Kik Messenger – send free text & picture messages over the Internet

by Jason Norment Nov 6, 2010 7:00 PM – 25 Comments

Install

Kik Messenger is the totally free, crazy-fast, cross-platform messenger app that connects you to your friends in real-time. Use Kik to chat, share pictures privately, plan outings with groups, and stay connected to the people who matter most to you.

Price: Free

Version: 2.0.1

AndroidTapp.com Android App Review:

Pros & Cons:

Pros

Easily send text and pics over the Internet without using text messages
Works well across the 3 major platforms: Android & iOS (suspended from Blackerry)
Notifies you when signing up of contacts that may also be on Kik
Runs in the background, notifies of new messages via instantly notifications bar
Indicates when your message has been read by the recipient
Supports group chats
Quick and easy setup

Cons

No control over the initial notification this app sends out

Features & Usefulness:

Plainly put, this is a cross-platform app developed behind the idea of Blackberry Messenger. It now features groups, plus sending text and photo messages via the Internet versus text messaging, however, does not have the capability for QR codes like BBM, but it’s ease of use is incredible. Install the app, register your nickname, and this app will automatically start going through your contact list and let you know who is also using Kik from your phonebook. That’s a pretty neat feature to me. Bad part (for some) is that it will also let those same contacts know you also have Kik. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great feature but it should let you decide whether or not you want others to be notified of your presence.

Ever send someone a text message and weren’t really sure if they ever read it or not? Not anymore! This app will let you know when your message is delivered and if the recipient has read your message or even if the other party is typing. Kik will receive your messages for you in the background and indicate in the notifications bar at the top of your screen. The idea of Kik was to bring messaging to a more real-time conversation and it looks like they are in the right direction. On their blog, they’ve indicated their next implementation will be music.

: Kik Messenger Conversation

: Kik Messenger Smileys

: Kik Messenger Startup

: Kik Messenger Tell A Friend

: Graph of Total Kik Users (http://kik.com/blog)

Frequently Used:

If you send texts a lot, this could be very useful and used daily (if not every 5 minutes). The limitation is that the other person must have the app to use this effectively. Your chances are looking good so far considering that they’ve grown to a million users in 15 days.

Interface:

Simple, sleek and easy to use.

AndroidTapp.com Rating

AndroidTapp.com Rating! (4.0 out of 5)

Should you Download Kik Messenger? It’s off to a great start, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the daily use yet. However, don’t dismiss Kik just yet as they have added new features like photo sharing and group chat capabilities. I see a bright future for this app!

Developer: Kik Interactive

Tags: Android App, AndroidTapp.com App Review, BBM, Blackberry Messenger, Cross platform, Kik, kik messenger, messenger

Categorised in: Communication

25 Comments

By GeeW on November 8, 2010 at 12:59 am:

I love this program. Partially because i never had a blackberry to test BBM. Its kind of wierd though how it takes all your contacts and automatically messages them though.
http://tweakyourlife.com/249/kik-vs-blackberry-messenger-is-it-a-bbm-killer-why-the-bbm-loyalty-can-kik-keep-up/
This blog even says they take your facebook. That would make sense because it was a ton of people i didnt know in my Kik contacts. Im still happy with it though.

Reply
- By Jason Norment on November 8, 2010 at 1:02 am:
  
  It’s probably because most of us sync our Facebook contacts onto our phone, thus it checks through those contacts as well.
  
  Reply
By Andrew on November 8, 2010 at 6:35 am:

I really Like KIK, i have been on a BB for years, and although KIK has some great potential, unfortunately nothing has come close yet….I am not a fan of chat bubbles, and feel the contacts and screen should be smaller icons, and show status updates as does PINGCHAT another smartphone cross platform messenger…hey but its a good start

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- By Jason Norment on November 8, 2010 at 7:42 am:
  
  I agree. Pingchat didn’t quite catch on like Kik did however. Kik has some great potential and if they play their cards right, this app will definitely make it’s way to a large amount of Android, Blackberry, and iPhone’s in the future. 1 million users is a start
  
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By Eric de Jesus on November 9, 2010 at 10:35 pm:

I’d love to use this application if everything that was stated is true. I’m not a smart phone user though.

It’s ideal for everyone and anyone that loves to text. All you need is for both person to have a smart phone and a kik messenger application.
It’s a smart way to keep in touch in seconds without any cost in sending texts.
I’m looking forward on further upgrades on this application. great work!:)

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By Steve Storm on November 11, 2010 at 7:23 pm:

I dont get it: why not use whatsapp!?? Its multi-platform: IOS, BB, Android and Nokia!!! Similar use, you can send pictures, audio, text, location and contacts….. It checks your phonebook based on telphone numbers……

Number one messenger in my opinion….. try it and love it… 5 out of 5

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- By Jason Norment on November 11, 2010 at 9:14 pm:
  
  Whatsapp will become payware after your first year of use. Kik is free. Big difference.
  
  Reply
  - By Aivy263 on November 11, 2012 at 11:11 pm:
    
    Am currently using whatsapp. And I love it much.
    But alas, the free one-year trial will end sometime next year.
    
    So am looking around for a good, free chat messenger to be installed in my Samsung Galaxy Note.
    
    Just how GOOD is kik, please?
    Will the cell phone’s battery be easily and/or quickly depleted, please?
    
    Thanks very much for any feedback.
    
    Regards.
    
    Reply
By Jason on November 19, 2010 at 11:20 am:

kik is okay but found it lacking many features of other messaging apps. I, personally, have found iGotChat to be my favorite. They recently lowered price to Free too. iGotChat has group chat already built in and has been very fast and stable. Seems like it is available for Android and iPhone and they mentioned a BB version is coming.

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- By Jason Norment on November 19, 2010 at 12:32 pm:
  
  Haven’t heard of iGotChat but I’ll definitely check it out.
  
  Reply
By Iphonephan on December 9, 2010 at 4:46 am:

Hey big fan of the application, still has a couple of bugs on the iphone though.
You can actually access the application from the internet which is cool http://firstsearchblue.com/webkik/ its pretty rad

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By Bae on January 8, 2011 at 7:53 pm:

How Can iStop Getting The Same Msgs Over & Over Again ?
What Can iDO ? Its Erkinnn ME !

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By GBuffs on January 16, 2011 at 4:04 pm:

http://www.LiveProfile.com

What is LiveProfile?
LiveProfile helps you stay connected with friends in real-time. LiveProfile is a social messenger designed for Android, BlackBerry, and iPhone.

A Real-Time Messenger
With LiveProfile you can see when messages are delivered, read, or when the user is typing a message. Who needs text messages? LiveProfile is free!

More than just a messenger
Like the name suggest LiveProfile is more than a messenger. It includes profiles, pictures, status messages, and much more

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By Phil4 on March 30, 2011 at 8:33 am:

Check ReChat (Android chat):
- Facebook, Yahoo!®, Google Talk, Jabber/XMPP;
- group chat (Yahoo!®, Google Talk, XMPP);
- free SMS worldwide BETA (with replies for USA/Canada);
- plain/bubble view, font packs, send image/video;

Facebook features: upload image/video, send image/video, send message (as private event or wall post).
Yahoo!® features: conferences (create/invite), add/remove contacts.
Google Talk features: group chat, new email notification, unread emails w/o content.
Jabber/XMPP features: rooms (create/invite), add/remove contacts.

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By Day on May 24, 2011 at 2:54 pm:

I have the Sprint Evo, when I save pictures sent to me through Kik.. I cannot find what file they’re sent to?

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By Bea Legazpi on February 22, 2012 at 6:26 am:

How do i save Kik photos in Droid Razor?

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By Crystal on April 19, 2012 at 8:56 pm:

Is it actually completely free for sprint android phones?

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By Carla on June 1, 2012 at 6:58 pm:

How do u download videos from kik into ur photo roll??
Someone please tell me I’m desperate!!

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By Josh on July 10, 2012 at 9:17 pm:

Carla, did you find out how to save/download kik vids?

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By Lisa on December 20, 2012 at 7:43 pm:

I have been using kik 4 about a month and love. Very fast when sending and receiving messages. I also like that I can c when my message has been received and read. I know that the messages don’t show on ur bill, but does anyone know if u send a picture message does it show on ur bill? Thanks 4 feedback.

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By rik on January 3, 2013 at 8:40 am:

KIK sucks, cant set picture or send

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By Brad Montgomery on February 20, 2013 at 6:00 am:

Quick question, is who I`m messaging on kik visible on my phone bill? Will my bill show who/what I’m messaging like an instant message??

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By Brad Montgomery on February 20, 2013 at 6:01 am:

Quick question, is who I`m messaging on kik visible on my phone bill? Will my bill show who/what I’m messaging like an instant message?? Please help!

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- By Antonio Wells on February 20, 2013 at 7:26 am:
  
  @Brad No it won’t. Kik messages are transferred over the Internet so won’t list on phone bill.
  
  Reply
By Billie Thorton on April 30, 2013 at 10:20 pm:

Does this show up on your cell phone bill like text messages?

Reply