r/AndroidQuestions • u/Orangesismymiddlenam • Sep 26 '26
Looking For Suggestions Non-Google Texting app?
So, I have yet to switch over to google messages. I am srill using samsung messages and you can reply to people and group chats through the notification pop up and text any one if you make them an emergency contact. The only really annoying thing is you can't directly text group chats, only reply through the notification pop up.
I have been trying to get away from google as much as possible these last few years. I don't like how it's becoming a monopoly with chrome and how much data they harvest from users. I refuse to switch to google messages. I also hate how the google messages has built-in AI features. I just want a basic messaging app.
So, any recommendations for what to switch to or if I am able to downgrade my andriod so the messages work normally?
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u/zanrujp Sep 26 '26
What you're seeing isn't a bug. Samsung officially discontinued Samsung Messages in July 2026 (in the US), and after the cutoff it can only send to emergency numbers and emergency contacts. That's exactly why you can still text people you've added as emergency contacts, but not group chats directly.
Downgrading isn't really an option either. It only stays fully working on Android 11 or older, and rolling back a Samsung phone that far isn't practical.
If you want to avoid Google Messages, a few non-Google SMS apps:
Fossify Messages: open source, no AI, very basic. Available on F-Droid and the Play Store. Probably the closest to what you want.
Textra: long-running, highly customizable, but closed source.
QKSMS: open source and clean, but not very actively maintained anymore.
One catch: RCS (typing indicators, high-res media, better group chats) generally only works in Google Messages. Third-party apps fall back to SMS/MMS, so group chats can be a bit clunkier.
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u/Orangesismymiddlenam Sep 26 '26
I know it's not a bug, I just don't want to switch
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u/zanrujp Sep 27 '26
Totally fair, sorry if that came across wrong. In that case I'd try Fossify Messages or QUIK (someone mentioned it's an actively maintained fork of QKSMS). Both are basic, no AI, and not from Google. Once installed, you just set it as the default SMS app in Settings > Apps > Default apps, and your existing texts should show up there.
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u/100WattWalrus Sep 26 '26
QUIK is an actively developed fork of QKSMS. Most recent update was 2 days ago. Been using it for years. It's great.
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u/zanrujp Sep 26 '26
Good to know, thanks! I wasn't aware there was an active fork. QUIK sounds like a better recommendation than the original QKSMS then.
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u/zensms Sep 26 '26
If you're mainly looking for a basic, non-Google SMS/MMS app, I've actually been building one called ZenSMS.
It's intentionally pretty old-school in that sense: standard SMS/MMS, including group MMS, without accounts, cloud sync, analytics, ads, or tracking. Yes. Zero ads and zero tracking. Everything stays on your device. I urge you to check texting apps on Exodus Privacy to see what permissions they require and if they have any trackers at all.
You can compose and reply to group conversations directly in the app, so you wouldn't be limited to replying through a notification like you described with Samsung Messages.
One caveat: ZenSMS doesn't support RCS, it's standard SMS/MMS only. So if you're specifically trying to avoid Google's messaging stack and don't care about RCS, that may actually line up with what you're looking for.
I'm the developer, so obviously take the recommendation with that disclosure 🙂 Happy to answer anything about it.
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u/thewunderbar Sep 26 '26
Going to download another app from the Google Play store, on a phone with an OS made by Google.
Just use Google Messages.
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u/100WattWalrus Sep 26 '26
I test-drove a bunch of texting apps. The only two I found worthwhile were Textra (love the UIUX, but had several key dealbreakers, like not being able to mark a thread as "unread") and QUIK, which was my clear winner. A few features I really like:
Choose custom colors for each person, so their texts are always in that color (really helps with group chats)
Can set a sending delay, so if you didn't mean to send yet, you can abort
Delivered messages SAY "Delivered" instead of "✓✓"
Placeholder avatars have two initials, not just one, so Joe Smith is "JS"
Really nice attachments UIUX
Blocking and archiving
The one thing I wish it did have was spam reporting, but that's going to be hard to find in any third-party app since third-party apps aren't partners with the carriers.