Most users | Yes (native) | Free | Scam Detection + cross-device sync |
| Textra SMS | Customization lovers | No | Free (ads) / one-time purchase to remove | 180+ theme colors |
| Fossify Messages | Privacy and simplicity | No | Free (no ads) | Open-source, no account required |
| SMS Organizer | Inbox tidiness | No | Free | Auto-categorizes messages |
Google Messages: The Default Samsung Messages Replacement
Google Messages is a messaging app that combines SMS, MMS, and RCS for modern conversations.
Samsung explicitly recommends Google Messages as the replacement, and for good reason. It's the only app on this list with full RCS support out of the box, which means you get high-res photo sharing, typing indicators, read receipts, and end-to-end encryption for RCS chats. Samsung Messages never had its own RCS network. For about seven years, RCS on Galaxy devices ran through Google's Jibe infrastructure, so switching to Google Messages doesn't change where your messages travel. It just changes the app you open.
The app also includes Scam Detection, which flags suspicious messages before you tap them, and cross-platform connectivity so you can continue conversations on other Android devices. Google has been adding Gemini-powered features like Magic Compose, which drafts polished replies for you, and image generation inside the chat window.
Not everyone wants AI baked into their texting app. Some find Gemini distracting. The customization options are thin. You can change bubble colors per conversation, but you can't swap backgrounds, fonts, or app-wide themes. The dark mode uses a gray-and-black mix that some people dislike. If you liked the One UI design language of Samsung Messages, Google Messages will feel a bit foreign.
Still, for most people, this is the best messaging app for Android. It does everything Samsung Messages did, adds RCS without any extra setup, and ships preinstalled on virtually every Android phone sold today. Don't care about deep customization? Google Messages is the obvious pick.
- Pros: Native RCS with encryption, Scam Detection, cross-device sync, preinstalled on most phones
- Cons: Limited customization, Gemini integration feels intrusive to some, no Samsung-style UI
Textra SMS: The Customization Powerhouse
Textra SMS has been around for years and has built a loyal following for one reason: you can customize almost everything. There are over 180 Material Design colors for themes, bubbles, and app icons. You can pick from multiple bubble styles, text sizes, font options, emoji sets (including iOS, Twitter, and JoyPixel styles), and screen modes including light, dark, black, and night. If you felt stifled by Google Messages' limited customization, Textra is the antidote.
Beyond looks, Textra includes practical features that Samsung Messages never offered. You can schedule messages to send later. Set a delayed send window of 1 to 10 seconds so you can cancel a message if you spot a typo. Send voice memos instead of typing. The blocklist feature hides messages from unwanted contacts. You can also copy specific parts of a message instead of the whole text, which Google Messages still can't do.
The app is free with occasional ads. A one-time in-app purchase removes ads permanently. No subscription. No recurring payments. Textra holds a 4.4-star rating on Google Play with over 439,000 reviews and 10 million-plus downloads. That puts it among the most popular third-party SMS apps on Android.
The biggest gap is RCS. Textra doesn't support it, and there's no Companion Mode trick like the one OzarksMade uses. If RCS matters to you, Textra isn't the right pick. But if you mostly text over SMS and MMS and want an app that looks exactly the way you want it to, Textra is hard to beat as a Samsung Messages alternative.
- Pros: Deep customization (180+ colors, multiple bubble styles), message scheduling, delayed send, no subscription
- Cons: No RCS support, ads in free version, interface may feel busy if you want simplicity
Fossify Messages: The Open-Source Pick
Fossify Messages is what happened when the open-source community decided to build a no-nonsense text messaging app. It's free with zero ads, no in-app purchases, and no account requirements. The app works completely offline and doesn't collect user data. For anyone who felt uneasy about Google's data practices or Samsung's forced migration, Fossify Messages is the privacy-first alternative.
The app covers the basics well. You get SMS, MMS, group messaging, message scheduling, and a search bar that actually works. You can lock the app with a PIN, pattern, or biometric authentication. Neither Google Messages nor Samsung Messages offered that natively. Text selection works normally, so you can highlight a specific line, address, or phone number instead of copying an entire message.
What Fossify Messages doesn't do is flashy. There's no RCS, no AI integration, no theme engine with hundreds of colors. The interface is clean and functional but won't win design awards. If you want your texting app to feel like a Samsung Messages replacement with visual polish, this isn't it. But if you want something lightweight, fast, and trustworthy, Fossify Messages delivers.
Android Authority readers recently voted Fossify Messages as their top Samsung Messages replacement in a poll with over 2,300 responses, with 52% choosing it over Google Messages, Textra, and other alternatives. That's hard to fake.
- Pros: Completely free with no ads, open-source, app lock with biometrics, no data collection
- Cons: No RCS, minimal customization, basic interface
SMS Organizer: The Inbox Tamer
Focus on the SMS important to you with SMS Organizer, a Microsoft Garage Project
SMS Organizer is a Microsoft Garage Project that approaches text messaging differently from every other app on this list. Instead of just showing you a chronological list of conversations, it automatically sorts your messages into categories like Personal, Transactions, and Promotions. If your inbox is full of bank alerts, OTP codes, promotional texts, and actual conversations mixed together, SMS Organizer separates them so you can find what matters.
The app is free with no ads, which is unusual for a Microsoft product. It works with SMS and MMS but doesn't support RCS. You can set automatic cleanup rules to delete old promotional messages after a set period, archive transactional messages, and star important conversations so they stay pinned at the top.
SMS Organizer also includes basic scheduling, offline backup, and a dark mode. It's most useful if you receive a lot of automated texts and want your messaging app to help manage clutter rather than just display it. If you only text a few friends and don't get many automated messages, the organization features will feel unnecessary.
- Pros: Smart auto-categorization, free with no ads, automatic cleanup rules, offline backup
- Cons: No RCS, organization can feel rigid if you prefer a simple inbox, limited customization
How to Choose the Right Samsung Messages Alternative
The best Samsung Messages alternative depends on what you actually liked about the original app.
- If you want RCS and modern messaging features, Google Messages is the clear choice. It's the only app here with native RCS, and it comes preinstalled on your phone. Most users will land here, and that's fine.
- If customization is your priority, Textra SMS gives you more control over appearance than any other app on this list. You just have to accept that RCS isn't part of the package.
- If privacy and simplicity matter more than features, Fossify Messages is the best text messaging app on Android for you. Free, open-source, no ads, and no data collection.
- If your inbox is a mess of OTPs, bank alerts, and promotions, SMS Organizer tidies things up automatically. It's free and does one thing very well.
Switching from Samsung Messages isn't optional at this point. The app is discontinued, and Samsung isn't bringing it back. Pick the replacement that matches how you text, download it from APKPure or Google Play, set it as your default messaging app, and you're done.
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